The Photography Thread

[suzzer99]

I have a real passion for photography and I think a pretty good eye, but know nothing of cameras or the business beyond that. I'm thinking some kind of general class that teaches the technical basics as well as what opportunities might be out there would be a good thing for me. But I'm a little lost as to where to start looking.

I don't know if I have the mentality or desire to be a pro poker player for any substantial length of time. But one thing it's brought home to me is that I really don't want to work a 9-5 anymore. Life's too short.

Here are a few of my favorite pics, let's see some of your best stuff. And I've love to hear from the wealth of 2p2 knowledge on where a novice like me might start trying to learn the business. I'm not sure if there should be any ground rules for this, El D can chime in.


http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1530/dsc047482c5d180tw9.jpg
Near Zion Natl Park in Utah

(one of the few times in my life I've gotten a lump in my throat when I looked through the view finder - on a total back road from Zion to Bryce canyon that I *almost* didn't take - always take the back roads - I want to move to So. Utah - I took about 40 pics of this scene, and the first one was the best, weird how often that happens)



http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1385/dsc072772c26509ia8.jpg
Dawn at Termini Station in Rome

(I have another one just like this w/o the dude in it, but I think he makes it more interesting - what's your story sir?)



http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5425/dsc028262c92790tr7.jpg
Li River - near Guillin, China

(it's funny how when you take a pic like this, your first impulse is to get only the nature part and avoid something like these umbrellas - but the umbrellas make the pic imo - I'm fascinated by nature mixed with man-made stuff in the same shot)



http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4897/dsc034392c7e24fxx3.jpg
88th Floor of the Grand Hyatt - Shanghai

(this pic grows on me more and more - at first you don't notice that the dark spot in the foreground to the right is a person, but I think your subconscious does - also I really like the lines of the lights)



http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2861/aprilscampering2c9fcf1yt3.jpg
Algodones Dunes, CA

(first trip with my first non-disposable camera - probably the best picture I'll ever take in my life - just point, click and try to keep the blowing sand out my new camera - pure dumb luck)



http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7081/dsc01393800kp8.jpg
Redondo Beach, CA

(I have a B&W version of this that looks pretty good, but it feels kind of pretentious - I have no clue about B&W - also I kind of like the glow on the horizon and the very subtle green of the fence)

[bwana devil]

a couple of those look pretty cool. particularly the one w/ the subway bridges.

why dont you take a class at your college? my dad is a photographer and just retired after 30+ years teaching. he's free lancing now.

if you want ill send him a few of your pics and ask him what he thinks just so you can get some feedback.

[kidcolin]

I have a couple of sweet pics from Morocco that I've been wanting to show off. I'm generally not much of a picture guy, as I sorta hate carrying a camera. But these came out pretty good.

I'll post when I get home from work in a few hours.

[suzzer99]

Thanks, and sure that would be cool. Yeah local college is where I was going to start looking. I just was wondering if there was something out there I'm not aware of.

[AllinDan]

Great thread topic and pictures Suzzer, I love the Dunes and Zion ones especially.

Here's one I've always liked; I took this at the base of Vernal Falls in Yosemite:

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4373/mistmf1.jpg

Here's a shot of a canal in Amsterdam that I thought turned out really well:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8296/awesomecanalpicms4.jpg

I may look for some more later, but I'm excited to see how this thread turns out

[By-Tor]

These are re-posts from the prior thread, but it will serve me as a reminder to find/process some more when I get a chance...


The Golden Gate Bridge is actually quite small:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/9231/crw8609copymw3.jpg


Solitude:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3354/crw7431copyse1.jpg


Somewhere between San Jose and Mount Hamilton:
http://img325.imageshack.us/img325/6334/crw2672copyyc7.jpg


The Thunderbirds at Moffett Field:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/1372/crw6058copyds5.jpg

Progression of youth:
http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/2776/crw08352ou.jpg

[suzzer99]

WOW. That Yosemite one is awesome. Do you get the feeling, like I do, that you may have taken the best picture you'll ever take? I'm not complaining, just wondering if others get the same feeling.

I love yosemite, I was actually thinking about going there next week to try to get some cool winter shots. But it looks like right now they don't have much snow. I wonder what might be a good place to go w/in a days drive of LA.

[AllinDan]

By-tor: awesome! I love the beach, lady on bench, and GG bridge pics. Seems like landscapes may be the way to go in this thread

[private joker]

I have some cool b&w shots I took in Chicago that I will post later in this thread.

But for now, I just want to address one major flaw I keep seeing in pictures people take of friends. When you're shooting a frame, keep in mind the composition of the image -- where the subject lies in the frame. (Yes, obviously pics can be cropped digitally after the fact, but it's easier just to shoot it correctly).

First, imagine the frame in a grid with 9 squares like so, with four intersecting points:

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/585/photog1wg0.jpg

The focus of your shot should be where the lines intersect, not in the direct center of the frame. If you're shooting a person, the eyes should be right at the cross points.

A bad composition leaves too much headroom, and places the person awkwardly in the middle of the frame, like this:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4176/photog2dx9.jpg

Instead, try putting them to one side and take off some of the headroom, so their eyes are at one of the two upper-edge cross-points:

http://img469.imageshack.us/img469/5360/photog3uk6.jpg

Furthermore, if you're shooting a close-up, forget about trying to put the whole head in the frame. This usually makes the person too low in the shot.

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/1056/photog4yo0.jpg

It's ok to crop off some of their hair/head in order to get better framing in a closeup.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2623/photog5cg8.jpg



This advice will be pretty 101-obvious to most people, but I still see a lot of novice photographers make these bad mistakes, and therefore all your party pics and memorable moments are ruined by crappy composition.

[suzzer99]

Actually I'm really into closeups and artsy-fartsy stuff, I just don't know how to do it yet. Love to see anything that looks cool.

One thing I was thinking if I ever get the balls is to drive around LA and take pictures of trashy strip malls and other stuff in the hood and barrio. I'm sure it's been done, but I bet there are still plenty of amazing shots out there waiting to be taken.

[CharlieDontSurf]

I recently saw this pic that i thought was great by a photog in Iraq.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e202/bryan215/storaroiraq.jpg

[suzzer99]

Bytor, the ppl on the beach is awesome. Like the stages of life or something.

Edit: duh, just saw your caption

[AllinDan]

A couple more since I'm trying to do anything but study for my midterm.


Ancient Roman Ruins on the southern coast of Turkey:
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8232/dscf0427pp2.jpg



A friend of mine standing in front of a projector:
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2289/bestpictureeverij2.jpg
I think this is still my favorite picture I ever took, but I took it on my old super low res camera, and it was really just a lucky shot

[bwana devil]

[ QUOTE ]
But for now, I just want to address one major flaw I keep seeing in pictures people take of friends. When you're shooting a frame, keep in mind the composition of the image -- where the subject lies in the frame. (Yes, obviously pics can be cropped digitally after the fact, but it's easier just to shoot it correctly).

[/ QUOTE ]

good post PJ, one thing i see a lot of that is quick to adjust is when shooting landscape people shoot too much sky. generally sky should be in the top 1/3 of the frame; land in the bottom 2/3.

oh and to anyone really interested, checkout www.photo.net (http://www.photo.net) it's the photo version of 2+2.

[By-Tor]

[ QUOTE ]
Bytor, the ppl on the beach is awesome. Like the stages of life or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks!

That is actually one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. I got very fortunate with that shot. It is only cropped a very small portion at the top for composure.

I went back and edited to add captions prior to your post and it looks like we have the same line of thinking on that one...

[divides_by_zero]

I know what you mean about your first instinct wanting to be to capture strictly the nature.

This wasn't a nature shot, but I was expecting to later crop out the people in the corner. On looking at the shot later I realize they made the picture.

http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/chapel1.jpg

I love lines and shadow:
http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/green1.jpg
http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/kresge3.jpg

My current desktop:
http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/skyline1.jpg

And out my other window:
http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/simmons1.jpg

[jaminbird]

This is one I took at my parents house in palm springs, it was 2 photo's that I stuck togeather so I could use it for my desktop background.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/jaminbird/PSPanorama.jpg


This is just a random one that I took of some beach condo on Coronado island, but for some reason I enjoy it.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/jaminbird/IMG_3125.jpg

[GrandmaStabone]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/23.jpg



http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/35.jpg




http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/22-2.jpg



http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/64.jpg



http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/52.jpg





http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g308/ooo0ooo/27.jpg

[IggyWH]

pj,

Mind going into a little more detail on why the no examples are wrong and why the yes examples are correct? I've never heard of this before.

I can understand the nature shots with the 1/3 sky & 1/3 land, but if you're taking pictures of friends, and it's just the friends you care about and not where they are at, then why would you offset them?

[private joker]

Iggy -- it just looks better and it's more flattering. By framing somebody so their entire head is in a closeup, their chin ends up being too low to the bottom of the frame, their eyes too far down, and it's not as powerful.

In a wider shot, offsetting them a bit to the thirds of the frame as opposed to halfway in just provides a better composition. Your eyes have a natural rectangular field of vision, not a square or round one. That is, you can see more off to the sides than you can above and below in your periphery. Therefore, it's more pleasing to see images that sit from side to side (this is why film aspect ratios are wider than they are tall -- "widescreen") than ones that are narrow and make you read it from top to bottom.

EDIT: Here's a good example from "Kill Bill," shot by one of the best DPs in the biz, Bob Richardson (he also shot A Few Good Men, JFK, and Snow Falling On Cedars)/

http://chiaki-kuriyama.zanlius.com/images/gogo_20.jpg

And from a Chinese action flick:

http://www.ugo.com/images/galleries/zhangziyi_girlfriends/zuwarriors_3.jpg

You just want the strongest subjects of the frame in those intersecting points.

