My First Book: Photo Nuts and Bolts!
- At January 25, 2010
- By Neil Creek
- In For Sale
6
Published last week, via the Digital Photography School, my first ebook, “Photo Nuts and Bolts: Know Your Camera and Take Better Photos” is now available to buy for $19.97USD!
The book is all about the camera and how it works. All the important essentials behind how your photograph is taken are explained, as well as how knowing how it all works can improve your photos.
Read More»Manifest Studio Shoot – Setup and Lighting
- At November 06, 2008
- By Neil Creek
- In Tutorial
9
A few weeks ago, I was at the Melbourne Anime Festival (Manifest) photographing in an on-site studio in a professional capacity. This was the first time I had ever covered an event in this way, and it was a first for Manifest as well, having an officially endorsed photographer shooting for the attendees.
I thought that it might be useful for readers of the blog for me to describe my experience at Manifest, how it worked and what I learned.
First some photos and a description of the setup.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3002009513' failed.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3002008949' failed.
The gear used in the setup is listed below, including what I paid for it all, in case you’re interested to know what it would cost you to build a similar setup.
- 3x Vivitar 285HV ($90usd ea)
- 1x Canon 580EX (could be substituted by another Viv) ($400usd)
- Large white drop sheet and stand ($100usd)
- 2x diffuser umbrellas (either kind would work) ($30usd ea)
- 4x stands ($30usd ea)
- 1x transmitter and 4x receivers – Cactus radio flash triggers (total about $100usd)
Shipping for all that to Australia would be about another $150usd, so the total price (if you used 4x Vivitars) is about $890usd or so. I’m not even gonna bother converting to AUD cos the dollar is so volatile at the moment.
Here’s a lighting diagram for the setup I used on Saturday. I had the Canon 580EX and a Vivitar 285HV on stands with umbrellas at 45 degrees to the model, left and right. I had a Vivitar on a high stand back left as a kicker (highlight on the hair and side of the face), and with another Vivitar behind the white cotton background to illuminate it.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3007197956' failed.
And a slightly modified setup I used on the Sunday. I hated how visible the background was in photos from Saturday, so I sacrificed the kicker and put two Vivitars directly on the backdrop, which did a much better job of giving an even white background. Next time I’ll try to get a 5th flash to put back in as a kicker.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3006362685' failed.
These setup basically flooded the area with light, nice and soft. There wasn’t a big difference between the key and fill lights. I was shooting at about 1/4 power max on mostly AAs, and I went all day, only needing to change batteries on one flash. The recycle time on this was about one second, so it was nice fast shooting.
Here’s an example of a typical photo on Saturday and Sunday.
The Manifest 2008 galleries, can be seen in total here: http://neil.creek.name/gallery/v/manifest.
Here’s some photos of me at work taken by my friend Colin, who was my sales assistant on the day.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3002842696' failed.
Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '3002007117' failed.
In a later post I’ll talk more about the business side of the shoot, and how we went about booking the shoots, what we charged, and how we promoted the studio.

Manifest 2008 Photo Studio – Come and Camwhore!
- At September 23, 2008
- By Neil Creek
- In Cosplay
3

The Melbourne Anime Festival, Manifest, is the biggest photo event of the year for me. I’ve been shooting Manifest in one form or another for seven years. Last year I took over 3000 photos, and had a great time. You can see all of the photos I have taken at Manifest in the last seven years in my gallery.
This year, however, is different. This year I’ll be doing it professionally.
You can read the details at the special page I’ve set up.
It’s been somewhat last minute – the Manifest committee contacted me fairly recently to suggest the idea – but I’m close to completing my preparations so I’m announcing the Manifest Photo Studio tonight! Anyone who is attending Manifest this year, please come by my photo studio to say hi and have your photo taken. Photo shoots are free, and you can purchase prints at a special convention price. I’ll be located in the foyer outside the main theatre (Copland Theatre) in the Eco/Com building. It’s right near where the cosplay comp will be held.
I’m taking all my studio gear, including my 3x6m white backdrop, four lights, reflectors, coloured gels etc. With this gear set up there, I should be able to get much more professional looking photos than have ever been available at Manifest before. Cosplayers and regular attendees are welcome to have a photo shoot, and my backdrop can accommodate groups of eight or maybe more!
Needless to say I’m going to absolutely flat-out this weekend, even more so since my lovely sales assistant Naomi is no longer able to attend. I’ve got a couple of friends hopefully able to come and assist, so I should be able to cope with the demand, whatever that ends up being!
This is very much an experiment. I have no idea if Manifest attendees will be interested in buying prints of photos, no matter how professional they look. Many attendees are young, or have spend all of their money on their costumes or on anime merchandise. I hope my photos look impressive enough that they think it’s worth handing over their money, rather than buying more Pocky :)
Although I’ll be very busy shooting at Manifest, and processing photos afterwards, I hope to take note of how it all goes, and learn as much as I can, not just to offer a better service next year, but also to have cool stuff to write about for you all here in the blog :)
If you want to attend Manifest, but haven’t bought a ticket yet, then you’d better get there early Friday or even earlier on Saturday! On the day registrations sell out VERY quickly! I hope to see some of you there!
Recent Comments