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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 8:58:12 AM

Mercnbeth

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Vendaval
Greetings all,
We have a number of amateur and professional photographers on this site. What are you tips for great photographs?

Do you use old fashioned or digital cameras or both?
Black and white or color?
What kind of lighting and equipment?
Any particular software that you prefer?
Do you prefer portraits, landscapes, action or still life or ?

I love photography, and never more than a couple of days pass without taking some pictures. We've got some beautiful sunsets around here, no two exactly the same.

Again - NOT AN EXPERT...

I've come to love digital, if for no other reason than I can take, and see 100's of pictures without worrying about development costs.

I think the key is using natural light as much as possible. For that reason a tripod is the most important accessory. I have a very tiny one I carry around all the time.

Another trick I'd recommend is to really look through the lens. Most people take pictures in their mind and wonder why the photo doesn't turn out the same. The reason is, they've never concentrated on framing the shot through the viewfinder/lens. Also, you shouldn't always put the subject in the center, showing a person or a specific object complimented by what is around it gives the picture more depth. AGAIN - IMO.

Most of the 'production' is beth's job. she uses a basic Adobe print shop. her movie program is much more complicated and I try to stay away from the anal oriented detail required to reduce 10 hours of vacation film down to 3 1 hour DVDs with appropriate music, credits, and special effects.

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 1:56:06 PM

Vendaval

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Great replies, everyone.

Do any of you develop and print your own photos?
Play with different settings in the darkroom?
Ever show your work at a gallery or art faire?

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So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 3:04:17 PM

kdsub

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My second income is digital retouching for a local camera store in my area…not a lot of money but it takes up my time. I don’t do any photo developing however. Mostly repairing tears, scratches, color corrections and object removals... that type of thing.

A good way to see if you like photography and gain experience in a photo lab is to check out your local Community College. In my area we have some excellent classes in both black & white and color photography. You would have access to a photo lab. They usually have student art shows to display your work as well.

They have both digital and film classes…many at night and summer.

Good luck Butch

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Post #: 23

RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 3:41:38 PM

sunshinemiss

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Hi Vendeval:

A few little tips i've been given... and i'm also no expert although my pix are pretty good.

More is not necessarily better.. it's just more. Sometimes just a shot of the window is better than the whole building

Close is good...

it's ok to cut off the top part of someone's head...

we don't need to see your shoes... really!

Remember the rule of thirds... see your shot into thirds... the subject should be clearly in one of the thirds (not necesarily the center). And that's thirds horizontally or vertically... this one in particular will make your shots better - you will be more aware of all the empty space (sky, pavement, etc) you are shooting and get balance.

If someone is looking away from the camera, say to the right... make sure there is some space to the right and you don't cut off the look... like an invisible line that let's your eye move with the subject's eye (if you want an example i'll send you one)

that's what i do and i do ok. Feel free to look at the shots in my profile.

sunshine

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 3:47:46 PM

sunshinemiss

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Oh, i forgot to answer...

I use digital only (because i'm cheap)
I shoot anything I want -
landscapes but hard to capture something on a grand scale
single flowers
pets (love taking those)
portraits although they are hard to get people to relax so what i do is i get everybody to make a face and snap that. It can lead to a fun candid of everybody laughing after they make a face... and then they are relaxed and a good portrait can sometimes be had.
I don't use any programs except what came with the camera... If there are wires in the picture, there are wires.. or I crop it so there isn't.

have fun.
sunshine

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 3:49:29 PM

LondonArt

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

Hmmm, perhaps I stand corrected. They really do have a mirror ?

Having known about CCD and MOS image sensors I was under the impression that they didn't need an actual shutter at all. With an EVF all they have to do is set the sample time. That's how our's is, maybe it's a cheap one. Seems to take nice pictures though.

T

Point and shoot style digital cameras do just go straight onto the sensor, and diplay through the LCD on the back, DSLRs still use the mirror and viewfinder (though I believe the most recent Nikon and Canon models have the option to lock the mirror up for LiveView mode, but it's a bit pointless).

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/11/2008 4:27:24 PM

Vendaval

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Hi Butch,

Yes, I have taken a black and white course at a local community college.
The thread is about sharing techniques and styles, developing new skills.

Hello sunshine,

The rule of thirds is important to remember for framing the scene. Larger landscapes can work if you shoot a panorama and then blend the shots together. It is pretty easy with Photoshop.

Vendaval

_____________________________

"Beware, the woods at night, beware the lunar light.
So in this gray haze we'll be meating again, and on that
great day, I will tease you all the same."
"WOLF MOON", OCTOBER RUST, TYPE O NEGATIVE

http://KinkMeet.co.uk

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Post #: 27

RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/12/2008 7:06:43 AM

LaTigresse

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Vendaval

Ever show your work at a gallery or art faire?

Art fairs, yes. Gallery no, I am greedy and like to keep all the money people pay for them rather than give a percentage to the gallery. Besides, I doubt I am that good. People see my prints and a few sell. That's about it.

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/12/2008 7:47:46 AM

Anarrus

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I use a Canon 30D and I also have a couple Canon slr film cameras. I use all 3 but since getting the 30D I've made it my main camera. I love the image control that is available with a good digital camera and I also like seeing the results instantly. That way I can manipulate the certain elements of the photo digitally while I'm shooting.

But understand this, it's not the camera that makes great photos, it's the person using it. I've seen pretty awesome photos taken with the simplest and cheapest of cameras.
To me lighting is the most important element in a photo. Dull flat lighting will produce a mundane photo of even the most interesting and exciting subject matter. That said, don't pass up a photo opportunity just becasue the lighting isn't perfect. Often a dully lit photo can be manipulated digitally to give you a better picture. Second to that I'd say composition can also make or break a photo. There are plenty of good online sites that can give you good tips on composing your photo for maximum impact.

Choosing b&w or color depends entirely on the subject matter. I love b&w and used to have my own darkroom for processing and printing it. But since the advent of digital cameras and comp programs like photoshop I always shoot in color then convert to b&w if I think a photo will have more impact in b&w. I love using my film cameras for b&w, but since I no longer can process and print my own pics, I've slacked off using them. Most commercial film processers tend to screw up b&w film and prints as everything sent to them is done by machine.

I do a lot of landscapes and architectural interpretations, but my black lab is my main subject lately.
Shoot what interests you, but understand that a camera is a very impartial tool. It doesn't lie and has the capabilty of turning something you are emotionally connected to into something dull, as it doesn't see as you do.
Good luck and have fun with it all

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/12/2008 10:56:49 AM

kdsub

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Hi Anarrus...I've had some excellent B&W results using THIS on-line printer and paper.

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RE: Photographers - Your tips for great photos - 6/12/2008 11:11:49 AM

Anarrus

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Thanks!!! I'll check it out.

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