Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Photo of the day: August 2012

Melizard said:
Since I haven't posted much this summer, I have a backlog of photos I want to share. C&C appreciated. My biggest complaint about my photos is the sharpness, everything is handheld since I can't take a tripod with me (already have way too much gear, and yet to splurge on a fancy lightweight carbon fiber tripod). I'm shooting everything with a 18-200 lens, which is very convenient, but I've been considering getting a quality wide angle lens since I seem to shoot landscapes more than anything.


Yukon by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr
Click to expand...

FWIW, I like the way this photo is layered with the bottom 1/3 of the picture of the rocks, the middle with the hills and cloud shadows and the upper 1/3 the clouds. What is the EXIF data for this photo? When I am trying to get near to far depth of field and sharpness, I tend to follow what others have preached and use a f/16-22 setting and manually focus for the nearer objects. Does your 18-200 lens allow you to actually choose a distance to near focus? If you are doing landscapes that would be a valuable aid I would think in helping get the sharpness you are striving for. That and trying to avoid subtle camera shake with either a delay shutter time, manual shutter release cable or mirror lock. Anyway, that's my 2c. Here's mine for today: sunrise over Barnaget Bay, NJ.

njshore2012201208164096.jpg
 
fcortese said:
FWIW, I like the way this photo is layered with the bottom 1/3 of the picture of the rocks, the middle with the hills and cloud shadows and the upper 1/3 the clouds. What is the EXIF data for this photo? When I am trying to get near to far depth of field and sharpness, I tend to follow what others have preached and use a f/16-22 setting and manually focus for the nearer objects. Does your 18-200 lens allow you to actually choose a distance to near focus? If you are doing landscapes that would be a valuable aid I would think in helping get the sharpness you are striving for. That and trying to avoid subtle camera shake with either a delay shutter time, manual shutter release cable or mirror lock. Anyway, that's my 2c. Here's mine for today: sunrise over Barnaget Bay, NJ.

Image
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input. I think I need to start using manual focus, but it scares me so I have just stuck with auto until now. It's quite the learning curve to understanding photography, and I'm loving the challenge, and the fact that I will never stop learning. Exif: 1/200, f/13, 18mm, ISO 400, Aperture priority mode.

I love your sunset, very serene.
 
Melizard said:
Since I haven't posted much this summer, I have a backlog of photos I want to share. C&C appreciated. My biggest complaint about my photos is the sharpness, everything is handheld since I can't take a tripod with me (already have way too much gear, and yet to splurge on a fancy lightweight carbon fiber tripod). I'm shooting everything with a 18-200 lens, which is very convenient, but I've been considering getting a quality wide angle lens since I seem to shoot landscapes more than anything.
Click to expand...

If I had to leave anything at home, it would be spare lenses, etc, rather that a tripod. But that's just me... :)

For landscapes without a tripod I'd stick to 100 ISO and f8... which on a reasonably sunny day will give shutter speeds of 1/160sec to maybe 1/250sec, which should take care of camera shake. For a shot like the one you posted, I'd normal focus 1/3rd of the way into the pic (ie not the rocks in the foreground), which will ensure that things are sharp at distance.

redscrees.jpg


^^^ Taken without tripod, 'cos I was on a boat (focussed on water 'tween sailboat and shore)...
 
Last edited:
ijohn.8.80 said:
WOW! :eek: Daniel, your macro stuff is very inspiring. I wasn't sure it could be done with an entry level Canon, but you have proven otherwise, and many times since I joined just over a month ago. This is a photographic area of particular interest for me. Oh well, better start saving my buck$ for some good macro glass and flash set ups...
Click to expand...

Thank you! When it comes to macros, technique, patience, good light and a decent macro lens are more important than the camera body. My XTi is 6 years old and it still produces some great pics. Regarding lighting setups, I use a single light source: a Canon 430EX II and a custom circular diffuser. If you have any questions, ask away!

Phrasikleia said:
Awww .....thank you! That's a very broad question, and it really got me thinking. I would love to know what my average investment of time per photo might be, all told.
Click to expand...

I really appreciate you taking the time to write out your preparation and editing process. After seeing all the effort you put into taking your images, I feel I need to step up and improve my own process! My photo sessions (be it macros or portraits) are much more "on the fly" than yours; perhaps if I spent more time in the preparation stage, I might be able to improve my technique.
---
Apparently, either Jackson Pollock or Dexter Morgan decided to start painting bugs. This is a sharpshooter leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) seen in my backyard.

Cicadellidae.jpg
 

Silent Eyes by emtreypics, on Flickr

I'm mostly happy with this one. I would have liked to have had the orange fish as the centerpiece, but sadly it was pressed up right against the edge of the ice tub and the shots where I was focused on it didn't turn out nearly as nice as this one. They stare accusingly at all eaters of seafood. ;)
 
The Trees are Watching Us



For some reason when I looked over at this tree, I saw a face looking back at me…and my trusty Nikon was able to capture it too..

It has been a while since I have posted. Been Busy!

NIKON D80
Tokina 12.0-24.0 mm f/4.0
Focal Length: 12mm
Exposure Time: 1/100 at f / 4
Exposure Program: Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings: 400
Metering Mode: Pattern
 
dllavaneras said:
My photo sessions (be it macros or portraits) are much more "on the fly" than yours
Click to expand...

I see what you did there!

Here's a female wallaby with baby in pouch. It was a fairly slow shutter speed due to low light, so the baby is a bit blurred. If you're in the North Cornwall/Devon area I recommend the Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre. You're basically wandering around the woods with wallabies running free. There are fences and gates to get there, of course.


​

Canon EOS 1000D/0.1 sec (1/10)/f6.3/200 mm/ISO 800
 
Got home from work the other day after an out of character summer-like 27°C day (it's currently winter down-under).
It was quite humid and a storm had passed through, with clouds still around, causing the sky, landscape and houses to glow a very strange and vibrant pink.

It only lasted a few short minutes, I hurried up to the end of the street, still raining, holding umbrella.
This is what I saw (no HDR):

k52736.jpg
 
Last edited:
The old and the new

The blue sky turned hazy by the time my family and I walked to this location. But I was struck with the juxtaposition of the "tower" of the old St. Paul's Chapel and the new WTC1 (Freedom Tower) in the financial district of NYC

nyc2012201208124065.jpg
 
Doylem said:
If I had to leave anything at home, it would be spare lenses, etc, rather that a tripod. But that's just me... :)

For landscapes without a tripod I'd stick to 100 ISO and f8... which on a reasonably sunny day will give shutter speeds of 1/160sec to maybe 1/250sec, which should take care of camera shake. For a shot like the one you posted, I'd normal focus 1/3rd of the way into the pic (ie not the rocks in the foreground), which will ensure that things are sharp at distance.

Image

^^^ Taken without tripod, 'cos I was on a boat (focussed on water 'tween sailboat and shore)...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on focusing. When I'm doing fieldwork I have a lot of heavy gear, so camera gear is secondary. I'm in the market for a lightweight tripod now to solve this dilemma. I always enjoy your landscape photos!

Mine for the day:

Yukon by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back