The Photography Thread - Part 1

[thalidomide]

LOL @Thalidomide, what kind of camera do you have again?

I have a Nikon d3100 camera and a lens kit.

Anybody else have tripod dilemmas? I was in a public city area a few months ago and a security guard came by in a few minutes to tell me that tripods are not allowed.

I heard some people say that monopods, gorillapods, are the way to go, but some security guards with power trips will notice you are making a stand and automatically think you are a professional, and hence come and tell you to put it away.

What are ways to stabilize your camera at night time for long exposures without some ridiculous ISO? Have any of you actually gotten permits to shoot in a city with a tripod?

All I can say is improvise, there are a lot of places here in the Philippines that are also restricted and you must get a permit from the city office/hall if you're doing some photo shoots. I see a lot of professional photographers who used chairs, tables, and even large rocks. I got caught a couple of times and they thought I was a professional photographer, they still allow hobbyist and tourist to take pictures so they left me alone
I want to help you more but I'm super drunk right now.

 

[thalidomide]

Stars tonight

For some reason, I can't get the quality to show on these uploads...anybody have any tips for uploading to web?

This is an awesome shot. How did you do this??

 

[Alistair]

God Damnit!

I'm never going to post in this forum again

Sorry! I just wanted some good glass that could go down to 2.8, which is really low for a telephoto. Next step would be a prime.

i'd kill for a decent 400mm that didnt cost over £900

That's one of the reason why I haven't gone with Canon L Series. Snobbery, and robbery I tell ya!

Anybody else have tripod dilemmas? I was in a public city area a few months ago and a security guard came by in a few minutes to tell me that tripods are not allowed.

I heard some people say that monopods, gorillapods, are the way to go, but some security guards with power trips will notice you are making a stand and automatically think you are a professional, and hence come and tell you to put it away.

What are ways to stabilize your camera at night time for long exposures without some ridiculous ISO? Have any of you actually gotten permits to shoot in a city with a tripod?

Whaaat? Where you at? Tell 'em to go shutup, and leave you alone unless your tripod is blocking the "path," in which they have a right, but other than that, no. Anytime your on a public area, or shooting from they can't tell you squat. It's the same thing with people, they have no right of privacy if your in "public." Granted, pervy oriented things are within those grounds, but the rest of it is bollocks. There has even been cases that you can shoot inside federal buildings and the TSA at airports, but it's better to be respectful. Learn your rights, my friend!

Photographer's Right

I have a Nikon d3100 camera and a lens kit.

Good camera, just get better glass. I thought it was the body, but it's always been the glass, IMO. How stupid I was. Hahaha.

 

[CConn]

Y'know, what drives me nuts? My wife actually has a great eye for photography, but most of the time sucks at proper lighting, so I'm always left with a picture that could've been really awesome, but sadly isn't.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

This is an awesome shot. How did you do this??

Thanks man. Night photography is really easy when you have a tripod, monopod, or gorillapod.

You have to make sure you don't have lots of light pollution, no moon, and clear skies.

Exposure was:

f/4 (going above 4, your results aren't as good)
ISO 3200 (1600 is also good)
20sec exposure
White Balance set to Tungsten (otherwise it will have a reddish tinge)

You can use 30 seconds as well, but you will begin to notice considerable streaking after that point.

To get the clearest picture without using Auto Focus, turn on your LCD, manual focus on the brightest object in the night sky until the starlight is the smallest pinpoint you can achieve. Once you get it, lock it, and either use a intervalometer, or camera's self self timer to shoot it so you don't get any camera shake when you push to release the shutter.

Alistair has the best skies for night photography and astrophotography. I wish I could capture the milky way, soon I will.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Y'know, what drives me nuts? My wife actually has a great eye for photography, but most of the time sucks at proper lighting, so I'm always left with a picture that could've been really awesome, but sadly isn't.

My family also has this problem, just make sure to teach them to not shoot people with the light behind them unless you have lights infront. If you are going to shoot family stuff, just make sure to teach them how to use flash, and the correct distance to be

 

[CConn]

Still, when she shoots outside, she has an incredible eye...

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Still, when she shoots outside, she has an incredible eye...

That is a great shot!

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Whaaat? Where you at? Tell 'em to go shutup, and leave you alone unless your tripod is blocking the "path," in which they have a right, but other than that, no. Anytime your on a public area, or shooting from they can't tell you squat. It's the same thing with people, they have no right of privacy if your in "public." Granted, pervy oriented things are within those grounds, but the rest of it is bollocks. There has even been cases that you can shoot inside federal buildings and the TSA at airports, but it's better to be respectful. Learn your rights, my friend!

