SOT: Photography, Tips and Cameras you'd suggest... Options

[dlo914]

Well on another forum i frequent a member brought a good thread about taking pictures and asking how and what cameras to use. And examples of pictures taken by fellow members and the camera they used.

So here's my submission:

Following pictures were taken with my Konica Minolta Dimage X60 5MP + 12" Mini Tripod. (http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/x60.html)

***Tips: Play w/ angles, try taking a picture from ground level (on the floor), use Photoshop only to adjust lighting (contrast/brightness), try not to use flash when in dark situations try using artificial lighting, get a tripod (no matter what size) steadiness counts, to get those light streaks at night dont use flash and have a steady shot, good practice is taking pictures of inanimate objects, that's all ive got in my photo snapping arsenal***

(IMG:http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h88/danlo830/PICT3772-1.jpg)
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[jonferns]

canon sd450...a tripod at times

angles are your friend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(IMG:http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q44/sendjonathanmail/IMG_1185.jpg)
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-JON

[PeeGreen 914]

The best cameras to use are ones that allow you to change all you settings and allow different lenses to be used. I guess that reqires the user know what he is doing though.

[dlo914]

The best cameras to use are ones that allow you to change all you settings and allow different lenses to be used. I guess that reqires the user know what he is doing though.

Which equals to a SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) Camera or DSLR (Digital SLR) Camera. I mean those are great n all but very very costly. The lenses sometimes cost more than the camera body itself. It's not necessary for amateurs. I myself have done quite well with my snap n shoot small digicam. I do long for a DSLR, but i dont take enough pictures to justify spending that much money on something i wont use that often or use to it's full potential.

[PeeGreen 914]

I know the feeling. A few of my lemses are way to much. I had to buy them to do the work, but I always think of the 914 I could have bought instead. Yes, you read that right (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

In a prior existance, I was a classically trained, published photographer. Now I only do it for fun and favors, and I have gotten a bit rusty.

Your gear does not a photographer make. The most expensive cameras and lenses won't help if you take boring pictures, don't have basic concepts of composition, speed, depth of field, etc. I have seen AMAZING pictures taken with $200 point and shoot digitals. Composition is way, WAY more important then the gear you use. Good gear does not really come into play until you know what you are doing - which is why just about intro to photography course still suggests the old Pentax K1000.

That said.
Here are some tips.
First tip: There are times when all of these tips should be ignored.

Never shoot on the Automatic mode. Never Ever! I tend to shoot by choosing my aperature, and let the camera choose the speed. This gives me control over depth of field (DoF). Your camera sucks at knowing what looks good.

Never center your subject. It creates a dead picture. This applies to cars, stones, boobies, whatever.

Never have the horizon (or any horizontal line) in the middle of your frame. It bisects the picture.

Always shoot at the slowest ASA the light will allow. For most cameras, thats 100, though some go to 50. A faster ASA will allow pictures to be taken in darker places, but at the expense of noise.

Be mindful of shadows, especially outside. They can be killers.

On composition...
You subject should be the subject and take up most of the frame. Zoom in or walk closer.

Your subject should be in focus. Use your DoF or other composition tricks to lead into the subject.

Don't over crop. Highly subjective, but when its over done, its over done.

Be mindful of what is around you. I have had hundreds of pictures ruined by something in the frame I had not seen when taking the picture.

Finally, when a pro goes out, he takes a LOT of pics. Roughly, for every 36 pictures taken, 1 or 2 are going to be keepers, the rest are garbage.


Zach

[PeeGreen 914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I miss my old K1000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Very good tips and pointers.

I have my degree in commercial photography, and when some guy comes up to me while I'm shooting says "Oh, the D200. I have one of those." I wonder why. If people are going to buy a digital SLR they need to know what all the functions are. Why buy a camera that has over 1000 options when you only know 1? I still like to use medium and lagre format cameras, but they are more of a pain to carry when you have big jobs that require you to move around alot.

[Thack]

Sometimes point and shoot cams will give you a good shot but they often agravated me. You have to wait for them to turn on and then focus and then trip the shutter. Too much waiting for my taste. I had to move up to a DSLR. At first I got a D50 then when I talked my way into shooting for Mazdasport Mag. I got a used Nikon D1H for $500. Super fast (5 frames per second) super fast start up and no waiting for the shutter to trip and excellent quality. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
I shot the Grand Prix of Houston and got some awesome shots with $100 lenses. Equipment isn't everything but if you want to have consistently good shots, buy good equipment. And yeah angles are your friend!
Here are some shots of the race.

[PeeGreen 914]

Nice work and nice pick up. I have a D1H as well, and they are a great camera. I was a cannon guy before that camera, but I have seen the error in my ways.

I really like the King Taco pic.

