Beauty Pageant

[FLiNcHY]

I was the official Photographer for the Miss Asian Atlanta 2004 Pageant last week. Took 399 photos of which 310 were keepers. Worked with only the EF 85mm f1.8 prime on a 300D.

Your comments are much valued! I hope to do more stage photography in the future

More photos here: http://www.pbase.com/nawoo/miss_asian_atlanta_2004

#1: I predicted for Eleanor to win even before the event started. So just before the final result was announced, i already had my camera fixed and focused on her face just waiting for that winning expression.
This is the result.



#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8

[sebastiansong]

Nice job Nathan considering u used a 85mm prime to cover the event...

were you one of the official photographers? cos I suspect you need to do a fair bit of moving around since you are using prime.

keep up the good work

[agape01]

I like the first one that you posted the best. You got the expression of Eleanor dead on when she won. In addition, I also think that you got a good job with the second shot as well.

Overall, you did real good on your shots. You got excellent expressions on what you have posted.

[FLiNcHY]

Thanks for the comments!

I didn't do a whole lot of moving around at all.

90% of the time, it was at the front of the stage, which explains why the camera angles were always flat straight on

10% of the time, it was at the left side to cover them at the side, which i did not like because it was too angled already.

Unless for shots like this where she was facing the left of the stage(she looks like pan Ling ling here right?)


The 85mm prime is the ultimate stage photography lense man. it's just the right focal length, that's if you're the official photographer and have front stage access i mean. I got really good shutter speeds like 1/250 to 1/400 wide open.

I would like to get my hands on a 135/2 and see how it performs.

[Cash]

You captured some nice expressions. I'll give you credit for that, the eye of an anticipator.

Other than that, the nice colours, the exposure, the sharpness and the beauty of the people were all pre-determined by either the camera or the environment and the subjects.

Your framing seems to be in the category of one who shoots regularly for events like these.

Coherent and no nosense.

best wishes.

[FLiNcHY]

Sweet !
Thanks!

Oh well, Although good lenses and good cameras do not a good photographer make, it does help to a certain extent

[sehsuan]

flinchy, were all your shots done at f/1.8 or anything lesser?

[zekai]

the exposure is spot on man.... the contrast is jsut sweet.

[FLiNcHY]

Originally Posted by sehsuan flinchy, were all your shots done at f/1.8 or anything lesser?

yeah 1.8

How freaking sharp is that!!!
Hahahah
amazing piece of glass man!!

I initially had the 70-200 F4L, 18-55mm F3.5-5.6, and 50mm 1.8 in my pockets. But the 85mm just stayed on my 300D the WHOLE night!!!

The 70-200 and 18-55 just couldnt take the low light at all! and 50mm was too wide for my liking.

The 85mm 1.8 is like the perfect focal length for stage photography. But only if you have like front stage access and all that. I got Shutter speeds of 1/200 to 1/400 all the time depending on what gowns or skin color the contestants were at that time.

I think i wanna save up for the 85mm 1.2 already.

[sehsuan]

point to note: the 85 f/1.2 is known to be extra heavy, and the AF is slower than the "slower" f/1.8 lens, because the focussing group is much heavier, though it's using ring USM...

http://www.wlcastleman.com/equip/reviews/85mm/index.htm

[scanner]

Sorry abit of banal talk.
Out of curiosity, what kind of beauty pageant is this?

[FLiNcHY]

It's a beauty pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia
It's for Asians so anyone who is at least 50% asian can take part

Lots of ugly girls take part, don't ask me how they got the ego to join. if you though Miss Singapore was bad, you gotta look at the girls here.

Good looks alone will definately get you in the top 10. Because there are less than 10 good looking girls to begin with.

Now i wonder what the auditioning stages were like

[sequitur]

Power Ah !

[Necroist]

85mm f/1.8?

Does that means your cropped focal length is actually 85 + 27.0 = 132mm?

[FLiNcHY]

I would think so.

Normally, i don't feel the effect of the added focal length on the telephoto end, but on the wide end. When i used the 18-55mm at 18mm to take the Singapore Cityscape, i found myself asking for more width.

But one can never have enough telephoto zoom

[sensires]

Very well focused and exposed shots you have!! But I think u've heard quite abit of that ... ... I'm so envious of your skill, equipment AND opportunity ...

[tom_lim]

Thanks Nathan for sharing. Pics were absolutely fab. Wish I had the chance, the lens and most importantly the skill to shoot like that. Well done ........ tOm

[FLiNcHY]

Thanks. Yup, the lense definately played a big part. large apertures always help alot.
I think i'm going to sell away all my zooms and switch to all primes in the future.
18-55mm is quite crappy
70-200mm F4L is a Day-only lense. It's hopeless for indoor sports and low light events.

Gonna go for the 200m 2.8 if i save up enough.

Eleanor Baccay's mom contacted me, wanting to buy prints from me. I don't know how much to charge her since i'm not in it professionally.

[lauLEE]

Originally Posted by FLiNcHY Eleanor Baccay's mom contacted me, wanting to buy prints from me. I don't know how much to charge her since i'm not in it professionally.

It depends: 1) whether you need $$$ desparately or whether $$$ is important to you, 2) an amount that cover your costs of producing, which will still depend on the (1) but i feel that the best way is to give the prints to her as a present (if you can afford it) becoz you will make some ppl very happy, and that is what good photography is all about ... making others happy. For me, probably i will even offer to buy Eleanor (minus the mum) a dinner (as a pre-condition?) ... hehe

[FLiNcHY]

Originally Posted by lauLEE It depends: 1) whether you need $$$ desparately or whether $$$ is important to you, 2) an amount that cover your costs of producing, which will still depend on the (1) but i feel that the best way is to give the prints to her as a present (if you can afford it) becoz you will make some ppl very happy, and that is what good photography is all about ... making others happy. For me, probably i will even offer to buy Eleanor (minus the mum) a dinner (as a pre-condition?) ... hehe

Now that's different. That's giving, with the intention of expecting something in return (in this case, a date)

I'm looking for that kinda thing. haha.

I can print 4rs at 19 cents and 8rs at $1.96 so i told them i would be charging them $3 per 4r and 10$ per 8r and they were happy about it since i've seen other photographers selling pictures for 10-20 dollars per 4r.