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My Gear with Q&A

you talked a lot about all your sources of inspiration. Do you ever get in a Rhett? Were like like, What's maybe your go to do you go to your folders or if you have a certain thing that you find is your go to So what I find my rights come from is less about not having things to shoot and more emotional. It's more about just being at a place where you're just like I saw nobody want to hire me. Everybody is better than me. Why even bother? Um, so you just have to make yourself go out and shoot like whether it's taking your daughter out and shooting or getting in that idea folder you have in borrowing a neighbor kid. It's all about just putting yourself back in the game, because that's what I mean every single time I feel like I've hit a red. It's not because I can't find something to shoot her. It's because I because I can't find an idea. It's just because mentally I just feel and I think the only way you know it's like when you're feeling about life. If you sit around your house and fee...

l sorry for yourself. It doesn't get better. Ice cream taste good. It doesn't get better. But it's like getting out and go have coffee with friends. And the next thing you know, you're laughing and you know it feels better. So I think that would be my best in Unless you have me. Do you have other examples where you just feel like you're totally right? Okay. You know, it's like forcing yourself to really find Go. Just go do it. Yeah, Yeah. Career. And yes, definitely. Thank you. Yeah. Uh, good. No question. OK, so you guys have the picture of all my equipment. I primarily shoot with, uh, the Mark three. And my 85 1.2 is on my camera, probably at least 80% of the time. Um, I talked a little bit about the 85 what I love about it. I shoot like I said, I shoot low temperatures. It goes down to 12 I don't normally go that low. I'm usually around 16 but the compression is absolutely gorgeous. It's like, buttery, beautiful talks about how it, you know, it just comes in and I feel like I feel like it really envelopes your subject, so I I just I just feel like it lends itself really well to the feel that I want. I also have the 35 that I use for a little more like pullback lifestyle, telling the story shots when I want a little more, um, a little more about the atmosphere in a little bit more about the feel of a shot and not necessarily so much on the subject, although I know several photographers and they use the 35 as their primary and amazing amazing shots of their subjects. One thing that I learned in going through lenses is that just because you love the photo somebody takes with that lens, it doesn't necessarily work for you. I had gone out. I had several photographers that I really admired love their work and they seem like they all shot with the 24. So I went out and bought myself a 24 because it's an amazing lens, right? Look at the images are getting and every shot I took with it. I was like, What in the world? Why doesn't it look like it doesn't look like there's white? It just looks it, and I didn't like any of them, and it was just because that's not the feel of my images. That's not 24 is an amazing lens for like, I like to call like the architectural because it's very much about the lines and the pulling away, and there's some people that do so well with people in it. I'm not talking about just architecture. They are amazing at getting those lines to lead perfectly into the subject. So bring your eye right there and there's, you know, beautiful framing the way that they use all of that. I just don't didn't have that I So, um, I did go ahead and move up to the 35 just because you still I still needed that, that focal length where I could get back a little bit, but I needed a little bit closer. Ideo the 50 is also a lens I used for years and years really love the 50 85 just gives me a little bit more of that compression that I really, really love, and I've been told by people that shoot the 1 35 in the that I would fall in love, so but there's only so many lenses one girl can carry. I also have the lens baby, and this is the edge 80 with optic on it, it's, uh, really fun lens. I'm not exactly super comfortable with. As you can see, I have to wear glasses in order to see any fine details. And I don't wear glasses when I shoot. And it's a manual focus lens, so I do pretty well. I do pretty well, Um, but I don't use it a ton for clients. It's all personal work. Normally I do with it. Dreamer. We've had several photographers and dreamer that use this one. It's absolutely most gorgeous thing you've ever like our beautiful artwork. So it's a really fun little little add on that I that I have in there, but I mostly use it for a play. Um, so, um, work through 85? I think this guy made a little appearance yesterday in our photo