CHAPTER FOUR
Equipment and Lighting
48 ELLIE VAYO’S GUIDE TO BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
I’ve been in this business for nearly thirty years, and the change from film
to digital was a challenge. Many of my colleagues chose to go out of busi-
ness rather than make the switch. I was very nervous about relying on new
technology. I’ve worked hard to develop a good reputation for outstand-
ing quality, and I didn’t feel the original digital cameras met my or my
clients’ expectations. At this point, it’s clear that digital photography equip-
ment has finally come up to the same standards as our old film equipment.
The digital photography process as a whole is much more time con-
suming for the photographer than film photography. In the past, I sent a
220 roll to my lab in a small bag and the film came back with the proofs.
I didn’t have to do a thing from a production standpoint. The photogra-
phy process in the camera room was quite different as well. I used Tamron
softening lenses on my Bronicas. I didn’t need a computer and Photoshop
to create a softer effect. I spent a lot more time setting up my shots because
I didn’t want to waste film. I had to make sure the lighting and posing
were precise because I couldn’t see anything on a little preview screen on
back of the camera! Now I put a CompactFlash card in the camera, format
the card, and take as many images as I please. I’m actually able to see and
perfect my posing, clothing, and lighting. I love it! However, now I have
clients who expect absolute perfection from their images. Retouching has
become almost as important as the photography. This has added signifi-
cantly to my costs since I now employ digital artists and have more com-
puter equipment than ever before.
Camera and Lenses.
I use the latest generation of Fuji professional-quality digital SLR cameras.
Right now I’m using the S-5, but I’ve used S-3 and S-2 models in the past.
I’ve developed a good relationship with the people at Fuji, and I will con-
tinue to use their products as they are updated or replaced by newer mod-
els. My primary lens is the Tamron DiII 18–250mm aspherical DII lens. I
can go from 18mm to 250mm with just a^1 / 4 turn of the lens. This is really
helpful when I want to quickly capture a close-up after shooting three-
quarter or full-length poses.
I now employ digital artists
and have more computer
equipment than ever
before.