Photo/Photographer thread.

[Grebel]

Dangle, I am with patham!! Arachnophobia! I am not a fan of spiders at the best of times. I suppose I could use the 300mm in macro mode...

 

Nice detail on the spider and especially the last flower. Like I said before, so many thing we walk past without noticing.

 

@Hephaestus, cool shot, it looks like they are riding through gel! The dynamics of water allow for a whole segment of photography on its own. I have seen some awesome water droplet pics from a friend of mine!

[Wyatt Earp]

I must tell you okes, them spiders are not my best pet either, I just saw this one sitting next to me whilst I was taking a snap of a flower, he was only about 3mm's in all.

[patham]

I must tell you okes, them spiders are not my best pet either, I just saw this one sitting next to me whilst I was taking a snap of a flower, he was only about 3mm's in all.

 

If that guy is a tiny runt, then you have out-done yourself. Chalk one up for your uber-macro skills.

 

I also feel a bit lot braver looking at him now.

[patham]

Back on the water effects theme, my own from last week, trying to get the magical veil effect. Image stabiliser working overtime with no tripod.

[Wyatt Earp]

If that guy is a tiny runt, then you have out-done yourself. Chalk one up for your uber-macro skills.

 

I also feel a bit lot braver looking at him now.

Thanks

Water is a tricky thing, best done with a tripod I reckon.

 

These shots also taken hand held.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2499/5716168911_886d9a5615_b.jpg

_MG_3599 by OddPix1, on Flickr

 

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/5787440888_e76ffc2a8c_b.jpg

_MG_4555 by OddPix1, on Flickr

[Grebel]

Back on the water effects theme, my own from last week, trying to get the magical veil effect. Image stabiliser working overtime with no tripod.

 

What are you shooting with if I may be so bold as to ask?

 

Thanks

Water is a tricky thing, best done with a tripod I reckon.

 

These shots also taken hand held.

 

 

Great shots both of you! It has been a whilse since I took my camera out... Might dust it off this weekend if it stops raining.

 

Waterfalls pictures are one of my favourite things. The soft waterfall effect is so easy to atain yet seems to get the most attention from non photographic type people!

[patham]

What are you shooting with if I may be so bold as to ask?

 

 

 

Great shots both of you! It has been a whilse since I took my camera out... Might dust it off this weekend if it stops raining.

 

Waterfalls pictures are one of my favourite things. The soft waterfall effect is so easy to atain yet seems to get the most attention from non photographic type people!

 

I find the waterfall effect is relatively easy to get right, but in the process the surrounds & the background have been messed up 'cos all your attention was on the water. And you only realise this when you are back behind your computer.

 

I use a Canon 500D, with a one size fits all lens (18-200)

[Grebel]

I find the waterfall effect is relatively easy to get right, but in the process the surrounds & the background have been messed up 'cos all your attention was on the water. And you only realise this when you are back behind your computer.

 

I use a Canon 500D, with a one size fits all lens (18-200)

 

I missed the 500D by a few months... If you use shutter priority setting on the dial and play with the speed doesn't the camera adjust the aperture to compensate?

[patham]

I missed the 500D by a few months... If you use shutter priority setting on the dial and play with the speed doesn't the camera adjust the aperture to compensate?

 

Does that mean you got a 450D, or Nikon equivalent ? I see the 600D is out now, so I am 2 generations back. Having said that, my 500D is capable of far, far more than what I get out of it right now.

 

Yep, set shutter priority setting on the dial and drop the shutter speed, the camera will adjust the aperture to compensate. However, I have found that the water / background contrast is often just too high, and its never a great set-up. You need to play with spot metering, average metering, centre weighted metering, Automatic Exposure Bracketing and just plain manual experimenting, to get the best exposure. And doing all of those combinations whilst wife and nipper are keen to move on just is not do-able for me right now. HDR may also be a nice option to get good waterfalls, but thats also beyond my processing skills.

 

Still water is much easier for me to get right....

[Grebel]

Does that mean you got a 450D, or Nikon equivalent ? I see the 600D is out now, so I am 2 generations back. Having said that, my 500D is capable of far, far more than what I get out of it right now.

 

Yep, set shutter priority setting on the dial and drop the shutter speed, the camera will adjust the aperture to compensate. However, I have found that the water / background contrast is often just too high, and its never a great set-up. You need to play with spot metering, average metering, centre weighted metering, Automatic Exposure Bracketing and just plain manual experimenting, to get the best exposure. And doing all of those combinations whilst wife and nipper are keen to move on just is not do-able for me right now. HDR may also be a nice option to get good waterfalls, but thats also beyond my processing skills.

