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GAF Photography Thread of 2017

An interesting weekend of photography...

Started with another sportive, this time in the Cairngorms. Tough weather conditions - driving rain in the morning, then overcast before breaking to bright sunshine and high winds - put me through my paces. I use AF-C for most of my sporting stuff, and it was interesting to see how easily it popped focus on to the rain between me and the riders - didn't ruin too many shots, but I hadn't expected it.

DSC_8939 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_9130 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_0080 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_0297 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

The following day was an afternoon at the circus with my daughters and my wife. I packed my camera but forgot I still had my 70-300 on it so I ended up shooting with a 4.5-5.6 max aperture at ISO 6400 and as low a shutter speed as I could manage just to get reasonable images (and from behind the tallest woman sat in the audience!)

Fast action was a bugger, but I managed to get some usable shots, and while the D7100's high ISO performance isn't as good as newer bodies, it did reasonably well after a bit of level tweaking and a noise reduction pass.

DSC_0772 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_0967 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_1142 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_1072 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_0891 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_0878 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

Finally, our youngest cat delivered a pair of kittens, so I'll end the image dump with some shots of them - surprisingly tricky subjects! :)

DSC_7775 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_8749 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr

DSC_8839 by Richard J Pearce, on Flickr
 

Awesome series! Particularly enjoyed the 1st one.



What I'm finding is that street photography is pretty much impossible in a small town in Iowa. My town simply doesn't have the foot traffic, or richness of people to capture moments like these.

A couple of weekends ago, I took some street photos at an art Festival and that was a good opportunity for practice.
 
Awesome series! Particularly enjoyed the 1st one.



What I'm finding is that street photography is pretty much impossible in a small town in Iowa. My town simply doesn't have the foot traffic, or richness of people to capture moments like these.

A couple of weekends ago, I took some street photos at an art Festival and that was a good opportunity for practice.
Thank you. Well you kind of sort of have to go where the people are. If there's a metropolitan area that's at least reachable then going there would help to get the practice in, even a park if such a thing exists in your area.
 

vern

Member
Awesome series! Particularly enjoyed the 1st one.



What I'm finding is that street photography is pretty much impossible in a small town in Iowa. My town simply doesn't have the foot traffic, or richness of people to capture moments like these.

A couple of weekends ago, I took some street photos at an art Festival and that was a good opportunity for practice.

I think that suburban or small town areas require you to get up close and interact and talk with your subjects more than in a city where it is easy to be anonymous in the crowd and shoot. I've done a lot of shooting small towns and even with a lot less people, there is no shortage of subjects. Shit, the people hanging around outside in a small town tend to be the more interesting characters... the homeless, the junkies, the crazies. They make for great photo opportunities. Though be safe and also don't take advantage of them. Be human, engage with them, understand them... then take their portrait. It's fun!

Edit to add some shots from Beijing 798 on Sunday:

Beijing 798 B by Eric, on Flickr

Beijing 798 Xiuxi by Eric, on Flickr

Beijing 798 Doggo by Eric, on Flickr

Beijing 798 Graf by Eric, on Flickr

Beijing 798 Hunting by Eric, on Flickr
 
I love being able to lurk in this thread. Some great stuff all round.

Recently been to Las Vegas, what a place. Also went to Horseshoe bend, Antelope Canyon and the Grand Canyon; all incredible. Only got a few on Instagram at the moment, will add more photos and to flickr when i get the chance.



Managed to tick this one off the bucket list
by andrew.morgans




Morning, noon and night. 24 hours in Las Vegas
by andrew.morgans




The fantastic Bellagio fountains
by andrew.morgans




Gambling under the bright lights of Fremont Street
by andrew.morgans
 
I'm jelly
Ha ha, it was probably my favorite of the tours. Grand canyon was epic and antelope had the colours but you just walk right up to the edge with horseshoe bend and you just get that incredible view. Although when we were there you could see canoes on the river which made me jealous as I'm sure that would be fantastic too.
 

Xyber

Member
Have not had too much time to get to know this new camera, but I've done a few strolls in my local area just messing around to see what settings works and whatnot.

Then Lightroom is the other part where I still need to experiment some with to know how to make my stuff look good.

