PF Photography: Tips, Tricks, & Photo Sharing

[sesinka]

Borek, you definitelly are talented.

 

[Borek]

No, I just have too much time

 

[moe darklight]

it looks great on my desktop

http://noamgr.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/1.jpg

 

[Borek]

Canon version, range up to 100 m, got it for xmas

 

[turbo]

Bump!

Here was my view from the roadside on the trip to my father's place (was taking him some fresh home-made biscuits and cole slaw). There was a bank of clouds coming in from the SW, and they reddened the light from the setting sun, at least locally. Bald Mountain in the background was not comparably reddened, though the shadows on the south face looked pretty nice.

Shot at 135mm with 28-135 EF. Location - Route 201 along the east bank of the Kennebec River about 2-3 miles north of the Solon/Bingham town line. I'm getting sick of winter, but every once in a while I get a shot that makes me like it just a *little* bit.

 

[Andre]

Unreal lighting Turbo, very nice

 

[turbo]

Just luck, Andre, but thanks! I was planning on shooting Bald Mountain from the road-side, and the thin clouds just happened to be reddening the sunset when I got there. Notice that locally and in the closer foot-hills, the scenery was reddened, and the more distant mountains were not. I really would have kicked myself in the butt if I had not bothered to bring the camera-case and then saw this type of lighting. Maxfield Parrish lighting, for sure.

 

[hypatia]

Andre's right those hues are just gorgeous.

 

[turbo]

Thanks, Hy! I knew that I was getting near a vantage-point where I'd be able to see most of Bald Mountain, and when I saw that even the dark-green White Pines were all dressed up in reddish-gold light, I practically slammed the brakes on. Sometimes Mother Nature gives us little gifts like this. I'm sure that the people flying by me at 55-65 mph were saying "why is that idiot standing in the road with a camera?"

 

[turbo]

Not so much photography, as wry humor. Judging from the car-loads of retirees heading in and out of the place, the food is probably cheap and plentiful. I hope the owner's culinary skills surpass his grasp of ornithology, though. We actually DO have some Golden Eagle nesting pairs in Maine, though they are very rare. None have white heads, though.

The owner is foreign-born (SE Asian, I think), and he and his wife have been rebuilding/remodeling this place for a year, now and just opened recently. He is the cook, and with breakfast, lunch, and dinner on tap daily, he has put a huge burden on himself. I wish him well, though I wish that somebody had helped him out with the sign a bit. I grit my teeth a little every time I see it.

 

[Andre]

This is how the sun announced her rise, yesterday morning. Lens 50mm full frame on 18%

 

[physics girl phd]

I wish him well, though I wish that somebody had helped him out with the sign a bit. I grit my teeth a little every time I see it.

A brown sharpie marker and a local vandal ("urban artist") might be up to the task...
Let us know how the food is...

 

[turbo]

Lovely, Andre! I'm a night-hawk these days, so I miss some pretty sunrises, though with my heavily-obscured view to the east, the best is over too soon. I love catching sunrises from my canoe, fly-fishing while my wife snoozes in the tent. Usually, by 6:30 or so, she hollering "breakfast" and I paddle in for baked beans, biscuits, bacon, eggs, home-fried potatoes, etc. Those camping breakfasts are always good ones.

 

[hypatia]

I would be tempted to tell his the difference Turbo. Honestly, those are my favorite places to eat. Family owned, great prices with some good eats.

 

[turbo]

I would be tempted to tell his the difference Turbo. Honestly, those are my favorite places to eat. Family owned, great prices with some good eats.

Even with the sponsorship from Coke, he has paid good money for the sign, including installation, wiring, etc. I'd hate to make him feel bad about it.

Perversely, maybe he gets extra business when some old-timers come in with their wives for a lunch and give him hell for the sign. (This valley is pretty much loaded with bald eagles.) He probably just nods and apologizes and smiles and counts the extra income.

 

[larkspur]

This is how the sun announced her rise, yesterday morning. Lens 50mm full frame on 18%

Beautiful colors !