[By-Tor]

[ QUOTE ]
pj,

Mind going into a little more detail on why the no examples are wrong and why the yes examples are correct? I've never heard of this before.

I can understand the nature shots with the 1/3 sky & 1/3 land, but if you're taking pictures of friends, and it's just the friends you care about and not where they are at, then why would you offset them?

[/ QUOTE ]


Another decent explanation of the Rule Of Thirds. (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/rule-of-thirds/)

[IggyWH]

Okay, so say you're taking a wide shot of a group of people. How would you go about doing this offsetting them?

From what you said, I see 2 options :

1)Cutting someone out of the picture (probably not an option)

2)Pulling back to you can get everyone in the shot while still offsetting them

What if you can't pull back though?

======================

Help a guy out here. My picture taking sucks and I usually end up deleting most picture I take because I think they look horrible.

[private joker]

You don't have to offset a group. I'm talking more about individual shots.

But no matter how many people are in the frame, don't make the mistake of giving them too much headroom. Take the tallest person in the shot, line up the top of their head with the top of the frame, and there's your composition.

[Analyst]

Wow, some great shots in this thread! I especially like Suzzer's dunes, By-tors beach and all of Divides-by-zero's.

Here's one I took recently while trying out my new macro lens:

http://images20.fotki.com/v369/photos/1/1031684/4346315/Cableandweb-vi.jpg

[kidcolin]

d_b_z,

Your current desktop is where I lived freshman year. By the looks of your other photo, you live in Cambridge. The pic out the other window; Is that park right over the BU Bridge? I've seen that building before, but I didn't think there was one that close to that park.

I really like that shot of the leaves, btw.

[elus2]

A friend of mine took this pic over the summer when he went to europe

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/594/coll3sbn6.jpg

[divides_by_zero]

Yup, Cambridge, right across the river. It's not a park, it's the MIT football field - the building is Simmons Hall, dormitory.

Thanks for the compliments!

Once it warms up a bit I'm going to try to get some shots of the Boston Skyline at night from a vantage point I recently discovered.

[divides_by_zero]

Analyst, your photo is absolutely gorgeous. I love the colors so much.

God, I want a DSLR so bad. I love to shoot macros, but it takes a lot of bad shots to get one good shot with my little cybershot.

But when I do get one it's worth it :-)
http://web.mit.edu/div_by_0/www/images/dragonfly1.jpg

[guids]

Wow, that colleseum one is ridic, look at the clouds, it reminds me of Gladiator. I also like the cement raod into the ocean in the OP, and the jets by-tor got, you can see the tail smoke out of the jet

[GrandmaStabone]

PJ,

Thanks for your contributions to this thread. The photos you provided as examples are slick and really illustrate what you were saying.

Anyways, I realized recently that I have taken very few pictures of my life for the last six years. For some reason I just never really thought about it. I regretted this a lot so I went out and got a digital camera last week.

Since then I have been taking pictures of everything and can't get enough of it. I find the entire process fascinating and it makes a great hobby. I've taken a few pictures I like, but nothing that would be considered 'good' by general standards.

I'd really like to learn more, does anyone else have any photography tips/advice they want to share?

[cobrakai111]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/4092/deerxq5.jpg
Look out, that deer is going to charge!

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8218/montanaix2.jpg
Oh brother, I ain't ever leaving Montana:


http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9144/trapperji1.jpg

[octopi]

Would anyone be into a weekly photo challenge where you either take a new photo, or post a previous photo you took, on the theme?

In terms of getting better, I received an excellent book (http://www.amazon.com/Photography-7th-Barbara-London/dp/0130282715/sr=8-1/qid=1170300154/ref=sr_1_1/102-1460607-0660157?ie=UTF8&s=books) as a present and read it for technical tips, but mostly: carry your camera everywhere and don't be afraid to shoot.

I have travelled a fair bit this year, allowing me to flex my macro muscle and use my work camera (a sweet sweet D70s) a little bit. Some of my favorites:

These are from Hawaii:

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/hibiscus.jpg

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/oahuset2.jpg

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/oahuset.jpg

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/loner.jpg

This was just a poignant moment. Two girls had been walking down Sunset beach on the North Shore, their dog trailing. As they ran off into the surf, he sat and waited for them.

These are from Thailand:

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/steel.JPG

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/gecko.jpg

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/butterflies.jpg

Just a few random shots:

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/film.JPG

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/bird.JPG

http://kelly.cybr.org/random/two/smokey.jpg
RIP, "Smokey" /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[goofball]

From my trip to Australia:

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7025/brisbane4012ph5.jpg

[Boris]

1st place - Analyst, by a wide margin.

2nd place - By-tor for the beach shot.

3rd place - Octopi, third pic in her post.

[suzzer99]

Here's some pics that I took with my friend's daughter and a little spinny glow thing. The cool thing is she did all the effects in Picassa (http://picasa.google.com/). She was able to do some creative stuff and create a web page w/o being knowing anything about computers or photography. I highly recommend picassa as a photo organizer and simple editor.

http://www.synergizethis.com/Shelby/

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/4397/dsc07395bdb80dqi8.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8046/dsc07404c0364cqx3.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5919/dsc07398c1c0a5nx6.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/910/dsc07397c24517bp7.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2461/dsc07408c31131ui4.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8025/dsc07402c0a66bna0.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6207/dsc07421bef59ekl5.jpg
Nice how she made me look like Hannibal Lecter here. This pic gives me the willies.

[kidcolin]

These are some pics I took in Morocco last May.


Merzuga, on the edge of the Sahara:
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6508/saharamerzugakc2.jpg

Sunrise the next morning:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/3442/saharansunrise2th8.jpg

Camel ride back:
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1235/shadowsinthesaharagn0.jpg

Waterfall in Ouzoud:
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6946/img0078xj8.jpg

Essaouira, We'll man the ramparts:
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1278/llmantherampartsvf5.jpg

Birds at the beach in Essaouira:
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4318/birdshs9.jpg

Sunset:
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/8045/img0095eg5.jpg

[bluefeet]

Hey Suzz, sorry I missed you in LA a couple weeks ago.

I love these threads - though a photographer I'm not. I did snap this one of my youngest swimming in a pool at night. Turned sideways, it almost has an angelic (bias /images/graemlins/wink.gif) painting type look.

http://www.bluefeetpoker.com/pool.jpg

[suzzer99]

Wow, that is a really sweet pic. Sorry I missed you too. I've had a brutal cold for 3 weeks that kind of had an intermission in the middle.

[PartyGirlUK]

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/2301/picture097vv1.jpg

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3038/picture0046kury4.jpg

[bluefeet]

OK, pretty dull on the surface I guess, and a view you see every day Suzz. But my previous 40 years of beach experience had been limited to either resort/high-rise settings or sprawling mansions. The utter absence of unique, discern-able properties was stunning for me. It's as if it were one huge, single, haphazardly constructed structure shared by all.

http://www.bluefeetpoker.com/la.jpg

(larger image here (http://www.bluefeetpoker.com/la-big.jpg)...maybe giving you a better sense)

Yeah, not new to you LA guys, but very memorable for me /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[private joker]

Hancock Building in Chicago -- playing with B&W, intentional sun flare, and archictecture-enhancing angles:

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/163/hancockcircleparkingbl2.jpg


http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/1731/hancocksteamhc8.jpg

Wow, I just found one I don't even remember taking. But this is a girl named Ana.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7012/sepialeglb2.jpg

[Zeno]

Some very good photos. I was interested in Photography when younger and took a college class and a private class on Photography. This was mostly black and white and we learned to developed film and photos etc and had concept and composition lessons. I still have many slides and B&W stuff in boxes. The sildes I wish to preserve somehow. Anyway I will add a few photos that I took recently with my new digital wonder camera. My Nikon 35mm FE2 is on a shelf.


Bell Tower, Xi'an China.


http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m102/Plankton_03/IMG_0071.jpg


Sunset, Oregon Coast

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m102/Plankton_03/IMG_0511.jpg


http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m102/Plankton_03/IMG_0515.jpg


Abstract


http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m102/Plankton_03/IMG_0493.jpg



-Zeno

[suzzer99]

I like that last one. It reminds me of something out of Time Bandits or Mad Max.

[russellmj]

I'm kind of a photo buff. I even installed a darkroom in a closet. It's not light tight so I just wait until dark and turn out the lights to work. The closet is ~26" wide. On the other side of the wall behind the enlarger is the sink area outside my bathroom. Luckily, that wall had an outlet so I pulled power into the DR from there. I lay my trays out from L>R, top to bottom: Dev, stop, fix, wash. I have fun with it.


http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/268/darkroom1fj3.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8764/darkroom2zq7.jpg
http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/8908/pillarqp6.jpg
http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/2637/birthdaygirlsmallyb4.jpg

[Tron]

elus,

The Coliseum picture is HDR, correct?

[Jurollo]

Just thought this looked cool because the ear makes it look like a unicorn a bit: http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/6733/p1010003xe7.jpg

Dusk in Barcelona:
http://img307.imageshack.us/img307/1025/p1010007hx1.jpg

Dusk in Barcelona 2:
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9840/bridgesmallbt3.jpg

Ride out of Barcelona:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3276/p1010032ra2.jpg

I don't know why I like this picture so much but I do. Outside my house with the "Aged Newspaper" effect, the orignal is cool too:
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/1474/p1010049im9.jpg

Waterfall in Ithaca, NY
http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/3720/p1010072gy7.jpg

I love this shot due to the action of my friend in contrast to the sign:
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1247/p1010055sw1.jpg

My favorite sign ever:
http://img169.exs.cx/img169/6145/sign3small2ft.jpg

[octopi]

Seriously: photo mission thread once a month a la the ICOOT cook offs?

