Using Old Flash on Digital SLR

I have been experimenting with trying old electronic flashes on my Digital SLRs.

I have read there are some very cheap new speedlights on the market that while not TTL, still have full bounce ,tilt and swivel and can be used on a hotshoe mount.

These are probably a good buy for someone starting out but if you are an old school film shooter like me it is interesting what you might have lying around or can pick up at garage sales or flea markets.

Back some years ago, probably the 1980's ,I bought an achiever 632 LCD Thyristor flash to us with my Pentax Super A(Super Program).

Well this flash does not give me TTL flash(it did originally on my Pentax) but it has enough adjustments on it for me decide how much flash I want whether on manual settings or "P".

Here are some samples I got in my "studio" using the Camera mounted on the hotshoe of a Canon 600d.

I have found that most of these older flashes I have tried so far will work on different camera makes as long as they can be mounted on a hot shoe.

Bounce flash, Achiever 632 LCD on Canon 600D

Bounce flash, Achiever 632 LCD on Canon 600D(vertical tilt)

Bounce flash, Achiever 632 LCD on Canon 600D

Flash mounted on Canon 600d

Flash mounted on Canon 600d

Working as an Assistant in Wedding Photography

Photo by Nat Rogers as an assistant. Nat is now a fulltime professional photographer.Only an assistant can get shots like this. Pure Gold!

By far,in my opinion, the best way to get into Wedding Photography is by assisting a seasoned Wedding Photographer on at least one shoot or several.

To a certain extent you can have this experience by watching you tube videos but it is not the same as being there.

There is a benefit to the Assistant and the main shooter.

For the main shooter, the Assistant can do all this.

 1. Help to navigate and sometimes drive your car.
2. Make sure you don't leave gear behind and carry some of your gear for you.
3. Remind you during the day of shots you may have missed earlier. Sometimes you run out of time in the pre-wedding shoot but important shots that you missed can be caught up with later.
4. Hand you different cameras,lenses and assist with lighting and reflectors etc.
5. Get great shots that you will not see if you are the principle photographer.
6. Pick up on relationship issues in families during the shoot.
7. Make creative suggestions.
8. Ask questions that make you think about what you are doing.
9. Help sometimes with people who don't know how to buttonhole a flower and similar. 

Benefits for the Assistant.

1. Invaluable hands on experience of the dynamics of a wedding shoot including time constraints.
2. Learn about thinking on your feet.
3. Learn about relating to customers. What to say,not what to say.
4. Learning and fine tuning and practising your camera skills.
5. Learning the art of seeing.
6. With permission from the main shooter showing your potential customers some real work.
7. Usually you should be getting some payment for your services.
8. helping you decide whether you want to do weddings or not.
9. Experience in editing if allowed or even engaged to do so.

If you want to do this simply approach someone you know or contact listed photographers who may be very glad of some help. Not all will want you but just approach the next one.

You might like also to have a look at my video on the Profile of a wedding photographer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATgCH2ByWdE&t=257s

Come and Try Photography

I have just this last Friday(31/3/17) completed 12 hours of photography training for 2 hours once a week through the community outreach programmes organised by the Burnside Council in Adelaide.
 My general feeling and feedback from participants is that this was a worthwhile exercise.

We had much discussion and viewing of samples of photography.

I worked my way through a keynote(powerpoint) programme I have developed on the fundamentals of photography although time running out cut us a little bit short on that.

A highlight was a field trip to a local park where we practised different techniques.

On the last day we discussed a quiz I  had handed out on the first day and generally speaking most were able to get the majority of questions right.

I have offered to all the participants a couple of hours extra time to help them fine tune their cameras as it is difficult to do that in a group setting.

With their permission and the permission of the Burnside council I have posted some of the pics recorded during the course by the participants.

During the course one of the participants,Wendy, brought in some old negatives her Nanna had taken years ago on a box brownie camera.

I scanned them for her and there were some iconic Australian picnic scenes amongst them.

On our field trip I had the idea we would re create some picnic scenes with a blend of old and new technology.

That was fun with "Mr. Tripod" and his "self timer" friend getting some good shots.

I apologise for being the subject material in some of these shots as I did not have any paid or volunteer models to help out and I did not want to embarrass participants into the role.

Many thanks to the staff at Burnside for co-ordinating and setting up.
Matthew, Shandre and Ros.

from Wendy's box camera negs

from Wendy's box camera negs

from Wendy's box camera negs

Wendy using Box Camera as in days of old.

Tripod "selfie"

Shooting into the light.

Capturing the peak of action

Capturing the peak of action