Author Topic: Shutterbug showcase (Read 747257 times)

Old Philosopher · « **on:** June 10, 2012, 12:09:11 PM »

I put this thread here because it's a "general" topic in my mind.
I know there are a lot of members who have an interest in photography, and take pictures not specific to outings, or trips. I've seen some really nice scenic shots, and a few "artsy" pictures.

I thought it might be nice to have a place to share the hobby.

The other thing that prompted me to post is that I just fell heir to a new camera! All this time I've been using a Sony Cybershot with very limited settings, and a 3x zoom.
A couple weeks ago I was given an Olympus 720SW, with a dead battery and no cables. I let my fingers do the walking through cyberspace, and found a battery charger and USB cable on Amazon for $1.28 for both!!! Another $6.00 S/H and I was good to go for under $10. So far everything is working as advertised.

The excitement comes from the camera specs. It's shockproof up to a 5 foot drop on concrete, and will take underwater photos down to 10 feet. No need to worry about taking pictures in the rain, or getting it dunked on a canoe trip, eh? It has a macro capability down to 2.7". The really exciting part is that it has a 15x zoom, vs. the 3x on the old Sony, and "image stabilization". I'm really looking forward to getting some better wildlife shots with it!

So without babbling further, here's a couple test shots from yesterday.

So how about it? Got any purdy piktures to share? Like I say, I would love to see some b/w or artsy stuff.

American Grouch · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2012, 12:27:27 PM »

My most recent favorite, my youngest daughter slaying some pike.

Looks like shes posing as some kind of mythical beast vanquisher, there's even sunlight glinting off her reel! Gung-Fish-Fu for the win!

kanukkarhu · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2012, 12:53:08 PM »

I put some scenery shots up in the Canadian sub forum. (Here, if you missed it and are interested: http://bladesandbushcraft.com/index.php/topic,1844.0.html ).

But here's another:

KK

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2012, 12:56:08 PM »

Good idea, OP. And some nice pictures so far.

I'll see if I can find some of my favorites in my photobucket account...

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2012, 01:07:53 PM »

zammer · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2012, 01:08:31 PM »

That crazy Pike thinks its a Largemouth...lol... great pic AG, and what says summer more than what that pic shows!

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2012, 01:19:19 PM »

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on June 10, 2012, 12:56:08 PM

Good idea, OP. And some nice pictures so far.

I'll see if I can find some of my favorites in my photobucket account...

Thanks! Let's hope this thread "sticks" around. <hint...hint>

Buckskin · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2012, 02:30:58 PM »

dsmjon · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2012, 02:43:52 PM »

Canon 5DmkII, 100-400L

RTH eats snake...snake tries to eat RTH.

5DmkII, and I think the 100L macro with a small tube...

Yellow Jacket being "born"

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

American Grouch · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2012, 02:50:21 PM »

Some of what I think are my better shots I've turned into banners for the blog.

My favorite five are these, and each is representative of the seasons.

Gurthy · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2012, 03:43:20 PM »

I have some luck occasionally with my trusty Cannon Digital Elph... just point and click!

kanukkarhu · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2012, 04:28:56 PM »

Wow! Great photos all!

Great thread OP. (I see it got sticky on ya...)

zammer · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2012, 04:52:03 PM »

Local Art Gallery had an "Art in the Park" thing going on this wknd, went over for a look and although many vendors did not want any pics taken of their work, this Vender who is a Metalsmith did not mind me snapping a pic of his Serpent, it was very nicely done...

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2012, 06:05:30 PM »

Some great looking photos so far!

I decided to try an experiment. The original pics I posted were single exposures. but this green one just begged to be processed with HDR software. So I used Canon's Digital Photo Professional to create 5 "pseudo bracketed" images by manipulating the brightness. I then used Photomatix Light HDR software to produce the following results:

Before:

After:

zammer · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2012, 06:10:56 PM »

That made it pop PW...sometimes all a pic needs is a little somethin extra.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2012, 06:20:41 PM »

Thanks Zammer. I really need to get a camera that can take bracketed pics. I have an older DSLR but I never take it anywhere because it doesn't fit in my pocket.

