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Zer0's Random Photography Thread


Zer0

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The flash on your camera is used to fill in that hard shadow. Flash exposure compensation helps adjust it so that the flash gives fill light without completely overpowering other light. A flash is often more valuable in bright sun than it is in low light.

 

For the best example, check out page 4 here "Click"

 

This is for exposing the subject with a bright background just to help open you up to the abilities of the flash.

 

I heard though that learning how to use almost all situations without flash will make you a better "photographer". And I use that word lightly mind you.

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devilsadvocate
The cat one has a bit of potential, just needs a little more work. I actually kind of like the hard shadow covering part of it's face, it emphasizes how equal the face is on each side, it just needs to be slid over a little to the left. :)

cant you just take the photo for what it is?

618px-JeanLucPicardFacepalm.jpg

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cant you just take the photo for what it is?

618px-JeanLucPicardFacepalm.jpg

Critiquing and commenting will help him improve. It can change a fauxtographer into a photographer, and snapshots into works of art.

 

As for the built-in flash, it's best to avoid using it, but rather use an external flash. The built-on can cause the image to look flat and faded. You can get a decent flash on eBay or Craigslist for not to much.

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devilsadvocate
It can change a fauxtographer into a photographer

:tears:

hear that? its the worlds smallest violin complaining that art isnt art.

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It's okay, I understand what both of you are saying, and I agree with both of you equally to be honest. I enjoy taking pictures, however horrible they may be composition-wise, but I would also like to understand how to take better shots that not just a few people say "hey that looks great", but where almost everyone says it. Not for me, but for them as well. Being able to connect with the viewer through a photograph is my goal at this point. Hopefully one day with more experience under my belt, I will be able to reach that goal. Hopefully.

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Definition of a fauxtographer as accepted by the general photography community: Someone who goes out and buys one or more "kit" lenses and a low-medium camera body, then takes pictures with no thought of composition or other "accepted" guidelines.

 

This term is usually used to describe people who will do business, such as weddings, with said camera and lenses. The photo's (snapshots, really) are then either printed at a low-end place like Walmart's, or kept on various social media sites.

 

This person will usually assure you they are talented, and that they have a lot of experience, usually also comes with a recommendation from a family member of theirs.

 

A photographer, on the other hand, is completely different. They will know most, if not all the generally accepted rules, and when they can be bent. They will also know what will make a good shot, and how to capture it best.

 

They will act much more professional and usually more serious than a fauxtogropher. Prints will usually be sent out and printed at a dedicated company, and the photographer will deliver them to the client themselves.

 

Not everything is art. Is a plastic bottle you find in the dumpster art? No. Can it be made into art with a bit of work? Possible.

Photography is the same way. Snapshots would be the proverbial plastic bottle.In its original state, it is useless and pointless, but with work it can become true art. This work may be simply some post processing, or having to go out and take the shot again.

 

My favorite comparison is this: Snapshots are like the pictures middle-school girls put on facebook. You know the kind, the ones where they are in the bathroom and the camera is looking right down their shirts as they try to look sexy. Despite what they think, they just look short and gross, because of:

A. The angle it is taken at. No one looks good from the top down, you need to consider what it will show.

B. All the clutter in the backgrounds don't do anything. I myself have a problem with backgrounds, because I don't pay attention to them.

 

I had several more points to go one, but they fled my memory. But anyways, you get the point. To learn the different rules and guidelines, someone needs to critique your work. Some of the best learning you get is through failure and fixing what was wrong.

 

Edit: This was aimed at Devilsadvocate. Zer0, you have quite a bit of promise, you just need to practice and perfect a bit more. I'm really looking forward to seeing you progress!

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Edit: This was aimed at Devilsadvocate. Zer0, you have quite a bit of promise, you just need to practice and perfect a bit more. I'm really looking forward to seeing you progress!

 

Thanks dude, I look forward to that too haha. :3

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devilsadvocate

lol. im in my second semester of photography, i know what is considered "good photography"

but honestly i could give a rats ass what is "good and whats not"

my teacher hates me because shes just like you, "rules rules rule"

i understand your point of "every person with a camera thinks there a professional photographer"

by no means in zero a professional, but just because he isn't, doesn't make his pictures crappy.

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lol. im in my second semester of photography, i know what considered "good photography"

but honestly i could give a rats ass what is "good and whats not"

my teacher hates me because shes just like you, "rules rules rule"

i understand your point of "every person with a camera thinks there a professional photographer"

by no means in zero a professional, but just because he isn't, doesn't make his pictures crappy.

 

See, I can agree with this too haha. Whatever, there's no real reason to fight/argue/debate over this since it's all pretty much subjective anyway. Lets let this whole topic die here. I just want to post pictures every now and then, and whoever feels like it, can tell me how much they suck, and where to improve. That's all.

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The whole point is to not take a photo that you would have printed on metal, wood, canvas, or other expensive media to hand on your living room wall only to spend the next 10 years wishing you had done a better job. Some shots can be retaken and some cannot.

 

I'm sure you would not be happy if you spent a couple thousand for a wedding photographer and all the valuable shots at your wedding consisted of old men bent over showing crack, fire extenguishers and your nephew picking his nose in the background.

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As for the built-in flash, it's best to avoid using it, but rather use an external flash. The built-on can cause the image to look flat and faded. You can get a decent flash on eBay or Craigslist for not to much.

 

I don't really agree with this very much. It is certainly not "best to avoid using" the pop up flash. When you are working in bright sunlight, the pop up flash is invaluable. What you want to avoid doing with the pop up flash is using it as the main or only source of light in dim lit areas.

 

I took a couple shots this morning just to demonstrate what I mean. First the images then the explanation.

 

noflash.jpg

Ok. These shots are a combo of bright sunlight and strong shadow.

The first shot is without any flash. For the scene, the high contrast looks good but the hole in the tree is filled with black. We want a little detail going in there but we need light.

 

flash1.jpg

The second shot is taken with flash. While it does add light into hole, it is to much light. It fills in all the shadows and does make the image look flat where the whole is.

 

flash-1.jpg

In the third image the flash exposure compensation is set at -1 stop. What this has done is reduce the flash output to a point where it will not dominate the light from the sun. I've added enough fill light to bring out parts hidden in shadow while still retaining those shadowy areas.

 

flash-1e.jpg

The 4th image is the final piece. It is the same image as the 3rd one with the contrast raised to compare with the first image where no flash was used. As you can see, this gives the contrast and the shadows that I like from first image with detail within the shadows from using flash.

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4th image, is indeed the best. Nice shot. I like the bit of lake/pond to the left of the tree. Really nice shot.

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