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Anonymous
So I'm another newbie with a DSLR (D50) and I got a small gig shooting dancers. One problem is though that I'm working with a 18-55mm lens and no flash. I have a few people telling me I should invest in a lens and the rest saying a flash would be fine too. Both of which would help me get better action shots (in addition to practicing of course). I suppose my only saving grace is that this isn't a real serious job, more of an experience builder.
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D50Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/3.6Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern750Focal Length (35mm Equiv)33 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2007:11:12 03:55:59Exposure Time1/15 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramManualISO Speed Rating800Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceTungstenFlashNo FlashFocal Length22.00 mmColor Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width840Image Height1142RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualWhite BalanceManualScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastSoftSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
I'd say a good off-camera flash setup would give you more bang for your buck here. Go read http://strobist.blogspot.com

Unless you're shooting these dancers outside, I don't think even an f/1.2 would be fast enough to freeze the motion of the dancers, but a burst of light from your flash would be.

Of course, this assumes that the dancers are okay with being blinded by a big off-camera flash head.
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
>>90429
Okay, why there's so much black around your photo? I don't like it. One pixel wide black border would work just fine.
Also, your copyright text is ugly.
Not to forgetting that you need to learn to composite your photos beter. What is that door doing there?
>> Anonymous
Why f/8 OP?

Open up your aperture.

And to play devil's advocate- which option you should go for actually depends more on your intended style than anything else- a cheap 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 and/or an old manual focus 85/2 (or if you can afford it, an 85/1.4 or 1.8) ought to do you well. If you're looking for wide angle lenses, there's a manual focus 24/2.8 going for pretty cheap over on KEH right now.
>> Anonymous
>>90432
Oh, and

>Exposure Time 1/15 sec
>F-Number f/8.0

8 1/15
5.6 1/30
4 1/60
2.8 1/120
2 1/320
1.4 1/640
1.2 1/960
>> Anonymous
If you want to freeze movement you will very likely need a decent flash. Even the fastest glass might not be used wide open all the time due to DOF issues or because it's a little better looking stopped down.

Consider the options mentioned in the thread. Faster glass will help a lot even if you are bringing your own light. You'll get a lot of use out of it, even the 50mm 1.8. If you are going to use off camera flash you are going to need to practice a lot beforehand to get an idea of what you want and need to do.

A cheap Vivitar or Sunpak can throw out a lot of light if you can't afford anything else.
>> Anonymous
Don't be afraid to boost the ISO a little to get what you want. Better to get a bit of noise in a shot than to get no shot.
>> Anonymous
OP here, f/8 was just me experimenting with different settings. I kept the door/closet in because the client preferred it to be in the shot... Since this is a draft I can fix most the things everyone has been griping about. BTW, what does Anon think about the SB600?
>> eku !8cibvLQ11s
>>90489

Did your client also prefer it to be distraction?
Should I watch the door or the dancer? Better composition is needed here.
>> Anonymous
Sometimes the customer is always wrong.
>> Anonymous
>>90512
Hehe duly noted.
>> Anonymous
>>90489

i've got an sb-600. it's a good flash, but i'm pissed that i didn't buy a sb-800 or a used sb-28.
>> Anonymous
Dancer is blurry as fuck, Therefore You need faster shutter speeds (Aka wider aperture). ISO 1600 is useable on the D50 aswell (Noise ninja really helps when people are in the picture).

Anyway, Get a 50mm f1.8 AND a flash. You will spend about $350 but it will be worth it.

People need to stop taking jobs that they can't do, If youre getting paid I would be a little peeved that you don't have any of the right equipment
>> Anonymous
>>90529
>People need to stop taking jobs that they can't do

QFT. I'll be the first person to say the quality of an image is primarily based on the photographer's skill, not his equipment, but that skill also involves knowing when you're suited for the situation. I turned down indoor events jobs until I had a number of fast primes (f/1.4 or 1.8) and multiple flashes. If you want to be a professional, you HAVE to be equipped to deliver results to your client. "Sorry, I couldn't get the shot because my lens is too slow" just doesn't cut it.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>90529
The client and I both know about my equipment and its limitations, only reason why I accepted this job is because shes paying a trifle and like I said it's primarily for experience gaining. Anyhoo I'm not gonna make excuses for my lack of experience.
>>90531
I agree whole heartedly with that and I'm actually pretty pleased shes letting me shoot under my circumstances of a stock cam and overall low skill level. We all have to crawl before we can walk I s'pose.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D50Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsMaximum Lens Aperturef/3.6Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern750Focal Length (35mm Equiv)33 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2007:11:12 15:57:27Exposure Time1/15 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramManualISO Speed Rating800Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceTungstenFlashNo FlashFocal Length22.00 mmColor Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width937Image Height1559RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualWhite BalanceManualScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastSoftSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown