Random Photos

[DennisN]

When you make a bunch of photos of a noisy hole on a tree, some of them are bound to be lucky, right?

Lovely!

I recently have been experimenting with shooting flying birds, so I'd like to share a friendly suggestion:

(caveat: I don't know what kind of camera you are using, i.e. mobile phone, compact camera or system camera, but the suggestion below assumes you are using a camera that can be set manually.)

If you would like to try to get less motion blur from a flying bird (or anything else moving), do this:

Decrease the exposure time/shutter speed to ca 1/1000 sec (or less; less is even better).

Such a short exposure time will make the photos darker, so compensate by increasing ISO to let's say somewhere between ISO 1000 - 2500 (ca, your mileage may vary).

 

[Rive]

Thanks: will try.
We have upgraded to a real camera just recently - still learning it, though - but it was a dark (really dark!) forest on the darker side of a hill, with only the basic (cheap) zoom optics...
So at the end I think I've already managed to push my luck to the limits with that picture, at least for now

 

[DennisN]

but it was a dark (really dark!) forest on the darker side of a hill, with only the basic (cheap) zoom optics...

I understand. And I know it's extra difficult to shoot birds in the shade, as I've found they have a tendency to visually "melt" into the background.

 

[DennisN]

If you would like to try to get less motion blur from a flying bird

We have upgraded to a real camera just recently - still learning it, though - but it was a dark (really dark!) forest on the darker side of a hill, with only the basic (cheap) zoom optics...

By the way, I looked for and found the article I read about wildlife photography.
It was that article that made me start experimenting with fast exposures and high ISO.
(I might aswell notify @Andy Resnick since he likes to shoot birds too... )

Don’t be afraid of shooting at high ISO (amateurphotographer.com)
"Nature photographer Marsel van Oosten urges you to not be frightened of shooting at high ISO."
https://amateurphotographer.com/technique/expert_advice/shooting-at-high-iso/

(and there are some splendid photos in that article too )

 

[DennisN]

I just saw this gorgeous photo in an article :
(the colors, the lights, the atmosphere, just wow )

"Sun rising behind Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire."

 

[morrobay]

Jomtien Beach

 

[berkeman]

Shouldn't that be out in Morro Bay somewhere?

 

[DennisN]

A bird taking off

I recently have been experimenting with shooting flying birds

Here's my first success in shooting a flying bird.
(I've got better ones, but I haven't processed them yet, so I thought I'd share this first sequence for fun ).

I saw this seagull landing on a tall pole ca 50 meters away from me.
I had no tripod with me, so I placed my camera on top of a public wastebasket, targeted it at the seagull and focused. And then I waited patiently...

Sitting and enjoying the sun...

Calling out...

Taking off...
(I had hoped to shoot it earlier in the takeoff, i.e. with its wings out while the feet were still on the pole, but I did not succeed in this try. The takeoff goes incredibly fast, so you have to be really alert and ready to shoot! )

And off we go...

...to some new location...

...where there's maybe some food.

Gear: Sony A6000 + Sony 55-210mm (at 210mm)
Settings: f/8, ISO 800, 1/1250 s exposure time
Additional settings: Fastest burst mode (11 frames per second in RAW) & continous autofocus and subject tracking)

 

[jtbell]

Maybe it looks dark blue on that photo due to partial transparency of the flag (i.e. the light from the blue background sky comes partly through, just a guess), and/or I did something weird when I edited in Photoshop .

This reminds me of the back-and-forth about colors in flags in my entry in one of the old photo contest threads.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/pf-photo-contest-flags-of-nations-5-26-6-1.948232/

 

[morrobay]

Sunday night party+ the old songs dialed up: Stand by Me

 

[DennisN]

Fly, fly, away...
...here are some newly processed photos of seagulls taking off and flying which I got pretty happy with .

Takeoff!
(here I got it with at least one foot left on the pole )

...and away.

