Through the Looking Glass [PHOTO THREAD]

145791031

Posts

  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I usually see 1/250 as the max. I don't know anything about your Sunpack, but I know the Nikon 800 series allows you to do things like mount the flash on a tripod and place it off scene so, in a way, it acts as more or less portable lighting.

    Uncle Long on
  • JAmp5JAmp5 Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Yeah I have a single SB-800 that I use wirelessly with the on camera flash on the D200. I bought it initially for that feature, the overall power and re-charge speed and the fact it could do stroboscopic effects. I didn't use it much when I first bought it and thought maybe I'd wasted money on it but now I use it all the time, It's a fantastic bit of kit.

    I might pick up a second when I have the money rather than invest in Bowen's or similar which I'd have to lug around everywhere. The iTTL is nice when taking portraits and stuff but to be honest it's so all over the place (sometimes impossible to get a string of consistent shots) that I set the flash power from the camera wirelessly and change the aperture to nail the exposure.

    Turns out that you can fire the on camera flash first which triggers the off camera flash without adding to the exposure. This gives you a lot of control. I can only really recommend the SB-800 if you’re going to push it to its limits. Some people never use a flash, some use it all the time, It's great not to need a sync cable though.

    JAmp5 on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    When you say wireless flash, are you talking about a built in Pocket Wizard of sorts?

    anable on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I did some arts and crafts today:

    2513221600_56f2881319.jpg

    anable on
  • MKRMKR Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    :(

    What kind of jerk breaks a baby tree? Someone get Poison Ivy on the phone!

    MKR on
  • ProspicienceProspicience The Raven King DenvemoloradoRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    anable wrote: »
    I did some arts and crafts today:

    poor 'lil guy

    Awesome stuff anable. And seriously, who goes around breaking trees?! Dicks that's who

    Prospicience on
  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Probably some kids. Probably some kids who are going to see that sign and be pissed. Probably some kids who are going to see that sign and be so pissed that they'll have to go and break the nearest baby tree.

    Which, really, is why we should hate kids.

    Uncle Long on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Someone actually took down the sign the very next morning before I went to work. I assume it was probably some mother that felt accosted by the word "dick" because they left the tree alone.

    anable on
  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    So on my recent trip to Denver, this is one of the only pictures I got that was even somewhat decent. I kind of like this one, but it's not like it's a great shot, the iso was high on this, so it ended up a bit grainy. Frankly I think it somewhat works in this shot though. It was really hard to find good photos on this trip and I'm not sure why. I ended up taking a bunch of pics at the graduation I was there for but they all ended up really harshly lighted and terrible.

    2514447886_5e4efc0620_o.jpg

    Dark_Side on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I don't notice the grain as much as I notice that the image is blurry. It's probably because of the low lighting and that it was probably a hand held shot.

    anable on
  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Bingo^. I actually kind of like the slight blurriness. But that's probably just because I took the shot.

    Dark_Side on
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I think it would look better sharper. If you use photoshop, try going to the channels tab and clicking on the blue channel. That's usually where the most noise enters in. Then use the "reduce noise" filter and clean that one channel up. Then try running a smart sharpen set to remove "lens blur" (not gaussian, which is the default) and then set the amount to ~30-50% and the radius to 1.x (less than 2.0, but try adjusting it). That's assuming you're working on a medium-to-small image (already sized down for web). If you're working on the original (the full-sized 7mp or 8mp or 10 or 12 or whatever your sensor size is) you might need to bump the amount up closer to 150%-200% and the radius up to 3 or so. Play with it and see what looks good.

    You can probably get a fair amount more sharpness than you have right now without adding much noise or adding that unnatural over-sharpened look.

    That's just my 2 cents, of course.

    erisian pope on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Nice write up Pope. I've never played with sharpening in PS, but I guess I should. I'm still trying to hold out for Lightroom 2 having a better form of sharpening. Supposedly it's also going to have dodge/burn tools.

    anable on
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Thanks! I usually sharpen my RAW files and don't worry about sharpening in PP, but the way Photoshop sizes down you always lose a little crispness, so a touch of smart-sharpen at the end brings a pic back to life.

    I have Lightroom but haven't yet installed it. I end up using Digital Photo Pro and it's good enough for my purposes. I keep meaning to, as I hear all sorts of great stuff about Lightroom. I'm just really lazy.

    erisian pope on
  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Well, I use GIMP, but I'm pretty sure I can do most of what you recommended. I'll give it a try sometime tonight or tomorrow.

