digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I'm going to post some photos I take in this thread. Anyone else into photography? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say about any of them. Relatives and friends are telling me I should be doing something professionally, but I just can't get over the whole "my Mom says I'm a great singer and should audition for American Idol" thing and I know you guys will be brutally honest Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Ya sure... I'm not that prolific (and have bought only one lens so far...) but I've taken some decent shots along the way that are people's favourites. For learning I found that Matt Granger http://mattgranger.com/ is pretty good (has a 1k+ youtube vids). Note that some of his stuff NSFW but his 'Educating Tina' series is pretty good for the basics, his strobist stuff is top notch for thinking about lighting (ie: using a flash on bright days to overpower the sun). Also he his big on 'get your gear out' and has a monthly photo competition. I've never entered but I've watched the critiques a few times -- given that has to go through a 100 pictures in half and hour he doesn't have time to go beyond the initial reaction but really, that's all you have in RL as well! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Thanks! I will check him out. And post some of your photos here. Link to post Share on other sites
iBeaver 409 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I finally bought a non camera phone camera and played with it at the zoo. Ill try to post the pics up when I get on my PC. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Big Sand Bay, Christian Island, Ontario I was going for a 70's feel with this one. I like how the eye moves from left to right in a swooping motion similar to the tree line. I thought about brightening the trees, but I decided against it as they are not the main subject. I also thought about cropping some of the sand out along the bottom; I'm still thinking about this. I like how the sky turned out. I thought about bringing out the contrast in the sky between the blues, whites and oranges, but it took away from the 70's thing I was going for and it was distracting. The sun and its reflection on the water is hot, but hey... the sun IS hot. I love the lens flare! You'll quickly realize that I can spend an eternity debating over what to do with a photo (could be the ADD). To combat this I usually do nothing or very little to my photographs after taking them. That's a dog in the water, if I recall correctly. I think you can see some water splashing. Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Photo critiques are always hard... ie: it's easier to pick the best between two pictures or if you have a reference zoomed out picture. - if you go by the 1/3 rule (for the subject) the vertical distance for the boat and sun are ok but both are pushed too far to the sides... with that symmetry I think both the boat and sun are both fighting to be primary subject but neither is winning. I think if you had moved a dozen feet to the left, crouched down and gotten more of the sky it could have been better. - Love the feel / colours you have here... you could argue that sunsets are easy mode for this but hey; being at the right place at the right time WITH your camera will take you 90% of the way there - Like you i'm not sure about the hills. On one hand it's lit enough to give it texture and you don't want another element fighting for attention, on the other hand with HDR becoming more common as a technique it wouldn't be that weird. - I have this problem as well (esp on beaches) but your horizon isn't level; though the angle of the clouds makes it look worse than it is. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Thanks!! I often like to **** with the 1/3 rule I definitely agree that the sun and boat compete here, but I wanted to keep the connection between the two...almost like a bedtime for boat feeling lol. Yeah, the hills and the sky tempted me with the HDR, but I didn't want to lose the 70's thing I was going for. Also, the HDR thing is overdone a lot of times in my opinion. I think it looks really good in some pictures though. That's the shoreline not the horizon. I could tilt it a little and make the shoreline level I guess. I might try that. Thanks again. Photo critiques ARE hard. Different people like different things. Link to post Share on other sites
iBeaver 409 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Yeah at first look I like fit still do but then reading Duane's post I see things I never noticed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Yeah at first look I like fit still do but then reading Duane's post I see things I never noticed. Ya, the difference between a 'good' picture and a 'great' picture can be pretty small. You probably knew that stuff intuitively but if you can spot that stuff earlier then you can retake the picture, etc. (Though being 'that camera guy' isn't always fun in groups ) ps: Google+ is amazing for photophotographers and is a great way of seeing a ton of good pictures every day.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 Presley Marie McCarthy, age 9 months, Hanmer, Ontario A lucky shot I captured of my youngest daughter who was not even asleep at the time. I could do nothing or a million things to this photo. Sometimes I want to crop the right edge to make it symmetrical, sometimes I don't. Anyone think this could be turned into something marketable to hang in nurseries, daycares, hospitals, whatever? Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Dunno ... put it up on something http://www.istockphoto.com/ or http://www.500px.com ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
MapleLeafpoker 1,462 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I really like the shot of your daughter, there is something very peacefully happy about it. I think that would get my attention in any office/clinic setting, and would make me smile. As an outsider, I think I would rather not know that these pics are in any way "shopped". I prefer them to be as natural as possible, especially when you get into things like colors. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Babying 613 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Very nice pic Dale. I think you can definitely get $$$ for this shot. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Sometimes I want to crop the right edge to make it symmetrical, sometimes I don't. It's too bad you don't have more of the left side still -- nice to have the ear in the picture. Still a fantastic 'in the moment picture'. I really like the shot of your daughter, there is something very peacefully happy about it. I think that would get my attention in any office/clinic setting, and would make me smile. As an outsider, I think I would rather not know that these pics are in any way "shopped". I prefer them to be as natural as possible, especially when you get into things like colors. Well the key, of course, is photoshopping them in a way that people don't know they are shopped 1 Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 It's too bad you don't have more of the left side still -- nice to have the ear in the picture. Still a fantastic 'in the moment picture'. Well the key, of course, is photoshopping them in a way that people don't know they are shopped I don't think it would be too difficult to clone the right side of the photo with the ear, flip it and adjust the lighting. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Great pics Dale. You have a very good eye 1 Link to post Share on other sites
MapleLeafpoker 1,462 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Well the key, of course, is photoshopping them in a way that people don't know they are shopped Well, yes, of course. But just like the lady getting cosmetic surgery, more often then not, it does show, and more importantly, it distorts the true beauty. And even when it doesn't show, it says more about the person then the viewer. I dont know, for me, the art is the natural act of taking the photographer, not in the skills on a computer to distort the original image to what you think looks better. Link to post Share on other sites
iBeaver 409 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I'm in no way shape or form a photographer. Been using camera phones for years. But got a new SLR and these are all taken within days of getting it. So yeah, leave me alone photo snobs. This one I took while sitting on the zoo train. I was just amazed that I was about 30+ yards away from this butterfly Rhino! I don't know why but I really like this picture and it's one my wife would not freak out about being on the internet (she's never been comphy putting his pic up anywhere but facebook but lets not get into that. Bird on a thing! Train! Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Great shots, Steve! The colours on the butterfly photo are great. The photo with the little guy running away from you... I wanna see that in black & white. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Amazing. You were 30 yards away. Wow. Great pics Link to post Share on other sites
Fenxis 99 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I don't know why but I really like this picture and it's one my wife would not freak out about being on the internet (she's never been comphy putting his pic up anywhere but facebook but lets not get into that. Ya; I lot of my better shots (with my only non-stock 50mm lens is of friends and their kids). Not really comfortable putting those up... will have something soonish. Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 One of the dads on our team took some nice pics. He has big ass lens Link to post Share on other sites
Babying 613 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 The butterfly is the best pic. The one with Jin is just funny Link to post Share on other sites
digitalmonkey 929 Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 This is the most easterly point in Canada and continental North America. About a foot on the other side of the fence is a 100+ foot drop. Europe is almost 4,000 km straight ahead. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
serge 904 Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Will you be bringing the camera on Saturday? You should take some pictures for the AHL.. Link to post Share on other sites
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