shoot is basically just an example of, um, some of the toys that I keep keep in my little bag. There was the eyeballs and they had stickers going around Teoh A quick question. Um, photo Mom would like. It was sort of, I think, new to photography. Could you talk a little bit more about compression? So compression. So the best way to explain, I think, is it It's what it does to you what it does to your background. So, like, if I'm shooting 35 I was to take a picture of you guys, it would stay pretty true. Like the wall back there would kind of look like Where is that? If I shot it with 85 though, all of sudden it would bump in and it would look like it was almost right behind you guys. So it Yeah, it either like kind of polls here. And that's the same like when you really start getting lower, like the 24 you wanna get down like fish. I it really you can see when you get down into those that starts working, how it likes polling things away. Is that the best way? I'm not. I'm not technical. It also. Maybe that's not the best technical way, but that's my That's my as my version of it. I also shoot with battery packs. Sometimes when I have longer, longer days and longer shoots just because, uh, well, a You have the extended battery life because you to put too little batteries in there. But also, if I know I'm gonna be shooting a ton, um, of vertical images. It gives you the option to have this stuff up here, too. And some. Sometimes when I'm shooting different look, books and stuff, I know I'm gonna be shooting entire shoot in one direction or the other. So, um, it does add, once you put a battery pack on this and then you put on 85 that thing weighs, like, £10. So not it's not super recommended. If you have bad wrists or back that you're trying to tote it around on, um, rapid straps. I love these. I think you guys thought how I wore it crosses. And it does this little this goes all the way up the cord. So it's easy. Oh, it's not always shifting around you. I also store there's little zippers so you can store all your, um all your cards and stuff in there so you can see I have all kinds of cards. Think I usually keep at least eight. I usually just store all my cards in there and then a pack for telephone. I can usually fit my telephone and keys in there, too. So, like I said, when I shoot, I don't, um I usually just carry the two cameras just crossed each way and time my phone and keys in there. And that's all I'm carrying. Just because with kids, I feel like you have to be like, Can you explain why you carry two cameras? Is it so that you can have two different lenses? Yeah. Since I shoot, um, prime lenses I find with kids, there'll be times while get the shot will be like the severe great shop hold back to like. But with a kid, you can't just say, Can you just hold for one second? So, um, what? I do it to be in my shoes, As I just said, both cameras, the exact same settings, like make sure my I s O is the same. And in that way, when it's time to switch, I can just quickly flip whatever showed us behind me. Get it up, and I can take a shot with one lens one second and literally, you know, within 3 to 5 seconds. I'm already shooting another lens, which you I struggled with when I was trying to like football. And not to mention, you don't want really want to drop $1,502,000 ones that you're trying to take on and off. So it's saving myself dropping. Can I ask one more question? I see that you don't use, um, like a white balance card. Do you do do manual white balance or do you really don't you know, I used to use the expert disc when I shot in the studio and T? To be honest, it's laziness, not pulling it out. I mostly shoot natural light, so I find that the light changes so much on you. It's very aware that we have a day that there's not like some clouds passing or I don't change locations enough that I'm changing. I changed locations quite a bit unless it's a studio set that, like set, we move around a lot, so one second we're under a tree. One second we're in the ST one second, and I just wasn't staying on top of it. So I was finding I was having to do more correcting because I was forgetting. So I just put on auto and there's a couple little things that I do in photo shop, and I'll show one of but I finally, If you have, there's some things you can do with levels and curbs that will, like dial in your whites. And once your whites are true, it usually gets you pretty close toe true color that it's treatable. But it is an issue sometimes specially, If I'm shooting, I shoot a natural light studio. So like Sam, shooting like on a great backdrop and cloud cover will come in. Then I'll go and I'll notice when I'm post processing that. Why is that great? Look a little brown And why is that great? Look a little blue. Um, it's all have toe manually. Tweak it. But yeah, that's a good question. Um, if