hey bonedaddy, i read through that other thread, there's some great information on that thread, some great points, but also i think people are overcomplicating things. some of my quick thoughts:
1. it's true, a "real" shoot is exhausting and hard work, but it is also FUN.
2. nobody talks about just using natural light in that other thread. why not? natural light is incredibly beautiful. you just need to learn how to see it and use it. a window with a semi transparent curtain -- or even with no curtain -- is stunningly beautiful light. or even outdoor, in the shade. soft lighting is what you are looking for. "harsh" lighting can be more dramatic, but when you are starting out, it's much harder to control, easier to fuck up.
3. i realize that shooting a girl with tons of equipment helps create that aura of power, status, and expertise, but it's also expensive as shit, takes time to learn, can be confusing, and is easy to fuck up. again, NATURAL LIGHT AND A GOOD EYE, much better, much easier, it just take self confidence and practice to learn to see beautiful light, and to make the girl feel comfortable and relaxed.
4. and yeah, fake it till you make it applies here too. telling a girl, "i only work in natural light, and only shoot b/w", that shit goes a long way to getting her to believe your story, to fall into your frame, to submit to your reality as an "artist". also, having a few reference books by the masters also helps. show her a richard avedon book and she will believe that you are the real deal.
5. yeah, having an assistant, a makeup artist, and a hair person, all that shit helps, but damn, if you're a beginner, again, that shit is A LOT of work, difficult to coordinate, etc etc. just tell the girl to look pretty, that you want a natural look, tell her to wear jeans and a tank top, and you're off to the races.
6. if there is ONE thing i will recommend, though, as far as equipment, it's a fixed portrait lens. about 135mm for a full frame DSLR or 85mm for a dx/cropped frame dslr, that's what i like. why? because it is much easier to create that BLURRED BACKGROUND EFFECT -- a nice "shortcut" for professional looking, artistic looking photographs -- with a portrait lens. you can get the same effect with a zoom lens, even a kit zoom lens, but a fixed portrait lens simply works better (in particular, it works better in lower light). if you have the money, that is. if not, a kit zoom lens can work too. my overall point is, go for that blurred effect, which you get easiest when you are shooting her at 85mm or 135mm or so.
7. wreckingball, for basic equipment for a newbie, i would honestly start with a used nikon d40. i had a nikon d40 for several years, and it took some damn good pictures. you can get a quality used one for about $300-$350:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B...eller=&sr=
the only thing, it seems to come with a zoom lens that is 18mm-55mm. you don't want that. for portraits, you want a zoom lens that is 55-200. okay, here it is, i found it:
http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-55-200mm-4-5...B000O161X0
i had this lens, works good enough. $250. so for under $600 you have all that you need. and i am sure you can find that 55-200mm lens used for maybe $150 or maybe less.
8. trust me on this stuff guys, i have been shooting for over five years, and i did TONS of research, and made MANY mistakes, and i have learned so much about taking great pics, you can learn much faster by just believing me and not making the mistakes i made, buying unnecessary equipment like i did, etc.
9. after the d40, nikon came out with the d5000, and then the d5100, and i think now the d5200, and also the d3100, i don't have time to do all the research to figure out what they've been up to, but you simply can't go wrong with any of these. i would just start cheap, and used, so you don't invest too much on something if you aren't sure you are going to love it. again, the d40 is all that you need. i know some professional photographers hate ken rockwell -- he is definitely off about some things -- but about the d40 he is right on. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm
10. as for my equipment, i started with the d40, then got the d7000, and then i switched and went canon with their high end canon 5d mark iii. the canon 5d is better obviously, but it is over $3000. the d40 is a beautiful little thing, and good enough for a beginner. in fact, it's GREAT. my point is, you don't need a super expensive camera to take great pictures and meet pretty girls.
11. oh yeah, and i know all about terry richardson and his point and shoot cameras, and about the iphone, and how iphone pics are hanging in museums, etc., and i believe all that stuff, but when you are starting out, again, the d40 is better, or any other DSLR. you want to learn about the basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. the iphone is way too slow, and the p&s cameras don't give you that blurred background that you want.
12. alright, so this has been a rambling update, but i hope it all made sense. my tl/dr advice:
-keep it simple
-use simple, but specific, equipment, as recommended by me, who has done all the research and trial and error for you
-buy used equipment initially to see if you actually ENJOY taking pictures and have a knack for it
-learn to see light
-don't overcomplicate things, it's supposed to be FUN
13. life is beautiful, girls are beautiful, digital cameras are affordable and take beautiful pictures, give it a shot! it could be a great addition to your life.