[KingMedicine]

i have nothing to offer this thread besides a very heartfelt thanks to all who have posted in it.

[chopstick]

I have no idea how to take photos. I am going to try Private Joker's suggestion about the 9 boxes and see what happens.


http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/6627/snowjan212007by6ac.jpg

My back yard.


http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7766/blacksaltgulfserah1.jpg

Serrano Ham wrapped Gulf Shrimp at Blacksalt, a restaurant in D.C.


http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3098/img0392nl9.jpg

NPR headquarters in D.C.


http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/3922/hiresbaconnp0.jpg

Some bacon that I made.


http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5629/nolabayouxa3.jpg

A bayou shot out in Acadiana, 50 miles west of New Orleans

[MuckerFish]

I'm at work, so I'll post some better ones later. Here's a few for now:

My daughter born last week:
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2100/dsc0054edited1ow1.jpg




http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/2336/dsc0058yx2.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8752/dsc0013pb5.jpg




(edited out last photo/ wasn't appearing correctly)

[onthebutton]

[ QUOTE ]
Seriously: photo mission thread once a month a la the ICOOT cook offs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is an excellent idea.

[By-Tor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Seriously: photo mission thread once a month a la the ICOOT cook offs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is an excellent idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm sure i'd play along...

[ipitythefool]

Since there seems to be a genuine interest in photography I figure I'll extend the offer of feilding any questions you guys might have. Photography was my study in school as well as my current profession. I'm well versed in anything digital or technical as well as color and printing and can answer almost anything you'd want to know. I don't want to hijack this thread but if there is enough interest I will be more than happy to start an "ask me" thread.

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Seriously: photo mission thread once a month a la the ICOOT cook offs?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is an excellent idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

i'm sure i'd play along...

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Great idea!

[KingMedicine]

yes, id love to see an "ask me" thread - this thread takes forever to load on my connections, but i do have some questions about photography. diablo approve?

[El Diablo]

All,

You've inspired me to head out with my camera and do some real work.

A lot of talent here, love what I'm seeing.

[offTopic]

I've posted most of the pictures I've taken that I was happy with in other threads.

What's the first assignment? /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Philuva]

Does anyone have any good photography book recommendations for people with experience, but no advanced training or education?

[Analyst]

[ QUOTE ]
I've posted most of the pictures I've taken that I was happy with in other threads.

What's the first assignment? /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Cables and spiderwebs. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ipitythefool]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone have any good photography book recommendations for people with experience, but no advanced training or education?

[/ QUOTE ]

Is there a style or type of technique you're looking for? There are a lot of books out there.

[MuckerFish]

Great stuff so far-

I'm a macro guy - here's some from this past spring-

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3008/dsc01042jv8.jpg

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/7425/bflych0.jpg

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1979/mantissf9.jpg

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/7967/blackswallowtailld5.jpg

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/3410/dsc0201nm2.jpg

[suzzer99]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've posted most of the pictures I've taken that I was happy with in other threads.

What's the first assignment? /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Cables and spiderwebs. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Sand dunes and sunsets. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[ReDeYES88]

now I'll toss some of my images into the ring.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/strahov.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus-2.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/oldtown.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/jewishquarter.jpg

[ReDeYES88]

and some more...bonus points if anyone can name the locations of any of the pics (no fair peeking at the url).

the first two are the place where i was married /images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/DSC01860.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/DSC01875.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/DSC00101copy.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/cinqueterre-boats.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/cinqueterre.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/cinqueterre-3.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/cinqueterre-2.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/berneroberlander.jpg

[alec2927]

[ QUOTE ]
Since there seems to be a genuine interest in photography I figure I'll extend the offer of feilding any questions you guys might have. Photography was my study in school as well as my current profession. I'm well versed in anything digital or technical as well as color and printing and can answer almost anything you'd want to know. I don't want to hijack this thread but if there is enough interest I will be more than happy to start an "ask me" thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

where did you go to school and what kind of work are you doing now? i'm a photography student at the school of visual arts in NYC.

[offTopic]

Has anyone had any luck with getting odd-sized prints done for a reasonable amount of money?

This is a 6 or 7 image panorama I took at Crater Lake last year, which I stitched together (yes, I know there are some ugly spots).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/craterpanorama6.jpg

I was hoping to get a test print at Costco, figuring if it looked awful, I was out $10, but after I uploaded the image, it appears that even at poster size, they just take a proportional 4x6 chunk out of the middle and blow it up to 20x30.

The original image is about 4x15, so I wouldn't mind if they would print the picture at 8x30 with a bunch of blank space, and I could just cut it and frame it myself.

The custom print places I've seen online are in the $30-$50 range for something this size...anyone have any ideas?

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
Has anyone had any luck with getting odd-sized prints done for a reasonable amount of money?

This is a 6 or 7 image panorama I took at Crater Lake last year, which I stitched together (yes, I know there are some ugly spots).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/craterpanorama6.jpg

I was hoping to get a test print at Costco, figuring if it looked awful, I was out $10, but after I uploaded the image, it appears that even at poster size, they just take a proportional 4x6 chunk out of the middle and blow it up to 20x30.

The original image is about 4x15, so I wouldn't mind if they would print the picture at 8x30 with a bunch of blank space, and I could just cut it and frame it myself.

The custom print places I've seen online are in the $30-$50 range for something this size...anyone have any ideas?

[/ QUOTE ]

start with kinkos, then try local non-national-chain phototography stores, then other local print shops.

You'll probably be able to find a photo shop that can do the printing, but if it was me I'd just do direct to one of the decent photo printing labs




A few submissions from me

one of my first few shots with a hand-me-down macro... which i can't find anymore
http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/194/dsc0286fx6.jpg

shot with light from a sayulita sunset
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2404/mexico178copyiy6.jpg

One of the few older B&W prints i still have lying around. i'm not sure what happened to the rest
this was shot on ilford delta 100, IIRC
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9010/trellacenj8.jpg


Another old B&W print, which was in a pretty sorry state when I foudn it this morning... thank god for the spot healing brush...

I don't remember if this was on delta 100 or ilford's crap low-contrast 400 stuff they were giving away for free. Pretty sure it was 15 or 30 seconds @ f/11
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6289/onlybusestransitee2.jpg

Freeway park in seattle
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7768/freewayparkla2.jpg

[man]

a couple from japan.

http://photos-177.ak.facebook.com/ip007/v16/67/106/5510110/n5510110_30161177_5180.jpg
http://photos-212.ak.facebook.com/ip007/v16/67/106/5510110/n5510110_30161212_1567.jpg
heavily edited:
http://photos-206.ak.facebook.com/ip007/v16/67/106/5510110/n5510110_30161206_515.jpg

[onthebutton]

I really liked the idea of having a biweekly/monthly "Photo Mission" thread, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Is anyone else interested in participating? Kind of not worth it if we've only got a couple people, so I'm hoping there will be lots!

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
I really liked the idea of having a biweekly/monthly "Photo Mission" thread, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Is anyone else interested in participating? Kind of not worth it if we've only got a couple people, so I'm hoping there will be lots!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in. Is it going to be like a take a certain number of pictures on a given day? or try to capture a specific type of subject? what's the plan? I need some motivation to get out and shoot more, especially in the overcast seattle winter...

[offTopic]

Freakin:

Thanks...I actually got it printed at shutterfly for like $20 or so. It came out really nice, and I'm ordering a frame right now.

[onthebutton]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I really liked the idea of having a biweekly/monthly "Photo Mission" thread, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Is anyone else interested in participating? Kind of not worth it if we've only got a couple people, so I'm hoping there will be lots!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in. Is it going to be like a take a certain number of pictures on a given day? or try to capture a specific type of subject? what's the plan? I need some motivation to get out and shoot more, especially in the overcast seattle winter...

[/ QUOTE ]

I think we decide on a subject, then everyone that participates can post what they take, and maybe we'll even decide who takes the best shot. I'll be happy to help "run" the threads, like CSC does for OOT Iron Chef, as long as I'm not entirely responsible for coming up with creative subject ideas!

Hopefully, we'll hear from a few more people who want to get in, then get started.

[TyFuji]

ReDeYES: This looks a lot like Greece, I visited the Aegean area a few years back and this brings those memories back.

Totally off?

[TyFuji]

[ QUOTE ]
I really liked the idea of having a biweekly/monthly "Photo Mission" thread, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Is anyone else interested in participating? Kind of not worth it if we've only got a couple people, so I'm hoping there will be lots!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm totally in.

A recent (unfortunately) cameraphone shot of the MOMA:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/149628440_5183c0693d.jpg

Probably my favorite photo of mine. This is my girlfriend walking towards me in teardrop park in downtown manhattan, holding a firefly. She is a cutie.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/16/22535136_c6183a9770_o.jpg

[By-Tor]

if somebody makes a challenge thread, maybe there should be separate threads for pictures and discussion.

