PF Photography: Tips, Tricks, & Photo Sharing

[Cyrus]

The lighting on the last two is off. Look how one is bright and one is dark. Its not consistent.

 

[lisab]

Photography isn't my stong suit. I took a film photography course a couple years ago -- it was just enough to school me on the complexity of the subject. There's way more to it than f-stop!

On digital photography I know even less. Light/dark can be adjusted easily; I've found that even re-sizing a digital photo can change that quality. So maybe just posting the photos, if they're different sizes, can change the light/dark property.

 

[AhmedEzz]

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9742/img0077jx2.jpg

Didn't photoshop it or anything just reduced its size. Using Canon Powershot A560 or something, not really a good photographer but thought I might share.

 

[larkspur]

The lighting on the last two is off. Look how one is bright and one is dark. Its not consistent.

Thanks Cyrus. That is why I don't like to use the on camera flash. My results are in consistent. Thanks for the RIA.

 

[larkspur]

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9742/img0077jx2.jpg

Didn't photoshop it or anything just reduced its size. Using Canon Powershot A560 or something, not really a good photographer but thought I might share.

Beautiful eyes!

 

[Cyrus]

I really like the first two, how did you take them in that glossy white background?

Of the cat pictures, I think this one ins purrrrfect

 

[larkspur]

I really like the first two, how did you take them in that glossy white background?

I have an erasable piece of poster board that I lay down on the bottom of my light tent.

 

[Andre]

that's a good idea but I'm not sure that's convenient since I change lens' often.

Well, when I was young I was not happy carrying a 20 pound case with SLR, 4 lenses (no zoom, those early ones were inferior) further a plethora of filters, macro stuff, flash, tripod on the hikes while trying to keep a couple of kids heading roughly in the same direction at the same pace. All of that replaced by a single 0.7 pound camera.

Although a mini tripod comes in handy occasionaly and 1-2 dioptry macro lens, since in telezoom, macro, the minimum distance is one meter which is simply too much in crowded places.

Also at the zoo, grey owl again at max range zoom, free hand, no glass available.

In winter time, the animals are much more response to public, which makes nice pictures but with bad light.

I admit that the image quality of a bridge camera is slightly inferior (noisier) to the DSLR's. But there are tricks (self processing of RAW images) and composing a much large picture of several pictures, partly covering the landscape with "panorama maker" and then decrease the size again, this reduces noise and increases the resolution and sharpness.

However or studio work I'm beginning to start contemplating getting a DSLR, additionally, I'm not going to part with the FZ8.

 

[Moonbear]

No, she was moving all around batting a small clip across the tile board. That is why I had to use the flash because I was just getting blurry shots without it.

That's why I can never get a good photo of my cat. She NEVER sits still. And, I only compound the problem because I have a tendency to follow the motion when trying to snap the photo, so end up moving the camera too (then again, if I didn't, I'd probably have a lot of pictures of empty floor or sofas, because she'd be out of the frame by the time I pushed the shutter button). What do they use for high speed photography of things like race cars? I need that for my cat!

 

[Ms Music]

What do they use for high speed photography of things like race cars?

A big lense so you don't have to be so close to the action, and a fast shutter. I have had really good luck with my digital set on "sport" setting, it takes about 2.5 pictures per second. You can actually see the action on playback mode. Its cool!

Thanks all for the big warm welcome...:!)

 

[turbo]

That's why I can never get a good photo of my cat. She NEVER sits still. And, I only compound the problem because I have a tendency to follow the motion when trying to snap the photo, so end up moving the camera too (then again, if I didn't, I'd probably have a lot of pictures of empty floor or sofas, because she'd be out of the frame by the time I pushed the shutter button). What do they use for high speed photography of things like race cars? I need that for my cat!

I found that to get pictures of my ferrets (the last one was named Turbo for a reason!) I had to get them when they were all played-out and dozy. You also need a responsive camera. My old P&S Olympus 3040 Zoom is great for family pictures, but the delay between pressing the button and getting the shutter/flash to operate was infuriating when shooting speedy critters. I'd always miss that special moment, somehow.

I got some OK pictures of Simon, my cousin's cat with that camera, mostly when he was sitting staring out a window or like this one, where he was hunting insects in her garden.

 

[larkspur]

Sensor Dust!

I just had to blow dust off my sensor with a Hurricane blower and was crossing my fingers hoping that would do the trick. It did! I really did not want to have to clean the sensor with a swab and eclipse solution.

 

[turbo]

One of my 30Ds has a sensor spot, and I've got to get a cleaning kit. So far, I've been OK with cloning out the spot, but I really need to address the problem.

 

[larkspur]

One of my 30Ds has a sensor spot, and I've got to get a cleaning kit. So far, I've been OK with cloning out the spot, but I really need to address the problem.

I thought I would have to clean the sensor but the blower took care of it. Wheeeeww!