 

[Borek]

Beautiful colors !

Seconded.

 

[lisab]

This is how the sun announced her rise, yesterday morning. Lens 50mm full frame on 18%

That's just spectacular...wow.

 

[Andre]

This is how the sun announced her rise, yesterday morning. Lens 50mm full frame on 18%

Hmm I could have used this one for ' the something old, something new' photo contest too. See that both windmills are visible here as well.

 

[Papapreacher]

A bee on north bottom up position [dedicate this picture to Walter Melon - Dr Tzan]
I took last night. The bee is trying to drink all secreted juices from the flower
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5776/yesterdaynightrn0.th.jpg

 

[matthyaouw]

I have a new camera! Hooray! It's a Canon Eos 450D and I like it very much. I took this about as soon as the battery was charged:

 

[turbo]

I have a new camera! Hooray! It's a Canon Eos 450D and I like it very much. I took this about as soon as the battery was charged:

Congratulations! I think you'll find that Canon affords you an attractive upgrade path. I love my 30Ds, 18-55, 28-135, and 100-400. Still waiting to see your first pic, though...

 

[Borek]

Seems like the battery wasn't charged

450D is a good one, I have seen it in action and I like it.

 

[Andre]

Good choice Matt

Image quality is on par with the Nikon D300 but for one third of the price.

For a real high image quality for a very tiny price, consider also getting the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II, furthermore the budget telezoom performer of my choice is the 70-300mm IS USM.

 

[matthyaouw]

Fixed my link! I've already ordered the 50mm 1.8 but it's not come in yet.
Making a mental wishlist of the other lenses I want... Maybe the sigma 10-20mm next. This is going to be pricey.

 

[Andre]

... Maybe the sigma 10-20mm next. This is going to be pricey.

since we have the panorama software now, I think the wide angles are outdated. If you want to capture a real wide angle, put the camera on a tripod, take many panned pictures and merge them in a panorama maker. You can do 360's in three dimensions nowadays. If it's about capturing action, it won't work but that's seldom the case with wide angle. A decent teleshot is only possible though with a decent telelens.

 

[matthyaouw]

I have played around with panorama software before and found it a bit awkward. I don't always carry a tripod (or have the time to set one up if I'm out hiking). Changing light and things blowing in the wind can make it hard to match the images up properly. For the kind of things I like to photograph, I'm pretty sure an ultra-wide would be a good investment for me.

 

[Borek]

In my (very limited) experience, when doing panorama shots it is best to use manual settings (time/app, but especially white balance).

Then you find that either something moved, or your lens distorts reality and it is not possible to combine pictures

Still, sometimes it works:

http://www.bpp.com.pl/IMG/stone_circle_Odry.jpg

 

[~christina~]

Nice sunset shot, Andre.

I also like that slow night shot, matthyaouw.

I have my eye on this filter Hoya 52mm ND-400X filter.
It's pricey though.
This guy has great examples of long shot filters in action http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/659014/0
but I think he uses a circular polarizer at the same time.

 

[matthyaouw]

I could really do with one of those Christina. I do so love my long exposures. I didn't realize Hoya did such a strong ND.

 

[Andre]

I have played around with panorama software before and found it a bit awkward. I don't always carry a tripod (or have the time to set one up if I'm out hiking). Changing light and things blowing in the wind can make it hard to match the images up properly. For the kind of things I like to photograph, I'm pretty sure an ultra-wide would be a good investment for me.

If you compose a panorama, make sure to shoot manual on fixed Shutter speed, aperture and ISO and also in raw to prevent possible differences in processing.

 

[binzing]

Here's the other two shots I mentioned. Still at Skamakowa Park in Washington State on the Columbia.

 

[larkspur]

It has been a while since I posted here. I have been contacted by a graphics company that wants to use one of my waterfall photos for a tourism card that will be placed at all the rest stops in the state. Not much but it is a start. The funny thing is that it is a shot of one of the lesser known falls. Just goes to show you that a photo you think is insignificant maybe more appreciated by someone else.