Discussion thread could be limited it talk, links and thumbnails. The picture thread could contain pictures of any size with a reminder of the javascript someone posted a while back to resize to the width of your choice.


script:
[ QUOTE ]
javascript:maxwidth=640;pi=document.getElementsByT agName("img");for(var%20i=0;i<=pi.length;i++){var%20aspectrati o=(pi.item(i).height/pi.item(i).width);if(pi.item(i).width>maxwidth){pi .item(i).width=maxwidth;pi.item(i).height=aspectra tio*maxwidth;}}

[/ QUOTE ]
(create a bookmark with this as the location. modify 'maxwidth' value)


Either monthly, or just two huge running threads would be best imo.

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
if somebody makes a challenge thread, maybe there should be separate threads for pictures and discussion.

Discussion thread could be limited it talk, links and thumbnails. The picture thread could contain pictures of any size with a reminder of the javascript someone posted a while back to resize to the width of your choice.


script:
[ QUOTE ]
javascript:maxwidth=640;pi=document.getElementsByT agName("img");for(var%20i=0;i<=pi.length;i++){var%20aspectrati o=(pi.item(i).height/pi.item(i).width);if(pi.item(i).width>maxwidth){pi .item(i).width=maxwidth;pi.item(i).height=aspectra tio*maxwidth;}}

[/ QUOTE ]
(create a bookmark with this as the location. modify 'maxwidth' value)


Either monthly, or just two huge running threads would be best imo.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think one thread could contain both the contest/challenge idea plus the discussion. It will have the subject/topic requirement and the due date for submissions. It should be locked until the contest due date has come about. All submissions should be kept to another separate thread of just photos (limited to maybe 3 submissions per person).

Discussion should commence in the initial challenge thread which will be unlocked once the contest is closed and should only contain links or thumbnails to discussed submissions.

I think having winners would be a great idea, but we would need several non-partial judges for it to work. FWIW, I don't think having winners is necessary; this would just server as great motivation and purpose to get out and shoot lots of photos.

Also, I think that all submissions should be recently shot photos, not any past work.

I'm looking forward to this if it gets going

[ReDeYES88]

[ QUOTE ]
ReDeYES: This looks a lot like Greece, I visited the Aegean area a few years back and this brings those memories back.

Totally off?

[/ QUOTE ]

well...not TOTALLY off....i think you have the right continent... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

the two of the village and the one of the cemetery were taken in Cinque Terre...northern italian coast.

[ReDeYES88]

[ QUOTE ]


I think one thread could contain both the contest/challenge idea plus the discussion. It will have the subject/topic requirement and the due date for submissions. It should be locked until the contest due date has come about. All submissions should be kept to another separate thread of just photos (limited to maybe 3 submissions per person).

Discussion should commence in the initial challenge thread which will be unlocked once the contest is closed and should only contain links or thumbnails to discussed submissions.

I think having winners would be a great idea, but we would need several non-partial judges for it to work. FWIW, I don't think having winners is necessary; this would just server as great motivation and purpose to get out and shoot lots of photos.

Also, I think that all submissions should be recently shot photos, not any past work.

I'm looking forward to this if it gets going

[/ QUOTE ]

i might be able to get into this, (within the limitations of my equipment). I agree that there doesn't really need to be a judging.....just post what ya shot.

[TyFuji]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ReDeYES: This looks a lot like Greece, I visited the Aegean area a few years back and this brings those memories back.

Totally off?

[/ QUOTE ]

well...not TOTALLY off....i think you have the right continent... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

the two of the village and the one of the cemetery were taken in Cinque Terre...northern italian coast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, I was close!

One peninsula away.

[jaffa]

I'm not too brilliant at photography, though it's one of the things i'd like to be really good at. The other day i took this as it was eating a crumb on my desk.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lozthefunkybassist/earwig2.jpg

My dad used to be a proffesional photographer and i always keep meaning to get him to teach me. If i can work out a good way of doing it, i'll try put some of his photos up here so i have something nice to contribute.

I also think the idea of a monthly photo contest thing is awesome, i'd be down.

One more thing: I'm a big fan of press photography as its often the most powerful. If anyone's interested, the World Press Photo site (http://www.worldpressphoto.com/) contains the best from around the world. Check out the various winners galleries.

[mmbt0ne]

Hey By-Tor,

That code is great, but now the thread is stretched out because of it.

Can a mod edit BT and Freakin's posts so that there are some line breaks?

[bigt439]

this thread is incredible.

im going to be doing a lot of traveling next year and this thread has inspired me to take some lessons and buy a nice camera to capture all the incredible things im sure to see.

thanks to all who've posted.

[iSTRONG]

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/715/june2005067gz1.jpg (http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=june2005067gz1.jpg)



http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/1638/june2005079zk9.jpg (http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=june2005079zk9.jpg)



http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/2786/june2005080br9.jpg (http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=june2005080br9.jpg)

[Freakin]

iStrong,

You may want to consider cropping your pictures a little.

I don't know a lot about photography, but all of these pictures are showing the ground leading up to your object, which, IMO is taking away from teh main subject.

I like the composition of the 2nd picture

Were these in Hawaii?

[iSTRONG]

[ QUOTE ]
iStrong,

You may want to consider cropping your pictures a little.

I don't know a lot about photography, but all of these pictures are showing the ground leading up to your object, which, IMO is taking away from teh main subject.

I like the composition of the 2nd picture

Were these in Hawaii?

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the advice. I haven't got around to work the pics; these are the raw ones (horizon on first pic not straight, cropping etc). Second one is my favourite as well. Location: Dominica Republic (Playa Grande)

[iSTRONG]

Budapest
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6186/january2005078af9.jpg (http://img299.imageshack.us/my.php?image=january2005078af9.jpg)

[TyFuji]

Fantastic shot iStrong!

[Osprey]

Posted this before- taken from Mandalay Bay at Sunrise
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/28/62187007_e29908cca6.jpg

This is Graceland- The King's pool room:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/165606222_c34af55b0d.jpg

[citanul]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ReDeYES: This looks a lot like Greece, I visited the Aegean area a few years back and this brings those memories back.

Totally off?

[/ QUOTE ]

well...not TOTALLY off....i think you have the right continent... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

the two of the village and the one of the cemetery were taken in Cinque Terre...northern italian coast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vernazza! I can see my hotel room in your shot! I've got some "good for me" shots from various inter-town hikes that I might get around to posting sometime.

c

[cbloom]

A few that aren't too boring I hope. I have tons of landscape photos but I find them really dull without context.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/164/386808924_db4efddb7a_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/181/386778234_b9bced16a4_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/386778243_d8a126e37b_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/386784264_20218e341d_b.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/386784270_9819a04ced_b.jpg

[ReDeYES88]

[ QUOTE ]
this thread is incredible.

im going to be doing a lot of traveling next year and this thread has inspired me to take some lessons and buy a nice camera to capture all the incredible things im sure to see.

thanks to all who've posted.

[/ QUOTE ]

bigt:
two bits of advice,
1. digital is obv the way to go, and take multiple pics of the same shot, tweaking the settings a bit up and down to adjust for the light. (yeah, i know, this is pretty standard photo stuff).

2. more importantly, be sure you have the means to store all of the pics. take them at a fairly high res so that you have the freedom to manipulate or print them later.

Spouse and I were able to take a small notepad computer on our trip and we ended up with over 3k pics. much more freedom than just having a couple of storage cards and making the decision to save or delete a pic based solely on the way it looks on the camera's tiny screen.

[ReDeYES88]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ReDeYES: This looks a lot like Greece, I visited the Aegean area a few years back and this brings those memories back.

Totally off?

[/ QUOTE ]

well...not TOTALLY off....i think you have the right continent... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

the two of the village and the one of the cemetery were taken in Cinque Terre...northern italian coast.

[/ QUOTE ]

Vernazza! I can see my hotel room in your shot! I've got some "good for me" shots from various inter-town hikes that I might get around to posting sometime.

c

[/ QUOTE ]

Cit,

Spouse and I stayed in Monteroso old town. Awesome place the 5T. We're ready to go back. Look forward to seeing your pics and wondering if we have ant duplicate shots of the same places.

[MagicNinja]

"shot with light from a sayulita sunset"
this photo is froggin amazing.

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
"shot with light from a sayulita sunset"
this photo is froggin amazing.

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks, i appreciate the feedback. i took about 60 pictures until the sun had disappeared... i'll try to find another one or two good ones from the series to post.

[Sheetah]

My 2c for all those interested in how to make strong, appealing photos a.k.a. COMPOSITION (http://photoinf.com/)

[Butso]

some pretty talented people here

[Joe Tall]

Picture of the wedding party at my friends wedding in Las Vegas, originally in color.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/joetall/VegasBoys.jpg

I ran around the bus as the boys came into view of the crowd waiting in front of the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel on the north strip. All of them have beers. My brother is the tall one, third from the left. The groom is in the background, only one with a black shirt.

[Freakin]

I really like that picture... maybe it's the 50 times I've watched reservoir dogs...

It's a great candid

[Freakin]

will someone responsible get a contest of some kind going for this month?

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Hey, I'm in a Black and White photography class, but if you guys want I can suggest some ideas for contests and I wouldn't have a problem running it. Unfortunately, all my pictures right now are being taken on film and I have to develop them myselves (although I have a grasp on how to develop film, we haven't printed anything yet).

I think bi-weekly would be best, but it's up to you. Once we start developing prints, I'll upload some of my stuff.

My suggestions would end up being more along the lines of becoming focused on various aspects of photography. Light, perspective, depth of field, etc, although I'm sure I could come up with more topical things like shooting animals, shooting people, etc. Or...um...we have an assignment for a month from now is to take a self-portrait of your sexuality as seen from the opposite sex. I might skip over that one.