1. it's true, a "real" shoot is exhausting and hard work, but it is also FUN.
2. nobody talks about just using natural light in that other thread. why not? natural light is incredibly beautiful. you just need to learn how to see it and use it. a window with a semi transparent curtain -- or even with no curtain -- is stunningly beautiful light. or even outdoor, in the shade. soft lighting is what you are looking for. "harsh" lighting can be more dramatic, but when you are starting out, it's much harder to control, easier to fuck up.
3. i realize that shooting a girl with tons of equipment helps create that aura of power, status, and expertise, but it's also expensive as shit, takes time to learn, can be confusing, and is easy to fuck up. again, NATURAL LIGHT AND A GOOD EYE, much better, much easier, it just take self confidence and practice to learn to see beautiful light, and to make the girl feel comfortable and relaxed.
4. and yeah, fake it till you make it applies here too. telling a girl, "i only work in natural light, and only shoot b/w", that shit goes a long way to getting her to believe your story, to fall into your frame, to submit to your reality as an "artist". also, having a few reference books by the masters also helps. show her a richard avedon book and she will believe that you are the real deal.
5. yeah, having an assistant, a makeup artist, and a hair person, all that shit helps, but damn, if you're a beginner, again, that shit is A LOT of work, difficult to coordinate, etc etc. just tell the girl to look pretty, that you want a natural look, tell her to wear jeans and a tank top, and you're off to the races.
6. if there is ONE thing i will recommend, though, as far as equipment, it's a fixed portrait lens. about 135mm for a full frame DSLR or 85mm for a dx/cropped frame dslr, that's what i like. why? because it is much easier to create that BLURRED BACKGROUND EFFECT -- a nice "shortcut" for professional looking, artistic looking photographs -- with a portrait lens. you can get the same effect with a zoom lens, even a kit zoom lens, but a fixed portrait lens simply works better (in particular, it works better in lower light). if you have the money, that is. if not, a kit zoom lens can work too. my overall point is, go for that blurred effect, which you get easiest when you are shooting her at 85mm or 135mm or so.
7. wreckingball, for basic equipment for a newbie, i would honestly start with a used nikon d40. i had a nikon d40 for several years, and it took some damn good pictures. you can get a quality used one for about $300-$350:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B...eller=&sr=
the only thing, it seems to come with a zoom lens that is 18mm-55mm. you don't want that. for portraits, you want a zoom lens that is 55-200. okay, here it is, i found it:
http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-55-200mm-4-5...B000O161X0
i had this lens, works good enough. $250. so for under $600 you have all that you need. and i am sure you can find that 55-200mm lens used for maybe $150 or maybe less.
8. trust me on this stuff guys, i have been shooting for over five years, and i did TONS of research, and made MANY mistakes, and i have learned so much about taking great pics, you can learn much faster by just believing me and not making the mistakes i made, buying unnecessary equipment like i did, etc.
9. after the d40, nikon came out with the d5000, and then the d5100, and i think now the d5200, and also the d3100, i don't have time to do all the research to figure out what they've been up to, but you simply can't go wrong with any of these. i would just start cheap, and used, so you don't invest too much on something if you aren't sure you are going to love it. again, the d40 is all that you need. i know some professional photographers hate ken rockwell -- he is definitely off about some things -- but about the d40 he is right on. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm
10. as for my equipment, i started with the d40, then got the d7000, and then i switched and went canon with their high end canon 5d mark iii. the canon 5d is better obviously, but it is over $3000. the d40 is a beautiful little thing, and good enough for a beginner. in fact, it's GREAT. my point is, you don't need a super expensive camera to take great pictures and meet pretty girls.
11. oh yeah, and i know all about terry richardson and his point and shoot cameras, and about the iphone, and how iphone pics are hanging in museums, etc., and i believe all that stuff, but when you are starting out, again, the d40 is better, or any other DSLR. you want to learn about the basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. the iphone is way too slow, and the p&s cameras don't give you that blurred background that you want.
12. alright, so this has been a rambling update, but i hope it all made sense. my tl/dr advice:
-keep it simple
-use simple, but specific, equipment, as recommended by me, who has done all the research and trial and error for you
-buy used equipment initially to see if you actually ENJOY taking pictures and have a knack for it
-learn to see light
-don't overcomplicate things, it's supposed to be FUN
13. life is beautiful, girls are beautiful, digital cameras are affordable and take beautiful pictures, give it a shot! it could be a great addition to your life.