The Official Photography Thread!

[Robert]

Post your great photos in here! For hosting the photos, you may want to use www.flickr.com or www.photobucket.com or www.picasa.com (I am sure there are tons more, but those I use myself).

Here's our dog Bamse. Took this with my Olympus 50mm macro lens and E-410 camera.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2490/4119438833_69ba919330_b.jpg

Here is photo of our golf course in November. Our daughter and I was out for a walk and lighting was just right. Made the scene kinda eerie... :crazyguy
Olympus E-410 with Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-f3.5 lens.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4129899730_6595489176_b.jpg

[deeaa]

Okay, here's one of our pets:

http://deeaa.pp.fi/images/eee1.jpg

I wish I knew how to photograph better...I guess I'd need a proper camera. This is a measley 2 Mpix pocket camera. Anyhow, this is my attempt at a fake scene...everything except the very background is built of plastic models:

http://deeaa.pp.fi/images/eee2.jpg

I was trying to build a fake scene with them, also added a truck...but never got around to getting better pictures then.

http://deeaa.pp.fi/images/eee3.jpg

[markb]

I'll bite. and since we're doing tech notes, Robert :)

From the old country. Leica M2 from 1959, 50mm Elmar from 1965, Agfa APX100 (discontinued 2006) in Rodinal developer (still with us, hurrah!). Scanned with an Epson v700.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1075/1350347429_e39eba81d4.jpg

Wellington, Sunday morning. Olympus e-520, 14-42mm (kit lens), jpeg cropped a bit (tsk, tsk), desaturated and faux gold toned in Photoshop Elements with a slight burn to the sky. All good old fashioned darkroom techniques done digitally.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/3778609463_f8a0ccca43_o.jpg

[Tig]

I was trying to build a fake scene with them, also added a truck...but never got around to getting better pictures then.


Maybe you can add the cat to the plastic scene for an "Attack of the Giant Kitteh" movie poster!

[Tig]

I have a fairly cheap Canon S3, but it suits my needs so far. A Nikon D-3000 sure would be nice down the road. I'll post up a few pic's from this year. I have no problem cropping a photo, but limit messing around with saturation unless really needed.


Here's a Yellow Crowned Night Heron up on the wire behind our house, zoomed in extra close. I like the lighting on his face.
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254b0bf86d033e7.jpg


Here's a Cooper's Hawk that landed on the fence. I had to shoot this through the kitchen window!
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254b0bf86ccbaba.jpg


Here's a B&W version of our grandson trying to look older when we were in downtown Houston recently. I saw the rock texture and had to take advantage of it. I got lucky on the depth of field for once.
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254b0bf86cb3bba.jpg

[Robert]

Tig, I really like that picture of your grandson!

[Retro Hound]

I use Webshots.com. Here's some of Chicago.

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/39229/2926015120010367626S600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/21373/2980588260010367626S600x600Q85.jpg

Colorado

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/46069/2192916930010367626S600x600Q85.jpg

[Ch0jin]

H'mm, we are only a few photos in and I already sense a little "what you should and should not do in digital" lurking in the background :)

Just to throw the photographic cat amongst the pigeons, here are a couple of examples of recent photo's I've taken that violate some of the "rules"

1. Don't shoot into the sun, Do use correct white balance, don't use a thick CP that causes vignetting (and definitely don't add loads more vignette in PS after!)

Wadi Rum. The Jordanian Desert.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2673/4132184716_347eb61981.jpg


2. This doesn't break rules as such, but this image was a result of me shooting using auto exposure bracketing for almost every shot I take these days (I could not afford this luxury in film) Of the three exposures, this one was +2 stops overexposed and daylight white balance indoors. I LOVE how it came out.

Pripyat School. Ukraine.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/4131440819_c36d200ea6.jpg


3. HDR Tonemapping! Some love it, some consider it an abomination. I've been playing with it for a little while. Here's an example.

Reactor 4. Chernobyl, Ukraine.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/4132196488_4e64510208.jpg


4. People call it "Fake Tilt Shift" or "Fake Miniature" manipulation. I dig it.

Sorry for the large versions of these, but the effect is more apparent in a larger image.

Ancient city of Jerash. Jordan.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2508/4131426765_9892fca8a8_b.jpg

The Great Temple. Petra, Jordan.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/4131424119_ac576024ed_b.jpg

5. Oooh, how about, HDR, plus fake B&W Infra Red?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2653/4132191622_a507af98a3.jpg

6. This one is a little irresponsible ethically (I tried to make it look scary and intimidating, but the writing on the wall really only signifies the owner of the house has done the Hajj, nothing bad at all) Anyway, lemme see.. Fake cross processing, fake vignette, mucho added contrast too...

