Dustin Diaz Photography

78/365. One Look, and that's all it took to send me to another galaxy ~ Jonas Brothers (Out of this world)

I'm enjoying the two light front & back setup for a lot of my toy shots. However I'm hoping I just don't turn my brain into auto mode whenever I can't think of a shot and immediately turn to setting up random lights. My brain is turning into mush as I type this so let me quickly post the info.

strobist info: Nikon SB-900 @ 1/32 into 43" reflective 5' away camera right. SB-600 @ 1/64 thru grid spot onto glass bar in the back. triggered with PW's

camera info: Nikon D700 | 50mm(ƒ/1.4G) | ƒ/1.4 | ISO 100 | 1/250s

77/365. God I can't wait for pancakes.

Random photo from the IHOP pool. This photo qualifies for today even though it feels like yesterday since it was taken quite a bit time after midnight.

strobist info: SB-900 & SB-600 both @ 1/4 on both sides of the ceiling. created sufficient light for the whole back room. triggered via PWii's.

70/365.
Domo <3 Nikon

Today I had the opportunity of teaching photography to Junior High School students for a Volunteer after-school program. It was actually quite fun and I was rather amazed on how much information can be stored in a 12 year old brain considering how much I went off with all the math. I'd love to post some of those photos but I'm sure I'd need some sort of parent consent form hoopla. So I shot this one when I got home.

Be sure to check out the detailed strobist info in the previous photo.

Happy Bokeh Wednesday!

68/365.
The important decisions in photography are those concerned with the image itself: the reasons for taking it, and the way it looks. The Technology, of course, is vital, but the best it can do is to help realize ideas and perception. ~ Michael Freeman

This is one of the first actual books I bought on photography, I've had it over a year. I really don't have many. And some I haven't turned a page. This one, however, was the first I read all the way through because it talks about the art of taking good photographs leaving out the technical garbage that comes with every other one. It's actually a breath of fresh air when not reading about new gadgets every other week.

Anyhow, today was Monday, it was slow, but the coffee was good.

strobist info: Nikon SB900 thru 43" silver umbrella @ 1/128 power on 20mm head with the standard boring 45° camera left. In the back hitting the wall was a SB600 @ 1/64 shooting thru a "dark bastard amber" #03 gel (yes, that really is the name of it) onto a wine bar with tons of glasses (hence that sweet bokeh)

camera info: Nikon D700 | 50mm(ƒ/1.4G) | ƒ/1.4 | ISO 200 | 1/200s | WB 6570 k° SOOC (minus border and title)

59/365. White Russian, no ice, no vodka... hold the Kahlua. ~ Catwoman

It was nearing evening as we rushed home from Pauline's Pizza to catch the last of the sky. We missed most of it, but the D700 was able to pull most of it back out at ISO 1,600. This was shot on top of our roof again, this time with a little bit different of an outfit... but made a reintroduction to those damn sweet boots. Be sure to have a look see at the other three photos from the same shoot (previous to this one).

strobist info: SB-900 @ 1/16 near 12' high into 45" umbrella at 80°. SB-600 @ 1/32 45° camera left thru DIY grid spot

camera info: Nikon D700 | 24-70mm(ƒ/2.8G)@24mm | ƒ/2.8 | ISO 1,600 | 1/10s

This is my snoot made out of trash, tape, and hope.

40/365. Holy crip, he's a crapple ~ Peter Griffin (Family Guy)

You guys all know this is Flat Eric. This was shot out of frustration since I couldn't figure out sync modes and the D700's capabilities to go beyond 1/250 shutter speeds. I know that with a mechanical shutter (not electronic), our fastest sync is only 1/250 (I say that like it's bad)... but there is an auto-FP mode that you can use with Nikon flash systems (SB600/800/900) that will allow you to get crazy sync speeds up to your fastest shutter (so 1/8000s on a D700). The only problem is you have to do this with CLS which is crap! Pocket Wizards are now useless (for this case)!

Either way, just to see that they weren't lying, I tried it by popping my 'ol on camera flash to trigger the SB-600, and voila, here we go. Check out this camera info:

Nikon D700 | ISO 400 | f/2.8 | 1/640s

strobist: Nikon SB600 into 45" convertible at 1/2 power about 2' from subject, and only about 6' from a white wall! crazy.

K. G'nite.

39/365. Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? ~ Batman

It feels like I'm getting closer and closer to midnight for finally getting around to taking my photo of the day. But I suppose the important part is that I'm still getting shots. I rummaged through our toy box again to see what I can shoot and came up with Lego Batman... then remembered a great quote from the 1989 movie. Since I needed harsh edgy shadows, I ditched the umbrella and set my zoom head on tight... anyway, read the strobist info if you're actually curious. Cheers everyone, hope you had a great weekend!

strobist info: Nikon SB600 @ 1/64 power, head at 85mm position, placed 2 feet from subject.

Camera info: Nikon D700 | 24-70mm(f/2.8G)@70mm | ISO 400 | f/10 | 1/250s

model info: Batman by Lego®

52/365. Does every 365 project have to have a quote go along with every picture? ~ Erin Caton (on cheesy quotes paired with 365 photos)

large on black (worth it)

A storm was a'brewin' and we caught it just in time as the clouds started to scour the rooftop of our home. Just immediately before this shot we were watching cartoons and making grid spots with coroplast and super glue so it was a great reason to get out of the house due to the smell. This was shot with my dinky little SB-600 on full power :) strobist geeks can read the info.

Model: Erin Caton

Strobist info: SB-600 @ 1/1 into collapsed 45" convertible umbrella (so more like 20") about 6' from subject. Head was set to 24mm.

Camera info: Nikon D700 | 14-24mm(f/2.8G)@14mm | f/8 | ISO 800 | 1/2s | rear curtain (or what you canonites call second curtain)

41/365. Throw the brick, yeah, one more time... picking up the problems that I left behind. ~ Less Than Jake

Tonight's shot was made with my homemade 6" snoot! I had no idea what they were useful for, but I figured, why the heck not make one since it's free! Made out of a cereal box, black masking tape, and white letter paper I took out of my printer. It took about 15 minutes to make, so I spent my time doing this while Stephen Colbert played on the tube. Feel free to check out my hack job.

strobist info: Nikon SB600 at 1/64 power set to 85mm head with 6" cereal box snoot. 5' feet from subject.

camera info: Nikon D700 | ISO 400 | 85mm f/1.4D @ f/6.3 | 1/200s | BW done in camera