Boyzilla!

As I am building an arsenal of photo gear in anticipation of my new job, I have been recruiting friends and family to be my subjects as I try out each new gadget. My son, Army is a good sport and has a lot of character, so yesterday while Mom was out, we set up all of his toy cars on the dining room table and staged a mock-Godzilla destruction scene as an excuse to use my new 35mm lens. Although he usually can remain focused on a task for longer than the average 4 year old, I could tell his patience for this experiment was wearing thin. After all, I had him up on top of our dining room table for the shoot. I love that he is shirtless, like a miniature Incedible Hulk.

I was only able to fire off a handful of shots, and the one below is the best.

CAMERA: Nikon D80

LENS: AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
APERTURE: 2.8
SHUTTER: 1/125
LIGHTING: Two halogens with white umbrella diffusers at 45 degrees, key 500 watt, fill 300 watt
ISO: 320
RETOUCHING: Some brightness, contrast and removal of nails in background wall.
SELF-CRITIQUE: I am happy with the shot, especially the clarity/focus provided by my new 35mm prime lens. It really does blow away my 18-135mm lens for this type of shooting. I have to start thinking about how to create a dedicated photo studio with the limited space (and ceiling height) in our house.