(Settings for these two photos: f/8, 1/4000s exposure, ISO 1000)

Note: When I think of it, these kinds of photos could perhaps be taken with a prime tele lens too (i.e. a lens without zoom). If one would set it up on a tripod and set the focus beforehand, it might work. And without image stabilization, one might be able to use a remote shutter control to start the image capture. Hmm... maybe something to try...Another creature up in the air:
(it looks like there is some damage on its left wing)

"I can at least pretend I'm an eagle"

(Settings for these two photos: f/9, 1/4000s exposure, ISO 1600, and
actually shot handheld; luckily the camera has image stabilization and a tracking autofocus mode...
...I would not be able to get these two shots without it )

 

[Tom.G]

There used to be 3rd party/public domain software to replace the original camera Operating System, at least for Canon cameras.

One of the features was motion detect, great for snapping Humming Birds and Orioles at the feeder outside the living room window!

 

[morrobay]

Jomtien Beach

 

[DennisN]

One of the features was motion detect, great for snapping Humming Birds and Orioles at the feeder outside the living room window!

If you've got such photos it would be fun to see!

 

[BillTre]

Moving Picture:

 

[morrobay]

Friday 0730

 

[pinball1970]

Ben Nevis, one the three peaks. My very good friend and work colleague completed the challenge at the weekend.

 

[DennisN]

Ben Nevis, one the three peaks. My very good friend and work colleague completed the challenge at the weekend.

Awesome photo and gorgeous surroundings! Scotland... mmm...

 

[DennisN]

A seagull juvenile on a sidewalk:

 

[morrobay]

I was looking for birds around these small fishing boats. Nada

 

[Averagesupernova]

Sorry folks, I only have critter pix.

 

[DennisN]

I was looking for birds around these small fishing boats. Nada

A very colorful photo, though!

 

[morrobay]

The view across Naklua bay up to the deep water - Lam Chabang port. + My Thai massage friend who just returned from her rice farm up-country

 

[Rive]

Decrease the exposure time/shutter speed to ca 1/1000 sec (or less; less is even better).

Such a short exposure time will make the photos darker, so compensate by increasing ISO to let's say somewhere between ISO 1000 - 2500 (ca, your mileage may vary).

Not quite there yet, I think

(Common sparrow taking a dustbath...)

... but closing

 

[pinball1970]

A seagull juvenile on a sidewalk:

View attachment 327998

View attachment 327999

Scruffy little thing isn't it? What species? @Astranut Although you tend to get back on the late side!

 

[pinball1970]

Not quite there yet, I think
View attachment 328064
(Common sparrow taking a dustbath...)

... but closing
View attachment 328065

I didn't know sparrows did that. The insect is using pretty decent physics knowledge to do that. Impressed

 

[DennisN]

(Common sparrow taking a dustbath...)

That's a cool photo with a lot of action in it !
I don't think I've seen a bird do that (whatever it's doing).
In that case I think I prefer your photo with motion blur actually, because of the action.

 

[DennisN]

Scruffy little thing isn't it? What species?

Seagull (a juvenile).
Cute, fluffy and quiet now, but give it some time and it will grow up to become a screechy rascal.

If I remember correctly, seagull parents finally leave their juveniles completely alone so they learn how to make it on their own. The one on my photo was completely alone.
Tough love.

 

[nsaspook]

 

[Rive]

That's a cool photo with a lot of action in it !
I don't think I've seen a bird do that (whatever it's doing).

Just as a reference (random stuff from the internet), this is the actual action:

The distance and circumstances are ~ the same what I had.
A closer one.

A photo, as 'others do it':

You are right, mine conveys more of the action

Though I think I still have much room for improvement.

 

[morrobay]

From the Southern most place at end of Jomtien Beach Rd.

 

[DennisN]

Happy Midsummer!

Here's a red admiral on a yellow flower:

(Lens: Canon nFD 50mm f/1.4)

 

[morrobay]

Hard photo to follow above ^

 

[gmax137]

I like these kind of chaotic asian street scenes

 

[pinball1970]

Hoping to get some images in Carlisle today. Clouds and rain again though.