Anyway, here's a few random shots from a complete newbie to photography. :D

DSC_0040 by Johnny Arvidsson, on Flickr

DSC_0122 by Johnny Arvidsson, on Flickr

DSC_0068 by Johnny Arvidsson, on Flickr

DSC_0031 by Johnny Arvidsson, on Flickr

DSC_0088 by Johnny Arvidsson, on Flickr
 

Vuze

Member
Edit:Whoops, didn't know it was so large.
The last one is absolutely stunning 😍

Have not had too much time to get to know this new camera, but I've done a few strolls in my local area just messing around to see what settings works and whatnot.

Then Lightroom is the other part where I still need to experiment some with to know how to make my stuff look good.

Anyway, here's a few random shots from a complete newbie to photography. :D
Love the last one here as well. Cute goat too :p

I also took some in the past weeks including my first and also handheld pano. It turned out quite well imo. Also experimented with aspect ratios a bit.

Unbenanntes_Panorama1-4 by Cornelius W, auf Flickr
IMG_2200 by Cornelius W, auf Flickr
IMG_2005 by Cornelius W, auf Flickr
IMG_1999 by Cornelius W, auf Flickr
IMG_1968 by Cornelius W, auf Flickr
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
Here are some photos I took while at E3.

Some cool props in the Nintendo booth
35354536185_c098f7f08c_k.jpg



Cool looking dragon beast. I think this was for the new Mordor game?

A series of shots I took of a simply awesome Aloy and Watcher cosplay (from Horizon: Zero Dawn). Seemed like an official thing put on by Sony.





And finally a long exposure night shot from my hotel room
 

lt519

Member
Went out to some glacial lakes today and got some incredible shots and videos. Haven't done any editing, the first is a little more washed out but I just like it so much because it's not something you can see from foot level. The water does an incredible job of reflecting the clouds. I'd love to clean up the upper half since it got washed out but don't even know where to begin.

2017-06-18_07-01-34 by Raymond Arbusto, on Flickr

2017-06-18_09-36-13 by Raymond Arbusto, on Flickr

A 1080P I'm fairly proud of as well:
https://youtu.be/XKFZ87lEmUo

3k (my 4k videos seem to have some stutter I can't get rid of)
https://youtu.be/ZZKK4eLUH38
 
I went to my niece's birthday party yesterday and that was unofficially the first event I've shot. Still learning how to use the flash properly, but quite a few people were impressed by the pictures. Even this little girl told me I could photograph her birthday :D.

Going to start learning more than the basics of Lightroom in the coming months.
 

Xyber

Member
Love the last one here as well. Cute goat too :p

Thanks, it was the one image that session I actually spent quite some time on because of the direct sunlight glaring on the water. Quite the learning experience to get the settings right and not get everything overexposed. Was also a good opportunity to use the ND-filter I got with the camera so I could shoot at f2.0.

It's fun to have a new thing to learn, just wish I didn't work the whole summer so I could get some more practice before going on a vacation in 2 months. :p
 

Fuser

Member
Need to get my drone sorted, it's either broke or I don't know how to use it. Shots are all wonky and low quality >_< I'll give it another go tomorrow (Mavic Pro)

Some recent still camera shots. All photos from Lofoten, Norway.























 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
Great looking shots, Fuser. Particularly love those night shots.
 

Xyber

Member
I really need to take a trip to Norway someday, especially since I could get there in a few hours by train.

Great shots.
 

Fuser

Member
I really need to take a trip to Norway someday, especially since I could get there in a few hours by train.

Great shots.
Thanks. It's a stunning place, and great people too! We were a little unlucky with the weather and missed out on the northern lights multiple times due to cloud cover, but you take your chances and make of it what you can!
 
Need to get my drone sorted, it's either broke or I don't know how to use it. Shots are all wonky and low quality >_< I'll give it another go tomorrow (Mavic Pro)

Some recent still camera shots. All photos from Lofoten, Norway.

These are all fantastic. Great work.
 
I kinda want the X100, but MONEYZ

Those look great though, particularly that first one.
The X100 is supposed to be a great street photography camera. The only thing keeping me off of it is that I sort of just don't care for rangefinder styled cameras. Thanks though, the film simulation modes are fun.
 
Well, if Sony would just take ten seconds to look at something other than the raw tech, and make a camera that had controls like the Fuji, I'd just buy that and keep going with my lenses.

