Photography thread.

[GuitarFreak]

With that said, what are everyone else's set ups?

Canon 1D MkII
Canon A2E
70-200 f/2.8L IS
28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM
Speedlite 430EX II

Got to rent a 5D MkII, 17-40L, 50L, and 24-70L over the summer. So awesome. Here's one shot with the 5D and 17-40

Spoiler:

Went to a WWII airshow over the summer too. Here's 3 of my favorite shots

Spoiler:

[podbaydoor]

The last airshow pic has some awesome detail. I like the composition of the second one, though.

[EvilDuckie]

With that said, what are everyone else's set ups?

Got to rent a 5D MkII, 17-40L, 50L, and 24-70L over the summer. So awesome. Here's one shot with the 5D and 17-40

Spoiler:

Nice! Very very very nice!!

How did you like the combination of the 5D with the 24-70? I'm currently using a 40D with a 17-55 as my main "walkaround" lens and if I were to upgrade to a 5D (which I'm not sure about just yet) I would be considering either the 24-70 or the 17-40 as the primary lens on that. I tend to prefer wide shots.

And since this is the photography thread:

Spot the lone cyclist by hans905, on Flickr

I was in Madison, WI, last week for a conference. Shot this photo from the observation gallery of the state capitol, looking towards Lake Monona and Monona Terrace.

[Sungura]

Back from 25 hours underground in Kentucky =)

A few select photos from the magnificent trip...


Roppel-Yahoo Cave Pearls 5 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Roppel-Gypsum Swirl by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Roppel-Gypsum Heart by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Roppel-Gypsum Coated Walls by Sunguramy, on Flickr

[F117Landers]

Those photos are amazing, especially those of the caves.

Some more from Afghanistan:

Brick Factory (Near Kabul)

Spoiler:

Ancient Villa (Near Kabul)

Spoiler:

Russian Motorcycle (Tank Graveyard Near Kabul)

Spoiler:

Resting Soldier (Tank Graveyard Near Kabul)

Spoiler:

Autumn Blossoms (Kabul)

Spoiler:

[podbaydoor]

That gypsum swirl is outstanding. Great work.

F117Landers...I just now connected you to the person who commented on my photo on Flickr. /facepalm.

My favorite is the brick factory - I like the parallel smoke streams. Also the soldier sitting down. Good framing/composition - the subject doesn't always have to be in the center - and a good candid moment.

[GuitarFreak]

With that said, what are everyone else's set ups?

Got to rent a 5D MkII, 17-40L, 50L, and 24-70L over the summer. So awesome. Here's one shot with the 5D and 17-40

Spoiler:

Nice! Very very very nice!!

How did you like the combination of the 5D with the 24-70? I'm currently using a 40D with a 17-55 as my main "walkaround" lens and if I were to upgrade to a 5D (which I'm not sure about just yet) I would be considering either the 24-70 or the 17-40 as the primary lens on that. I tend to prefer wide shots.

It was very nice. I used it quite a lot. The 17-40 is extremely wide on a full frame, so keep that in mind. The 24-70 is pretty wide too, and very good quality.

[F117Landers]

I've been thinking about upgrading to the 5D. How does it handle?

Oh, and a sunflower:

Spoiler:

Autumn Sunflower by F117Landers, on Flickr

[Knigel]

Possible Worlds

Taken at Beijing airport waiting for my flight to Thailand. Shot with Nikon d90 using a Tamron 17-50mm edited in Lightroom 3.

Spoiler:

Possible Worlds by Knigel, on Flickr[/quote]

[F117Landers]

That is a really polished floor.

Anyone take photos for Remembrance Day (Armistice Day)?

[dhl262]

My hobby is to take my photos and create a story with them.
Check em out. I just started, and I'm going to update regularly! Thanks.

http://blueberryghosts.blogspot.com/

[snoods]

A friend of mine is really into photography. Here's just a few of her pictures.

Spoiler:

They're just some I like. You might have other favourites Go on, check it out

[The EGE]

Is the blurriness artistic?

[adho]

Those pictures are cool, but super noisy - maybe it's the editing?
I don't know.

