The Photography Thread

[Greylock Crescent]

Do you have a question about what camera to use (DSLR or smart phone)? Want some specific feedback on your photos? Would you like to hear what others were thinking when they took (and processed) their own photos? Have questions about photography in general, or concepts specifically? Hopefully that's what this thread becomes!

What this thread is intended to be:
I would like this to be a place to discuss all things photography, including: cameras, photos, styles, settings, techniques, and so on.

What this thread is not intended to be:
A place to just post photos in bunches, without commentary about the photos themselves, or commentary on the photos posted by others. We have the Picture Post thread for personal and family photos, as well as sets of photos, and I'd like to distinguish this thread from that one.

Some requested guidelines:

• If you'd like feedback on your own photos, please participate in providing feedback for others.
• If you'd like to have comments on your own photography, please try to post only one photo at a time (or perhaps a couple of different variations of the same shot, if you're having trouble deciding which one you like best). This will hopefully invite deeper, more thoughtful comments.
• Comments from non-photographers are welcome!
• Please be honest, but constructive and supportive with any feedback you do provide. I'd like this to be a welcoming, inviting thread for enthusiasts and casual photographers. And hopefully encourage a few non-photographers to try their hand with it.
• Please provide some background on the photos you do provide for commentary (where you were, what you were thinking, what camera and settings you used, etc.).
• Ask questions! They'll help keep the thread going!

And that's it! Depending on how active the thread becomes, I had other thoughts for the thread, too. For example, we could have monthly photo challenges/studies where we could discuss one idea (b&w, patterns, rule of thirds, abstract, etc.), take photos based on the discussions, then share and talk about the results. But that'll depend on how the thread goes, I suppose.

But, to get started:

Last week, I attended the annual Thunderbird Pow Wow at the Queens County Farm Museum. As the sun was setting, this cloud formation lumbered by. I was struck not only by the cloud shapes, but the colors, too. I took this with my Canon 70D, and processed it using Lightroom 5, where I focused on adding some color saturation and contrast, while bringing out of the farm detail in the bottom of the image.

 

[Kestra]

That's a really vivid shot! I'd be interested in seeing it with either a little more of the ground, or the ground eliminated from the shot entirely.

As Ancient Mariner knows, I'm quite the amateur but am very interested in learning more. Seeing people post shots here for years actually increased my interest in photography. I just never felt like I had any right to pick up the hobby!

I'll contribute this photo I took at Heathrow Airport in London. I think it's my favorite pic so far, and I'm not entirely sure why. I was really exhausted at the time too, because I was lugging a bunch of luggage around and wasn't quite sure where my gate was. But I'm glad I stopped to fish out my camera. It was taken on a Canon T3i with my 18-55mm kit lens. I converted it to B&W later.

 

[Saga]

i have a question about software. you mentioned Lightroom 5. is that the best, in your opinion, software to use? i use Photoscape. mostly cause its free and very easy to use. if i switched how big would the difference be?

 

[Owain Taggart]

Great idea, AM! I like the idea of having a corner for actual photography instead of simple photo dumps.

I love your picture. I love a good sunset picture. You captured a good tone, which is actually harder than it looks.

Kes! How are you? Great picture! I love what you've done with this one. Your composition is good. Has the feel of people going about their day.

As for me, I usually try to modify mine as little as I can get away with. I'm considering Lightroom though, after seeing how easy it is to use, and maybe start shooting in RAW.

Here's one of mine. Story about this one is that my Dad and I went on a roadtrip out west to visit my Uncle in California, which was quite the trek for this Canadian, and along the way, I was really having a lot of fun seeing the sights and taking as many pictures as I could. Many of these were actually from a moving vehicle, and this one is one of them. In this particular case, we were driving through the Wind River Valley in Wyoming, and then we started to see the Absaroka Range. I managed to capture this beautiful shot. One of my favourites as there's something homey about it, and at the same time tells me, Yes, I'm out west.

Moving vehicle shot /w Sony HX30V (point-and-shoot)

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Thanks for all the enthusiastic replies so far!

That's a really vivid shot! I'd be interested in seeing it with either a little more of the ground, or the ground eliminated from the shot entirely.

Thanks, Kes! And what's interesting to me is that, while I was processing and slightly cropping this photo, I had a similar feeling - wanting to have more of the farmland in the foreground. Unfortunately, of the several shots I took of the scene, I didn't have one that framed it that way. I did have one that filled more of the frame with the cloud, though. You can see it here:

Spoiler: Alternate framing

This is a great shot, Kes! I know I've said it before, but you have a very natural, intuitive eye for composition - particularly with b&w shots. For example, the way you've captured the varying tones along the sides of this shot, the lines leading the eye through the image (from the ceiling, especially), toward the people walking. Really well-balanced.