 

[larkspur]

That's why I can never get a good photo of my cat. She NEVER sits still. And, I only compound the problem because I have a tendency to follow the motion when trying to snap the photo, so end up moving the camera too (then again, if I didn't, I'd probably have a lot of pictures of empty floor or sofas, because she'd be out of the frame by the time I pushed the shutter button). What do they use for high speed photography of things like race cars? I need that for my cat!

That is what you need to do...take her outside so you have a lot of light and will get a faster shutter speed. I am sure she would love to sink her paws into that snow. You could put a leash on her...that is all it takes to get one of my cats to fall to the ground on her side like she has been tied down. Snap Snap Snap away!

 

[Moonbear]

I found that to get pictures of my ferrets (the last one was named Turbo for a reason!) I had to get them when they were all played-out and dozy.

I wear out before she does! Even when she looks like she's all done and ready to quit, if I get out the camera, just turning it on gets her all curious and on the move again. I can play with her until she's stretched out on the floor panting, and she'll still find another burst of energy if I get out the camera (too bad, because it would make such a cute photo when she's all stretched like that).

 

[turbo]

Maybe she would like something similar to "ferret bowling". After we got slippery Pergo flooring in the living room, I'd grab Turbo and fling him across the floor. He'd struggle to get his feet under him, and with legs a-churning he'd manage to get stopped and run back to me. He'd play keep-away until he decided to let me catch him, and I'd bowl him the length of the living room again. He would often initiate these games when I was sitting at the computer working, and after about 10 or 15 minutes of this, he would come directly back to me and stand, putting his front paws on my leg. That was the sign that bowling was over and he wanted me to hold him while he napped.

 

[lisab]

PF, meet Sweet Miss Phoebe. SMP, meet my new friends at PF.

 

[larkspur]

PF, meet Sweet Miss Phoebe. SMP, meet my new friends at PF.

View attachment 12836

A tuxedo cat! She is adorable!

 

[Astronuc]

PF, meet Sweet Miss Phoebe. SMP, meet my new friends at PF.

View attachment 12836

Wonderful picture. I'm familiar with that expression.

 

[lisab]

Yes, that's Phoebe in her tux - all dressed up, with nothing to kill. (She's quite the mouser -- good cat!)

When I sent in that photo, I was at home, using my laptop. The light/dark looked well-balanced. But here at work, I have an older CRT screen and the photo is very dark. Is the difference due to different monitors? Other photos I've viewed on this site, with this CRT screen don't look so dark. Is there something I can adjust to fix it?

 

[slider142]

The two monitors have different gammas. Older CRTs and LCDs are notorious for bad default settings (Some cheap LCDs still can't get within a good range of the standard).You could try doing some basic calibration with help from this site to get the best color range from your display devices.

 

[lisab]

Thanks, slider!

 

[binzing]

He he, we've had 3 ferrets. They're so cool. Its funny how the will go under rugs and blankets. They definitely earned the nickname "Carpet Snake"

 

[GeorginaS]

I just wait until Bean's already comfy and then I shoot a dozen pictures or so (until she gets annoyed with the flash and walks away). I generally get at least one I'm happy with. I'm nowhere near the technique and image and composition quality of people around here, though. I'm just enamoured of my cat.

 

[lisab]

Oh, Bean is so sweet! And I love her smile - it's so Mona Lisa!

 

[GeorginaS]

Thank you so much, lisab. Mona Lisa smile is apt; she even has her paws crossed. Bean owns my heart, just ask MoonBear. I like the way her eyes turn out in photos.

My other cat, who had blue eyes, always had red-eye in photographs. I'm really impressed with the shots larkspur's able to achieve with a blue-eyed cat. If anything, Bean gets green-eye.

 

[Math Jeans]

Yes. Unfortunately I have no photo experience either, however, because everyone was posting them, here it a picture of my cats.

 

[larkspur]

Yes. Unfortunately I have no photo experience either, however, because everyone was posting them, here it a picture of my cats.

Ha! They are cute. Did you have the red eye reduction on? That usually makes my cats shut their eyes in photos.

 

[larkspur]

I just wait until Bean's already comfy and then I shoot a dozen pictures or so (until she gets annoyed with the flash and walks away). I generally get at least one I'm happy with. I'm nowhere near the technique and image and composition quality of people around here, though. I'm just enamoured of my cat.

A lovely cat! If you have Photo Shop or equivalent I can tell you how to fix the pupils. I found this on flickr a few weeks ago. I don't have the link on my work computer or I would go ahead and post it now.

[EDIT]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogood/1905902640/in/pool-technique
"How to remove green/red/blue eyes (works great for pets)

1. Open your picture in Photoshop.
2. Pick the burn tool, set range to shadows, and exposure to 100%. Take a brush small enough, and very soft. Now carefully paint over the pupils. If the eyes look unnaturally black, reduce the exposure and try again.
3. Pick the sponge tool, set the mode to "desaturate", and flow to 100%. Now paint over the pupils again to remove the color cast to your likings."



[/EDIT]