Anyway, let me know. I would need thread-starting powers in this thread to start a contest, though.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Also, if you go to www.prenhall.com/london (http://www.prenhall.com/london) you can access some companion guides for some of Barbara London's books. It's a good work around to actually buying a book.

[ElSapo]

http://www.mountpleasantproject.org/0000bike-w.jpg

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/larry.jpg

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/06282006prayin-w.jpg

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Wow, I really like the top 2. Did you shop the 1st one? The colors look extra vivid.

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/larry.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

This is incredible. I love this picture.

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, I'm in a Black and White photography class, but if you guys want I can suggest some ideas for contests and I wouldn't have a problem running it. Unfortunately, all my pictures right now are being taken on film and I have to develop them myselves (although I have a grasp on how to develop film, we haven't printed anything yet).

I think bi-weekly would be best, but it's up to you. Once we start developing prints, I'll upload some of my stuff.

My suggestions would end up being more along the lines of becoming focused on various aspects of photography. Light, perspective, depth of field, etc, although I'm sure I could come up with more topical things like shooting animals, shooting people, etc. Or...um...we have an assignment for a month from now is to take a self-portrait of your sexuality as seen from the opposite sex. I might skip over that one.

Anyway, let me know. I would need thread-starting powers in this thread to start a contest, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

let's start with topical. I think it will give a chance for greater involvement from different people who may not know as much about photography. We should probably try to focus on topics that are available to everyone (like don't have a topic be flowers when it's too cold for much variety for most people).

Also, I wish I was still shooting b&w developing my own prints. I loved the control I had over it. What kind of film are you shooting right now?

[ElSapo]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow, I really like the top 2. Did you shop the 1st one? The colors look extra vivid.

[/ QUOTE ]

I took what was there and brought it out a little, but the colors were vivid at sunset so it didn't take much. You can see where I brought down the bricks in front of her a little bit.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Wow, I really like the top 2. Did you shop the 1st one? The colors look extra vivid.

[/ QUOTE ]

I took what was there and brought it out a little, but the colors were vivid at sunset so it didn't take much. You can see where I brought down the bricks in front of her a little bit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, yeah.

As to what kind of film we're shooting, the class is just 35mm. I guess we might be able to bring some other stuff in, but everybody but the TAs are using 35mm.

Anyway, would shooting "in between" be too difficult? It's very broad and you can take it to mean literally as in between two buildings, two people, etc., or you can make it a little more abstract and try to shoot in between focus, two times, two emotions, or stuff like that. What do you think?

[ClevelandWasp]

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/ClevelandWasp/summer-winter1.jpg
My back yard, July and January. I miss my "drive-in".

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Wow, I really like the top 2. Did you shop the 1st one? The colors look extra vivid.

[/ QUOTE ]

I took what was there and brought it out a little, but the colors were vivid at sunset so it didn't take much. You can see where I brought down the bricks in front of her a little bit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, yeah.

As to what kind of film we're shooting, the class is just 35mm. I guess we might be able to bring some other stuff in, but everybody but the TAs are using 35mm.

Anyway, would shooting "in between" be too difficult? It's very broad and you can take it to mean literally as in between two buildings, two people, etc., or you can make it a little more abstract and try to shoot in between focus, two times, two emotions, or stuff like that. What do you think?

[/ QUOTE ]

"in between" seems a little too broad. I was thinking more topics like flowers, or candid photographs, or architecture, or nature, or water or something like that.

What kind of 35mm film? Is there a particular brand and ISO they are having you shoot at? Like Kodak 400ASA or anything?

Is this a highschool or college course?

[suzzer99]

How about street scenes as the first topic? Everyone should be able to handle that.

[onthebutton]

[ QUOTE ]
How about street scenes as the first topic? Everyone should be able to handle that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that someone else (maybe octopi?) was going to do this. I thought the idea was to have one thread to discuss ideas and photos, and another thread for photos only. Maybe she's around now?

[wet work]

Wow. There are some great shots in this thread.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Oh yeah, we're shooting Kodak Tri-X 400ASA, or at least that's what's been recommended. I'm using some Ilford stuff that came in a box of paper right now until I can go get some more TX.

Street scenes sounds good too, but broad again. I like the idea of shooting candids though.

Onthebutton,

You mean octopi was going to start a biweekly/monthly photo thread?

[onthebutton]

Macdaddy,

There was discussion of "EDGD Photography Challenge" (or something like that), that would be sort of like a photography version of the OOT Iron Chef threads. It was kind of octopi's idea, and I think she said that she'd be interested in "moderating" it, or whatever. It was kind of an amorphous idea, the details hadn't been worked out, but several people expressed interest.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Alright, that's cool.

Octopi,

Where you at?

[octopi]

Sorry kids; been busy this week!

Some thoughts:

- more than once a month might be a little much? or is it not enough? I just worry about it petering out over time
- do we want voting for the 'best' picture, or just people to post and then comment on eachother's stuff?
- only one picture per topic per poster?
- size limits and uniformity
- in OOT or here in ED's forum? El Diablo said he would be supportive of it being in here, but this would ultimately depend on traffic wanted.
- run votes on subject material?
- extra challenges of shooting in a particular speed/light/camera?

I would be very happy to run it, with assistance from anyone interested (onthebutton, Macdaddywarsaw immediately spring to mind). I, personally, would love the added incentive to shoot more from something like this.

[onthebutton]

I've been thinking about it some, and these are my thoughts:

-once a month might be good, at least to start. If we try it out, find it's too long or too short, we can always change as we go along.

-I like the idea of voting, it might make it a little more fun. Of course, I'm sure there will also be lots of comments about the posted photos. If we do have a contest, people should be asked to select the photo they'd like to enter, but be allowed to post more than one picture in the thread. Of course, we don't want someone posting 20 of their pictures in a thread, but I think that most people would be able to control themselves and only post the work that they're particularly proud of.

-I think By-Tor had a good idea when he suggested having one thread for pictures, and another for discussion. Keeping them separate may make it a little easier to keep up with. It would be a good idea to ask that all participants post in one size for the thread, but provide links to a full-size shot if they wish. I also think it would be a good idea to post the settings/metadata (focal length, exposure time, aperture, etc.) with the pictures as they're posted. The discussion could contain comments, Q & A about posted pics, and discussions of current/future topics.

-I think this thread would probably go better here than in OOT. Just my opinion.

-Having a contest where particular settings are limited would be interesting, but it may eliminate part of the field who don't have cameras that allow that sort of control. I'd hate to see people with more "point and shoot" type capabilities eliminated.

-I'd be happy to help out in any way possible.

Finally, the main hurdle I can foresee is getting people to follow the guidelines for posting. Everyone hates pics that stretch the screen, and will want to post full size images. If we can get people to follow the rules, post at a given size, and link to full size shots, I think the threads will be a lot more user-friendly.

[PartyGirlUK]

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/4948/picture210jb6ov0.jpg

[suzzer99]

Hello. Please sir, puhleeeese. Hello. Hello.

[PartyGirlUK]

Not many people seem to like that photo, but it's amongst my favorites. The look on her face is priceless, as is Nibbles Jr.

[maniacut]

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8730/dsc00235ww8.jpg

[jaffa]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been thinking about it some, and these are my thoughts:

-once a month might be good, at least to start. If we try it out, find it's too long or too short, we can always change as we go along.

-I like the idea of voting, it might make it a little more fun. Of course, I'm sure there will also be lots of comments about the posted photos. If we do have a contest, people should be asked to select the photo they'd like to enter, but be allowed to post more than one picture in the thread. Of course, we don't want someone posting 20 of their pictures in a thread, but I think that most people would be able to control themselves and only post the work that they're particularly proud of.

-I think By-Tor had a good idea when he suggested having one thread for pictures, and another for discussion. Keeping them separate may make it a little easier to keep up with. It would be a good idea to ask that all participants post in one size for the thread, but provide links to a full-size shot if they wish. I also think it would be a good idea to post the settings/metadata (focal length, exposure time, aperture, etc.) with the pictures as they're posted. The discussion could contain comments, Q & A about posted pics, and discussions of current/future topics.

-I think this thread would probably go better here than in OOT. Just my opinion.

-Having a contest where particular settings are limited would be interesting, but it may eliminate part of the field who don't have cameras that allow that sort of control. I'd hate to see people with more "point and shoot" type capabilities eliminated.

-I'd be happy to help out in any way possible.

Finally, the main hurdle I can foresee is getting people to follow the guidelines for posting. Everyone hates pics that stretch the screen, and will want to post full size images. If we can get people to follow the rules, post at a given size, and link to full size shots, I think the threads will be a lot more user-friendly.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds good. So we could have a specific topic to photograph, i.e. street scenes, portraits, nature etc each month.

It would then be good if, before we all go out and take our photos on that specific topic, some of the better photographers could post their advice on shooting that particular type of image, and others could link to photography articles etc. That way we'd all be developing (no pun intended aha!) our photography skills as well.

[Lonhro]

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4108/1000616dn1.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6650/dscf0144xi9.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7302/1000219ls1.jpg

[By-Tor]

some candids from a (big) park in Shanghai...



http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6371/img0147po2.jpg


http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1115/img0189uk6.jpg


http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3318/img0212wn9.jpg



http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7619/img0214sp6.jpg


http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5215/img0229sx4.jpg


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8176/img0234nq1.jpg


http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8118/img0236ii4.jpg

[ReDeYES88]

By-Tor, very nice...I thought the one with the kids/flowers and the one with the gentleman reading the paper were especially good.

