-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
GAF Photography 2008 - Q1
- Thread starter samusx
- Start date
- Status
Lucky Forward
Member
aidan, cool stuff! For a moment I thought I was looking at some neon advertising in Tokyo or something until I recognized the Rez guy!
Went out to a local bird reserve and while there were no birds I did find this guy.
PS: For those in the photography assignment thread I'm not intentionally taking photographs of dragon flies..they're just large, not easily scared...and...it must be that time of year
Edit: I hope nobody minds, I've just uploaded some of my older shots, here they are. If there's a better thread for this somebody please let me know.
PS: For those in the photography assignment thread I'm not intentionally taking photographs of dragon flies..they're just large, not easily scared...and...it must be that time of year
Edit: I hope nobody minds, I've just uploaded some of my older shots, here they are. If there's a better thread for this somebody please let me know.
Lucky Forward
Member
Canon 20D with MP-E 65. I shot these in a light tent lit with three tungsten lamps. The lighting was so even they almost had kind of a drab look in RAW form, but adjusting levels and contrast in PS seemed to punch them up a bit.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
No one took some pictures of the Lunar Eclipse? I wish I had my camera on hand
Squirrel Killer
Member
I posted the first two in the thread about the eclipse. They pretty much suck, but all I had was a cheap tripod and my 50 f/1.8, and had to deal with a street light just out of frame. I probably should've gone with the kit lens to get the extra 5mm and gone out into the countryside to get away from the lights, but it was cold and I was too lazy to bother.BlueTsunami said:
I wanted to try with my 70-210mm f/4, but it was cloudy and rainy here in Nashville. (An old photo I've posted before, but if you want to see how close 210mm on a 1.5x crop gets you to the moon, you can check here!)BlueTsunami said:
Lucky Forward
Member
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
^ That rocks! How did you set up the smoke/steaming effect? I love how sparse it is (instead of over the top)
Hmmm, I wish I had mine on hand cause there was clear skies in Massachusetts during the Eclipse. And thats not bad a shot for a 210mm focal length, crop it and the it would be a nice shot. Wish I had something like that during the eclipse
And heres a picture I took recently
thatbox said:
Hmmm, I wish I had mine on hand cause there was clear skies in Massachusetts during the Eclipse. And thats not bad a shot for a 210mm focal length, crop it and the it would be a nice shot. Wish I had something like that during the eclipse
And heres a picture I took recently
Lucky Forward
Member
Thanks, first I set up the lighting pretty carefully, having it come from a low angle from the side/rear to get a backlighting effect. With the camera on a tripod, I lit a candle, then blew it out in front of the plane letting the smoke drift over the scene, and started taking exposures. At first the coils and curls of smoke were too big and out of scale for the plane, but after five or ten seconds it began to settle, disperse, and layer around the contours of the plane. I shot about 50 exposures at 1 to 4 seconds f/16, this one seemed to work best.BlueTsunami said:
Lionheart1827
Member
inthezone said:
Any of the canon digital rebels are great quality for the price. Check out the 400d but if you're on a budget check out the 350d.
Great King Bowser
Property of Kaz Harai
Gorgeous Cavalier King Charles' Doc Evils.
That was my first dog. Wish I had more photos of him. Still miss the little guy
That was my first dog. Wish I had more photos of him. Still miss the little guy
aparisi2274
Member
Here are a couple I took yesterday at a party....
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/10
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 51 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/10
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 51 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Jugendstil
Member
Lately I've been obsessed with photographing things in my sink. I love the way water magnifies things, and the white porcelain makes for a really cool background that sort of removes any reference for scale. It's almost like using a light box, but the way things float makes for some really interesting compositions. I blew them out a bit in Photoshop because I love really high white contrast.
Lionheart1827
Member
Adamrogo said:
Ahh, man thats a nice guitar, and nice photos, too!
I have 4 guitars but my baby is my Viper Deluxe.
Lucky Forward
Member
I have a compact Canon Powershot G7 I use to supplement my 20D, it has most of the advanced features of a DSLR and great image quality. They've since come out with the G9 (they skipped the G8 for some reason), you can get one for around $500. I'd say it's about as high as you can go in quality and features without moving up to a DSLR.HolyStar said:
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
New shots at my place of work. Like before, I do like how dismal and beatup the place looks when it comes to photography despite what it probably does to my psyche (and my opinion of the job in general :lol )
And my favorite of the batch...
The last one I spent a lot of time trying to crop as best as possible. When you start to learn about lines and the way objects flow in a picture (and what you want to control) cropping becomes so important. Its a great feeling when you've come up with something that looks "right" though.
Looking at it now though, I could have probably went to a lower aperture so some of the switches could uniformly be in focus and drop off as you go up.
And my favorite of the batch...
The last one I spent a lot of time trying to crop as best as possible. When you start to learn about lines and the way objects flow in a picture (and what you want to control) cropping becomes so important. Its a great feeling when you've come up with something that looks "right" though.
Looking at it now though, I could have probably went to a lower aperture so some of the switches could uniformly be in focus and drop off as you go up.
Stormwatch
Member
I was borrowing my friend's Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lens this weekend. I'm trying to decide if I want to purchase it in the future. With a $1000 price tag that is a tough decision, though.
nakedsushi
Member
Just wanted to share this awesome succulent I got this weekend.
mrkgoo said:
holy smokes mrkgoo those are sweet! good eye! yeesh how come your shots always come out so clean/sharp/hi-res-ish, and wow your kit deals so well against shots that would normally have unfavorable amounts of purple fringing (e.g., background of monkey shot, the first photo).
Opus Angelorum
Member
Stormwatch said:With a $1000 price tag that is a tough decision, though.
With shots like that, I'd say buy one!
Stormwatch
Member
Opus Angelorum said:
Yeah, I really want to. Ritz Camera is having a 10% off sale this week on in-stock products. Guess which lens is NOT in stock
I'm banking on some sort of Spring sale soon. I know the lens has sold for as low as $800 in the past couple years during sales. I'm gonna wait till it goes down a bit.
AirBrian said:
Thanks for the comments, guys! (It makes it all worthwhile *wink*)
dasein said:
I guess mostly, it comes from the lens I use -the EFS 17-55 IS is not to be snuffed at, especially for its price :/ - it features all sorts of magic glass to prevent purple fringing, even when wide open. Here are some 100% crops (unedited) of those images:
54mm, f2.8 (wide open), 1/25s, iso100, 100% crop
55mm, f2.8 (wide open), 1/320s, iso200, 100% crop
There are some minor purple fringing at the corner:
Something I have learnt as well is that sharpening should be done at the final size before presentation. There is little point sharpening a full res picture, if you're simply going to resize it - the detail you gain from a USM, say, on a large image is mostly lost when you resize it down (the resizing algorithm kind of sharpens any smooth edges anyway). On that note, I've also noticed that if you present an image too large, it can deter from your photo - there is definitely a 'good' size at viewing certain photos - dependent, of course, on the viewer , their screen size, colour set up, viewer distance, etc. Also for forums, you don't want it so large that people can't see all of it at once.
That said, I barely do any sharpening, or little editing beyond a creative crop. I simply don't have the software to do decent editing, relying mostly on iPhoto and Graphic converter. My ageing PPC Mac doesn't encourage a smooth workflow. I have a new comp coming, so maybe that will rectify things, but I still need to obtain some good software. But I guess it is good in some ways. I don't get so hung up on critical sharpness as I used to - since most of my pictures are viewed on the screen, even slightly out of focus or blurry shots can look great resized.
aidan said:
Man, I love Taiwan. It was the first time I got to bring my SLR-camera overseas. Last time I was in such an exotic place I only had my point and shoot, and certainly didn't have the same enthusiasm for photography (although it must've been developing - it was my second P&S digital camera). There were definitely times I wish I had a P&S with me - the SLR camera can be VERY cumbersome to lug everywhere, impossible to take photos discreetly, and I'm always worried about it getting wet, damaged etc. Also taking 'snaps' is annoying for most people, since I end up taking like 3-4 shots of group photos - "Ok, one more!" *checks exposure*, "Ok one more!" - but I definitely get more practice, and I occasionally get to a moment where the subjects are slightly more relaxed and natural.
The results are definitely worth it, though.
Lastly, inspiration is one thing, but taking dozens of images and selectively choosing is also a 'secret technique'. I took well over 1,000 images on my trip!
DEO3: Some awesome shots, man! I especially like the water droplets on the leaf, and the fish one - very striking. It's always awesome to see people pick up am SLR. The photo bug is very addictive. I have a friend who just bought a Nikon D80 (I think), and it's interesting to see his photos, how he uses it, new experimentation and so on. It really is a whole new world when you go larger.