 

Still water is much easier for me to get right....

 

Unfortunately not... I listened to the wrong people when I bought my camera. I went the Sony Alpha 350 DSLR route instead. At the time, the pixel count was higher and it had just been launched. The draw card was that it had IS built into the body which dropped the price of aftermarket lenses. If I had it to do over, I would have gone Canon. Having said that though, the Sony came out slightly ahead of it's Canon and Nikon equivalents as far as an entry level DSLR reviews on the majority of the websites went.

 

There are more aftermarket options available for the Canons and Nikons as well. As a camera it still does what all the others do (except video). Besides it's not what's in your hands but rather what's attached to the hands that are holding it!

 

I shoot without editing at the moment. My skill set doesn't stretch that far yet. I am barely able to shoot out of program mode

[patham]

Unfortunately not... I listened to the wrong people when I bought my camera. I went the Sony Alpha 350 DSLR route instead. At the time, the pixel count was higher and it had just been launched. The draw card was that it had IS built into the body which dropped the price of aftermarket lenses. If I had it to do over, I would have gone Canon. Having said that though, the Sony came out slightly ahead of it's Canon and Nikon equivalents as far as an entry level DSLR reviews on the majority of the websites went.

 

 

My personal view on Sony is that they see camera's as a consumer product line that fills a niche market, and contributes maybe 0.0001 % of bottom line. They did not develop it, they bought out Pentax or Minolta(can't remember), and rebranded them. A pure commercial venture, and if it starts to lose money, they will close it down or sell. They have no senior management passion for them.

 

Nikon, Canon, are far more vested in camera's and optics. More development money, more R&D, and if their business slows, its more important to them. Thats why they churn out new models as fast as they can...

 

I was burned once with my film SLR, Sigma started selling great SLR's, far better features than the equiv price point Canon. Now its a dinosaur, even my lenses are useless as they went for a proprietry mount. Just like Sony did. Thats why when I went digital , I bought to stay in the game.

 

In your shoes, I would keep the Sony for as long as you are happy with it, and still developing (punny, I know) as a photog, as soon as you get upgraditis, or covet other lenses, take the plunge and change systems.

[Grebel]

My personal view on Sony is that they see camera's as a consumer product line that fills a niche market, and contributes maybe 0.0001 % of bottom line. They did not develop it, they bought out Pentax or Minolta(can't remember), and rebranded them. A pure commercial venture, and if it starts to lose money, they will close it down or sell. They have no senior management passion for them.

 

Nikon, Canon, are far more vested in camera's and optics. More development money, more R&D, and if their business slows, its more important to them. Thats why they churn out new models as fast as they can...

 

I was burned once with my film SLR, Sigma started selling great SLR's, far better features than the equiv price point Canon. Now its a dinosaur, even my lenses are useless as they went for a proprietry mount. Just like Sony did. Thats why when I went digital , I bought to stay in the game.

 

In your shoes, I would keep the Sony for as long as you are happy with it, and still developing (punny, I know) as a photog, as soon as you get upgraditis, or covet other lenses, take the plunge and change systems.

 

Funny you should say that as I had made that exact decision a few months ago. I looked at selling my existing setup and taking the plunge, but considering my initial outlay and what I stood to lose, I figured it would be better to continue learning the basics on my Sony and upgrade to a Canon when the finances allowed.

 

The first term I learned thanks to the Sony was the term proprietry mount. Lenses and flashes are Sony or Minolta AF only.

 

It was a tough lesson to learn, but we learn from our mistakes. The good thing is that the techniques are all the same regardless of the equipment that you use. Like I said before, it isn't the equipment in your hand but rather the hands that hold the equipment.

 

Almost time to shoot. The sun is out in Durban (and I am stuck at work...)!

[BushGoblin]

saw this spotted eagle owl while in the berg a few weeks back.

[Grebel]

saw this spotted eagle owl while in the berg a few weeks back.

 

That is a nice shot!

[patham]

saw this spotted eagle owl while in the berg a few weeks back.

You are a lucky bast..rd just to see one, let alone take a pic of it. Pat yourself on the back.

[gummibear]

Dangle,those pics are pretty sharp for hand held.What was the speed for the top pic?