Anonymous asked: Kirk which 645S do you have the folder or the one that does not fold? Thanks for sharing your insights here...
I have the one that folds. It has the amazing 75mm f3.5 lens and you can actually take very nice portraits with it!
Anonymous asked: Kirk, do you sometimes need a wider lens than a 35mm for your wedding groups? If so what do you do in that case? THANKS!
Nope :) 35mm has been plenty wide for me. I use a 50mm (or 80mm for MF) most of the time for group shots as I prefer the perspective and compression.
Just keep backing up if you need to fit more people into the frame.
Anonymous asked: Love your work. I have a Contax 645 with an 80mm Carl Zeiss lens. Recently, it decides when and when it doesn't want to work. I read that it could be the contacts between the body of the camera to the lens, so I clean it and it works and after a while it does the same thing. Do you have a place where you send your film equipment that you recommend? How expensive is it to fix film equipment?
If your Contax is breaking down all the time I recommend sending it to Kew’s Camera in Utah. They are the experts with Contax 645 repair.
I also have some Contax care and feeding tips in my free ebook you can get here.
Anonymous asked: What kind of options are out there for storing uncut negatives? I haven't come up with any good solutions so hoping you have a great system! Thanks for the help on this question, and all the others you've answered.
I keep my uncut, unscanned negatives in loose rolls in acid free boxes.
If I know that I will not be scanning the entire event again, I cut and sleeve them, and store them in hanging folders in stell filing cabinets.
Anonymous asked: how do you prepare for a wedding? where do you get your inspiration from to get such whimsical and gorgeous shots?
I prepare by making sure all my gear is in order, batteries charged, and everything is ready including a backup system of gear for my car.
The other thing I always do I keep a printed timeline in my pocket and scout out the wedding location early (before I am supposed to start shooting) so I know exactly what I want to do with each couple.
Anonymous asked: Soooo your Portra preset looks amazing, and I'm totally on board. But is it going to break my bank like shooting the extra film would?
Not at all. You’ll make back your investment in one photo session :)
and it will be so much more than just a preset….
Sign up here to be the first to know when it is released!
Anonymous asked: Hey Kirk! Can you autofocus the 105mm f2.4 on the Pentax 645 nii with the adapter? Thanks!!
Nope. Any adapted lens will be manual focus. But manual focus is fine once you get used to it. Superior to autofocus when using a medium format body IMHO.
Anonymous asked: any tips for shooting an outdoor early evening wedding?im shooting my first ever wedding tomorrow (wedding is very laid back and casual) and its outdoor very early evening and pretty nervous!
Get there early and scout the area for photo locations. That way you are prepared for the rest of the day. I arrive to every wedding earlier than I am contracted for, just to walk/drive around the area and make a plan for the day.
Other than that, relax as much as you can, enjoy it, and try to shoot how you would normally shoot. The couple is hiring you for your style - so give them that!
Good luck!
Anonymous asked: Hi Kirk! I first just want to say thank you for all of your incredible insight about photography. I also have a question about creating a high quality brand. I just relocated to a new market and I want to focus on attracting the right clients. Do you have any advice for someone starting over in a new city? Thanks in advance!
Starting over in a new city is hard. Hold onto your old client base as you build a new one in the new city. Also- let people know that you are in business in your new city. Post on Facebook about it, set up shoots in your new area and blog them, work on your local SEO. Go to as many networking events as you can, and if you can’t find any in your town, make one!
Anonymous asked: I have been looking at 35 mm range finder cameras lately, any you would recommend that doesn't break the bank?
The Voigtlander Bessa series is amazing. I recommend the Bessa R3M if you prefer normal to telephoto lenses, or the Bessa R2M if you prefer wide to normal lenses.
Anonymous asked: Hi, i'm just looking for a lightmeter and i can't decide between the Sekonic L-358 and the L-308. I'm kinda on a budget, which one should i get?
I’d get the L-358. No doubt :)
Anonymous asked: ok help! i have just got my pentax 645 with the 75mm lens, any tips for a complete medium format beginner?
Practice loading the insert over and over again with a roll you are willing to sacrifice.
Also - buy a good light meter like the Sekonic L-358.
Other than that: practice, practice, practice.
Anonymous asked: do you ever get clients who upon seeing their photos don't value your vision or work you have put in?
No. Hope that never happens.
As long as your work is consistent and you manage expectations from the outset nothing like that should happen.
Anonymous asked: i want to finally start a website to share my portfolio but have no clue which company to use, 4ormat? prophoto? any suggestions?
Those are all good. Whatever fits your aesthetic is the right one for you.
My wedding website is a custom Wordpress theme, and my personal work website is built on Virb.com
Anonymous asked: any tips on using flash for an outside wedding?
I don’t use flash for an outside wedding.
Unless I have something to bounce the flash off of, like a white tent ceiling overhead, I won’t use flash outside.