halfpint Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Well, mine is plenty large enough. After reading about the not yet released 200-400mm f/4L IS with built-in 1.4x extender. I can't wait to see how much it's going to cost. Thanks for the kind words. What areas does anyone see that I need to focus on improving? Link to comment
halfpint Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 #48 Longhorn Cow by Jake_Brake, on Flickr Link to comment
halfpint Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Can anyone make any suggestions as where my photography needs improvement? I just don't feel my images are as good as I'd like them to be. Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 #49 Moon by Jake_Brake, on Flickr Link to comment
wvned Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Can anyone make any suggestions as where my photography needs improvement? I just don't feel my images are as good as I'd like them to be. I think your lens is defective you need to send it to me for testing jk Your shots are awesome. Perhaps it is your post processing skills that need improvement. This is where I started to make pictures look like I wanted to please myself. Every shot I have posted recently was made to look the way I wanted it to please myself. Some will appreciate it and some wont. Some subjects just don't interest some people. all of this stuff about out of camera shots is crazy to me with digital. Why should some engineer determine how my pictures look instead of me? My goal is to capture the maximum amount of good data I can out of an exposure and then make it look like something I like to look at. The settings in the camera are changing the picture in exactly the same way post processing does. Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Thanks. I agree that my post has room for improvement. I just got PS, so I hope to get back into the swing of things with it. Haven't had it since CS1. I just need to get it installed. I've been using iPhoto thus far, so minimal editing. No retouch, layers, or fine-tune adj to sharpness and color. Just basic curves and saturation thus far. Link to comment
wvned Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Being a person of low moral character and excellent technical skills I have both PS CS3 and LR3 I never open PS anymore. What caught me off guard was sharpening. I guess the XSi does it for you. I thought the 7D Pictures looked awful until I started hammering the sharpening sliders. In that body using a neutral setting gives a very bland image out of the camera. Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Good tips. I'll have to play with sharpness more. Thanks. Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Here's an example of me trying PS for the first time in 4 years. It will take me a while to get back into the swing of things with editing. Here's the original: Link to comment
wvned Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I think you missed my point. I was not suggesting your pics need more sharpening and I don't really consider post processing as editing though I understand it actually is. Cropping for example is clearly editing. The other qualities however like brightness, white balance, contrast, saturation, sharpening and noise reduction can all be done in the camera. But I prefer to do them later. A good example are birds that have both black and white feathers. It is very difficult to evoke maximum detail in both areas with a single in camera setting. I am not that good and probably never will be. for example What I do in LR will not make a bad shot a good one but is does allow me to maximize what was captured by the sensor to maximum effect. You said you weren't happy with your shots. I was suggesting you try and evoke what you think is missing in post processing. Link to comment
dickie52 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I think you missed my point. This summer I saw a snake with a chic-a-dee in it's mouth, I tried to save the bird, rather than get my camera. I still kick my ass on that one! Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Ah, so I did miss your point. I re-read your posts, and I think I understand your point clearly now. You're doing less in post and more with in-camera settings than the average Joe, right? You're using the cameras processor to handle your sharpness and other parameters, instead of mostly being handled in post. That's what I got from it. Do you shoot in RAW or JPG? I've been shooting in RAW for years, and although my camera does have color profiles, I don't generally use the custom profiles. I get my composition right, then tweak the params in post. Looking at my last picture closer, I can see that the baby's skin is a bit green/yellow. Unlike the way it is IRL. Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Went to Little Talbot Island. Took photos. First time trying my hand at HDR: #50 Rocky HDR by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #51 Driftwood Waves by Jake_Brake, on Flickr ...and the rest: #52 Backlit Trees by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #53 Driftwood Grain by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #54 Beach Bottle by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #55 Driftwood Shoreline by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #56 Sandy Shore by Jake_Brake, on Flickr I found a jellyfish in a little tidepool. The tide was coming in, so I think he was going to be fine. #57 Jellyfish by Jake_Brake, on Flickr Link to comment
dickie52 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 LOVE, 54 and 55 crop 57 they show so much better on flicker Link to comment
halfpint Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 I love 55, as well. I also LOVE puppet warp. I used it to straighten the horizon in that one. 57 is nearly a 100% crop. Jellyfish was some 15 yards away I think. That was at 320mm equivalent. Lol Link to comment
halfpint Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 #58 - Playing around with the ring-flash. It really is a lot of fun. Eye2 by Jake_Brake, on Flickr Link to comment
Withers Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Nice! I'm just catching up... but yeah, post is IMO primarily what separates good photographers from excellent photographers. I'm struggling with it too. I feel like I'm in a rut and not really getting any better. It's frustrating. When you see a truly excellent photo from someone online, if you can manage to have them show you the original you might be shocked at the difference. Link to comment
halfpint Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thanks! I am going to try to take a couple classes over the summer to try to sharpen my post skills. I know that is my Achilles heel. It's starting to warm up outside here, and it's making me want to go out on a shooting expedition. Link to comment
Bishop Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Nice! I'm just catching up... but yeah, post is IMO primarily what separates good photographers from excellent photographers. I'm struggling with it too. I feel like I'm in a rut and not really getting any better. It's frustrating. When you see a truly excellent photo from someone online, if you can manage to have them show you the original you might be shocked at the difference. This is one thing I hate... You have a little screen on the back of the camera and people wanna see what you shot. I've learned to tell them it has to be developed before they can see it. It's not a Polaroid or an Iphone. Link to comment
tinkerer Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 This is one thing I hate... You have a little screen on the back of the camera and people wanna see what you shot. I've learned to tell them it has to be developed before they can see it. It's not a Polaroid or an Iphone. it is a condition of society these days to be impatient. i want exactly what i want and i wanted it five minutes ago. nice pics, keep up the good work! Link to comment
TheWAND Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 This is one thing I hate... You have a little screen on the back of the camera and people wanna see what you shot. I've learned to tell them it has to be developed before they can see it. It's not a Polaroid or an Iphone. True story. The only person who gets to look at my on camera screen is me. Make it a rule, and nobody asks to see it anymore. Link to comment
halfpint Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Yes, I have to agree that it gets old having your model asking to see the camera for approval on every shot. I usually play it off by saying something along the lines of, "I don't want to spoil the surprise by letting you see them now." Link to comment
Withers Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Yep, plus they won't understand that because you're shooting in RAW it's going to look flat and bland no matter how good you are as a photographer. Link to comment
halfpint Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 Good point. RAW shots unedited many times look washed out, making the rubberneckers think their P+S does a better job. Link to comment
halfpint Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Just got a Canon 60D, grip, and some other supplies for shooting wedding video. I'm already in love with this camera. Amazing high ISO performance, compared to my 450D I've been using for 4 years. These are all shot with the 60D. #59 Rust by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #60 Fly on Flower by Jake_Brake, on Flickr #61 Spider by Jake_Brake, on Flickr Link to comment
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