[Rodion Raskolnikov]

That is a really polished floor.

Anyone take photos for Remembrance Day (Armistice Day)?

I took some, but I wasn't as pleased with them as I was with last year's (there's one on page 3 of this thread if you want a look).

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Knigel, that airport shot is awesome, amazing colours.

[GuitarFreak]

Macro time!

Spoiler:

[EvilDuckie]

Grains of sugar?

[GuitarFreak]

Grains of sugar?

First four are salt/salt and pepper. The last one is sugar.

[The EGE]

I was at Wellesley a few weeks ago. I spent a lot of time creeping on the ducks in Lake Waban, and a few minutes actually walking:

Spoiler:

[adho]

Taken with a self timer. Needless to say, took many tries. The light was terrible but I kind of like it.

Spoiler:

[podbaydoor]

I have obtained a Canon Rebel T2i. With the kit lenses. What should be the first better lenses I set my sights on? Someone mentioned the "thrifty fifty"? What are my options for a newbie photographer?

[GuitarFreak]

I have obtained a Canon Rebel T2i. With the kit lenses. What should be the first better lenses I set my sights on? Someone mentioned the "thrifty fifty"? What are my options for a newbie photographer?

Depends on your budget. The 50mm f/1.8 is probably the cheapest lens canon makes, and is pretty good. I'd save a bit more and pick up a 50 f/1.4 instead however because of the better build quality. The 85 f/1.8 is another pretty good relatively inexpensive lens as well, and the 100 f/2.8 macro is good also. As for zooms, the 70-300 or 55-250 are fairly decent, but again, I'd look at getting the 70-200 f/4L. It's not a whole lot more than a 70-300, and is definitely higher quality. Something on the wide end to replace the kit lens would be the 17-55 f/2.8, but it's also about $1000. All of the other lenses I recommended are between $300 and $600. The 50 f/1.8 is around $100. Also remember, you get what you pay for. Stay away from the 75-300 as well, it's pretty awful. It may look tempting because of it's low price, but it's probably one of the worst lenses canon makes. Another thing I'd look at is picking up an external flash. A 430EX II goes for around $250, and is much better than the onboard flash. It's not something you need immediately, but something to think about getting down the road a bit.

There are also some good deals going on at B&H right now. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

[podbaydoor]

Thanks! Everyone I've asked keeps mentioning something about "crop sensors" or something to do with cropping that makes the 50mm slightly less suitable for the T2i - what's your take? Someone on FB recommended getting a 35mm instead. Thoughts?

[King of Frogs]

A friend of mine is really into photography. Here's just a few of her pictures.

Spoiler:

They're just some I like. You might have other favourites Go on, check it out

Wow, nice pictures, and yay, nice to see some beautiful Edinburgh architecture in the first one. #civicpride.

[b.i.o]

Thanks! Everyone I've asked keeps mentioning something about "crop sensors" or something to do with cropping that makes the 50mm slightly less suitable for the T2i - what's your take? Someone on FB recommended getting a 35mm instead. Thoughts?

Most consumer DSLRs don't have full-frame sensors. (I think the cheapest full-frame DSLR Canon sells is ~$2200.) One of the things this means is that the focal length of any lens is essentially multiplied by 1.6 when compared to a full-frame (D)SLR. So a 35mm lens on a T2i is similar to a 50mm lens on a full-frame SLR. That said, 50mm * 1.6 is still a very useful focal length. And, perhaps more importantly, I don't know where you'd find a 35mm (or similar) prime lens for ~$100. Canon's is ~$300. The 50mm prime is the best glass you can get for the money.

However, I still think it's not the best thing you can buy. Until you really know what you're doing with your camera, technique is going to make a lot more of a difference than a better lens. I'd recommend getting a decent bounce flash instead. (I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Speedlite-I ... 953&sr=8-1.) It's extraordinarily useful. Easily the second-best camera-related purchase I've made (after only the camera itself).