Lucky Forward
Member
Some really wonderful stuff, mrkgoo!
Hmmm...I never thought about that. Since I shoot RAW with no in-camera sharpening, I use some USM on virtually all my images, but I've always done it at full resolution, and then resized the image for posting. I'll have to try resizing then sharpening.
mrkgoo said:
Hmmm...I never thought about that. Since I shoot RAW with no in-camera sharpening, I use some USM on virtually all my images, but I've always done it at full resolution, and then resized the image for posting. I'll have to try resizing then sharpening.
That's been my secret for a while, too. It's not unusual for me to take 100-200 exposures just for one of our assignments. If I have total control over the subject/situation, I'll not only bracket exposures, but also make many tweaks and adjustments to the composition and shooting angle. I've also learned to re-focus many times as I shoot. Too many times in the past I thought I nailed the focus and fired off several dozen shots that later all turned out to be just a little bit off on the focus. I try to think of every mistake I could be making and cover it by shooting multiples and variations when the situation permits.
mightynine
Member
D
Deleted member 12837
Unconfirmed Member
I'm taking a European cruise this summer followed by a semester in Australia and culminating in at least 10 days of vacation/travel through Japan. I have no real photography experience but am interested in developing it as a hobby and would love to start off with these 3 trips as great photo material and practice.
Am I better off buying something like the G9 or should I jump right into DSLR territory and get a Canon Rebel or a Nikon D40 or D80? I need something mildly portable (either in a case strapped over my neck/shoulder or in a backpack) and I'm looking to spend $500-600 although probably willing to spend up to $900-1000 (with lenses, case, strap, etc included) if that's what it takes to have something I can grow with and that will last me a while, although I'd like to keep the cost lower than that if possible (so if there's a $500 vs $800 camera where I won't really notice/appreciate the differences as a novice, I'll take the cheaper one for now).
Any recommendations for a body? Also I guess for lenses that will serve me well for those 3 trips (lots of landscapes, buildings, and probably some people but to a lesser extent).
Oh, and how important is having built-in image stabilization for a lens or body if I won't be using a tripod the majority of the time? I REALLY don't like blurry pics, so I'm just paranoid about my hands shaking ruining good shots.
Great pictures in this thread by the way, I'm exciting to jump into the photography world. Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can give in response to this post.
Am I better off buying something like the G9 or should I jump right into DSLR territory and get a Canon Rebel or a Nikon D40 or D80? I need something mildly portable (either in a case strapped over my neck/shoulder or in a backpack) and I'm looking to spend $500-600 although probably willing to spend up to $900-1000 (with lenses, case, strap, etc included) if that's what it takes to have something I can grow with and that will last me a while, although I'd like to keep the cost lower than that if possible (so if there's a $500 vs $800 camera where I won't really notice/appreciate the differences as a novice, I'll take the cheaper one for now).
Any recommendations for a body? Also I guess for lenses that will serve me well for those 3 trips (lots of landscapes, buildings, and probably some people but to a lesser extent).
Oh, and how important is having built-in image stabilization for a lens or body if I won't be using a tripod the majority of the time? I REALLY don't like blurry pics, so I'm just paranoid about my hands shaking ruining good shots.
Great pictures in this thread by the way, I'm exciting to jump into the photography world. Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can give in response to this post.
The type of camera you choose is pretty much up to your own needs and preferences. The G9 is meant to be more than capable of taking superb quality shots, and has room for growth, in regards to manual control. However, if you're serious about it and will eventually get an SLR, it nearly makes sense to just jump straight in with an entry-level SLR. Arguably, of course, you could get something more portable now, and when you decide to make the leap, the cameras on offer will be much better. The G9, as I understand, has loads of features, but where the SLR excels is the customisability with lenses and what not.404Ender said:
Any Nikon/Pentax/Canon etc shooter would likely recommend you their own camera, simply because that's what they know
. Latest entry-level Canon (the up and coming 450D) has so many features, it practically rivals the mid-level SLRs. Having said that, an SLR is an entire system, with the body only being a part. You head down one path and get some lenses for a Canon system, say, chacnes are you'll be sticking with that for a long time, so you have to think about that. The recent Nikon high-end SLRs are meant to be mindblowing in their sensor sensitivity. I really like IS. It allows you take images without resorting to bumping up sensor sensitivity, or for preventing hand shake with longer shutterspeeds. Having said that, whether you need it or not depends on what you'll be shooting - if it's primarily landscapes, and you'll be using wide angle more often, it's less necessary (wide angle shots can get away with longer shutters before handshakes affect the image). IS is most important for telephoto shots or for low light images.