 

[turbo]

It has been a while since I posted here. I have been contacted by a graphics company that wants to use one of my waterfall photos for a tourism card that will be placed at all the rest stops in the state. Not much but it is a start. The funny thing is that it is a shot of one of the lesser known falls. Just goes to show you that a photo you think is insignificant maybe more appreciated by someone else.

Congratulations! My satisfactions come from lower-level appreciation. Several times today, I had to flap my arms and hoot to get the ducks to get out of the road so other vehicles could pass. Each time, the people driving the vehicles (trucks, SUVs, snowmobiles) gave me a thumbs-up, and most stopped to have a word or two. I'm down with the ducks. Some of them wandered over near my Forester while I backed off to try to get some shots from better vantage-points, but they were not quite brave enough to jump in and raid the bread-bags. Cute!

 

[lisab]

It has been a while since I posted here. I have been contacted by a graphics company that wants to use one of my waterfall photos for a tourism card that will be placed at all the rest stops in the state. Not much but it is a start. The funny thing is that it is a shot of one of the lesser known falls. Just goes to show you that a photo you think is insignificant maybe more appreciated by someone else.

That's great, larkspur! Congrats!

 

[larkspur]

That's great, larkspur! Congrats!

Thanks Lisab.

 

[larkspur]

Congratulations! My satisfactions come from lower-level appreciation. Several times today, I had to flap my arms and hoot to get the ducks to get out of the road so other vehicles could pass. Each time, the people driving the vehicles (trucks, SUVs, snowmobiles) gave me a thumbs-up, and most stopped to have a word or two. I'm down with the ducks. Some of them wandered over near my Forester while I backed off to try to get some shots from better vantage-points, but they were not quite brave enough to jump in and raid the bread-bags. Cute!

Thanks turbo.

Did you get that arm flapping on video?

 

[turbo]

Thanks turbo.

Did you get that arm flapping on video?

No. I was shooting the ducks, but nobody was shooting me. I'd run at the ducks with my arms flapping and they would fly toward the stream, and when the offending vehicle passed, I'd coax them back to the road - not a hard task!

 

[Borek]

I have been contacted by a graphics company that wants to use one of my waterfall photos for a tourism card that will be placed at all the rest stops in the state.

Great

Please keep us posted, I would love to buy National Geographic with your pictures

 

[turbo]

Sunday, my little brother brought his baby girl to the mill-stream to see the ducks. She had a blast. At 13+ months, she doesn't talk much yet, but whenever she sees a picture of a duck in her story-books, she says "Quack, quack". Try as we might, we couldn't get her to say "quack" to the ducks. Instead, she insisted on using her dog sound-effect - "woof, woof". What a nut!

 

[Borek]

Sunday, my little brother brought his baby girl to the mill-stream to see the ducks. She had a blast. At 13+ months, she doesn't talk much yet, but whenever she sees a picture of a duck in her story-books, she says "Quack, quack". Try as we might, we couldn't get her to say "quack" to the ducks. Instead, she insisted on using her dog sound-effect - "woof, woof". What a nut!

That's part of her cuteness, isn't it? :!)

 

[turbo]

That's part of her cuteness, isn't it? :!)

A big part. It's hard to tell if she was playing games with us and being contrary, or making a pretty good joke (for a 1-year-old).

 

[Ms Music]

Congratulations Larkspur! One picture is a good start. Feels good to have something out there in the public view, doesn't it!

Anyone want to give me a crash course on these ND filters? I fell in love when you guys were talking about them last month... I finally took the time to start looking for replacement lenses for my broken and stolen lenses. Found one for sale last week on Craigslist, and guess what else he was selling with it? So I finally have a lens to go with my camera, AND an ND filter. Both my daughter and I are itching to go try it out.

Suggestions? (Manual settings isn't my strong point after all these years, so I can't remember what the best settings are any more - appreciate the tips)

I will post here what we do shoot. (well, if it is worth sharing...)