Aleppo, Syria.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/4132194288_59cf8c283a.jpg


And lastly (for now, I am, as you can probably guess, an avid photographer and Photoshop hacker....)

7. Taking a nice sharp high resolution colour digital image and trying to make it look like a painting....

For those of you that know your religion, this is the spot where Moses looked out to see the promised land.

Mount Nebo, Jordan.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/4131426113_191aa1ed5d.jpg


So there you go. You might hate all those examples, but I just wanted to jump in and be the voice of dissent when it comes to the "rules". :)

[Tig]

Keep breaking "the rules". Those are quite awesome! :AOK

The rules are good for teaching, but we can later toss them out the window for the sake of art. Some photography (news, documentation, etc.) needs to stay in those rules for it's intended purpose. The rest of photography should be considered as art.

I think we can also apply this philosophy to music.

EDIT:
Here's some of my favorite rule breaker's work (http://www.mxcat.com/) (not mine)...

http://www.mxcat.com/cbg052805e.jpg

http://www.mxcat.com/iremb.jpg

[luvmyshiner]

ChOjin, I love it dude. Outstanding. When did you get to visit Chernobyl? I've seen pictures on Digg, and that place seems to have a serious "Silent Hill" vibe going on.

[ted s]

Great photo's everyone ! let's see more.
Deea, that first picture of your cat, she's a beaut !

[Ch0jin]

@Luvmyshiner. Thanks mate :) I went to Chernobyl a few months ago. Long story really shortened, I lost my job in March so instead of looking for another one, I filled a backpack and went to Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia and China. (that's why I've been basically AWOL from here for like 5 months or something..)

Chernobyl, or more specifically, the "dead" town of Pripyat were just unbelievable on so many levels. It totally has a "insert video game here" vibe to it. It would be off-the-hook scary at night, but alas, I couldn't swing that. (I wanted dusk and dawn for photographs, but I got midday sun :( ) I took hundreds of pix, but I was left wanting to take hundreds more, sadly a visit within the exclusion zone is a timed affair because, well you know, all that pesky radiation ;)

@Tig. Thanks! You said it very well regarding rules and art. I agree totally.

I like that second shot, although I'd have been tempted to HDR it rather than do the selective colour IR thing (assuming thats what was done, looks like it to me) something like this one I did yonks ago.

Abandoned house in Penang, Malaysia.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3642/3318092612_397713dfc5.jpg

[luvmyshiner]

Tig, I love that Courthouse shot dude. At first I was sure it was a picture of the Hill County Courthouse (I've practiced there for almost 20 years), but on closer examination I realized I was mistaken. But there are several architectural similarities. I'm sure they were designed by the same person.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/luvmyshiner/HillCountyCourthouse.jpg

Oh, ps, not my pic. Thank you google images.

[luvmyshiner]

ChO, what an amazing opportunity my friend! If I were 30 years younger, and didn't have my loving childbride, or kids, or bills, or all those other "friggin" things . . . I would have totally been there with you dude!

Did you use digital, or film (I'm guessing not practical with the radiation), or both? Weird question, but did you notice any ill effects from the radiation? Beautiful shots brother. Thanks for sharing.

[Ch0jin]

ChO, what an amazing opportunity my friend! If I were 30 years younger, and didn't have my loving childbride, or kids, or bills, or all those other "friggin" things . . . I would have totally been there with you dude!

Did you use digital, or film (I'm guessing not practical with the radiation), or both? Weird question, but did you notice any ill effects from the radiation? Beautiful shots brother. Thanks for sharing.

Digital.

I learnt a lot from a trip to Japan in 2001 shooting only film, and with only one body. I was shooting Velvia, T400CN, Fuji Press 800 and (i think) Provia as well as a bunch of "consumer" kodak gold I bought there. I spent half my time swapping rolls of film in and out, writing down what exposure number I was up to and cursing lighting conditions whilst all the while stressing about film choice for each particular image I had framed in my mind. Then of course people need to come round to my place to look at the slides etc etc.

For travel photography, a digital camera, SLR or not, can't be beat.

As far as radiation goes, yes, the entire exclusion zone still has background radiation levels much, much higher than normal, but if you follow the rules (yes, there are rules, and a disclaimer you must sign) -they say- you get about as much radiation in the 4 hours or so you get to wander about, as you would in a 24hr commercial flight (say, Sydney-London).