D
Deleted member 12837
Unconfirmed Member
Thanks for that quick response!
I have a feeling I'll also be taking a lot of night or low-light shots, especially in Japan, and I'd also like to try out some shots that involve motion blur of either cars on a highway or people walking around like that subway picture a few posts above mine in Taiwan.
How's the noise on photos taken with the G9? That's another thing that bothers me, whenever I take shots in low light with my pocket camera right now there's a ton of noise. That and the shutter speed/lag between button press and photo taken, how's the G9 with that? It's been most annoying trying to take pictures at Duke men's basketball games (I'm a student there, go to most of the games since I love basketball and we're an amazing program).
(just trying to cover all bases here by asking about the G9)
I have a feeling I'll also be taking a lot of night or low-light shots, especially in Japan, and I'd also like to try out some shots that involve motion blur of either cars on a highway or people walking around like that subway picture a few posts above mine in Taiwan.
How's the noise on photos taken with the G9? That's another thing that bothers me, whenever I take shots in low light with my pocket camera right now there's a ton of noise. That and the shutter speed/lag between button press and photo taken, how's the G9 with that? It's been most annoying trying to take pictures at Duke men's basketball games (I'm a student there, go to most of the games since I love basketball and we're an amazing program).
(just trying to cover all bases here by asking about the G9)
Lucky Forward
Member
404Ender said:
As I mentioned a bit earlier on this page, I have a Canon 20D DSLR and their compact G7 (which the G9 replaced.) I find that when I take the G7 with me anywhere, I'm more in a mode of have fun, see the sights, and oh-by-the-way take some pictures, too. But when I bring my 20D it's in a holster case on a fanny pack belt with extra lenses in the pack, and I'm in more of a this-trip-is-all-about-photography kind of mode. Just two different mindsets, I find.
Since you're new to photography, whichever way you go it's a great idea to get your camera months in advance of your trips so you can spend some time getting familiar with it.
You can get along fine without image stabilization if you have proper technique (holding the camera steady and slowy, gently squeezing the shutter without jabbing it), and being aware of what shutter speed your camera is set at (or choosing to use if you're on an automatic setting.) The general rule of thumb is, if you have a 200mm lens on the camera, don't choose a shutter speed slower than 1/200 sec. If it's a 50mm lens, don't go below 1/50 sec. What IS can give you is the ability to stretch those limits, say, in a low light situation with a 50mm lens you can go down to 1/30 or 1/15 sec, provided you still use proper, smooth technique.
If you do decide to go with a compact like the G9 for now, it's not like it would be useless if you ever upgraded to a DSLR later. My G7 really takes high quality pictures, it has practically all of the advanced and manual settings a DSLR has, and it's my on-the-go camera that makes a nice complement to the 20D.
404Ender said:
That subway shot was taken with a long shutterspeed, where IS can help. For shots that are a lot longer, like traffic streaks for example, you'll need longer and probably a tripod or some improvised stabilization.
I'm not sure about for the g9. Noise is a matter of the sensor size and ISO value used. With larger sensors (and less megapixels) the pixels on the sensor are larger and better at recording light accurately leading to less noise. This is ahuge advantage of slrs, which ypically have larger sensors - their ISO tends to be more useful when bumped up too. To be honest i have never really experinced shutter lag on my p&s, so I can't comment.
slidewinder
Banned
Some point-and-shoot shots taken in the hills around Tucson, Arizona in the last month or so.
Stormwatch
Member
Does anyone have any recommendations on when the best time of year to buy camera equipment is? I really want to purchase the Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lens, but its pretty much $1000 no matter where you go. The places that charge less up front charge taxes and shipping to bring it back up to $1000. Do places typically have Memorial Day sales on the high end equipment like this? Does Nikon have Spring rebates or only Christmas one? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ScientificNinja
Member
This is an alternative I had for this week's Surreal assignment... looks more surreal, but I don't like it as much.
Stormwatch
Member
Wow, that's pretty cool!
- Status