Phototalk - ask a question or explain stuff about photography

[SJH]

Nice photo Albedo!.

[Albedo]

Cheers SJH

 

There is something I would like to add here by the way.

 

I'm no expert and am doing my learning this way partly because it makes me do it for some reason.

 

If you are a beginner and can't follow where were up to please ask and we'll explain, even if its been explained already. (I reserve the right to be the most stupid person in this thread so you can't lose)

 

If you are more advanced and stuff is wrong, then I hope you'll point it out.

 

Cheers chaps thats all for now:thumbup1:

[ad15]

ok,, so this is a pic i took earlier today,, what's good/ bad? tips,, hints please?

 

please don't hold back,,:thumbup:for the purpose of learning,,

[alex_m]

nice foreground detail (although that bit that sticks up highest is distracting) and bokeh (hate that word) is spot on. all round good effort i think.

 

 

also another free software tip (if you don't want to pay £500 or illegally d/l photoshop) is 'GIMP' yes, gimp. GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

it is basically a simplified version of photoshop, where it has much the same functions. i can't believe it is free tbh. well worth a download.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

ok,, so this is a pic i took earlier today,, what's good/ bad? tips,, hints please?

 

please don't hold back,,:thumbup:for the purpose of learning,,

 

The porcelain fungus is a difficult one to shoot, even for somone well handy with a camera, they are not only white, but transluscent and also slimy hence the name mucida. In extreme close ups the camera may be fooled into under exposure as with snow, a bright white scene making the camera tone down settings rendering it grey, flash realy helps on these, as does spot or centre wieghted metering.

 

I find focus point hard to pick when shooting these, and rarely happy with my point of focus, I find the best angles for these low down shooting up into the gills, focusing on the stem bases, this shows up the delicate gills as light comes through them and this way the image truly captures the essence of this pretty little fungi.

[Albedo]

nice foreground detail (although that bit that sticks up highest is distracting) and bokeh (hate that word) is spot on. all round good effort i think.

 

 

I also associate 'bokeh' with that posh lady off the telly, but reading Hama's link last night it turns out its from 2 Japanese words Bo-Ke but it didn't say what it means in Japanese. Removing the snobby English association makes the word much more usable for me anyway:001_smile:

 

Thanks for the contribution AD and good critique Hama, I didn't feel qualified to say, but wondered what it would look like on a higher Fstop using tripod. Just to see if the front edge of the shroom would come sharp.

[alex_m]

One last tip for now....

BUY A GOLLIAPOD.

Gorillapod - The Flexible Tripod by Joby

They are essential bits of kit. Especially in the dark woods, when a slower shutter speed may be needed. Here is a advert that demonstrates how good it would be in a woodland environment....

 

 

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

bought one yesterday! going to be awsome for putting the camera on branches!

[Albedo]

My current armoury.

 

On the left, nice and sturdy for those low ISO's and telescopic legs, (cost about 4 quid) and on the right, gets down and dirty for those angles but less steady.

 

Should have put something in for scale, but the silver bit on the leg is about 4.5 inches.

 

At the moment I carry both and the camera and cleaning gear in a bum bag so all very portable.

[ecolojim]

heres one of my very rare outings into the world of the macro photograph

 

a few more can be found at my flickr page Flickr: ecolojim's Photostream but ive not uploaded any for aaaaages and cant until i remember my login details. oops