 

[larkspur]

Great

Please keep us posted, I would love to buy National Geographic with your pictures

Thanks Borek.

Congratulations Larkspur! One picture is a good start. Feels good to have something out there in the public view, doesn't it!

Anyone want to give me a crash course on these ND filters? I fell in love when you guys were talking about them last month... I finally took the time to start looking for replacement lenses for my broken and stolen lenses. Found one for sale last week on Craigslist, and guess what else he was selling with it? So I finally have a lens to go with my camera, AND an ND filter. Both my daughter and I are itching to go try it out.

Suggestions? (Manual settings isn't my strong point after all these years, so I can't remember what the best settings are any more - appreciate the tips)

I will post here what we do shoot. (well, if it is worth sharing...)

Thanks Ms M.

What kind of ND filter do you have? Is it a graduated ND filter?
The manual settings depend on what effect you want. If you are taking a photo of a butterfly on a flower and wish the background to be out of focus, then use aperture priority so you can lock in what f stop you want(probably f/5.6 or f/8.)

When I photograph moving birds I use shutter priority mode and set it for a fast shutter speed to avoid motion blur. Most of the time I try to get s shutter of 1/2000 sec and that usually keeps my 400mm lens wide open at f/5.6.

When I shoot waterfalls, I use manual mode and usually use the smallest aperture I have on the lens. Many times f/32. I also attach as many filters I can to help keep the shutter open as long as possible without over exposure. This would be a great time to use a ND filter. A tripod and a timed shutter release or a remote release cord is a must.
I generally use the same method for landscapes.

 

[larkspur]

Sunday, my little brother brought his baby girl to the mill-stream to see the ducks. She had a blast. At 13+ months, she doesn't talk much yet, but whenever she sees a picture of a duck in her story-books, she says "Quack, quack". Try as we might, we couldn't get her to say "quack" to the ducks. Instead, she insisted on using her dog sound-effect - "woof, woof". What a nut!

She is adorable turbo!

 

[turbo]

She is adorable turbo!

Thanks, larkspur! She always seems to have a smile on her face, or some other hammy expression.

Here she is, watching ducks from my younger brother's shoulders.

 

[Ms Music]

What kind of ND filter do you have? Is it a graduated ND filter?

I had to call home, I didn't even know the brand... Heliopan ND 0.6. I don't know about graduated, I really don't know anything about them! Water is more what I was thinking of shooting. It is supposed to be cloudy this weekend, so I thought we could go down to the shore, and maybe go for a walk in the woods by where I grew up and see if I could find the waterfall I shot as a kid. I didn't have an ND back then, but we slowed it wayyy down and it worked almost as well.

So what kind of effect does it have on a butterfly and flower? I thought it was for motion? (water/clouds...)

Shows how ignorant I am.

 

[turbo]

I had to call home, I didn't even know the brand... Heliopan ND 0.6. I don't know about graduated, I really don't know anything about them! Water is more what I was thinking of shooting. It is supposed to be cloudy this weekend, so I thought we could go down to the shore, and maybe go for a walk in the woods by where I grew up and see if I could find the waterfall I shot as a kid. I didn't have an ND back then, but we slowed it wayyy down and it worked almost as well.

So what kind of effect does it have on a butterfly and flower? I thought it was for motion? (water/clouds...)

Shows how ignorant I am.

There are a lot of things you can do without filters. If you have a multi-mode digital camera, you can mount it on a tripod, set it in Aperture Priority (or equivalent) mode and stop the camera WAY down. This will make the scenery as crisp as can be and blur the waterfalls. If there is a gusty, wind blowing the trees around, they will be blurred along with the water. This is not a really bad thing, if you like the looks of photographs created with pin-hole cameras.

 

[Ms Music]

Cool info guys! Thanks!

By the way, I googled graduated. Now I got to get me one of THOSE before my summer vacation.

No, this one isn't graduated. But now I want one!

 

[Borek]

Something is changing, I can feel it in the air