[loose passive]

Here are some of my Flickr photos....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/5791455_f0538b07b4_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/6620040_931ec9376b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/6584953_a59faeeed2_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/5768039_654ae29d28_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/125815080_c98821f162_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/6335627_202a0a3d7f_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/9750936_012cef8f88_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/11310331_bd2e44b1a0_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/8136478_49379accf8_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/74/173556471_394e24562e_b.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/8/8396686_7d9f396e43_b.jpg

[jkkkk]

So far my two favourites are

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/3410/dsc0201nm2.jpg

and

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6289/onlybusestransitee2.jpg

[offTopic]

I didn't know if this was worthy of a new thread, so I figured I'd just post it here.

I took the following picture in Japan about three weeks ago. I was on a business trip that got pushed out by about 10 days /images/graemlins/mad.gif from which about the only positive was the cherry blossoms popped (these same branches had buds but no blossoms a week earlier):

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/pic1center.jpg

When I uploaded the pic, I got to thinking about the whole rule of thirds things, and cropped it to put the main blossoms more towards the right-hand and lower thirds:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/pic1offset.jpg

Is the second picture really "better"? I think we go through life asking questions like, "Is that centered?" or "Is that level?" and that, coupled with having a technical background, makes me think in terms of straight lines and bisection and such.

(Oh, Olympus E-Volt E500, 17-45 kit lens, aperture priority mode, I think -0.7...)

[By-Tor]

these are a little 'busy' for me and the shallow DOF makes me wish the entire background was sky.

ideally, some fill flash is needed to give the subject some pop


another shot i would have enjoyed would be a touch less DOF, an issolated branch and the building/sky as back drop.










overall though, i'm just jelleous that I've never been to Japan.

/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Thanks for sharing!

[Elevens]

I'm sure this thread still has some life in it. Anyone have any new pictures to share?

[Entity]

Huge thread, but I'm getting into photography more and more. Here's one from a birthday party out at a lake I was at on Saturday (pic is of my Belgian Shepherd Neeko taking a dive):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1332/1172751919_c69cb4c208_b.jpg

Tweaked the levels in iPhoto quickly (could have definitely done a better job in Photoshop) and converted it to B&W since it was a quick action shot that I wasn't actually prepared for -- I was just shooting the doc and fortunately happened to be shooting at a high shutter speed when he leaped.

Posted before, in my hiking thread:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1301/1023875025_75b1cbbd6c_b.jpg

Simple shot, but I'm rather fond of it for some reason:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1193/1173565938_c580180ce4_b.jpg

All taken with a Canon 30D. #1 with a Tamron 28-75 and #2/3 with a Sigma 10-20.

[Mr_Oog]

Hope this doesn't go against the spirit of the thread, but my mom just had some photographs accepted into CamerArts web extras. I don't know if they will be in the actual magazine or not.

Can't get the images inline, so here is a link.

CamerArts (http://www.cameraarts.com/2007_web_extras/ogle/index.html)

-Mike

[ElSapo]

This doesn't do justice to the absurdity of this place. Shot in North Carolina, one exit off I-85 over the border from Virginia.

http://www.teamwetdog.com/indexes/healthclubv2-w.jpg

[Steven_Q_Erkel]

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/39/photo1bx2.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8425/dsc00410jj5.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7641/dsc00345pp6.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7039/gsmj3dq6syr4okbmju8.jpg

[cianosheehan]

I have to say I'm suprised by the quality of some of these shots. I should start taking more photos I think:)

[kerowo]

Here are a couple I'm fond of
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k8/kerowo/W72dpi.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k8/kerowo/UFO.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k8/kerowo/Right-Angle-web.jpg

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
Huge thread, but I'm getting into photography more and more. Here's one from a birthday party out at a lake I was at on Saturday (pic is of my Belgian Shepherd Neeko taking a dive):

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1332/1172751919_c69cb4c208_b.jpg

Tweaked the levels in iPhoto quickly (could have definitely done a better job in Photoshop) and converted it to B&W since it was a quick action shot that I wasn't actually prepared for -- I was just shooting the doc and fortunately happened to be shooting at a high shutter speed when he leaped.

Posted before, in my hiking thread:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1301/1023875025_75b1cbbd6c_b.jpg

Simple shot, but I'm rather fond of it for some reason:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1193/1173565938_c580180ce4_b.jpg

All taken with a Canon 30D. #1 with a Tamron 28-75 and #2/3 with a Sigma 10-20.

[/ QUOTE ]

These are beautiful shots.

[deaders]

Some recent ones of mine:

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/72c8aaf7c2.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/38a896b4b9.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/1d028a2bf0.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/dfb487f251.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e32581e8f2.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

[vulturesrow]

Great thread, lots of awesome pictures. Anyhow I have a question for your knowledgeable photo types.

I've been wanting to get into this more as a hobby. Im looking for a first digital camera. I can't decide if I'd be better off going with a digital SLR or a point and shoot. In each of those categories, I'd like to see some suggestions on good bargain buys.

Thanks,
VR

[JaBlue]

I hate taking pictures and having pictures taken of me, but my girlfriend loves it. She uses a Canon digital rebel and the generic iPhoto software that comes with macbooks. I'm sure she'd appreciate any comments. Here are some of hers that I think are cool. I will take the liberty of titling some of the work I did not do.



Jazz:
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v81/50/98/3328678/n3328678_33781504_6457.jpg

San Francisco Christmas:
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v81/50/98/3328678/n3328678_33781296_8573.jpg

Muni
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v81/50/98/3328678/n3328678_33781745_344.jpg


http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v98/50/98/3328678/n3328678_34301796_6326.jpg

[deaders]

[ QUOTE ]
Great thread, lots of awesome pictures. Anyhow I have a question for your knowledgeable photo types.

I've been wanting to get into this more as a hobby. Im looking for a first digital camera. I can't decide if I'd be better off going with a digital SLR or a point and shoot. In each of those categories, I'd like to see some suggestions on good bargain buys.

Thanks,
VR

[/ QUOTE ]

If you want to get into it as even a slightly serious hobby definitely get a DSLR. I think the best value if you are buying new at the moment is the Pentax K100d, as it is very cheap for what you get. Im not sure what your budget is but if you are trying to keep it on the cheap end of things a 2nd hand Canon 400d or 350d (Digital Rebel XT/XTi in the US) is a good option. If you do go with the Canon its best to spend a bit more initially and get a better lens than the crappy kit one.

[Mrs. Utah]

There is something about this picture I really like. Very spontaneous moment. I was sitting by a pool and this little guy popped through the fence and I grabbed my camera,balanced it on my shoulder as I was looking over my shoulder and got this before he scurried away.

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/8099/chipmonk4mwzg2.jpg


I love my macro lens
I took outside my kitchen window. There was a slight breeze which caused the web to sway a bit, the spider kept moving, I was holding the camera while standing on a ladder. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1615/creepy5ln2.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9813/creep2lj6.jpg

[BK_]

View from the Met:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1259/1317005972_04588c664d.jpg

[aufbruch]

I guess this is the place to ask...

Does anyone have any experience with a Zenitar fisheye? I'd like a fisheye to play with but I imagine it's not going to get a ton of use. Therefore the idea of a Russian made £85 lens seems more sensible than a £600 Canon one.

The only places I seem able to get them from in the UK are native Russian sites and ebay - I'm slightly wary of just buying a lens without trying it first though...

[kerowo]

With few exceptions you get the glass that you pay for. I don't have experience with this lens to know if it is one of the exceptions.

[Elevens]

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5524/img2161kd0.jpg

[LuckOfTheDraw]

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/38/phantasm1176700547vg6.jpg

[offTopic]

Visited Kauai a couple of weeks ago. First time in Hawaii in nearly 25 years, and first time on Kauai ever.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/napali.jpg
Helicopter view of the Na Pali Coast

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/fire.jpg
Still learning the motion thing...here's a fire dancer from a luau.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/offTopic2p2/spout.jpg
Sunset at Spouting Horn

[mtlchris]

Trip to Vegas


Doyle Wins (WSOP HU)
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd100/mtlchris_photo/IMG_8095.jpg


The Venitian
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd100/mtlchris_photo/Picture081.jpg

[wdogg40]

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u305/wdogg40/family_vacation_07-304.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u305/wdogg40/IMG_1790.jpg
This one might not be about the photo as it is the subject and her expression
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u305/wdogg40/IMG_8740b.jpg
This was just a couple of weeks ago in Spearfish Canyon, SD

[Indiana]

Damn this thread is just str8 up awesome...It is so amazing the kinds of shots you can get with a simple cheap camera....Here's one I shot recently with a cheap camera...anybody guess where I'm standing?

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7562/citydq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[wdogg40]

near the Hollywood sign?

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
Damn this thread is just str8 up awesome...It is so amazing the kinds of shots you can get with a simple cheap camera....Here's one I shot recently with a cheap camera...anybody guess where I'm standing?


[/ QUOTE ]

Sutro Tower?

[wdogg40]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Damn this thread is just str8 up awesome...It is so amazing the kinds of shots you can get with a simple cheap camera....Here's one I shot recently with a cheap camera...anybody guess where I'm standing?


[/ QUOTE ]

Sutro Tower?

[/ QUOTE ]

good call.

[Indiana]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Damn this thread is just str8 up awesome...It is so amazing the kinds of shots you can get with a simple cheap camera....Here's one I shot recently with a cheap camera...anybody guess where I'm standing?


[/ QUOTE ]

Sutro Tower?

[/ QUOTE ]

good call.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hollywood? Come on, aren't there any californians here? All guesses are wrong so far.

Indy (PS Sutro tower is pretty close)...actually it was taken atop twin peaks...i suppose this is the same spot as the sutro tower....good guess!

