Teens Often "Experiment" I've Taking My Turn [Archive]

woaface

07-09-2004, 01:19 PM

I have chosen photography as something to fiddle around with. I am highly interested in getting a Nikon Coolpix 8700 (Digital SLR). I currently use a Sony Cybershot F-505V Digital at 3.3megapixles. These are just a few of my favorites. I think this will be enough for you photographers to digest right now so tell me what you think, constructive critisism is more than welcome!

woaface

07-09-2004, 01:21 PM

A few more...

woaface

07-09-2004, 01:24 PM

Text must be 10 characters or more:P

BillyGman

07-09-2004, 01:27 PM

A photographer I'm not, but those nice calm serene photos would look even better w/my car in the backround performing a monster burnout :D (sorry. I can't help it)......

woaface

07-09-2004, 01:30 PM

Last few for now....

Bluerauder

07-09-2004, 02:14 PM

A few more...
James, nice photos. That one of the horseshoe shaped waterfall is pretty interesting. Nice shot.

Mad1

07-09-2004, 02:17 PM

James,

You have some interesting shots. The choices of subject are visual interesting and show an eye for contrast.

Without knowing more of what you're eventually wanting to go with your photography hobby, I hesitate to give you more specific responses. I've generally done professional news photography for about 10 years, but I consider myself strickly an amateur at "artistic" or "technical" photography subsets.

There are numerous books on photography out there. If you want technical knowledge, I'd go there first. As for improving your photographer's eye ... just try to emulate some of the photographs that have captured you. Try to figure out what about the image speaks to you and then work backwards to figure out how it was captured on "film."

I'd suggest checking out one by an award winning photog that I know from here in Tennessee named Robin Hood. His coffeetable books: "Tennesseans: A People Revisited" and "Williamson County: The Land And Its Legacy" are especially packed with photographs that evoke time, place, and feel.

As for the camera, your current one is fine from a mega-pixel standpoint. Anything over 4-megapix is unnecessary, unless you plan to print "wall-poster' size images. At our newspaper, generally 300 dpi (dots per inch) photos will reproduce very accurately and with minimal visual distortions at regular sizes.

Personally, I've been very happy with a Canon EOS "Digital Rebel" SLR. I almost never shoot at resolutions higher than medium and the technical ranges of the camera settings are on-par with a good 35mm film SLR camera and is compatible with earler EOS lens. (You can sometimes find deals online for older lens.)

P.M. Me if you want to talk more about cameras or photography or I can put you in touch with a few professional photogs that I know.

Mad1
Jeremy

woaface

07-09-2004, 02:22 PM

Thanks! I may very well talk to you soon. I wasn't interested in the Nikon for pixels but for the amount of options it has that mine doesn't. My focus is very basic as well as my zoom, it takes horrible pictures at night if it can even do it at all (a rare occurence) and I can't change shutter speed or any of that cool stuff. The Nikon and the one you're talking about are both of interest to me and right in the same price range. $1000. That's how much mine was when my mom bought it.

I just watched the biography of Ansel Adams as well, that was very good. My mom is an artist and we've talked about perspective and values and such. It's all so interesting!

MM03MOK

07-09-2004, 02:43 PM

James - you're off to a great start! I started my interest in photography in high school and actually made a career out of it for a while. I shot and processed my own black and white for years before I got into color.

Have you had any training yet? You're already picking up on important aspects of photography, such as everything should not always be dead center: break your picture up into thirds. You're capturing depth of field and also different planes and angles. Work on contrast on black and white pics.

While composing and framing a picture is important, having the ability to override automatic camera features is important too (shutter speed and aperture.) Higher pixel cameras don't necessarily mean a better picture.

I always chuckled when someone would compliment my pictures and ask me what kind of camera I used.......like it was the camera that had the talent. LOL

The nice thing about digital photography is you can see the picture right away. My best advice is to keep shooting, read all you can and think about the story a picture tells.

My favourites? Pink flower, trunk/rear light shot in rain, brick waterfall steps, brook under bridge.

woaface

07-09-2004, 03:48 PM

Thanks Mary. The morning glory and my cat on the roof I took about a year ago, the rest are mostly within the last week. I guess I didn't post some of my better stuff there was a lot to sort through so I'll post a few more.

