First paid shots since E3 purchase

[Robert Watcher]

Even though I have played with my new E-3 a little for personal use, it is always nerve wracking to head out to a job with new gear the first time or two. A little like the first times you drive a new car when the old one that you've used for years is comfortable and you you know all of the little quirks and how to work around them. So it was with this Family Lifestyle shoot that I photographed the other night. Not only would I be relying on my E-3 - but also the new 70-300 for a couple series where long reach and shallower depth of field were desired.

Up until now, my cameras have been Nikon D200 and I have to say that I believe that I ended up with better and consistent exposures as well as superior colour right out of the camera (I do not shoot RAW, but Jpeg), with the E-3 (set to Portrait > Contrast -2 > Sharpness -2 > Noise Filter - OFF). I played with a few auto focus modes, but in general had to keep moving and so relied on basic settings as we were dealing with active children.

All of my work comes from my website and I travel extensively to handle my commisions. This location required about a 2 1/2 hour drive each way. We arranged to meet at around 5:00PM to benefit from slightly lower angle lighting and the session was complete around 7:15PM where the backlight was ideal - the tall trees around do not allow shooting as late in the evening as I would normally prefer. Aside from the arch of a bridge, this location has no areas to provide overhead light control, so Anne and I did our best by proper subject placement and reflector fill. The fathers eye squint - but I came to realise that that is how he always looks even in shaded areas without a reflector - - - I tried to deal with it as best as possible.

Although the shots I am showing are a little more formal, the majority are controlled candids of the family having fun and the children playing baseball and soccer and playing around and in the water.

[Robert Watcher]

1) Olympus E-3 : Olympus 70-300 @ 158mm : f8 @ 1/400'th : 400 ISO


2) Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 27mm : f8 @ 1/200'th : 200 ISO


3) Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 60mm : f8 @ 1/160'th : 200 ISO

[Robert Watcher]

4) Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 24mm : f8 @ 1/80'th : 100 ISO


5) Olympus E-3 : Olympus 70-300 @ 70mm : f5.6 @ 1/640'th : 400 ISO


6) Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 32mm : f3.6 @ 1/1600'th (even though they were still here, there was lots of action going on and motion as they played and squirmed on the ground in this series - so I wanted a fast shutterspeed) : 400 ISO

[Robert Watcher]

7) Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 54mm : f4 @ 1/400'th : 100 ISO


8 ) The kids split their sides laughing immediately after firing the baseball right at me and hitting me down low as I was sitting on then ground - I didn't miss a beat in capturing the reaction.
Olympus E-510 : Olympus 12-60 @ 12mm : f4 @ 1/500'th : 100 ISO


9) One of the items prepurchased is a large wall portrait - they were hoping their would be a shot that would work as a panoramic for this purpose - - - so I will be providing a few alternatives.
Olympus E-3 : Olympus 12-60 @ 12mm : f8 @ 1/100'th : 640 ISO

[Barr1e]

Hi Robert -

I wish I had the know how with portraits - still time for learning though.

I really think the candids are great, I like the colours - as for the more formal ones I'm not experienced enough to comment on except to say I like those too.

I hope you get to really enjoy your E-3.

Regards. Barr1e

[zts]

Rob, I'd switch the lenses around and use the 12-60 on E-3. Great shots tho.

[Robert Watcher]

Thanks for the comments

Rob, I'd switch the lenses around and use the 12-60 on E-3

I used both lenses on both cameras - this was a long shoot of 2 1/2 hours where I took 1200 shots - - - so these are only a few quick picks of many many more with all kinds of combinations of cameras, lenses, settings and lighting, for posting here. In actual fact, it really doesn't matter which camera is carrying which lens - or which combination I use for the clients images - - - I am printing several images up to 8"x10" and 13"x1" as I am editing - and the quality is stellar and virtually equal from both cameras using the same lens as the other.

[John Perriment]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for this thread, it's very enlightening, not just for evaluating how the E3 performed on a pro shoot, but also for the insight of how you appproach such a shoot and for the examples of the type of images you take for clients. Facinating stuff!

[Ledgem]

Amazing! Photographing humans is something I still need a lot of work on, but I can really appreciate the shots you've presented. I was also surprised that you were working with contrast and sharpness at -2 - I usually have them both at +1. I really like the feel of your pictures, though. Maybe I should experiment with having those settings at -2 as well every now and then.

Thanks for sharing!