 

[DennisN]

Hoping to get some images in Carlisle today.

Nice! We passed Carlisle when we visited Hadrian's Wall.
There are multiple historical landmarks of the wall quite close to Carlisle.

The Birdoswald Roman Fort is only ca 15-20 km away from Carlisle:

...and some more sites in the same area:

(Google maps link: here)

 

[pinball1970]

It's a newish Levono pad and my picture taking has not been great so far. Hoping we get to the venue before dusk.
This was ok.

 

[DennisN]

It's a newish Levono pad and my picture taking has not been great so far. Hoping we get to the venue before dusk.
This was ok.

A lovely sunset, very nice, I think!

Better quality than at least I would expect for a pad.
The camera(s) on my pad (Huawei Mediapad T5) are absolutely terrible and I don't think they would be able to achieve that quality (though I'm quite satified with the pad otherwise, good value for money).

 

[jtbell]

Maybe this plant should try out for the NBA. After it grows some arms, of course.

 

[pinball1970]

A wash out. Tried to get some images but wet grey and misty. There is a castle in the centre. EDIT Apologies, the images are uploading as thumb nails.

 

[DaveC426913]

A wash out. Tried to get some images but wet grey and misty. There is a castle in the centre. EDIT Apologies, the images are uploading as thumb nails.

Dunno. Doesn't seem so bad.

 

[phinds]

Dunno. Doesn't seem so bad.

I see what you did there

 

[pinball1970]

Dunno. Doesn't seem so bad.
View attachment 328573

We are there for a gig and I am always looking for something image worthy. Tried to take pics from the back of van but it but it never works and by the time I arrive at the venue it is grey, raining and poor light.
I got lucky with the Castle, just round the corner from the venue.

 

[DaveC426913]

... wet grey and misty...

I try to go by the philosophy that every adversity is an opportunity by just changing my subject matter.
If grey and misty is what I have to work with, I try to lean into it.

(I'd likely go for an extreme closeup of a mossy wall or rain drops on a flower, maybe with the castle unfocused in the background, a little like this...)When it rained on my Caribbean cruise, I stopped trying to get sunny pics and went for a wet theme instead:

By the way, these pics are on the cruise ship - in the "Central Park Neighborhood" open to the sky and weather:

Every time the ship gets near a new port, birds from shore come to visit and stay in the ship's park...

 

[DennisN]

I try to go by the philosophy that every adversity is an opportunity by just changing my subject matter.
If grey and misty is what I have to work with, I try to lean into it.

A good philosophy, in my opinion .

 

[DennisN]

The recent adventures of my cat...

A couple of days ago one of my cats decided to rearrange a corner in one of my rooms...
...I don't know... I don't like the style myself... it's... how to categorize it? Avant-garde, perhaps?

And today I built a small box for reproducing developed photos (i.e. taking photos of photos).
I clad (is that the correct word?) the inside of the box with black paper, and the idea was to diminish light reflections which very, very, VERY easily appear in real photos. There's probably a name for such boxes, but I don't know it.

It seems to work rather well. But soon a problem appeared...

"What's this? I like it..."

"...but I think it's too small, so I made it bigger."

"Now I'm comfy. You go sit by the computer instead, I'll rest here."

I guess there will be no photo reproduction going on here today .

 

[DaveC426913]

There's probably a name for such boxes, but I don't know it.

Hm. Light box? Dark box?

 

[gmax137]

B&H calls them "light tents"
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Shooting-Tables/ci/1409/N/4037060017

 

[BillTre]

I don't know... I don't like the style myself... it's... how to categorize it? Avant-garde, perhaps?

Feline Discordance.

 

[DennisN]

Hm. Light box? Dark box?

"Dark box" was what I also thought.
But it is quite light since it's made of cardboard, so it could be called a light box.