I know that more megapixels doesn't mean better, I can see that through some of the very detailed pictures I'm able to take. I have had no real training but I have heard of thirds and thought I'd mess with it a tad. I went off taking b/w pictures the other day. Anyways, the major reason I'd like that newer camera is becuase it's not as limited as mine is. My camera is limited in how much light it can work with and does a poor job in low light levels. But I have managed to learn some interesting ways to manipulate that. I just hate being crippled as to when I can take pictures.

I love digital though. I have a great photo printer so I don't have to go get them developed by someone else. I can do it myself, I can move and manage and resize or adjust things quickly and I can delete a picture if I don't like what I've taken and I can take about 80-110 pictures before I run out of space.

When I go back and look at some of the pictures I've taken, I kind of wonder what it's saying and either I find out or I don't. If I have to do that though, I usually like to go back and try again if I think it's worth it.

And lastly, my avatar is the SC flag sticker on my back window after some rain. I put a horizontal grain on it and colorized the hue to a blueish one. And the leaf picture here I made a darker green.

Krytin

07-09-2004, 05:28 PM

I just watched the biography of Ansel Adams as well, that was very good. My mom is an artist and we've talked about perspective and values and such. It's all so interesting!

I started when I was 13. I still have all my "old fashioned" film cameras - Some really old Exacta 35 mm's a Bronica S 120 MM and a Speed Grafic view camera in 2 1/4" x 3 1/4". I don't use them much anymore as I'm starting to figure out my Minolta DiMage 7 Hi. It has more features than I can figure out how to use - so far!
If you get to learn more about AA - you'll see that a large part of his work took place in the darkroom. The fantastic pictures he took were really refined during the printing proccess! This is what makes digital photography so nice - the software available for image proccessing/corection is almost unbelievable! When I think of the hours I spent in a darkroom compared to the minutes I spend on the computer!
It appears that you already have more than a good handle on the subject - very impressive work James!! I know alot of people will say that 4 or more megapixels is not really needed - but I really like my 5 MP Minolta and I don't think there is an upper limit on this. This is in some way comparable to grain structure of film - the finner the better. You may not be making poster size prints, but for the kind of pictures you are taking (the same kind I like to take!), it's nice to be able to crop down the picture and still make an 8 x 10 print that is sharp as a tack!
Good Luck James! Keep up the good work!

01 Interceptor

07-09-2004, 06:11 PM

I'd say that you are doing well for starting a hobby. Good pics and I hope to see some more as you progress. Sometimes I kick myself for not carrying my camera, since I also have an eye for photography.

MarauderMark

07-09-2004, 06:36 PM

A photographer I'm not, but those nice calm serene photos would look even better w/my car in the backround performing a monster burnout :D (sorry. I can't help it)......

Ahhh , both of us :banana2: :up:

the_pack_rat

07-09-2004, 06:58 PM

Nice photos there.

I wasn't quite sure I wanted to read this thread ...

The way it was worded.

I was getting nervous ...

:lol:

MM03MOK

07-09-2004, 07:03 PM

Nice photos there.

I wasn't quite sure I wanted to read this thread ...

The way it was worded.

I was getting nervous ...

:lol:James does have a way with words!! I thought the same thing, then I know he knows better.

sailsmen

07-09-2004, 07:41 PM

Pink Flower gets my vote! :up:

Silver_04

07-09-2004, 07:43 PM

Pink flower bump

...momma don't take my Kodachrome, momma don't take my Kodachrome, momma don't take my Kodachrome away...

woaface

07-09-2004, 09:15 PM

I know better than to "experiment" or I know better than to post about it:D

woaface

07-09-2004, 09:16 PM

woaface

07-09-2004, 10:00 PM

Hey Billy! You should travel on down here JUST so I can take some "action photos" of your car

BillyGman

07-09-2004, 10:38 PM

Hey Billy! You should travel on down here JUST so I can take some "action photos" of your car
I'd love to Jimmy. The guy I had taking the vids of my car didn't know what he was doing, and even though he's a good friend, and a great guy, he could've done a lot better. He didn't even keep the camera cenetered on the back wheel during that monster brake torque vid. It was a bit disappointing to me to have burned up my tires doing a redline first and second gear smoke show for everyone and have a second rate vid to show for it. This is after the first one didn't have good audio, because the tape he used in his digital camera for that one was flawed. it left me w/the impression that he hadn't even used this digital camera much at all before that day, while he claims that it's a $1,400 camera. :depress:

jgc61sr2002

07-10-2004, 05:32 AM

James - Nice pics. Will be vacationing in Greenville next July. Will see you then. :up: P.S. Sorry won't have the Marauder. :(