But until then, the X100 will be the only other camera I feel like wanting, purely because it's fixed lens so I don't have to worry about buying more lenses.
 
Well, if Sony would just take ten seconds to look at something other than the raw tech, and make a camera that had controls like the Fuji, I'd just buy that and keep going with my lenses.

But until then, the X100 will be the only other camera I feel like wanting, purely because it's fixed lens so I don't have to worry about buying more lenses.
Sony keeps improving but I don't think they'll ever got retro a bit with their ergonomics and make them comfortable. I don't mind multiple buttons as long as they're laid out properly. The Fuji feels great so far though. The battery is too fucking expensive though...fucking $70.
 
Sony keeps improving but I don't think they'll ever got retro a bit with their ergonomics and make them comfortable. I don't mind multiple buttons as long as they're laid out properly. The Fuji feels great so far though. The battery is too fucking expensive though...fucking $70.

Yeah... Ideally, they'd make some special "back to basics" model that is, for all intents and purposes, a retro focused design, but keeps the high tech. Sony cameras are very very close to being the best for MF and vintage lenses, and honestly the only fallbacks are purely design related, UI or buttons (mainly UI).
 
Yeah... Ideally, they'd make some special "back to basics" model that is, for all intents and purposes, a retro focused design, but keeps the high tech. Sony cameras are very very close to being the best for MF and vintage lenses, and honestly the only fallbacks are purely design related, UI or buttons (mainly UI).
I think with Sony they'd have to do a body redesign of some sort, which seems like something they do not want to put the R&D into. They've hit some sort of mass production comfort zone I would assume with their bodies, they'll tweak a couple of things, but I don't think they'd do anything vintage related unless they can find some sort of niche market for it that isn't already taken up by Fuji.
 

Griss

Member
So I joined Flickr back in 2011... and finally uploaded a photo 10 minutes ago, lol. I'm not up to the standard of this thread and honestly get out less than once a month but I figured why not share. I only really take photos of birds and animals, it's a fun way to get outdoors for me.

Some questions:
What's the best way to post a photo from flickr on this thread? First of all the code flickr provides seems way too complex, secondly my tests images below look blurry, they're sharp in Lightroom.
What's the 'done' thing with regard to watermarks and metadata? Strip it all? Leave it in?
Does Flickr pick up the tags automatically, because the photos I uploaded I stripped metadata and it looks like I'll have to add tags myself. I'm uploading directly from Lightroom.
What's the best way of making a photobook or having a wall print made in the US? Who's the best company?

Thanks guys, a lot of amazing stuff in this thread.

Test:
35308483641_d29ac4f5b9_b.jpg


34628290333_a00d9f1b60_b.jpg


34628293823_616bcd8799_b.jpg
 

vern

Member
Some crap I've taken

Absolutely love the last one, what is that place? In post did you edit out anything in the background ? Seems like a strange and mysterious landscape.

Also some others I feel are quite good as well but just narrowly missed also being perfect. On mobile so hard to quote and comment on which one clearly... but the one with the lady walking in front of a shop and has a parked car on the bottom left. Wish you moved over a bit or just cropped out the car, and waited just a tick longer so she's between the sign and the shadow (and can see her shadow better against the wall).

The one with the wall with the black and white zigzag I feel like you waited a tick too long haha. Would have liked her exactly centered with the points that she just has barely passed.

The one with the bird and the points... is that a car park shade cover? Looks like Australian shopping centers lol. Also a really nice shot.

Overall good fresh stuff for this thread. Feels like a lot of us have been in a glut recently , though I can only speak for myself...
 

Surfheart

Member
Absolutely love the last one, what is that place? In post did you edit out anything in the background ? Seems like a strange and mysterious landscape.

Also some others I feel are quite good as well but just narrowly missed also being perfect. On mobile so hard to quote and comment on which one clearly... but the one with the lady walking in front of a shop and has a parked car on the bottom left. Wish you moved over a bit or just cropped out the car, and waited just a tick longer so she's between the sign and the shadow (and can see her shadow better against the wall).

The one with the wall with the black and white zigzag I feel like you waited a tick too long haha. Would have liked her exactly centered with the points that she just has barely passed.

The one with the bird and the points... is that a car park shade cover? Looks like Australian shopping centers lol. Also a really nice shot.

