My First Pix of the Year

One hand shoot selfie with flash in my bathroom mirror. Nikon D90 + Nikkor 35mm f/2D + Yong Nuo Flash.

Here is my first shot of the year, in the bathroom mirror, while holding my no-cooperative little one with one hand and shooting with the other, using my newly purchased “vintage” digital camera.
By Franc Peret

For this shot, I am using a Nikon D90, a 2008 technology camra, bought new for 1800 RMB (= 275 USD) + a Nikkor 35mm f/2D (a vintage lens too) and a Yongnuo YN568EX Flash (Cheap and great Chinese Brand).

Why did I buy such an “outdated” camera? More about this in another post, later on…

SET UP EXPLAINED:
– Manual Mode = The only mode I can use to get my camera working with my flash at high synchro speed.
– Autofocus = AF single, multi point selection. This was the most efficient way to get in focus as our heads are in the foreground and, holding the camera that way, I am not able to perfectly set the more precise single focus point on one of our face.
– ISO200 = Base ISO for the D90, best possible quality picture with contrast, color depth and dynamic range.
– f/5.6 = to get enough Depth of field as we are close to the mirror and Apolline is moving back and forth so that she is never on the same plan as me. I could close down a bit more to be safer, but my flash batteries were not freshly charged and bouncing the flash is more demanding in term of power use and recycling time. I wanted to be able to shoot more frequently and at f/5.6 the flash was recycling much faster than at f/8.
– 1/500s (no need to be that fast, but I wanted to test the high speed synchro capability of he Yongnuo flash with the D90 and it works great!).
– Result: Soft light and no motion blur. At that set of value, 100% lighting is coming from the bounced flash directed straight to the ceiling which became the main source of light reflected by the surrounding white wall (and sink!) and the mirror itself.
– Black and White treatment: I felt that it worked very well to give more importance to the camera, as much as Apolline and myself in that shot. It is a matter of visual balance to communicate my feeling: My mind is split in 2 opposite directions that are, sometime, getting along very well:
My daughter VS Photography (and film making!)…

Former photo journalist, Film maker and ELC Shanghai Photography teacher, Franc Peret is teaching Essential Photography Classes, Advanced Photography Workshop and Film Making Classes in Shanghai, for the last 11 years.
If you wish to contact Franc, just drop an email to francperet@hotmail.com