For a moving shot, this is really sharp, with a surprisingly deep depth of field! Do happen to recall your shutter speed and f-stop on this image? I also really like how you've captured really interesting subject matter in both the foreground and background. It looks like there is some small detail in the clouds in the sky. I'm wondering if you tried a graduated filter to darken the sky slightly if you might not get a few more details to pop out (it's one of the functions in Lightroom). Either way, I think it's a fantastic shot!

i have a question about software. you mentioned Lightroom 5. is that the best, in your opinion, software to use? i use Photoscape. mostly cause its free and very easy to use. if i switched how big would the difference be?

I haven't tried too many other photo-editing softwares, so I'd be hard-pressed to say that Lightroom is "the best". But I think it's a fantastic app. There's definitely a learning curve to it - mostly becoming comfortable with how the various sliders affect the image, and then deciding on how to use them to fit whatever style you're going for. You end up having an almost infinite number of ways to interpret your original image.

Also as Owain Taggart mentioned, where Lightroom really takes off is when you (if you are able to) shoot in a RAW file format. This gives LR a lot more information to use and you can really do a lot, including recovering photos that are under/overexposed.

Either way, I highly recommend it. Right now, Adobe has its "Creative Cloud" service for photographers which means, if you pay $10/mo., you get Lightroom and Photoshop. Not a bad deal - but you don't actually own the software. Alternatively, you could pay $140 to get a copy of your own (it's cheaper if you're a teacher or student, which I did for Lightroom 5).

 

[Saga]

i've never heard of the RAW file format. i don't think my camera has that. (just checked, nope).

 

[Greylock Crescent]

When I was looking for a point-and-shoot camera I made sure I found one (Canon S100) that shot in that format because it really allows for more options when processing and editing images - and I already had Lightroom for my DSLR.

Still, most point-and-shoot cameras do a great job of processing images into JPG files on their own. And, from what you've shared in the Picture Post thread, you have some great photos. So it's not like you're missing out on those kinds of shots.

If anything, investing in a camera that shoots in RAW is something to think about if you decide to invest more time in photography, particularly on the editing/processing side (where using Lightroom really justifies its price tag).

 

[Kestra]

Thanks guys! With all this talk of composition, I think I might make a point of reading about it this weekend. Does anyone have any favorite sites or blogs or other resources?

 

[Owain Taggart]

For a moving shot, this is really sharp, with a surprisingly deep depth of field! Do happen to recall your shutter speed and f-stop on this image? I also really like how you've captured really interesting subject matter in both the foreground and background. It looks like there is some small detail in the clouds in the sky. I'm wondering if you tried a graduated filter to darken the sky slightly if you might not get a few more details to pop out (it's one of the functions in Lightroom). Either way, I think it's a fantastic shot!

Thanks! Amazingly, it was in automatic! I've been really impressed with this little camera. It also has a manual mode, but we almost never use it because the automatic is just so good. We did a lot of comparisons before we ended up getting it, and we ended up liking it a lot more than the Canon that was going against it. Sony makes some great cameras in the HXV line. All P&S. I often end up doing a double-take at many of the pictures I've taken with this camera. Anyway, here's the data: f5, Aperture :26.2, ISO 100, exp: 1/320th.

I haven't modified it at all. It's straight from the camera, although like I mentioned, I do want to get Lightroom after seeing a live demo at a presentation a few weeks ago. I currently use Photoshop Elements, but if I start shooting in RAW, I'll want to use Lightroom seeing how easy is it to use. I also do a lot of astrophotography with a Canon 7D, so it will come in handy.

 

[MacLeod]

The only downside to shooting in RAW is it eats up memory.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

That's a really vivid shot! I'd be interested in seeing it with either a little more of the ground, or the ground eliminated from the shot entirely.

As Ancient Mariner knows, I'm quite the amateur but am very interested in learning more. Seeing people post shots here for years actually increased my interest in photography. I just never felt like I had any right to pick up the hobby!

I'll contribute this photo I took at Heathrow Airport in London. I think it's my favorite pic so far, and I'm not entirely sure why. I was really exhausted at the time too, because I was lugging a bunch of luggage around and wasn't quite sure where my gate was. But I'm glad I stopped to fish out my camera. It was taken on a Canon T3i with my 18-55mm kit lens. I converted it to B&W later.