[Elevens]

"Photography (http://www.amazon.com/Photography-9th-Barbara-London/dp/0131752014/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1348486-9097619?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192678537&sr=8-1)" was previously mentioned in this thread as a great book. Any recommendations on a photography magazine? Preferably American (the imports are generally too expensive) that's not chock full of ads and camera reviews all the time?

[mmbt0ne]

As mentioned when I posted the TR accompanying these pictures, I just bought a new camera. It's nothing special, just a point and click canon sd750. However, I've started taking more pictures, and would like to get better at it. Here are a couple photos I like, and a couple I'm kinda eh on. Would like to get opinions on all 4 and what could be better.

2 I like

1) Rock Beach - favorite picture in my short photography hobby

http://www.f2f2s.com/images/2plus2/rockbeach.png

2) Sunset - I like this one the most out of the sunset pictures I took, but it still feels like something is missing.

http://www.f2f2s.com/images/2plus2/sunset.png

Meh 2 - Both of these were amazing views, but I just couldn't capture it with a camera. I want to be able to change that.

3) Tree

http://www.f2f2s.com/images/2plus2/tree.png

4) Bay

http://www.f2f2s.com/images/2plus2/bay.png

[IeatChipsYum]

http://i24.tinypic.com/35at6aq.jpg

[invisibleleadsoup]

[ QUOTE ]
Some recent ones of mine:

[/ QUOTE ]

i really like these

[mtlchris]

any good?

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd100/mtlchris_photo/night.jpg


better without the light?

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd100/mtlchris_photo/nighttrimed.jpg

[mlagoo]

hey guys,

i was wondering if you had any tips for a novice photographer? i'm traveling a lot (been in asia for over a month, will likely be here till february or so). just like quick tips that novice photographers can use to make their pictures interesting/captivating. i'm taking a ton of pictures (in a month i've already taken over 1500), but i worry that i'm just snapping pictures of stuff as a sort of memory-jogger, and not taking care to make certain the picture is *good.*

so what are little things you do to improve the quality of your pictures? fwiw i have a pretty nice little digital camera i bought just before the trip... a sony cybershot dsc-7200. well, i have no idea whether it's nice or not, but i think the pictures it takes are pretty decent in terms of capturing light & color/adjusting for my shaky hand.

i know the rule of thirds now. anything else i should know to try? any settings i should tweak? thanks in advance for any help.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

[ QUOTE ]

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/larry.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]
this is the type of photo i can't stand. i see it all the time. what is the point?

[Spanaway Vin]

A few photos I took on a recent trip to Virginia:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/1685419350_c1b66b3ca8.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2313/1607072975_005785e2d9.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/1607327329_0a0c28e1b5.jpg

[Spanaway Vin]

[ QUOTE ]
hey guys,

i was wondering if you had any tips for a novice photographer? i'm traveling a lot (been in asia for over a month, will likely be here till february or so). just like quick tips that novice photographers can use to make their pictures interesting/captivating. i'm taking a ton of pictures (in a month i've already taken over 1500), but i worry that i'm just snapping pictures of stuff as a sort of memory-jogger, and not taking care to make certain the picture is *good.*

so what are little things you do to improve the quality of your pictures? fwiw i have a pretty nice little digital camera i bought just before the trip... a sony cybershot dsc-7200. well, i have no idea whether it's nice or not, but i think the pictures it takes are pretty decent in terms of capturing light & color/adjusting for my shaky hand.

i know the rule of thirds now. anything else i should know to try? any settings i should tweak? thanks in advance for any help.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do a Google search for "Rules of photo composition" and you'll find a lot of standard "rules" for composing your photos in line with something like the "rule of thirds." I think you've already made the first leap and that's *thinking* about composition. If you remind yourself when you are taking a photo that you should consider composition, then you're halfway there.

Second, learn to use your camera. If you see a shot and have composed it in your head, you don't want the technology to get in the way of producing that shot. I don't know anything about your camera, but you want to learn how to use it. Try not to rely on fully auto as much, as it won't do your shots justice. At the very least, learn how to use Aperture Priority (Av), White Balance (WB), and ISO (light sensitivity). It'll get you a lot of the shots that you might not be able to produce on fully auto.

Third, does your camera do RAW? Do you have a way to process RAW images? You can really make up for lack of experience in post production. Shooting in RAW gives you more flexibility when processing photos after you've taken them.

[BK_]

Vin those pictures are awesome. I've been in situations like the top and bottom pictures, but havn't been able to get htem to come out like that. Did you shoot those in RAW?

[Spanaway Vin]

[ QUOTE ]
Vin those pictures are awesome. I've been in situations like the top and bottom pictures, but havn't been able to get htem to come out like that. Did you shoot those in RAW?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. I've only recently started using RAW in the last few months and the drastic increase in the dynamic range is amazing. Or at least the image that you're able to pull out while minimizing the amount of noise that's introduced is impressive. Still not like a full frame camera, but much improved over JPEG.

I'm happy to be able to get detail in dark images like this:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2408/1685460723_f85d0fe450.jpg

and

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/1686532580_5f074a923a.jpg

without completely blowing out the sky. Although in the second photo, I probably could have gotten a better exposure of the sky since it's pushed a bit.

[ElSapo]

I shot this last night out on Franklin Street. I can't explain why, but I love the image.

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/6355/halloweengirlwba7.jpg

[IeatChipsYum]

Too poor for real equipment, lighting, and models. But, learning is free. =D Learning as much as I can on my bargain camera Canon A550


http://i3.tinypic.com/8a2fmhk.jpg

[Ratamahatta]

wow, some of the pictures here are awesome BUT not posting what camera/linses were used for taking these pics is like posting a hand without reads and stack sizes.

[kerowo]

[ QUOTE ]
wow, some of the pictures here are awesome BUT not posting what camera/linses were used for taking these pics is like posting a hand without reads and stack sizes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Worrying about what camera or lens took a picture is like worrying about the brand of paint used in a painting.

[Ratamahatta]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
wow, some of the pictures here are awesome BUT not posting what camera/linses were used for taking these pics is like posting a hand without reads and stack sizes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Worrying about what camera or lens took a picture is like worrying about the brand of paint used in a painting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh come on, it's standard to post that info.

[Jay.]

I like the Doyle image a lot, because you can tell it's Doyle right away, you can tell he's won, it's wsop and the other guy is knock the felt as if to say nice hand. It's just ashame he wasn't wearing a wsop bracelet.

Quick crop to better focus the image:

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3091/img8095zs7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[ElSapo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/larry.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]
this is the type of photo i can't stand. i see it all the time. what is the point?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the type of post I can't stand, and I see it all the time also.

Is it merely the "lack of a point" that you don't understand? Because the photograph is black and white? Because you believe there's a message here you may or may not disagree with? You don't like hats? Portraiture bores you?

I'm pretty open to criticisms of my work, and I'm happy to discuss any of it with you. But I'm going to need a little more to work with.

Also, can you give examples of where else you see this photograph?

[Ratamahatta]

I like it. I find it very hard to photograph people and you did a very good job.

[MauMau]

some nice landscape pics in here -ty

[citanul]

can anyone who knows more about digital cameras than i explain the difference between the nikon d40x and d80? there's a big price difference and i don't get it.

d40x (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d40x.asp)

d80 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d80.asp)

thanks.

[RustedCorpse]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

http://www.teamwetdog.com/portfolio/people/larry.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]
this is the type of photo i can't stand. i see it all the time. what is the point?

[/ QUOTE ]


I love photo's like these. Yes they're common, but that's because part of the appeal is the humanity. The man has this amazing face and is set against this urban environment. you just receive these strong undertones of despair and individuality.

At least that's why I diggs 'em yo.

[Taso]

[ QUOTE ]
now I'll toss some of my images into the ring.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/strahov.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus-2.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/oldtown.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/jewishquarter.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

I love the second from the top. Very nice.

(There were a BUNCH of others I liked in this thread too, but I'm going to bed. Just quickly, the one with the dog jumping into the lake, whoever's that was, well done.)

[kerowo]

[ QUOTE ]
can anyone who knows more about digital cameras than i explain the difference between the nikon d40x and d80? there's a big price difference and i don't get it.

d40x (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d40x.asp)

d80 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d80.asp)

thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

www.kenrockwell.com (http://www.kenrockwell.com) is a good source of Nikon reviews.

[kerowo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
wow, some of the pictures here are awesome BUT not posting what camera/linses were used for taking these pics is like posting a hand without reads and stack sizes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Worrying about what camera or lens took a picture is like worrying about the brand of paint used in a painting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh come on, it's standard to post that info.

[/ QUOTE ]

Primarily because there is a huge contingent of photography geeks who care more about the equipment then they do about the images. They spend a lot of time taking pictures of focus charts to see how sharp their lenses are instead of taking beautiful pictures.

[Irish Mafia]

http://www.bigfoto.com/sites/galery/australia2/australia_52_ayers_rock.jpg

[gusmahler]

[ QUOTE ]
www.kenrockwell.com (http://www.kenrockwell.com) is a good source of Nikon reviews.

[/ QUOTE ]

Rockwell is an opinionated a**. But he's knowledgeable, so he's worth reading for Nikon reviews. It's definitely a change from reading the very detailed, but very dry, reviews on dpreview.com.

His Canon reviews should be taken with a huge grain of salt. He bashes them all the time for ergonomics. But he doesn't seem to realize that the reason he likes Nikon ergonomics better is that he's used them for so many years that he is used to them. If you take a guy who's shot Canon SLRs for 20 years and gave him a Nikon, he'd have the same ergonomic problems. IOW, they aren't problems. They are differences.