Really though, start shooting. Your gear is irrelevant when compared to your skill as a photographer. Sure, there are shots you're not going to be able to make without a ton of specialized gear, but there are plenty more you're just not seeing because you don't know where to look, or how to set up the shot so that you get it. When you *are* ready to buy new lenses, get them based on what you'd like to photograph. If it turns out you want to spend most of your time doing wide-angle shots of buildings landscapes, the 50mm prime is going to end up sitting in your bag, even if has nicer glass than your kit lens.

[Sungura]

I highly recommend using manual settings as much as you can. Its digital, you can trial/error as much as possible. If you just use it on auto...kinda no sense in it really as then you are just using it as a point and shoot. Play with what you can do with all the manual control. Dont know how much you know so sorry if this is patrionizing. There are 3 main factors and all in some sense control the amount of light in an image. But all have their own give and take.
ISO: lower values give less light, but less grain. Higher values make images brighter, but you get to have grain issues.
F/stop (aperature): how wide open the blades are. Lower number, more light is is let in. But you loose depth of field for focusing the lower you go.
Shutter speed: how long the shutter is open. Longer its open, more light can come in and brighter the image but eventually you'll need a tripod/something to set it on and a remote to trigger it so you dont get any camera shake blurring the image. FWIW if you practice, it is possible to hold steady, I can do a hand held image down to 1.5-2sec with no blurring.

As for lenses, do not be afraid to stalk ebay for deals. If Cannon is anything like Nikons, the same mount has been used for ages. If you are comfy with your manual settings, even if it doesn't have the fancy computerizations of the new lenses you can use them on manual (any other settings and the camera wont detect the lens and wont shoot, least that is how it works with nikons). Old glass is oftentimes very good. Ive picked up a zoom macro lens for $20. Something if I had gotten the newest version of, it would be easily up to $1000. You just want to make sure there is no mold, moisure, or scratch damage on the lens. Most sellers who know what they are talking about state specifics on these things. Those are the ones to trust more than the person who is "oh I found these old lenses in my closet sold as is" - you have more risk there.

As for the crop: Wiki actually explains this well (I am a visual person so me likey) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format


Oh and eta: to the skateboard person - remotes are AMAZING and like $10. Cool photo but just you know, to make things easier next time! =)

[podbaydoor]

I have some training in shooting photos and operating DSLRs, using cameras in school or at work. This is just the first one I've owned so it's the first time I've had to make decisions for myself on what equipment I want to get.

[adho]

@that person who was being helpful
Yes, I have contemplated a remote, but usually for other purposes - shooting birds/other flighty animals.
I don't make a habit of taking photos of myself

podbaydoor, I was using my friends Canon the other day with an old 20mm Nikon (I think) lens. Adaptors to other mounts are cheap and easy, and well worth it if you find a cheap/really nice lens that doesn't fit.
Related: 7Ds are excellent cameras. Coming off a Pentax the manual controls confused me, but I managed some nice pictures and videos (surprisingly).

[Sungura]

Playing around with post processing....Ive been enjoying vintage looks lately to the point of wanting to get in to film photography...but...I would want to develop the photos myself and really get into it which isnt feasable right now. Maybe some day I can have a darkroom =) So...until then... on to PHOTOSHOP!

[adho]

A little skateboarding film I made.

That was all shot on a 7D in case anyone is interested. I know using SLRs for filming is frowned upon by snobbish moviemakers, but they do produce nice colour and the focus on them is spot on. I'm just really happy about this movie and this is kind of unrelated so you can ignore it if you're not into that sort of thing.

Also, post processing is the best. You can turn mediocre photos into something worth looking at. You're never going to produce a masterpiece, but even a default warming filter improves the look tenfold. Try playing with the colour balance for a more precise adjustment. Eliminate unessecary extremities in the Levels dialog.

[Jacque]

Playing around with post processing....Ive been enjoying vintage looks lately to the point of wanting to get in to film photography...but...I would want to develop the photos myself and really get into it which isnt feasable right now. Maybe some day I can have a darkroom =) So...until then... on to PHOTOSHOP!

~$75 and a dark bathroom is all you need.*

*And an film camera of course. Easy enough to find at pawn shops and salvation army's for cheap.