Kestra, I love this picture. There is so much going on in it, especially with the symmetry. Did you crop this picture or is this how it was framed? Because with the two railings bleeding out of the frame but still some of the dark tile still running across like a boarder. This is the perfectly framed shot. The shadows that play across this is simply amazing, it has a haunting aspect to it. fantastic work!

 

[Kestra]

Kes! How are you? Great picture! I love what you've done with this one. Your composition is good. Has the feel of people going about their day.

Sorry for not replying to this sooner! I wanted to wait until I was on my laptop and not a mobile device. I'm doing well, how have you been? Nice to see we have another shared interest now.

I'm going to echo what Mariner said about that shot, it's stunning for being out of a moving vehicle! I'd love to hear more about your astrophotography, as that's something I know nothing about.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

^ I agree. I'd love to see some astrophotgraphy. My few attempts at shooting the night sky did not turn out as I'd hoped.

The only downside to shooting in RAW is it eats up memory.

This is true. When I go shooting in Manhattan, I'll typically spend 5-7 hours walking through the city and I'll end up with roughly 800-1,000 shots. They're all in RAW, so they take up a lot of space. I bought a 64GB card for the camera (which will hold roughly 2,000 RAW images) so I never have to worry about space while I'm shooting (I'd say, in most cases, 32GB would be plenty big enough).

At home, though, the RAW files have taken up a LOT of hard drive space. And then, of course, you process and export the images you really like, adding to the space your photos take up on your computer/external hard drives. I'm already on my second external drive (the first 3TB drive is maxed out). So if you do choose to shoot in RAW, and you take a decent amount of shots, make sure to plan ahead for storing your RAW and processed photos.

 

[Timby]

Thanks guys! With all this talk of composition, I think I might make a point of reading about it this weekend. Does anyone have any favorite sites or blogs or other resources?

My go-to resource for tips, tricks and general knowledge is Scott Bourne's photofocus.com.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Sorry for not replying to this sooner! I wanted to wait until I was on my laptop and not a mobile device. I'm doing well, how have you been? Nice to see we have another shared interest now.

I'm going to echo what Mariner said about that shot, it's stunning for being out of a moving vehicle! I'd love to hear more about your astrophotography, as that's something I know nothing about.

I'm good! Thanks for asking. And yes, nice of us to share hobbies Hopefully I'll start seeing some more photos from you!

Ok, astrophotos. Since both you and AM are asking, let me see what I can find.

Astrophotography is somewhat of a different beast. You'll typically be shooting at or near infinity most of the time since your subject will be the background. The more sensitive a sensor is, the better, and the higher the ISO your camera can achieve with less noise, the better. I typically shoot at 3200 ISO with 32 second exposures, sometimes higher depending on the situation, or sometimes lower. You also need a good strong mount and some patience, and a remote shutter release to avoid shaking the camera. More than 32 seconds though, and you'll need to start investing in tracking mounts which will keep moving slightly to keep focus on the the portion of the sky that you're aiming at since the earth is always moving. Some photographers like doing what are called Star Trails, which involve long exposures.

Digital cameras have done wonders for astrophotography. It used to be that if you wanted to take some good shots, that you often had to spend hours upon hours with your film camera out late, often during the winter months (the colder, the better for clearer skies), and even then you weren't guaranteed that your shot would be any good. And then you'd start the process all over again.


Anyway, here's one of my favourites. There are two things going on in this picture. The night sky, and what we like to call painting with red light. This is done by having someone walk around during the exposure with a red flashlight and wave it around. And red because that's typically what astronomers use to avoid spoiling their vision with bright white lights which are typically forbidden around astronomers.

Details:
Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D
ISO Speed: 3200
Lens: EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length: 15.0mm

 

[Greylock Crescent]

That's a really cool shot! It's amazing how many stars you were able to capture. Then again, living in NYC, I tend to forget just how many stars are visible when you're out in the country. Looks like this was also during the winter?

Compositionally, I really like how you added the light painting in the foreground, which nicely balances the image. Plus the power lines and pole help draw the eye away from the red lights and into the sky.

Thanks guys! With all this talk of composition, I think I might make a point of reading about it this weekend. Does anyone have any favorite sites or blogs or other resources?

My go-to resource for tips, tricks and general knowledge is Scott Bourne's photofocus.com.

Thanks for sharing that. I've already found a couple of interesting articles, including this one.