That said, this is the Ukrainian Government we are talking about. Without getting political or anything, I can assure you after spending the day with a Ukrainian Government Guide from the Soviet era, you really get the impression there is a "tourist" version of the Chernobyl story to date, and then there's the real story. We had many "touchy" questions unanswered.

Anyway yeah, not enough radiation to mess with film. I've seen medium format shots from the same place that came out fine. (one of the guys I met on the bus was shooting medium format and digital) Really long exposures with the camera close to grass or soil etc would likely show up the effects, but even if I had film, I had no tripod, no cable release and no access in low light to try it. Oh and the guide gets all kinds of angry if you walk on the grass! (It's radioactive, they aren't really worried about wrecking the lawn haha)

Lastly, I met two Texans (my first) and a Canadian bloke in the bar of my hotel the night before and we got to talking (read:drinking) all night so if there were any ill effects from the radiation, they were offset by my hangover :) You DO get a full body radiation scan as you leave the exclusion zone though.

[Ch0jin]

OK so here's one more Pripyat (Chernobyl) image for ya LMS. This one you'll recognise for sure if you've been looking at pix from around there. There is something unsettling about an abandoned amusement park, and no doubt thats why everyone who visits, photographs the ferris wheel :).

Also, see, I can post photo's that haven't been heavily modded ;)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2719/4132112343_5e78a9ff13.jpg

Also, to further make my point about white balance for any of you who are interested. I shoot 90% of the time with my white balance set to "Sunlight" regardless of my location. Coming from film, I grew to appreciate the fact that film (most film is designed for use in sunlight) will return all kinds of interesting "interpretations" of white depending on the source of illumination. Green for Fluorescent lights, Orange for Incandescent, Blue for some Halogens and so on. Sometimes you get a very orange/blue/green caste to your image that needs to be tweaked in PS (they do this in a lab for film too), but sometimes it looks like the following. The orange light is the morning sun from outside and the green is the fluorescent lighting inside. Not the best example, but I'm working on my travel portfolio so meh....

Inside Mohamed Ali Mosque, Cairo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4132109255_17c5e007b9.jpg

[Ch0jin]

And here's one for MarkB and any other closet camera geeks.....

The only real regret I have from my recent travels is I did not have 100EU (or equivalent Rubles) in my wallet when I stumbled across a street market in Moscow (right next to that giant ski jump thats kinda in between the university and the stadium if anyone knows Moscow). Like most markets in Moscow and St P, there are dozens and dozens of old soviet era (back to before WWII) cameras going cheap. Mostly German and Russian brands (Leica's everywhere). If you want to play with 35mm or MF rangefinder camera's, Go to Russia!! Anyway I digress. For about 100EU I could have had a Brass plated Leica (well I'm assuming they didn't gold plate the things for the war) made for the Luftwaffe. In very good (apparent) condition, complete with Swastika, and (in German of course) "Made for the Air force". I'm assuming made in the 40's I Soooooooooooooo wanted that camera, but alas, I had to leave it.

Anyway, to show you what I mean, here's the camera guy's stall in the markets behind the Church On The Spilled Blood in St Petersburg. This is a SMALL collection compared to what I saw in other places in Russia. Literally boxes full of cold war KGB cameras, spy cameras, the lot.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4132900614_93836fe195_b.jpg

[markb]

That "Leica" would be a 50s Fed or Zorki I, a Soviet Leica copy dressed up in Luftwaffe drag, worth about US$30 to a certain kind of collector. Russia is full of these fakes. Glad to hear you didn't part with Eu100.

Here's one with a TLR like the Rolleiflex Automat on that stall. British Museum, London if anyone's wondering.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1091/1427604655_73a2d7c056_o.jpg

[mrmudcat]

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1192/imgp0186.jpg


http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/6814/l0ef2a96675bd40acaf4924.jpg

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/157/imgp0183j.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/9873/imgp0153p.jpg

My two most important babes of my life Sable,Alice ,my hommie Bandit,my 3 young men (the band) Chase 15,Chance 13 holding lappy longer hair,and my main lil man Cameron 10:french If I broke rules sorry didnt see till after:cool:

[Ch0jin]

That "Leica" would be a 50s Fed or Zorki I, a Soviet Leica copy dressed up in Luftwaffe drag, worth about US$30 to a certain kind of collector. Russia is full of these fakes. Glad to hear you didn't part with Eu100.
]