    Dark_Side on
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Oh yeah, GIMP. Hahaha! I had forgotten there were other PP applications!

    erisian pope on
  • foursquaremanfoursquareman Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Thanks! I usually sharpen my RAW files and don't worry about sharpening in PP, but the way Photoshop sizes down you always lose a little crispness, so a touch of smart-sharpen at the end brings a pic back to life.

    I have Lightroom but haven't yet installed it. I end up using Digital Photo Pro and it's good enough for my purposes. I keep meaning to, as I hear all sorts of great stuff about Lightroom. I'm just really lazy.

    Yeah, I use DPP as well, and it is excellent.

    foursquareman on
  • ThreepioThreepio New Westminster, BCRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I'm kicking myself that I had my ISO set on 100 here:

    2514275659_bbfb7e638c.jpg

    But I was really stoked just to see that. It was a very neat moment - the dragonfly landed... waited, then shuffled to the bottom of the leaf. I didn't know why until the ant marched up and started poking at him. So very neat.

    Threepio on
    142.jpg
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Threepio wrote: »
    I'm kicking myself that I had my ISO set on 100 here:

    Why?

    anable on
  • Uncle LongUncle Long Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Using aperture priority mode? Would have had a faster shutter speed at a higher ISO? Would have stopped the motion?

    I think it's a good shot, though I wouldn't have minded a little quicker shutter. Don't know what you're shooting with or whether you would have had to have pushed it into the "grainy," section of your ISO range to have made a difference in shutter speed.

    Uncle Long on
  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Uncle Long wrote: »
    Using aperture priority mode? Would have had a faster shutter speed at a higher ISO? Would have stopped the motion?

    I think it's a good shot, though I wouldn't have minded a little quicker shutter. Don't know what you're shooting with or whether you would have had to have pushed it into the "grainy," section of your ISO range to have made a difference in shutter speed.

    Oh I only glanced at the image and with the small size didn't see the motion blur. I used to go out with my camera always set to 100 ISO, but I've made it a habit to usually walk out the door set to at least 200 if not 400.

    anable on
  • Mr. FahrenheitMr. Fahrenheit Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    2515520074_3280f24645.jpg

    New lens I mentioned, now I need to get my software running smoothly, XD.

    Mr. Fahrenheit on
  • Stupid Mr Whoopsie NameStupid Mr Whoopsie Name Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2008
    That photo and that clock are both farout!

    Stupid Mr Whoopsie Name on
  • SheriSheri Resident Fluffer My Living RoomRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Love it, Mr. F. What lens is it, again?

    Sheri on
  • saltinesssaltiness Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    We'd know if he would leave his EXIF!

    saltiness on
    XBL: heavenkils
  • Dark MoonDark Moon Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Those are some gorgeous tones and the detail is frightening. The crop does feel a bit weird, but maybe I'm just not used to that print size. What print size is that?

    I promise this is the last set of park shots I'll post for a while. I haven't gotten out much these past few days besides walking the dog and going to work, though, and the camera can't follow me to work.

    These birds have been in the same place every time I start returning home from the walk for four days running now.

    2514807719_37c4c22af8.jpg

    He's trying to look into the future.

    2515632056_ba866ecf90.jpg

    Oh, and here is an image of him trying to eat his own face. Linked because it's the quintessential 'pet shot,' being very weak technically and interesting only due to the cute, squishy subject.

    Dark Moon on
    3072973561_de17a80845_o.jpg
  • The EarlThe Earl Los AngelesRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Vroom Vroom...

    2515937416_0b8f7645dd.jpg

    2515928498_a0da650e1d.jpg

    2515928070_7dc17239f6.jpg

    The Earl on
    | Flickr | Steam | KROQ | Game Center The_Earl
  • GafotoGafoto Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The coolest car made for midgets.

    Really liking that clock photo Mr. F.

    Gafoto on
    sierracrest.jpg
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Squishy-puppy is adorable! And I really like the looking back to the future one.


    I like the colors, the lighting, the detail, and the comp of the clock picture a lot. The angle it is shot at bothers me some. This is totally subjective, and many people here have said they like the pic as is so my opinion is only that, but I would be tempted to use the crop tool with the perspective checkbox checked and bring down the top right corner of the crop outline thingy so as to crop the top right corner some. That will drag up the right side and make the clock feel less tilted. You'll still get the angling-off-into-the0distance effect, but it will feel less off-kilter.

    As I said, that's just me (and possibly DarkMoon).

    erisian pope on
  • SheriSheri Resident Fluffer My Living RoomRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Now you're just showing off, Sheri! (Beautiful shot)

    erisian pope on
  • SheriSheri Resident Fluffer My Living RoomRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    That was fast, mister.