Sactown

07-10-2004, 07:15 AM

Nice work James. Keep it up! My .02 on the issue of mp's is get the most you can afford. There are some nice 6mp cameras available. Won't make you a better photographer, but it sure is nice to have a high res file that you can either crop or make a clean 11x17 or bigger print of. I've held out from going digital so far, waiting for a camera to get a high quality sensor with over 10-12mp in a nikon mount that doesn't have a built in zoom factor. It's a tall order, but Kodak's second generation DCS Pro SLR/n is what I'm considering but I wouldn't recommend it for a newbie.

Keep having fun with it. I'm jealous that you get to start out with digital, the instant feedback will help you tackle the technical aspects of exposure and lighting so much faster than with film.

woaface

07-10-2004, 07:32 AM

James - Nice pics. Will be vacationing in Greenville next July. Will see you then. :up: P.S. Sorry won't have the Marauder. :(
Haha, next July!? No Marauder!

Lol, why pick a place like Greenville to vacation!? Or rather, what's the occasion...:D

woaface

07-17-2004, 08:28 PM

Ok, I love this picture, content and all.

Silver_04

07-17-2004, 09:35 PM

Does she have an older sister? I'm just taking census information btw.

woaface

07-17-2004, 09:51 PM

Does she have an older sister? I'm just taking census information btw.Lol, I have an older sister....or, a few actually just around your age!:up:

And, unfortunately for me...this girl (Mackenzie) lives in Georiga...Stone Mountian!

hitchhiker

07-17-2004, 10:22 PM

Lol, I have an older sister....or, a few actually just around your age!:up:

And, unfortunately for me...this girl (Mackenzie) lives in Georiga...Stone Mountian!

Did you actually get some or are you just telling us about your fantasies?

:lol: :lol:

If not then keep trying; She's fine!

woaface

07-18-2004, 07:29 AM

Her mom brings her up here just to see me for the day...yeah, no fantasies!:D

woaface

07-20-2004, 02:08 PM

It's a real pity that my friend Sara had the greatest expression on her face but that I was too quick to react with the camera here and it was slightly tilted. Also, a better background would be nice but oh well.

I went to a cruise in at a Chevy dealership recently as well...here are a few pictures...I'm going for content not photographic skill on these. I had the wrong battery on me so I had to take pictures before the thing died.

And while I'm on a rant here I am SOOO mad at my bud Taylor. I had the COOLEST pictures of him and his girlfriend walking up to my car, either holding hands or going to either side of the car. The angle was right, they were walking right, the light...everything. And the little :censor: deleted them! He said he looked retarded...and they weren't that important. GRRRRRR.

woaface

07-21-2004, 10:33 AM

Common, ya'll love that camaro right!?:rock: :rock: :rock:

Dr Caleb

07-21-2004, 11:25 AM

Were the back wheels even touching the ground? ;)

I do like your eye though!

woaface

07-21-2004, 03:00 PM

Thanks Glenn!

And more for your viewing pleasure!

There was one of my car but I can't get to it right now. Oh well.

buckyboy

07-21-2004, 09:40 PM

Impressive work for a person of any age...keep up the nice work.:up:
A few more...

Bigdogjim

07-21-2004, 09:54 PM

Ok, I love this picture, content and all.

I just hope she goes well with your plans for a marauder :P

RCSignals

07-21-2004, 10:06 PM

Her mom brings her up here just to see me for the day...yeah, no fantasies!:D
no fantasies......I suppose someone believes that :D

woaface

08-18-2004, 08:32 AM

Here are some pictures of my dog! His name is Storm and he's roughly 2 and a half years old. He's half white german shepard (dad) and half black and tan. He weighs about 70 pounds and I miss him a lot...he's in training camp/boarding until next Friday or Saturday. These pictures aren't the best but it's what I've got.

woaface

08-18-2004, 08:37 AM

And he's cute when he's clean:up: He thinks he's still a lap dog sometimes though...and squirrels are food...