 

[MacLeod]

Need to get myself a tripod before I do an astrophotography.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

By the way, Kes, your shot here reminded me of one I recently uploaded:



Comparing the two, though, I'm wondering if I might have gone a bit too far with the contrast.

This shot, btw, was taken at Lincoln Center, with my Canon 70D (ƒ/10.0; 35.0 mm; 1/80s; ISO-100).

 

[Kestra]

You can see it here:

Spoiler: Alternate framing

Thanks for sharing that! It's interesting to see how that totally changes the feel of the photo. Not for better or worse really, because I like both of those shots equally.

Kestra, I love this picture. There is so much going on in it, especially with the symmetry. Did you crop this picture or is this how it was framed? Because with the two railings bleeding out of the frame but still some of the dark tile still running across like a boarder. This is the perfectly framed shot. The shadows that play across this is simply amazing, it has a haunting aspect to it. fantastic work!

Thanks Tom! This was how it was framed. I think I took at least one or two other shots but liked this one the most. I wish I could say that it was all intentional but I'm not very good at that yet, and one of the reasons I hope to learn from people here. I do remember the light was one of the main reasons I decided to get my camera out and take a photo. I'm definitely drawn to symmetry, and I need to remember not to overdo it!

In terms of the diagonal lines (and this question is for anyone reading), would there be a benefit to having those line up with the corners? Or does it look better when it's a little offset? This is the sort of thing I'd like to think about so that I can take my photos with more intention.

Thanks guys! With all this talk of composition, I think I might make a point of reading about it this weekend. Does anyone have any favorite sites or blogs or other resources?

My go-to resource for tips, tricks and general knowledge is Scott Bourne's photofocus.com.

Fantastic, thank you! I'd love to hear anything you have to say as well!

Astrophotography is somewhat of a different beast. You'll typically be shooting at or near infinity most of the time since your subject will be the background. The more sensitive a sensor is, the better, and the higher the ISO your camera can achieve with less noise, the better. I typically shoot at 3200 ISO with 32 second exposures, sometimes higher depending on the situation, or sometimes lower. You also need a good strong mount and some patience, and a remote shutter release to avoid shaking the camera. More than 32 seconds though, and you'll need to start investing in tracking mounts which will keep moving slightly to keep focus on the the portion of the sky that you're aiming at since the earth is always moving. Some photographers like doing what are called Star Trails, which involve long exposures.

Digital cameras have done wonders for astrophotography. It used to be that if you wanted to take some good shots, that you often had to spend hours upon hours with your film camera out late, often during the winter months (the colder, the better for clearer skies), and even then you weren't guaranteed that your shot would be any good. And then you'd start the process all over again.


Anyway, here's one of my favourites. There are two things going on in this picture. The night sky, and what we like to call painting with red light. This is done by having someone walk around during the exposure with a red flashlight and wave it around. And red because that's typically what astronomers use to avoid spoiling their vision with bright white lights which are typically forbidden around astronomers.

Details:
Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D
ISO Speed: 3200
Lens: EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length: 15.0mm

That's actually very helpful, thank you for taking the time to write that all up! I'd love to try my hand at this sometime, but it's very intimidating. And obviously downtown Chicago is not a great place for it.

I love that painting with red light in the foreground! It adds so much interest to the shot. Has anyone else here experimented with that sort of thing?

Thanks for sharing that. I've already found a couple of interesting articles, including this one.

I was reading through that and this is going to sound a bit stupid, but what do they mean by "fill the frame"? To fill it completely with your particular subject?

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Thanks for sharing that. I've already found a couple of interesting articles, including this one.

I was reading through that and this is going to sound a bit stupid, but what do they mean by "fill the frame"? To fill it completely with your particular subject?

If I had to guess, I'd say that the author was talking about "filling the frame with an interesting image" as opposed to "filling the frame with the whole object." In other words, if you're taking a photo of a bridge, or a building, or a tree ... you don't have to get the whole building, bridge, or tree in your frame. Sometimes it's better to focus in on an interesting detail as opposed to trying to capture the whole thing:

Spoiler: Filling the frame

A detailed closeup:


Trying to get the whole object:

At least, that was my takeaway from the article.

In terms of the diagonal lines (and this question is for anyone reading), would there be a benefit to having those line up with the corners? Or does it look better when it's a little offset? This is the sort of thing I'd like to think about so that I can take my photos with more intention.

I think there is a benefit, if it works with the photo. If you'll notice my sunset photo in the OP, I cropped the image to have the water spouting out from the lower-right corner. This article talks a bit more about the benefits of doing this from time to time.