Ahh ok, good to know if I head back that way. I don't know anything much about old camera's. My oldest is a Canon AE1, like '76 or so I think. I just knew it looked cool, and after watching one of the guys on my Chernobyl trip shooting an old MF TLR, then running into all these old camera's all over the place in Russia, I knew I wanted one :)

[Spudman]

My artsy shot of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Taken with the Pentax.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/scenery/InternationalConference2009036-1.jpg

This was from the Beartooth Mountains. Giant flowers with a Pentax Optio 30

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/scenery/Beartooths2007068.jpg

This is also from the Beartooths. I like it because there is a bit of blur to the water that gives it the movement yet there are plenty of droplets suspended in mid air.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/scenery/Beartooths2007182.jpg

[Spudman]

My 9 year old daughter took this.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/People/IMG_0563.jpg

This is a neat shot but more light on the faces would really make it come to life.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/People/MarshValley013.jpg

I like the composition and lighting on this. Notice the moon?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/People/AliceCooper071.jpg

[Ch0jin]

Wow Spudman. That shot of the flowers is spectacular! Amazingly sharp focus and perfect DOF all on a nice composition. A+

(me ebay's his dSLR and lenses.....)

[luvmyshiner]

ChOjin, I've always loved photography, but your pictures are on an entirely different level. You make art.

I do remember seeing pictures of the ferris wheel at Pripyat. Another picture that I always found disturbing for some reason was of a very large room filled with abandoned baby cribs.

Here's a shot of some of my camera collection:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/luvmyshiner/Thanksgiving%202009/DSC_0010.jpg

I have a couple of Hasselblads that I love, though I don't get to use them very often. My first real film camera was a Canon AE-1 that still works like a dream (it's in the center of the bottom shelf). Right now my favorite film camera is an old Canon F-1 work horse (circa 1976) that weighs a ton and shoots like a dream. But I've got a problem with a light leak on it that I haven't been able to track down. I've replaced a few of the seals, but I haven't found what's causing it yet.

[just strum]

We had our first winter 2009 snow fall this morning. It will be gone by tomorrow, but it looked nice when I looked out the window. I took the Airedale for a walk and being her first snow experience, she really got into it. She now keeps ringing the bell on the door signaling she wants to go back out.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/005-5.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/011-3.jpg

[Robert]

Took some photos this morning of our 16 year-old girl. Fixed the skin a little bit in Photoshop. Which version do you like better - BW or in colour?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4142359299_c04cbaf843_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/4143114944_8d0c7b736e_b.jpg

[Spudman]

I actually like the drama and light/shade options best on the black and white.

Pretty girl.

[just strum]

When I used film, I always shot in black & white and enjoy seeing people use b & w when using digital.

[Kazz]

Robert...your daughter is gorgeous....better be polishing up the guns....I prefer the black and white but I always have loved that medium.

Some great photos in here. Shiner that is some collection brother.

[Blaze]

Canon Powershot A710_IS


Neighbor' s tricentenary house

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/10/31/1555652/Voisin%20...jpg



Pine Grosbeak

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/10/31/1555652/Bird...jpg


Our Baby Fanee


http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/10/31/1555652/Fanie%20...jpg

[Rampant]

You guys are good.
Some spanking photos.

A couple from me...
Both un-edited and using only compact cameras :)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/markhollywood/DSC00348.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/markhollywood/Dsc00097.jpg

[piebaldpython]

Robert...your daughter is gorgeous....better be polishing up the guns.....

+1 on your daughter Robert..... and making sure your guns are all in working order. :what I like the B & W more myself.

You all take some amazing shots.....geez, what talent we have here on the forum.

[just strum]

You all take some amazing shots.....geez, what talent we have here on the forum.

If we only knew how to play guitar.

Robert, I didn't even know you had a 16 year old daughter - man you are old!!!

[street music]

Robert, you shouldn't let PES see that picture of your daughter. Great pictures guys, Robert your daughter is very pretty and the way you took that pictures is really a great angle of her. The snow pictures are very nice but please keep that North of me, after that Jan 09 ice storm I'm not in mood for more. Spud , your pics are right on as always.

[piebaldpython]

Off topic a bit.......but I bet Robert doesn't even need guns......not with all those VEINS popping out.......that oughta be enough to scare away the lads. :poke

[Ch0jin]

Both those portrait shots are excellent Robert.

I would like to be brutally honest in my critique though as this always helps me in, well life really (honest critique I mean).

Two things bug me. I have a great love for B&W photo's, but I rarely see digital B&W's that really blow me away, simply because they always feel a bit "smooth" to me. I find the grain of 400 or even 800 iso B&W film to be significantly more pleasing to my eye than digital B&W's.