    Sheri on
  • Mr. FahrenheitMr. Fahrenheit Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    There is no exif because of software issues, it had to go through Lightroom, IrFanView, Gimp and then Photoshop, each time converted into a format lost and forgotten to man. Lens is a standard zoom 14.0-54mm f/2.8-3.5, only fancy.

    *Edit* @Pope: I need to go back to crop school, I've never touched the perspective tool at all

    Birds are weird.

    Mr. Fahrenheit on
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I am speedy gonzales ARRIBA ARRIBA YIPPA YIPPA YEEHAW!

    erisian pope on
  • erisian popeerisian pope Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Wow, didn't realize that was totp! Here's a photo to make up for it.

    IMG_9564.jpg



    EDIT: and a flower from another, similar cactus:

    IMG_9523.jpg

    erisian pope on
  • yalborapyalborap Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I <3 my new D40 so much. I even got a little USB reader with the SD card I bought for it that plugs right in without any cable needed!

    Unfortunately, getting it caused my entire day to be shot, so I've only been able to do little test shots of my bed to figure out the exposure and stuff. I cannot wait to use that 1/4000 shutter speed on a really bright day or with some lighting or something. Pictures will be posteyfied tomorrows, if all goes as planned.

    erisian, something about those two shots bugs me a bit...The first almost looks like it could be better with a splash of color, though it's technically quite sound, and the latter...It seems like either the rope/stick/whatever that is shouldn't be there, or the flower should be out of focus to some degree. As it is, my eyes keep on getting drawn between the ropething and the flower...Or was that the intention?

    yalborap on
  • SeidkonaSeidkona Had an upgrade Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Hello all,

    I'm a pretty new photographer and I've got a pretty stupid question. I'm planning on saving up for a DSLR at some point here but I also have my grandfathers old Pentax 35mm that at the time was a pretty snazzy camera, I guess. I'm not at home so I don't have model numbers and such but I know I have three lenses, one's not so great but the other two are pretty nice to work with. I'll get the exact lense specifications later. It needs a little tlc to clean it off from dust and stuff but I should be able to do that.

    But for now the basic question is this: Does it make more sense to take what little availible cash I have and start saving for a dslr now or should I hold off on the DSLR and spend some time working in slide and other mediums.

    I understand the nice learning ability of the DSLR. you can learn a lot about being able to adjust right on the spot. But is there merit to the 35mm? is there something I can get from it now that I wouldnt get from 6 months of waiting to purchase a DSLR? Is there still advantage to the old 35mm film standard?

    The more and more I read I find photographers have pretty much abandoned film except for a few hold outs. Is it worth it to be a hold out for a little while or should I scrap the idea of film and just plan the road to starting with digital?

    Sorry to just unload all of the questions, I just thought I'd get some information from people who knew more about it then me.

    Seidkona on
    Mostly just huntin' monsters.
    XBL:Phenyhelm - 3DS:Phenyhelm
  • Dark MoonDark Moon Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Totally start shooting film. It'll make you think before you shoot and you'll be a better photographer if you do decide to go digital eventually. The only slight roadblock might be cost, but if you only shoot B&W and setup a little darkroom at home you can allay a whole bunch of the cost.

    Dark Moon on
    3072973561_de17a80845_o.jpg
  • sonictksonictk Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Tried out some panning the other day. I'm planning to go to a night race event in a few months so I'm trying to get this down.

    I'd like to get more exaggerated motion blur, but when I try it gets a lot harder to anticipate a vehicle's movement and everything ends up blurry. I didn't want to use my flash at the time though.

    dsc0013mo7.jpg

    dsc0015mu7.jpg

    dsc0018lh8.jpg

    dsc0019ky2.jpg
    I liked this one a lot since the effect was the most prominent here (slowest shutter speed out of all the shots I did), but I think the first shot was the sharpest of all.

    I'd also like to try 'zoom bursting' while panning, but right now I'm having trouble pulling it off since most of the time when I rotate the zoom ring I end up juddering the camera and getting a blurry mess as a result. Does anyone have any tips on how to go about doing this?

    sonictk on
  • yalborapyalborap Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    For zoom bursting, you might have good luck with one of those little GorillaPods or a common micro-tripod. Just set it on/wrap it around a nearby object to give yourself more wiggle-room.

    Alternatively, ditch the motion-blur effect and crank the shutter-speed as high as you can without the image getting too dark.

    yalborap on
This discussion has been closed.