Photographer's Right

Yeah I told the guard it is a public area, and he said the whole area is privately owned, including the streets.

 

[Alistair]

Heya!

Thought I would bump this thread since it's been long over due, but here is a few pictures I did today. Crazy, crazy wind and I had to shoot these bare flash with my two new ETTL triggers, so, basically they are victims besides some gal I shot (I think Hype would get mad. Haha). Anyways, no modifiers whatsoever with good 28 MPH gusts.

1)

2)

 

[ComicChick]

my dslr died
time to start saving up for a new one

 

[thalidomide]

Nice shots Ali

It's been a while since I posted here, I hope we can share our Christmas pics in this thread.

 

[CConn]

I'm going to be a jerk, and say Ali's photos really aren't that good. It's blatantly obvious that he's so obsessed with getting the technical aspects of photography right that he completely ignores the creative aspect of the medium, and all of his photography ends up lacking any and all artistic quality, leaving them looking hollow and overproduced.

 

[Alistair]

Nice shots Ali

It's been a while since I posted here, I hope we can share our Christmas pics in this thread.

Thank you.

my dslr died
time to start saving up for a new one

What a bummer. =(

I'm going to be a jerk, and say Ali's photos really aren't that good. It's blatantly obvious that he's so obsessed with getting the technical aspects of photography right that he completely ignores the creative aspect of the medium, and all of his photography ends up lacking any and all artistic quality, leaving them looking hollow and overproduced.

Jerk? Nah, opinion? Yes. That's all that is, IMO. Of course I want the technical side down first, cause if ya don't do that, then what kinda of photographer are you? If ya walk into a room with crappie lighting, your going have to know how to light, and get that picture, don't you? This is where you start before you get creative, IMO.

Also, what matters are the people happy with what I do a few years from now? It's like why people go back to Olan Mills, and the Picture Me! Studio's for they are good overall pictures they can hang on the wall. That one with the girl came back to me two years later for she knew I could do the job, and still happy with the outcome. I hate the pictures that people hold up picture frames with them in it and in a year you think that will be on a key chain or on their wall? Nope. Nothing wrong with it, it's just the way it is. The perfect lighting and executed will be that is a good standard picture. Over processed, and creativity will only get you so far.

Granted, I am FAR from perfect, and this is my view, and thoughts, of course as I'm always still learning, and I think I suck. Granted, what matters is are the people happy with it years from now? Not here to start a debate, just thought I would say my point of view, but I do agree with you to a point. =D

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

I bought 2x heads & 2x soft boxes with the skyport feature. I was setting up and then I realized I had a Nikon D100 and I need to buy a hotshoe :/

 

[thalidomide]

Happy New Year guys!

 

[Alistair]

Here we go, here is a few shots I did with my friend.

All of them using 4 lights as I try to push my lighting skills, and this is my first time doing this. Don't mind the background, I know. Haha.

1)

2)

3)

4)

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Good compositions. BTW, can I get her number for ahem...modeling work. j/k Do you use any soft light bouncing to highlight the face?

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

 

[thalidomide]

@Midnyte

I just lost my manhood, thank you for that lol

@Ali

I like the lighting on those shots, good job!

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Thalidomide, LOL. Well just scroll back up above and stare at Alistair's drop dead gorgeous cover model and it will come back.

 

[Alistair]

Good compositions. BTW, can I get her number for ahem...modeling work. j/k Do you use any soft light bouncing to highlight the face?

Thank you. Nope. Tomorrow I'll post of what I had, it was pretty straight forward in how I did it. What I'm really trying to do is push the lighting, and I think I achieved it. Not perfectly executed, but it is is my first time for pushing my boundaries.

Cuteness overload!

@Midnyte

I just lost my manhood, thank you for that lol

@Ali

I like the lighting on those shots, good job!

Thank you, as I've told Midnyte. Just trying to push the envelope a bit, even if it's failed a bit in my execution, but ya know me the 2nd time will be a heck of a lot better. Just gotta get that chance.

Thalidomide, LOL. Well just scroll back up above and stare at Alistair's drop dead gorgeous cover model and it will come back.

Hahaha. I think she will like that, really. =) She was very happy with them too.

Just hope some creativity is starting to spring forth now too. Hahaha.

The setup, or general jist of it:

Lens: Tamron 70-200mm

 

[thalidomide]

These are the shots that I took during the holidays

 

[ComicChick]

i always enjoy coming in here to look at your photos Thal

 

[thalidomide]

i always enjoy coming in here to look at your photos Thal

Thank you