[Sungura]

Pooh thanks jauque! I will keep in mind. I m moving soon and I don't have $75 but will keep in mind. My other option is my grandfather used to have a complete darkroom setup I think he still has it all sitting in storage.

[Sungura]

Done some more underground photography work...I think my lighting is improving a lot from when I first started. That being said if anyone is aware of cheap slave flashes that are light-triggered that are small, please let me know.


Iron Hoop 9 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Iron Hoop 5 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Iron Hoop 3 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Blevins Gap 6 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Blevins Gap 12 by Sunguramy, on Flickr

Christmas trip! Was doing a lot of people-photography this time which was interesting as I dont usually do that in caves. I think I did ok. Note on conservation - this formation, called the Christmas Tree, is a dry, inactive "dead" formation and has been for long time. When decorated, it is never touched or climbed on. Please dont do things like this in caves normally, this is a special circumstance that occurs with a lot of planing and safety & conservation measures.

Tumbling Rock Christmas 18 by Sunguramy, on Flickr


Tumbling Rock Christmas 8 by Sunguramy, on Flickr

396ft dome...hand held 8 second exposure.

Tumbling Rock Christmas 21 by Sunguramy, on Flickr

[The EGE]

Sungura, you should try some HDR images. I feel like flash-lit caves have the wide range of dark to light that would make HDR look really neat.

I personally use Luminance HDR (freeware), but if you've got photoshop it's hidden in there.

Edit: here's one I did today.

[Sungura]

Yeah I've seen the HDR option in photoshop. Personally I'm not a fan of the results of it. the light and dark areas give the textures I enjoy, and as far as broad range light and dark I tend to fix that by hand overlaying images in photoshop. For example iron hoop 5 and 3 photos are 3 images each overlayed. I only have one flash gun so I move it around and blend images in post, I've had better luck with that than HDR. Of course, it could be I'm just not good at HDR.

[The EGE]

...or you're just a few dozen levels above me in photography skill. A definite possibility.

[EvilDuckie]

I have obtained a Canon Rebel T2i. With the kit lenses. What should be the first better lenses I set my sights on? Someone mentioned the "thrifty fifty"? What are my options for a newbie photographer?

The plastic fantastic nifty fifty sure is a nice lens to start out with. I've used it for quite a while until I replaced it with a Sigma 50mm f1.4 (which is bigger, heavier and has the same filter diameter as my other mainstay lenses). GuitarFreak already gave a solid overview of lens options, so I'm not going to repeat that. One he didn't mention, which I'm quite a fan of, is the Tokina 11-16 f2.8, a very nice wide-angle lens.

One thing you could consider is seeing if there's something like a local photo club where you can exchange experiences with other photographers and maybe try out some of their gear and lenses. Alternatively, most lenses have groups dedicated to them on Flickr, so that's always worth a look.

And since this is the photography thread:

NK Veldrijden - Dames by hans905, on Flickr


Thijs van Amerongen by hans905, on Flickr

I went to see the Dutch cyclocross championships last Sunday and got quite some good shots.

[podbaydoor]

Intense shots. Did you use a zoom lens?

[adho]

Those cyclocross shots are interesting - I like the focus on faces rather than the race. Plus I discovered another crazy sport.

Spoiler:

This is a screen capture, hence the terrible quality. I kind of like it.

[EvilDuckie]

Intense shots. Did you use a zoom lens?

Yes, a Canon EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (Canon makes a few different 70-300 models, but I think the one I'm using is the one that was recommended to you in an earlier post), first one is at 105mm, second one at 135mm. I was standing on a spot where the riders would come straight at me for a few seconds each time, and I tried to get off 2 or 3 shots (going from zoomed way in to way out as they came closer), locked focussing to the center AF point to make it easy on myself and just tried to get the shutter times short. The sun was about to dip behind a hill (visible on some of the other photos in the flickr sets) so the lighting wasn't too great.

If you follow the flickr link and click on "using a Canon EOS 40D" above the map on the right side it'll take you to a page showing all the gory details of the settings I used. I often use that to find out what settings other photographers used, to give me a bit of a head start with trying to find out how to take that specific kind of photos.