michael hurd Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Wow, there are some awesome shots here folks... Really helpful in getting the most out of your camera. While I am a total amatuer when it comes to taking pictures, I can see that my skills are improving. Is there any good books you could suggest to the home / amatuerish to start in utilizing a basic digital camera, or would it be better to get a good 35 mm and a few lenses to start with? In the future, I would like to step up to a digital SLR, like the Nikon D80/100 or so, but that is currently not in the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Here is a picture I took that I really like, with the angle, it makes the hydro tower seem ominous and looming, kinda larger than life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Nice work FB, is the older woman a relative or someone you know? That's a very powerful shot, it reminds me of the woman in the dust bowl shot during the depression. Actually that is my mother in law.......she is Swiss/German and very stoic, even thought she has has a very hard life she never shows it, always a big genuine smile and a nice words of encouragement. Last xmas we were all together and were reminiscing about family/the old days and she was recalling her life in Switzerland and how she was the only one of 11 brothers and sisters left.......it was getting late and she let her guard down for just a minute and was lost in thought.....I could only imagine the pain that was on her mind...and of course I had he trusty 70-200 to capture it from across the room...5 seconds later and I would have missed it........ Thanks for that explanation and the photo. Like my image of the father and daughter, this illustrates how fleeting images can be. The true beauty of photography is that we can freeze moments in time to be studied and treasured. My motto is 'Capture the Moment' and a truly great photographer can do just that. I hope your family realizes the value of the depth of that image. You can FEEL her thinking, it's a beautiful, truthful image of your mother in law. Thanks some much for the kind comments...I take it as big praise seeing who it's coming from.... I love the Fuji Neopan 1600 great film for the right situation........Done some work myself with tech-pan @3200 developed in kodak Xtol with very nice results... I have a large highend catering operation in Miami....I know all the wedding photograghers....most are hacks with a digital and a mac.........your work looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Here is another, same tower, sun going down, and around the side. Not as good a shot, but I like the shading on the tower sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 This is the one I was searching for... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Wow, there are some awesome shots here folks... Really helpful in getting the most out of your camera. While I am a total amatuer when it comes to taking pictures, I can see that my skills are improving. Is there any good books you could suggest to the home / amatuerish to start in utilizing a basic digital camera, or would it be better to get a good 35 mm and a few lenses to start with? In the future, I would like to step up to a digital SLR, like the Nikon D80/100 or so, but that is currently not in the budget. I always suggest Ansel Adams trilogy: the camera, the negative, the print. they are very basic in concept and really explains what is going on in laymen's terms....they teach you the basis of the zone system....how to see the light , and really know what to do to make a perfect exposure ..... you start thinking in terms of what the final print will look like so you don't just look through the viewfinder to snap a pretty scene. It's like tasting a cake and knowing exactly how to make it...instead of following recipe ........that way if you really want a lighter cake with more intense flavor....you can make the adjustments in your head and have it turn out that way........ What you learn from these type of book applies to any camera, any format, any situation.............. Digital is much more economical in the long run as you can play with 1000's of shots with out spending a penny on film, prints......The used market is wide open...a d 80 is an excellent choice............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 FB, thank YOU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Michael Hurd: Mike, I prefer your first tower shot; it's a great silhouette shot! Nice job! fenderbender: I love some of your shots! The bulldogs look like you can imagine a dogsled behind them as if they are saying "Whee! Look at is go-o-o-!" Great fun! I can tell you have a great eye for composition and framing. Amy: I have seen some excellent photos taken by you over the past couple of years. I've actually been able to watch your abilities grow over time with experience. You are doing a good job of framing your shots and I've even seen you do some interesting rule-of-thirds work. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 for anyone buying digital, it's not all about pixels. most files are plenty big for what we're using them for. I did most of mine as 4 meg, not even raw 10 meg. A critical spec is shutter lag time, the time between when you squeeze the trigger and the 'curtain' comes up. A long lag time will blow the perfect moment every time. IMHO that's one of the main problems with budget and mid-line digitals. Check D80 vs D200 and see what that looks like. Me, I don't need all the special functions, usually turn most of that off unless I'm doing sports. Wedding candids were always flash with F8 and 1/30 to 1/8 . Candids wide open F2.8 1600asa, aperature priority dont' even think about less than 1/15 with the 200mm lens. General handholding in the dark rule- you can hold the camera still the reciprocal of the focal length. IOW, 50 mm lens at 1/60, maybe 1/30. 200 mm lens 1/250, maybe 1/125. I'm a rock, I can hold two full speeds under, used to shoot 85 mm 1.8 lens in dark at 1/15. That's a lot of glass to hold steady. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 MH NOOOO , the first one is more dark and brooding, also more junk at the base and steeper angle. ....just think in black and white with an orange filter to increase cloud contrast..... [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 A very nice general book is John Hedgecoe's New Book of Photography- he takes you through a two semester course in one book. Every topic is covered with lots of really great examples. He pays particular attention to the quality and color of light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 A critical spec is shutter lag time, the time between when you squeeze the trigger and the 'curtain' comes up. A long lag time will blow the perfect moment every time. IMHO that's one of the main problems with budget and mid-line digitals. Check D80 vs D200 and see what that looks like Man I won't disagree with that. Ever try to catch someone swinging at a softball or some other action shot with about a 7/10ths of a second lag time on an earlier inexpensive digital camera? Miss the SLR days. No budget for a digital SLR right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Talk about being rock steady ....I sure bet all the sport photographers are glad they have the gyros in the lenses now.......many moons ago I had a Nikon 600mmF4 AFIS .....started using it with my F3...arcaswiss ball head...heavy gitzo tripod...cable shutter release...mirror locked up and the weight of the shutter coming down(well over) was enough to blur the image...thats when I bought my first F4 body....what an improvement....got to the point I could hand hold with 400 ISO if I sat down elbow on knee.... agreed....shutter lag time makes all the difference in the world....also if you take series of action shots the "Write to disk time " (not sure of the tech name) comes into play Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Don't forget to have fun and draw some images also . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsteve01 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Caroline likes to bake her's And yes they are cakes and everything is eatable [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customsteve01 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Anybody want some spaghetti?? Oh wait its a cake. Sorry Justin for getting off topic.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Justin, I took a look at all those images, you have done some amazing shots there... you guys that have a talent for that stuff kinda make us 'other' guys look like hacks with cameras LOL.... Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted August 28, 2008 Moderators Share Posted August 28, 2008 Anybody want some spaghetti?? Oh wait its a cake. Sorry Justin for getting off topic.... Very nice looking cakes, tell Mrs C she is very talented, does she sell them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted August 28, 2008 Moderators Share Posted August 28, 2008 Justin, it is hard to pic a favorite with so many nice pic's. I want to go back and look at them when i have more time, really nice. Many nice pic's posted, it is strange how so many people here have the same interest, there are 3 or 4 different hobbies that many here seem to like. Music, photography, woodworking, cars, bikes are some of the top hobbies, but only if you exclude women, I excluded them because I can never figure them out, don't even try anymore. [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Music, photography, woodworking, cars, bikes are some of the top hobbies, but only if you exclude women, I excluded them because I can never figure them out, don't even try anymore. So why don't women come with a manual? Some of us actually do read the manual for at least some of the things we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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