Overall good fresh stuff for this thread. Feels like a lot of us have been in a glut recently , though I can only speak for myself...

I was in a massive glut for the first few months of the year, but lately I've been shooting like crazy. I think I'm bipolar...
Thanks for the critique Vern, I agree with everything you said. The one with the bird is actually in Australia, it was the roofs of some temporary structure down at surfers paradise.

When you say the last one, you mean the silhouettes? That was some workers building a temporary stand right on the edge of the beach. I knew what I wanted to do with it so I exposed so the background was blown out and then just darkened the exposure of the person and the poles in camera raw.
 
I was in a massive glut for the first few months of the year, but lately I've been shooting like crazy. I think I'm bipolar...
Thanks for the critique Vern, I agree with everything you said. The one with the bird is actually in Australia, it was the roofs of some temporary structure down at surfers paradise.

When you say the last one, you mean the silhouettes? That was some workers building a temporary stand right on the edge of the beach. I knew what I wanted to do with it so I exposed so the background was blown out and then just darkened the exposure of the person and the poles in camera raw.
I was in a bit of a rut for awhile as well. Was too busy looking for a new apartment and being a bit depressed I guess. Situation has been solved and after that I started shooting more. I'm still a shit photographer, but it's...whatever I guess.
 

vern

Member
I was in a massive glut for the first few months of the year, but lately I've been shooting like crazy. I think I'm bipolar...
Thanks for the critique Vern, I agree with everything you said. The one with the bird is actually in Australia, it was the roofs of some temporary structure down at surfers paradise.

When you say the last one, you mean the silhouettes? That was some workers building a temporary stand right on the edge of the beach. I knew what I wanted to do with it so I exposed so the background was blown out and then just darkened the exposure of the person and the poles in camera raw.

Yea the last one with the silhouettes. Great shot.
 

Surfheart

Member
I was in a bit of a rut for awhile as well. Was too busy looking for a new apartment and being a bit depressed I guess. Situation has been solved and after that I started shooting more. I'm still a shit photographer, but it's...whatever I guess.

We are are own worst critics, I think you are being way too hard on yourself. I recall you being supportive when I made a "in a rut" post earlier in this thread and it definitely helped to know I wasn't the only one feeling that way.

What got me inspired and motivated again was to pick up some photography books. Not "how too" books but monographs of photographers work that I felt resonated with me.

I seem to be drawn to the work of the old masters so I got books of the work of Brassai, HCB, Eugene Aget, Dorathea Lange, Sebastio Salgado, Michael kenna, Elliot Erwitt, Saul Leiter, Bill Brandt and my favourite Eugene Smith.

I don't try and emulate them but really studying their work gives you different ways of seeing.
 
We are are own worst critics, I think you are being way too hard on yourself. I recall you being supportive when I made a "in a rut" post earlier in this thread and it definitely helped to know I wasn't the only one feeling that way.

What got me inspired and motivated again was to pick up some photography books. Not "how too" books but monographs of photographers work that I felt resonated with me.

I seem to be drawn to the work of the old masters so I got books of the work of Brassai, HCB, Eugene Aget, Dorathea Lange, Sebastio Salgado, Michael kenna, Elliot Erwitt, Saul Leiter, Bill Brandt and my favourite Eugene Smith.

I don't try and emulate them but really studying their work gives you different ways of seeing.
I really should do this. Half of my complaints with myself come from the fact that I randomly run into a bunch of much more experienced photographers and they critique my portfolio. Pretty much I'm competent, but I'm not great, which I guess is better than being crap. I'm only on year two, so I would assume I'll improve more as I do this.
 

brerwolfe

Member
Pretty much I'm competent, but I'm not great, which I guess is better than being crap. I'm only on year two, so I would assume I'll improve more as I do this.
I don't know what defines good or bad, but attitude is a big factor. Whenever someone has critiqued one of your photos you have a litany of excuses and it's exhausting.

You can choose how you react to critique. Either accept it, or move on. If you aren't looking for critiques, either don't post, or make a statement before a photo dump saying you aren't interested in anything unless it's praise.

I'm not attacking you, I'm only sharing my observations. And I've always been told not to present a problem without bringing a solution, so that's why I'm throwing out different options.

Do you. But if you aren't happy, you aren't going to enjoy what you're doing. And if you don't enjoy what you're doing, then why do it?
 
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