Sydney Portrait Workshop

[barry]

Where can I see the details of this meeting. I seem to have missed the announcement.

Barry

[Justin]

left hand side of the front page under POTW

[gstark]

There hasn't been one yet.

The event has become fully booked before I was able to finalise the details, but I think you're on the list anyway.

I'll be emailing everyone with some preliminary details in the next few days. As yuo can probably tell, I've had quite a few things on my plate over the last couple of weeks.

[barry]

Thanks Gary. Look forward to it.

[barry]

Gary

Any details on this one yet.

Barry

[gstark]

Expect to hear more within the next few days

We have a great location in Balmain, we have three models, it's going to be a great workshop

[Yi-P]

Great timing to test out my new portrait lens

So looking forward to it

[gstark]

It should be on your doorstep tomorrow, I expect.

[Yi-P]

Gary, any updates??

[gstark]

I've spoken with everybody involved on the supply side as of yesterday, and we're all go.

I just need to find some time to do the email, which will probably be very late tonight, or sometime tomorrow.

Sometimes I have to work too.

[Nogshale]

Is there going to be another of these?

I would really like to go if there was.

[gstark]

Is there going to be another of these?

I would really like to go if there was.

Highly likely

[Yi-P]

I've spoken with everybody involved on the supply side as of yesterday, and we're all go.

I just need to find some time to do the email, which will probably be very late tonight, or sometime tomorrow.

Sometimes I have to work too.

Take your time, but not until just few hours before the starting time

[sheepie]

Take your time, but not until just few hours before the starting time

It's going to be one of those things where the location and time is only announced by SMS an hour before start time. I believe that's the fashion with weddings these days - must be hell for the photographers!

[Yi-P]

It's going to be one of those things where the location and time is only announced by SMS an hour before start time. I believe that's the fashion with weddings these days - must be hell for the photographers!

I need to plan my trip beforehand, cuz i dont know my way

[gstark]

It's in Balmain, right near the hospital, starting at 10am.

What more do you want to know?

[sheepie]

I need to plan my trip beforehand, cuz i dont know my way

Don't worry about it! In Sydney, you can get anywhere in 1 hour...

...Whether it's where you want to be, or even off of your own street, is another thing - but at least you got there

[Yi-P]

What more do you want to know?

Itinerary or schedule of events happening there

[gstark]

Finally!

I've just emailed everyone with details of this event, and a link to a map to the location.

If you believe that you should have recieved this email but have not, please post a message here and we'll see what I did wrong.

Also, if you have any questions regarding the day, again, please ask those questions within this thread. The chances are that if I've been unclear on some point and you don't understand, then someone else is in a similar position, and you'll both benfit from my public answer.

[Yi-P]

Just got the email

Regarding disabling the pre-flash on a D70, my only knowledge is through FV lock which fires off preflash to meter the scene and setting remains for the length of the TTL meter. Another way is through full Manual flash.

Is there another option to disable preflash on the D70?

[ABG]

Haven't received anything yet Gary. Can you please check I was on the distribution list?

[gstark]

Thanx, Andrew.

I thought that I was one short.

On the way now.

[rokkstar]

Looking forward to this. I think the best way to get to Balmain is by ferry from Darling harbour. WOuld that be a good idea? Or is there a direct bus from the city?

Gary, can you (or have you and I've missed it) expand on the lighting set up that will be available, and should we bring some things too....like umbrellas, extra stands, speedlights etc?

[gstark]

MAtt,

There will be a fair bit of lighting on hand - a few different setups will be used thoughout the day, so don't worry too much about this.

Lynn is bringing her's; Phillipb is bring a different setup, I'm bring some, so there's plenty to play with.

[gstark]

Sorry ...

There's a bus that goes down Darling St but it goes through Leichhardt, or the 50x from QVB, but it just carries on down Victoria Rd, rathewr than up darling St.

If you're coming by ferry, best to catch a bus up the hill

[wendellt]

best of luck to all of you seems like this is going to be one of the best workshops ever, look forward to seeing the results

[Nikkofan]

I'm coming from the South (Peakhurst) if anyone in the area needs a lift - Andrew? Want me to pick you up?

[rokkstar]

yeah, I'll get the ferry. Sorry to be a pain but does anyone know how long it takes to get to the location from Balmain Easy ferry stop? There are two ferrys, on that gets in at 9:17am and the other gets in at 10:07am. I'm tempted to get the later, but that gets me in late, just how late will determine if I get it.

[gstark]

It'll be a good solid walk, Matt.

The buses, if they're still how they used ti be when I lived in the area, work a bit like this: There will be a bus waiting at the wharf as a ferry approackes. As the freey docks and ties up, but before it's ready to permit any passengers to disembark, the bus that's waiting will take off up the hill.

While prospective passengers watch, forlornly, from the ferry.

[Yi-P]

Did a search through, a bus service which runs from Town Hall QVB, route 442 to Balmain.

Takes 10-15mins ride and get off at Balmain, Darling St Nr Curtis Rd, and just walk south towards the park.