I wasn't first so forgetful, it would be a great thing. A great thing to dio um, so rapid straps. I also have, like I had mentioned before. I start when I first started shooting and when someone first brought to my attention that I might have a semi in good chance that knowing what I was doing. I was shooting. I was using I like a Rebel 2000 film camera. I still will pulled out. Like when we go on vacations and stuff. I still like to shoot some film. I still shoot. I have a Hold A and a Diana that I like to pull out and play with. And when I find with that is, I don't do it for clients. It's always just because I'm out having fun. But I do think it's it's kept me Maybe, like when people are asking about my shooting and like me thinking through it and I just take the shot when it's ready. I think maybe because I do shoot all those things, it's kept me in that mindset of not wasting your shutter clicks, Uh, like, maybe I would if I always shot digital. Yes, I have that at home. I have. We can throw the bag in here really quick. This is the bag that I This is the bag I use. It's the Kelly more meanie. Um, it looks really small and compact, which which it is, which I like, because I'm not. I don't like the Hall and plus I have a horrible I was, like in a car accident. Have a bad neck injury, so I can't carry around a lot of stuff. It shoots, um, but I can fit to kick everybody's. The battery packs three lenses. What else do I have in your, um I carry like Kurt like extra battery charger card reader. It all fits in this mean like, it's a pretty good little set up. Once you get in there and it sits up sheet, it has all the padding in there, and you can rearrange it to whatever direction you want it. And then, like all these little pockets is where all Maybe, if I'm shooting with my lights, I always carry in case my pocket wizards felt I always carry sink cords. I always carry all these other extra. So all those pockets things fits a lot for being such a little a little guy. And do you Do you ever take an assistant with you to carry your Then if you got your tub of props and say you're reflector and your light? Or is it just you? Usually, you know, as my kids have gotten older, I must always have an assistant because they're always looking for How do I make my mom having money? Well, money, Mom, like you want to know that you're carrying it. But you know, I find that, like the parents and stuff and I work with are still amazing. They're always like, fighting over. Let me get that. Let me get that. Let me get that. I always find that there's enough hands on deck to get everything. Yeah, to get everything done. And I also, if it's on location, there's usually not a thana props that we're gonna because usually it's like about the location a little more. Or if it's a scene I'm setting up on location, then we just haul all that in, get it set up, and then get all the junk out of there so we can shoot. So I don't haul that much when I'm moving around and then in studio, I just bring up what I need and, um, and she from there I talked a little bit about what I was saying. If my pocket wizards well, what are I do have two lights that I bought back in the day, just Teoh have on hand for when I want to use studio lighting. I have a li and be 800. And with that one, I have a 36 inch soft box and then I have a namely before 100. And that one just has an umbrella that you can either make a shoot through our elected umbrella There. Great. It's all together. I mean, both of the lights fit until these little little packs and the soft box breaks down into, like a little, too. It's they're great portable lights. Like I said, I don't use them a ton, but they've I've had him for probably eight or nine years. Awesome equipment. They're still going strong. So highly. Rick highly recommend. Um, those think I covered all. Did I talk about all the year? I think so. And I am not a Canon Nikon. I don't care. I just like I said when I started, I shot with the Cannon film camera and I had I think, 50 at the time on there, and I'm like, Oh, I could use the 50 on digital care or so That's the only reason I mechanic people were asking about that. I figured it's usually pretty simple answer with. Yeah, Yeah, I don't have. I've never shot a Nikon to even compare. So, uh, uh, I just want to make sure I covered all did you? And then I'll kind of go into this is like the gear carry in the bag. Ah. Also, talk about the gear I use after the fact to the software that I use the actions that I use all this kind of fun things because this is just the getting to the picture taking spot. We have a you asked. You talked before? A little bit about what you pack for Kids like lip gloss on blood. Like what? Are there other things that were kind of go to use in your kit? Yeah. So it's just a little tiny makeup bag. It's like this