BruteForce

08-18-2004, 08:48 AM

"Curbside Profit"

Unless this refers to your lemonade stand, I think you mean "prophet". :hijack:

woaface

08-18-2004, 08:56 AM

I had it "prophet" and then I changed it to a few other things before I got tired of them and went back...not paying attention and typing while talking on a cell phone led to "profit". When I find another excuse as to how "profit" has a deeper meaning and how I am a genius...I'll let you know:blah:

So do you like my puppy?:rolleyes:

BruteForce

08-18-2004, 09:35 AM

Your puppy is maaahvelous. Here's my co-pilot Flora MacDonald. She's a Westie (West Highland White Terrier). In this pic she is sporting her patented biatch look. That's what I get for telling her its time to get off the bed. :rolleyes:

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1713flora-thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1713flora.jpg)

woaface

08-18-2004, 05:04 PM

Cuute! Very nice dog indeed:beer:

woaface

08-23-2004, 02:19 PM

Sara and my car and me and my car. Can you guess which one is Sara and which one is me?

Bluerauder

08-23-2004, 02:25 PM

Sara and my car and me and my car. Can you guess which one is Sara and which one is me?
So, where's Elaine?? :sweat: :lovies:

Dr Caleb

08-25-2004, 09:23 AM

Thanks Glenn!

And more for your viewing pleasure!

Anytime James.

Here's a couple I've been trying. Not very 'artistic' but I really like these. They sure move fast, so the focus is a little off on the first pic.

The large greenish one is Araneus marmoreus or Marbled Spider. The white one is Araneus gemmoides, a common variety of a Jewel Spider. Both are native to Alberta, and the abdomens are about the size of a quarter. The whole spider is about the size of my thumb.

They are supposed to be rare (1 per 50 square kilometers) but I have at least 7 distinct species in my back yard, some sharing the same section of fence! They eat bees, hornets and grasshoppers like garberators!

Patrick

08-25-2004, 12:29 PM

Anytime James.

Here's a couple I've been trying. Not very 'artistic' but I really like these. They sure move fast, so the focus is a little off on the first pic.

The large greenish one is Araneus marmoreus or Marbled Spider. The white one is Araneus gemmoides, a common variety of a Jewel Spider. Both are native to Alberta, and the abdomens are about the size of a quarter. The whole spider is about the size of my thumb.

They are supposed to be rare (1 per 50 square kilometers) but I have at least 7 distinct species in my back yard, some sharing the same section of fence! They eat bees, hornets and grasshoppers like garberators!

Nice pics, but they give me the WILLIES!!!!

TAF

08-25-2004, 12:31 PM

So, where's Elaine?? :sweat: :lovies:
Elaine.......

Dr Caleb

08-25-2004, 01:12 PM

Nice pics, but they give me the WILLIES!!!!

Thanks! Try holding your thumb near them to measure how big they are ;) A few pictures I took were horribly out of focus . . . cause they are really shy and really move fast! The Marble Spider's web takes a complete 5'X6' section of fence, and she can cross it in less than 3 seconds . . .

I've been trying to get pics of a few other types, cause they're really cool. Hopefully tonight I'll have pics of a Black Widow and a Wolf spider.

woaface

08-25-2004, 01:19 PM

Hey, that's two you do have! Kudos to you man! I'm not all up for that kind of media...this is how I like my spiders...

Dr Caleb

08-25-2004, 01:50 PM

Cool James! What kind is it?

I hate always having to get pics of their undersides ;)

woaface

08-25-2004, 02:36 PM

No clue...1 or 2 pop up in the garden every year...which didn't exist this year. That I took last year and it was too close for comfort (right outside of our backdoor on the big window. The spiders were UGLY and their fangs about - <that long. But the webs were pretty...as you can see.

Dr Caleb

08-25-2004, 02:56 PM

It looks like a St Andrews Cross Spider.

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/images/standrewx.jpg

The giveaways are the zigzag through the webbing, and the way they double up their legs while waiting in the web. Since the St. Andrews is only in Austrailia, I doubt it is one.

http://www.rochedalss.qld.edu.au/spiderphotos/DSCN0997_small.JPG

Looks like a Golden Orb Weaver.

