 Jessica Middleton |
Camera Lenses I want to take family photos on the beach this summer. The largest number of folks in the photo will be around 20. I just purchased a Nikon D60. I want to purchase a wide angle lens for this and other landscape photography. What lens would you recommend? Help! Also, if there are other D60 users out there, how come the photo appears closer in the view finder than it acually appears after it's taken? Is there an adjustment that needs to be made? Thanks again!
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W. |
If you're going to be shooting people, wide angle is probably not a good choice since it distorts perspective, which is very UNflattering to human faces and bodies. V.v. for a flattering human perspective you will want to step back, increase the subject distance, and use a short telephoto focal length. The same really holds for landscape photography. A tree at 60 feet will look like it is at 300 feet distance through a wide angle lens. Better do a pano & stitch sequence from tripod with a short tele focal length. That keeps perspective distortion in check and increases resolution enormously (so it will look gorgeous at very large print sizes). What lens to get may depend on the lens(es) you already have. Which is/are?
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Anonymous |
fish eye, skinny people on the outside, fat near the middle. You'll get a nice panorama too.
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Jessica Middleton |
I have an 18-55mm, 55-200mm and a 16-85mm lens. I also purchased the SB600 speedlight. Have the equipment, now I just need to learn what to do with it! Obviously, I'm quite "green" right now but so anxious to learn and have fun!
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W. |
You've got all the lenses and gear you need, Jessica. Now you only need to go out there and USE it! Just stick one of those lenses on your cam, zoom to 85mm (in 35mm equivalent*), set auto ISO, 'Av' (aperture priority) to F/5.6 and start shooting people, portraits, groups and landscapes. As much as you can. The more you shoot the better. Pay attention to composition. In bright sunshine you may want to use your SB600 for fill-flash to open up heavy shadows in your subjects' faces and mitigate contrast. *that's a max zoom in for your 18-55, a 3/4 zoom in for your 16-85, and a 1/4 zoom in for your 55-200. Have fun!
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Jessica Middleton |
Thank you so much for the advice. Can't wait to put the tripod in the sand and let loose! I've already taken a pretty cool shot (totally amateur, but cool) of a carpenter bee, my dauther and roses. Unfortunately the carpenter bees feel they're invited too often for happy hour on my deck! Great subjects though for playing around with the shutter speed! Thank you again.
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W. |
"Can't wait to put the tripod in the sand and let loose!" Don't wait! Start today! Good luck!
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Jessica Middleton |
I just posted a few photos I've taken so far. (Only had the camera a week, boy is there alot to learn!) Again, I'm very "green," but I'm also having alot of fun. I will definitely start keeping my camera ready and waiting. You're right, what's the sense of having the goods if they are stuck in a closet.
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W. |
The bee is an amazing shot for a newbie, Jessica. And I see you've been experimenting with color temperature?
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Jessica Middleton |
Thanks so much! I have been experimenting with color temperature. What a fun thing to do with photos you've already taken! I really love the way the roses turned out. I purchased a couple of training dvds on the Nikon D60 so I can really use it to its' full potential. Until, I'll just play!
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