big I have on. I just went Teoh like the little travel section that you got little twist on cap thing. So I have one. I have, like, bobby pins. I have the clear little rubber bands I carry. You know, you get the packs at the dollar store a bunch of combs. So I put fresh combs, and there any time I use I, uh, carry lip gloss with blasting. Get 99 cent store stuff. I What else is in there? Blush. Um, I have a little, like stick of concealer, just in case a kid might have some sort of little, you know, scratch themselves. Usually I find those were easier a photo shop out, then determine cover with makeup. I have What else is in there? Basically, it's anything I carry, like the wrinkle spray I Carrie Hairspray trying to think what else you would need in a shoot, but basically everything just like little and travel size. And it's just anything you can think of that you might need, like Fresh and somebody up, because it's kind of surprising sometimes how kids will show up to a shoot like you're like, Oh, did you know you're coming for pictures? So it's nice. At least have a comb in little, and I'll even throw in because a lot of times like Georgia Blue that did all of our accessories. A lot of times, she'll, like, just send me a pack of cute little like Bretz and Little River Band things and stuff like that. And so I'll carry some of those in there, too, So it could be acute, acute out on not just a boring Bobby pin. So I think that everything will try it if I think of anything else. Always bored out. Ready for a question from Purple Sandbox? Great. How what kind Recommend recommendations. Can you do on SD card or CF card on the mark? Three. And do you use eight gigs? 16 or 32? I use also, of course, just because the mark two in the Mark Juan and every camera ever had before with CF cards, So I just stuck with it. I don't know if there's a benefit one way or another. I have 1 16 gig and the rest of eighths. I normally don't shoot in a normal. So each of those sessions yesterday what each fit easily on an eight s o I. Normally, if I have a really long shoot, I'll use the 16. But usually don't go to Bordeaux 16 any and I like to keep it. It's probably silly, but I've had a situation where I accidentally reformatted a card like I don't know what I was thinking, but I hit the Yeah, okay, let's reform at this card button and luckily, it and lose like a ton of shots, but it just makes me nervous to have. So what? My preferences. Eight gigs Just because if it's a good number, But then if I lost something, it's only maybe an hour of my life. And a lot of folks asked in the chat room and, UH, 72 200 question mark, Do you ever? I have tried the 24 to 70. I don't actually try the seventies. I have tried between I don't know what it is, but I can't get out of my head that you can turn the thing and not have to walk like my zooming is with my legs. And so I find her. I just and I think I feel like the images like, even when so at the time I try to the 24 to 17 shooting 50 all the time. And even when I put it at the 50 focal length, it gave me a different feel and I just didn't feel like it looked like my images like these ones do. Uh, do you do your own printing, or do you send out you have equipment for printing. I don't know. I I send out. I used White House for almost almost everything. I don't do a ton of printing anymore. Like Have Jenny had said. Most of their clients or photographers. Most of my clients, a retired furs or it's the clothing lines and they don't want prints of anything, so I rarely print anymore. But when I dio, I've used White House since I started so cool. And then, um, the folks were asking about why you choose primes over zooms. That would be what I just liked. The look of them better when I tried to use Will Sharper. Yeah, I feel like maybe the Boca and the background has a different feel to it, and I just like it. I mean, I don't have anything. I wish that I like to shoot zooms because it would make my life easier. But yeah, and I was like to ask instructors, my favorite question is tell us what your desert island set up is camera with one camera, one lens. Uh, Mark 3 85 No doubt the other 85. That thing. Yeah. If my if my go to for ever and ever. But maybe I'll give you that one. And I could get a new one. Well, that sounds good. We were talking about okay. You know, I think we are ready to wrap things up. So, um, let's first talk about what we're going to do when we come back for our third segment today. We're going to bring those cute little kiddos in who I saw in our last break getting ready already on. We're going to practice posing, and I'm gonna walk through all the different tricks, tip things. I watch for all that fun stuff, and then we'll take that little break and then we'll do the post processing so well, basically, get through what I do from beginning to and