So for that reason I'd vote the colour shot. Although, in the colour shot I am finding the background a little more distracting than in the B&W. If it were me, I'd be tempted to try removing the (i think it's a plant right?) digitally and see if I liked the effect more.

Anyway, I had to try hard to find fault as thats an excellent shot as I said. You've either accidentally or on purpose, either way is good haha, nailed the key elements I like to see in a portrait. Focus and DOF are perfect, especially with the wide aperture I assume was used F3.5 ish perhaps? I also think you nailed the lighting. Getting the light reflections in the eyes is also great and adds a lot to the shot.

As has been said, wow, there are some people here who know there way around a camera it seems! I better lift my game :AOK

Oh and lastly, I'm loving the snow shots. It doesn't snow in Sydney ;)

[Robert]

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, you've got some good points there. I may try fixing the background; it would enhance the picture a bit. I took hundreds of photos of her that day, trying to get that "perfect" one. I got close I think...


Both those portrait shots are excellent Robert.

I would like to be brutally honest in my critique though as this always helps me in, well life really (honest critique I mean).

Two things bug me. I have a great love for B&W photo's, but I rarely see digital B&W's that really blow me away, simply because they always feel a bit "smooth" to me. I find the grain of 400 or even 800 iso B&W film to be significantly more pleasing to my eye than digital B&W's.

So for that reason I'd vote the colour shot. Although, in the colour shot I am finding the background a little more distracting than in the B&W. If it were me, I'd be tempted to try removing the (i think it's a plant right?) digitally and see if I liked the effect more.

Anyway, I had to try hard to find fault as thats an excellent shot as I said. You've either accidentally or on purpose, either way is good haha, nailed the key elements I like to see in a portrait. Focus and DOF are perfect, especially with the wide aperture I assume was used F3.5 ish perhaps? I also think you nailed the lighting. Getting the light reflections in the eyes is also great and adds a lot to the shot.

As has been said, wow, there are some people here who know there way around a camera it seems! I better lift my game :AOK

Oh and lastly, I'm loving the snow shots. It doesn't snow in Sydney ;)

[markb]

Two things bug me. I have a great love for B&W photo's, but I rarely see digital B&W's that really blow me away, simply because they always feel a bit "smooth" to me. I find the grain of 400 or even 800 iso B&W film to be significantly more pleasing to my eye than digital B&W's.

Sometimes you just need the "bite" of something like Tri-x. I've been shooting some Fuji Acros in the TLR but somehow it just looks like b&w digital. OK in a 50's Agfa Clack box camera though. The incredible resolution of the film is nicely offset by the dodgy (in a good way) lens. The roll of film cost more than the camera :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3443/3816793324_0dc54d8331.jpg



Was that with your 50 f2, Robert? If so, I think it was worth it. :AOK

[Robert]

Was that with your 50 f2, Robert? If so, I think it was worth it. :AOK

Yes, Mark, it was. That's such a sweet lens! Works okay for portrait photos huh? :applause

[Tig]

NPD (new puppy day) I put the picture here since it turned out better than expected.
This is among the list of dogs I thought I'd never ever get, but she stole our hearts. She started out with my step daughter, but as usual, we ended up taking it in (son in law doesn't like dogs).

Meet LuLu. She's about 14 weeks old, full of spunk and typical puppy sweetness. Rarely barks. Performs flying kung fu kicks when playing with the other dogs, much like the younger spinning Yoda .
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5620098352_aaa4f50f23_b.jpg

Ziggy had to get in on the posing action, so I'll put him in as well...
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5620098358_e48a085d1d_b.jpg

[R_of_G]

Nice pics Tig. Congrats on the new puppy. Welcome LuLu. :)

[kidsmoke]

Beautiful Dogs Tig, welcome LuLu to the fold.

Now, about that Son In Law.....

[Robert]

From when we went to Sweden recently. That's a python. Then a centipede. I'm on the 3rd picture.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_7uKS406H_0A/TZjmMyC2cEI/AAAAAAAAAxM/JTUg35T5M-k/s912/P4031201.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_7uKS406H_0A/TZjmQmG9yVI/AAAAAAAAAxM/J9Kf9kiqLHA/s912/P4031221.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_7uKS406H_0A/TZjmP8dkwxI/AAAAAAAAAxM/sSOZOC3L5pA/s912/P4031215.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_7uKS406H_0A/TZjmFa40frI/AAAAAAAAAxM/XsCojpQjkQg/s912/P4031166.JPG