[Spanaway Vin]

[ QUOTE ]
can anyone who knows more about digital cameras than i explain the difference between the nikon d40x and d80? there's a big price difference and i don't get it.

d40x (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d40x.asp)

d80 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d80.asp)

thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know much about Nikon cameras (I'm a Canon guy myself), but what I understand about these two cameras is that they will provide similar photo qualities, but the D40x has less autofocus points, don't support AF lenses, and is quite a bit smaller with inferior build quality.

I think that I'll repeat what I read time and time again: Given similar products, go and pick up both cameras and see how they feel in your hand. That'll really tell you.

[offTopic]

I finally broke down and bought the Olympus/Zuiko 50-200mm lens for my E-500. If I don't start seeing belly feathers of birds in flight, I'm going to be very upset. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif I've been calling this "the bear lens" for a long time because one of my wife's and my goals is to go to Katmai and shoot some off the bear platform. Lots of stuff needs to come together to make that happen, though...

[KPL]

I kind of like this picture. It's a tram that runs through the city, passing one of the psychiatric hospitals in Oslo. FWIW, shot with a Canon Digital Rebel, 76 mm (35 mm equaling 123 mm), f/32, 1.0 seconds, ISO 400

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p275/KPIce/IMG_2784copy.jpg

[keikiwai]

ok, i just looked at the photos - there's a lot of really good ones, there's a lot of really original ones, really fun thread to scroll through

i sense that there is some discussion going on about something, but obv tl;dr, sorry

i have a very hard time photoing people, but i like this one (obv person is blurry hahahaha)

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2946/001le2.jpg

(already posted this in ssnl cheese, but to all those who don't read that)

(i wish i got a better angle on the rattler, but meh)

[React1oN]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
now I'll toss some of my images into the ring.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/strahov.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus-2.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/oldtown.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/jewishquarter.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

I love the second from the top. Very nice.

(There were a BUNCH of others I liked in this thread too, but I'm going to bed. Just quickly, the one with the dog jumping into the lake, whoever's that was, well done.)

[/ QUOTE ]The colors in that first one is incredible. I love this thread.

[MissChriss]

Wow most of these pictures are sooo good!
I don't think mine are that good but these are some of my fav's!

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs22/f/2007/317/0/b/Blossom_Tree_by_Chris10a.jpg

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs16/f/2007/224/5/c/Beach_2_by_Chris10a.jpg

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs17/f/2007/224/8/2/Beach__by_Chris10a.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v118/179/1/710941627/n710941627_341823_1973.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v118/179/1/710941627/n710941627_341851_3129.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v118/179/1/710941627/n710941627_341839_7561.jpg

[NNNNOOOOONAN]

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5837/katie1ao2.jpg

my fiancee in front of the bellagio fountains.
random ass digital camera. messed around with in picture viewer/whatever.

[gusmahler]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
now I'll toss some of my images into the ring.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]

I love the second from the top. Very nice.



[/ QUOTE ]The colors in that first one is incredible. I love this thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll agree here. All good shots. The first one is great.

You know what might be cool here, though? HDR. Here's a tutorial: http://backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professional-hdr-images.html

What HDR does is combine several exposures such that everything is properly lit. Obviously, in that photo, it is exposed for the light from the stained glass, leaving the church dark. If you exposed for the church, the stained glass would be blown out. Combined using an HDR technique, everything would be properly exposed.

I've never actually tried it before, and some people think it looks fake (well, it is fake). And it might not even work on this image because the contrast between the dark church and the stained glass is an important part of the photo.

But I'll be experimenting with that technique once I get the newer version of Photoshop.

[Spanaway Vin]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
now I'll toss some of my images into the ring.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e123/ReDeYES88/stvitus.jpg



[/ QUOTE ]

I love the second from the top. Very nice.



[/ QUOTE ]The colors in that first one is incredible. I love this thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll agree here. All good shots. The first one is great.

You know what might be cool here, though? HDR. Here's a tutorial: http://backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professional-hdr-images.html

What HDR does is combine several exposures such that everything is properly lit. Obviously, in that photo, it is exposed for the light from the stained glass, leaving the church dark. If you exposed for the church, the stained glass would be blown out. Combined using an HDR technique, everything would be properly exposed.

I've never actually tried it before, and some people think it looks fake (well, it is fake). And it might not even work on this image because the contrast between the dark church and the stained glass is an important part of the photo.

But I'll be experimenting with that technique once I get the newer version of Photoshop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it all depends on what you're going for. I see plenty of examples of just a higher dynamic range represented in a photo. Doesn't look fake at all. On the other hand, some people are going for a different look and it oftens look very fake, but I think it becomes more of an artistic choice rather than a functional one.

[Spanaway Vin]

I took this photo last night:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/2045221941_5af9f9b8be.jpg

I shot it inside of my DIY macro box (like this one: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html)

To provide a bit more technical info: I fired my 580ex ii at 1/8th power through the top of the box. The steam from the Americano wasn't quite coming out the way I wanted it so I took it outside where it was colder and got a little more action in there.

Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/18
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200

[Spanaway Vin]

BTW, that macro box is great for photographing smallish objects. You can get nice, soft, diffuse light with a single light source. Because the sides and top are made of opaque paper, you can fire a strobe or use a lamp to light it and the light source will reflect off of the interior of the box.

Here are other examples from my own box:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1088/1465779622_42bf868c4d.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1357/1465774626_0ab41ee2b7.jpg

As you can see, very soft shadows, evenly lit. Pretty sweet for about 30 minutes of your time to build, and just a few dollars in materials.

[revots33]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/1607327329_0a0c28e1b5.jpg

I really like the color and composition of this one, very nice job.

[revots33]

Here's a few I took in Monterey CA on a recent trip:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2348/1679038871_2638ea8ba6_b.jpg






http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/1679023845_16e160539f_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2140/1679893318_31ecbb4af6_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/1679841448_fdcdd66973_b.jpg




And here's one I took in my backyard on the first day I got my camera, that I've always kinda liked

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/2053652915_9c906e181b_b.jpg

[React1oN]

Love the colors revots, and I really like that last one too, it looks so...rugged.

[NoahSD]

[ QUOTE ]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1193/1173565938_c580180ce4_b.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

I love this one.

Awesome thread.

[-zero-]

MissCriss, where were those photos taken? They remind me of Portugal.

[Spanaway Vin]

Some photos from a recent trip to Yakima:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2165/2044290320_ff7a31a8c4.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2253/2044258704_32c1215bdb.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/2044281974_dee606a0a0.jpg

[gusmahler]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's a few I took in Monterey CA on a recent trip:


[/ QUOTE ]
Great photos. Especially liked the first one and the last one.

[keikiwai]

spent Thanksgiving in Portland, OR

no snow there, but went to Dog Mountain on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.... no snow at the base, but snow starting maybe 1/2 way up to the top 2900ft peak, nice walk

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4342/dogmountainid2.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7494/dogmountain2oe8.jpg[/image]

[deaders]

I have some more recent photos up in a gallery: http://www.redbubble.com/people/deaders

Ive been slacking on the photography the last few months, I need to get out there again and get more shots.

[lastsamurai]

I am trying to do a series on panorama on digital. Here are some pics.
\
Malibu Ca
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/2064513578_ffa6c51657.jpg

LA CAR Show
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/2064483568_5a498deaf7.jpg

Downtown LA.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/2064437254_0e6aab7dff.jpg

Ferrari Exibit at the LA Car show.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2011/2064434036_12d6869c6e.jpg

[Spanaway Vin]

[ QUOTE ]
I am trying to do a series on panorama on digital. Here are some pics.
\
Malibu Ca
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/2064513578_ffa6c51657.jpg

LA CAR Show
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/2064483568_5a498deaf7.jpg

Downtown LA.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/2064437254_0e6aab7dff.jpg

Ferrari Exibit at the LA Car show.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2011/2064434036_12d6869c6e.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, those are all pretty sweet.

[MissChriss]

[ QUOTE ]
MissChriss, where were those photos taken? They remind me of Portugal.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never been to Portugal before.
I took those pictures in:

1) my back garden in Holland.
2) a Dutch island called Ameland when I went there with school.
3) Same as 2.
4) A little English town close to Bristol, where I live atm.
5) A city called Sitges in Spain, half an hour from Barcelona.
6) Same as 5.

[ReDeYES88]

[ QUOTE ]
I have some more recent photos up in a gallery: http://www.redbubble.com/people/deaders

Ive been slacking on the photography the last few months, I need to get out there again and get more shots.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've never heard of red bubble, but it seems like an interesting business model....have you sold any pics there yet?....make any monies?

[tsearcher]

I love those macros, Spanaway.

Here's some photos of my fish tank. They were all taken with a lower end Canon digital. I don't have the camera any more but it did have a macro function. Taking the pictures of the moving fish takes a lot of patience. The camera wasn't fast and neither was I. So I just prefocused and waited for the fish to swim into the viewfinder. For every one photo that turned out OK there were 40 that I deleted.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9895/6lineqg9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/2739/bluemushroomvy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1493/clown2es9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1493/clown2es9.e22000bec3.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=507&i=clown2es9.jpg)



http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1119/flamehawk2fd3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1448/mushroomrv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[darom03]

[ QUOTE ]
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1530/dsc047482c5d180tw9.jpg
Near Zion Natl Park in Utah

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you have a high-res of that picture you could link to? I would love to run it through Photoshop and include it in my selection of different desktops.