[Yi-P]

A great thanks to Gary, Dee and Jacinta for their great effort and work put into the workshop today. It was a great success and Im very sure everybody have learned so much today and are now thinking about buying all those lights and studio gears.

Results are just simply stunning and should be up tonight by many who attended the workshop.

[gstark]

Just starting to go through my shots from today ...

What can one say: when you have models who are just so good looking in front of the camera, it's difficult to get bad shots.

And the room was just perfect for our needs too!

I don't know about everyone else, but if your keepr rate is half of what Leigh and I are seeing thus far, I think you'll be very satisified with today's efforts. I'm simply amazed at what I'm seeing here, and I've not even begun to explore all of what I shot.

A big thank you to everyone involved: Jacinta and Dee for being such great (and great looking) models, Chrstina - whom y'all didn't get to meet - who made the facilities available to us, Phillip and Lyn for bringing their lighting equipment and making it available to us ...

And of course, you, the participants. I had a totally satisfying day, and have a great yield of images to sort through. I hope that y'all enjoyed the day as much as we did, and I'm looking forward to seeing your results over the next few days.

links I need to locate ... Phillip's l;ighting gear was one, but there was a second: would somebody care to refresh my memory as to what that other link might have been?

[Alpha_7]

Can't wait to see the results of the workshop, are there any plans for another ?

[gstark]

Craig,

I hope so.

As a teaser, here's a couple of images, straight out of the camera. Resized and converted to jpg; nothing else done.

Dee:




Jacinta:

[phillipb]

Gary, the ebay trader I bought the flash from is here, http://stores.ebay.com.au/Wholesale-Online-Australia
Although at the moment he doesn't seem to have any for sale, may be worth enquiring with them if people are interested.
I'm really sorry I had to leave early, I was enjoying it, can't wait to see some more results.

[gstark]

Phillip,

We were sorry that you needed to leave so early too. It was truly a great day, and, dare I say it, probably one of the best DSLRUsers' events to date.

And that is saying something!

You just beat me to the punch with your post: thank you for that. The original thread where you posted deatails of this gear was here, and it contains quite a good deal of useful information that attendees at today's workshop may benefit from reading.

[Oscar]

As Yi-P says:

A great thanks to Gary, Dee and Jacinta for their great effort and work put into the workshop today. It was a great success and Im very sure everybody have learned so much today and are now thinking about buying all those lights and studio gears.

A great day, great gear set up to work with (thanks to all who brought gear along for our benefit), great models (thank you ladies) and great company. Thanks Gary and pass on our thanks to the lady who provided the venue - I had a great day - and I got to drink tea!!

[sheepie]

Wonderful day - let me reinforce the thnks already given to all involved!

Having trouble with uploading to smugmug for some reason, so everyone else can get in before me with their pics

[sheepie]

OK - just managed to get a couple up...

This shows what these lovely, patient, ladies put up with all day!




Again, many thanks for this invaluable experience

[phillipb]

So Guys, can you give me your impressions of the lighting setup. Specifically what did you think of the elcheapo lighting system? is it powerful enough? do you miss the modelling light?

[Oscar]

Phillip, the lighting set up you brought alomg was great. Did it's job well - didn't miss a beat. Fantastic value for money. I'm sure a few of us at the workshop will be looking a getting this set up shortly. Thanks again for bringing it along. Cheers, Mick

[gstark]

Phillip,

I can only say that I was most impressed with the lighting setup that you brought along.

And not simply in terms of value for money: its ease of use and portability was really very impressive too.

Consider that, for a portable studio setup, many here would look towards an mutliple SB800 setup or similar. $450 for each SB800. Add another $60 or so for a stand, $45 for a brolly, $30 perhaps for an adapter to permit mounting the brolly and SB800 on the stand ... and that's the price for EACH of the setups.

The setup you brought along was sub $150, and included the brolly and stand. That means that for the cost of a single SB800, you have a three light setup.

Impressive value indeed.

And no, the absence of the modelling light is not a disadvantage when you're using a digital camera. As you saw, I was able to make a couple of test images and determine exposure and lighting placement very quickly, and from there on in, it was just full steam ahead and let's make some photos.

Your equipment was easy to setup and easy to use. My personal opinion is that as good as the SB800 is, it's way too complex for many people - this is evidenced by the incomprehensible manual that accompanies it.

Oft times something simple and basic is a better way to go.

My only criticism of this equipment is that the power cord is too short; it doesn't even cover the height of the light stand. But that's a very minor point, and easily addressed.

Obviously, this gear can also only be used where you have an available power source, whereas something like an SB800 setup can be used virtually anywhere, but I see that only as a point to be noted, rather than any sort of a disadvantage or drawback.

[gstark]

Would those of you who have not yet put their images up for me to give to the ladies please do so without further delay.

Your failure to do this in a timely manner will make it difficult for me to arrange further similar events for yourselves, as well as for other members, if I am unable to rely upon the promised copies of images for these volunteers to be forthcoming.

Thank you.

[sheepie]

done

[ABG]

Finally got time to PP the images tonight. There's a CD in tomorrow's mail for you Gary.