GreekGod

08-25-2004, 02:58 PM

I once read a field in Michigan contains one million spiders. Glad it wasn't me that had to count them!

Patrick

08-25-2004, 04:38 PM

Dr Caleb

08-26-2004, 08:15 AM

I am going to report this thread for giving me the Hebbie Jebbies!!!!!!!!!

You big Girl!

Here's one I got last night. Of the 4 other species, none of them turned out. Too blurry, too dark . . .

Anyone whith more photography experience care to give some advice? These creatures are very shy, I have to coax them out by using a piece of grass and drawing it along their web. That makes the come out for a few seconds, then they run back in to their 'funnels' when they realize it's not dinnertime. Trying to photograph them in their funnels, it's too dark for the pics to turn out.

I'm using a 3.1 megapixel digital camera, on close up mode (28' max focusing distance)

woaface

08-26-2004, 01:23 PM

Maybe, you don't have a picture of a squashed one so I'm assuming it bit you...just some inductive reasoning, simple stuff really.

Dr Caleb

08-26-2004, 02:45 PM

Maybe, you don't have a picture of a squashed one so I'm assuming it bit you...just some inductive reasoning, simple stuff really.

Yes, Mr. Spock. :loco:

No, I got too close, and it ran away. Just wondering if anyone is able to get good, low light close up pics using a digital camera. :camera:

Except for the other photos, I really have to play in Photoshop to get them to look right. They look too washed out. What am I doing wrong?

woaface

09-14-2004, 04:55 AM

Some of these are digitally edited. The first one is not however. Have I mentioned I like Georgia?

martyo

09-14-2004, 04:58 AM

Have I mentioned I like Georgia?

Todd said that as long as you bring Elaine with you and you will always be welcome.

woaface

09-14-2004, 05:05 AM

:rolleyes: I noticed.

Bluerauder

09-14-2004, 06:20 AM

Some of these are digitally edited. The first one is not however. Have I mentioned I like Georgia?
James, those are some really good photos -- nice settings !!! :up:

TAF

09-14-2004, 06:21 AM

Elaine........

turbochick

09-14-2004, 07:14 AM

WOW James! These are amazing pictures! :) I love taking scenery pictures but I don't have a "professional" camera....the most professional I can get is a CVS black and white brand. (I love the black and white pics) but ya, these are AMAZING !!! :up: Keep up the awesome work!

kristina

woaface

09-14-2004, 01:03 PM

Hey Kristina, long time no talk! Thanks for the compliments. It's not the camera I'd prefer but I can do amazing stuff with it. I cheated and got the camera my parents used to have for a business. Quite the deal!

Thanks all, I'm glad you like them. I saw it and I thought "I KNOW EXACTLY what I'll do with this!"

Althought I missed out on two great pictures this morning and last night because there wasn't a camera in my car.
1) Half a rainbow going onto some rail-road tracks that are bending into some woods with trees growing inward and
2) A bridge where the road dips down and then goes back up, in a leftward turn with a lot of overgrowth over the road and the sunlight coming in through the trees in rays early in the morning with plenty of mist.

Darn.

martyo

09-14-2004, 01:07 PM

Elaine........

Buuuurrrp!

Mike Poore

09-14-2004, 02:30 PM

A few more...
James, the CoolPix is a good choice for many reasons, color balance and metering among them, do a LOT of reading. The composure on the horse shoe falls is interesting, and I'm wondering how it would look from the other direction. Y'know, from the bottom up? The B&W with the fence lines is outstanding.

woaface

09-14-2004, 03:07 PM

Thanks Mike, the balancing and SLR/Digital mix and a few other features is the exact reason I want that camera! I've been studing the market and what I wished I had as I've been shooting over the past few years and that's pretty much what I've setteled on. Taking that fall picture from the bottom up is kind of hard because I can't get any closer than 10 or 15 feet. Also, I haven't been in the right light the last few times I've been around there to take a picture worth having.

And...I've been waiting for someone to say they like that one by the fence in my back yard:2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

James, the CoolPix is a good choice for many reasons, color balance and metering among them, do a LOT of reading. The composure on the horse shoe falls is interesting, and I'm wondering how it would look from the other direction. Y'know, from the bottom up? The B&W with the fence lines is outstanding.