[Thack]

Oh yeah, buy a lot of the memory cards and shoot your ass off. You can always delete pics. Try different apertures on the same subject and learn how to include and exclude the background/foreground. That alone will help catapult you into taking contest winning photos. I suck at composition but I'm getting better. Angles can't be improved with post processing but you can compose a bit with cropping in PS. Thanks Blood on the comments. More pics with Porsche content.

[PeeGreen 914]

Again, very nice work.

It is true that shooting hundreds of pics does help to get that one amazing picture, but you need to learn in camera cropping and composition. Some of the shots I have to take you only get one chance, and you have to get that shot. It's a little more tricky working with large format cameras. You can learn a lot from shooting with medium or large format cameras, but if you really want to learn go to your local used camera store and buy a Pentax K1000. Learn all the functions of the camera. Then get your digital camera and start taking 100s of pictures or random stuff until you pictures of regular shit looks awsome without any photoshop.

Oh, when you take pictures to sell stuff... the pics should be terrible as to show that you didn't doctor anything. I am always hesitant to buy piture perfect stuff from people online as I know how easy it is to make something look perfect that is not.

[Thack]

Your right Blood. I learned on an old Mamiya 500TL 35mm. My dad had the larger format stuff and even today high end pro shoots are done with large format cameras. The more time you take setting up a great shot (composing) the better your work will be.
I think you have the eye for photography D-lo, step up and buy a used DSLR.

[Hammy]

Again, very nice work.

It is true that shooting hundreds of pics does help to get that one amazing picture, but you need to learn in camera cropping and composition. Some of the shots I have to take you only get one chance, and you have to get that shot. It's a little more tricky working with large format cameras. You can learn a lot from shooting with medium or large format cameras, but if you really want to learn go to your local used camera store and buy a Pentax K1000. Learn all the functions of the camera. Then get your digital camera and start taking 100s of pictures or random stuff until you pictures of regular shit looks awsome without any photoshop.

Oh, when you take pictures to sell stuff... the pics should be terrible as to show that you didn't doctor anything. I am always hesitant to buy piture perfect stuff from people online as I know how easy it is to make something look perfect that is not.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Good advice here. Good info from Vacca as well. Equipment doesn't matter so much, it's the learning process and knowledge that matters.
I have gotten some fantastic images from the ol' manual-everything 35mm and some attentive darkroom work. Luckily now I have some medium and large format cameras to play with too.
I think digital has really shunned the artistic side of photography. It is great for the point and shooters, and can provide great results with a little know how. Manual mode! Learning the functions of the camera is very important.

[abbott295]

This has already been mentioned, but a piece of advice I was given by my cousin who is a professional photographer, "If you want to be known as a good photographer, make good use of the waste basket." Don't let anyone see your bad pictures, and there will be plenty of those. I never got good at it.

[jimkelly]

first of all -you got some fine pics there - and photography is an expensive hobby.
equipment matters - or else all pros would just use a point and shoot. i used a canon 1dII for years to shoot sports, from high school to olympic level - day and night - and it was much better than my D60 and better than my 1d. skills too are important and will come with time. being able to control DOF and being able to use high iso and having great af system - really hep - as does having lots of FPS.
jim

[brer]

My mentor told me once

You can shoot 30 rolls or 3 rolls and at the end of the day you will still be lucky to have had one opportunity for a truly great shot.

Take your time, look at your surroundings and anticipate where that one great shot might present itself. Its all in where you place yourself WITHIN the action.

Great photographers are not bystandards.

[Todd Enlund]

You don't take good photos, you make good photos.

The most important piece of advice that I can give is to USE YOUR FEET!!!

Walk to where the photograph is. Get closer. Get a better angle. Move to get a better background. Use light to your advantage.


The most common "fault" in photos is failure to pay attention to the background.


Zach has some good advice... in particular he refers to the "rule of thirds".

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/rule-of-thirds/

[dlo914]

Your right Blood. I learned on an old Mamiya 500TL 35mm. My dad had the larger format stuff and even today high end pro shoots are done with large format cameras. The more time you take setting up a great shot (composing) the better your work will be.
I think you have the eye for photography D-lo, step up and buy a used DSLR.

Thanks! But (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) $$$ I should've asked Santa for one this year! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[Thack]

You don't take good photos, you make good photos.

The most important piece of advice that I can give is to USE YOUR FEET!!!

Walk to where the photograph is. Get closer. Get a better angle. Move to get a better background. Use light to your advantage.


The most common "fault" in photos is failure to pay attention to the background.

This is great advice too. I've had some awesome shots with crap in the background that ruined the shot. Also if you do go DLSR you can check your shot and look for items that you don't want in your shot.

[brer]

ok kids, enough talk.
lets see some of your best work.

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