Official Photography Thread

[wuapinmon]

The heron one I took before the sun was really up. I don't have any fancy software, just Picasa, but this was what I could get it to do. I saw my first Winter Wren this morning, but the light was so low down on a boardwalk in the Black Creek Swamp and it wouldn't sit still for a second, so all I got were big blurs.

[SteelBlue]

Got my first DSLR for Christmas. I went with the Nikon D3200 as it seemed a great choice for entry level. I'm hoping to learn a lot with it this coming year.

[Copelius]

Got my first DSLR for Christmas. I went with the Nikon D3200 as it seemed a great choice for entry level. I'm hoping to learn a lot with it this coming year.

Got an unexpected end of year bonus and mentioned to my wife that it might be nice to finally get a DSLR. A couple days later she mentions that the mattress is unbearable and she wants to replace it. Maybe next year.

[swampfrog]

A couple of shots of the Rexburg Temple when I picked up my daughter.

[swampfrog]

And the obligatory bird shots:

[clackamascoug]

I always enjoy your photos, and will take them as a good omen on this Jan 1, 2015.

[Topper]

I love the bird shots.

[SteelBlue]

Beatiful shots swampfrog. I went out shooting today for the first time with my new camera. I really like some of the stuff I took in auto mode, but when I tried to do the settings on my own it was clear that I currently suck at this. Lots to learn.

[Katy Lied]

Swamp: Nice job of conveying that the Rexburg Temple sits on a slope, yet not making the picture feel crooked.

[swampfrog]

Swamp: Nice job of conveying that the Rexburg Temple sits on a slope, yet not making the picture feel crooked.

Thanks, I'll admit I took a lot longer in post-processing on that shot than usual leveling the planes/lines. If I shot more architecture, a tilt-shift lens would be in order. Even still, I couldn't find a perspective where I could avoid the yellow stripe on the sidewalk/road border, maybe if I had a ladder...

[swampfrog]

Beatiful shots swampfrog. I went out shooting today for the first time with my new camera. I really like some of the stuff I took in auto mode, but when I tried to do the settings on my own it was clear that I currently suck at this. Lots to learn.

Once you get an understanding of Aperture, Shutter speed, and ISO, then setting things manually for desired exposure/effects becomes easier. You first have to understand why the camera is choosing the settings it does--what is the camera seeing. Most DSLR's today have an exposure metering indicator in the viewfinder. So if the DSLR is in manual mode (usually 'M' on a dial somewhere), when you half press the shutter release button, it will both focus, and show you whether the camera believes the exposure is correct, you then adjust accordingly.

Tons of resources on the net, google and youtube are your friends.

I could go on longer, but the short version is:

Aperture = how much light (but also effects depth of the focus field)
Shutter speed = how long the sensor is exposed to the light
ISO = how sensitive to light the sensor in the camera is (more sensitive = more noise/graininess)

Balancing these 3 for any given situation is all on the technical side and can be mastered. Knowing what to point your camera at...well, I still haven't figured that out yet.

[swampfrog]

Sunrise from Mount Hood, Oregon

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[Pelado]

Sunrise from Mount Hood, Oregon

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Beautiful.

[clackamascoug]

Swampy, did you stay at Timberline Lodge or did you drive up the mountain (very early) to get that shot?

[swampfrog]

Swampy, did you stay at Timberline Lodge or did you drive up the mountain (very early) to get that shot?

I drove up with 2 of my girls to do a photo shoot with a want-to-be-photographer friend of theirs. Told them if I'm going up there, we're going early so I have something to shoot too.

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