I love the effects you can get with HDR processing but the bracketed shots are what kills it for me. The detail in the highlights of the above image would be so much clearer if it wasn't a single shot.

kanukkarhu · « **Reply #16 on:** June 10, 2012, 09:27:17 PM »

Zammer, I love the way that serpent looks like it's going to eat the guy's head! AWESOME photo.

And PW, nice thinking. I have a program to "tweek" my photos, but I tend to just use an online one such as picknik (gone now) or something similar.

Again, nice shots. I'll post another after a few more get a chance.

zammer · « **Reply #17 on:** June 10, 2012, 11:02:07 PM »

Quote from: kanukkarhu on June 10, 2012, 09:27:17 PM

Zammer, I love the way that serpent looks like it's going to eat the guy's head! AWESOME photo.

I got lucky with that Kanuk...thanks

Wounded Thumb · « **Reply #18 on:** June 10, 2012, 11:23:09 PM »

PW, can you explain a little more about these bracketed pictures, I got no clue what you're talking about.

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #19 on:** June 10, 2012, 11:37:03 PM »

Great shots, guys! Thanks for playing!
I would give my left family jewel for a DSLR! I have my 35mm gear packed away, and only use it occasionally when I get serious.
With the post-processing treatment, I went to an open-source program called Gimp. What I do, PW, is create multiple layers, and then stack them to get the vibrant colors and contrast I used to get with Kodachrome.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #20 on:** June 11, 2012, 12:02:55 AM »

Quote from: Wounded Thumb on June 10, 2012, 11:23:09 PM

PW, can you explain a little more about these bracketed pictures, I got no clue what you're talking about.

Sure thing.

Bracketed exposures means that you take multiple pictures of the same subject with the same framing (usually from a tripod) with diferent exposure levels. For example, you could take one picture underexposed one stop, then one at the metered exposure, thn one overexposed one stop. Some people like to take many more, perhaps starting at -2 stops and going up in 1/3 stop increments all the way to +2 stops, for example.

The technique used to be used by film photographers to help ensure they would get the perfect exposure. They would have several "waste" exposures and one correct one. Since digital images can be tweaked so easily in post processing, most pocket digital cameras don't have the feature.

However, for making an "HDR" (High Dynamic Range) image, you need bracketed images. When you take a single image, the shadows will be dar, and the highlights will be bright. But you won't see much detail in those parts of the image. By taking bracketed exposures, on the underexposed shot, the highlights will be toned down and you'll be able to see details you couldn't see in the "as metered" shot. An overexposed shot will reveal details that would be hidden in shadows. HDR software can blend the bracketed shots together to reveal details it is impossible to capture in a single exposure. And the software can give you a lot of fun options for tweaking the contrast and saturation to achieve some effects that go from merely more vivid to surreal.

OP's method of blending multiple images with GIMP can achieve similar effects but is perhaps more labor intensive. I recommend giving the Photomatix Light HDR software a try. They have a free version that you can play with to see if you like it, but it leaves a watermark on your pics. I went ahead and bought it because it was the simplest from a user standpoint I'd seen so far. It lets you get all the cool effects without having to really learn anything.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #21 on:** June 11, 2012, 12:13:43 AM »

Quote from: Old Philosopher on June 10, 2012, 11:37:03 PM

Great shots, guys! Thanks for playing!
I would give my left family jewel for a DSLR! I have my 35mm gear packed away, and only use it occasionally when I get serious.
With the post-processing treatment, I went to an open-source program called Gimp. What I do, PW, is create multiple layers, and then stack them to get the vibrant colors and contrast I used to get with Kodachrome.

The biggest difference I see with using the DSLR is the recovery time between shots is so much better! Taking pictures of my daughter is pretty frustrating with a pocket camera because of the lag between pressing the shutter button and the actual picture. With the "big" camera it takes the shot immediately before those fleeting expressions are gone. But... things that are cumbersome get left at home more often than not.

What I want to get is one of the really top of the line all in one cameras that have a fixed zoom and a lot of features, including a hot shoe and a pentaprism viewfinder just like an SLR. That would be small enough to take along but without having to sacrifice too many features. I bought the cheapest Canon DSLR I could find a couple of years ago and I like it, but it's already obsolete.

Another thing that really bugs me is that cameras nowadays use proprietary rechargeable batteries. I use NiMh cells in mine but I like the ability to use alkalines so I don't miss out on the action waiting for batteries to charge. And replacement NiMh AA's are usually way cheaper than proprietary camera batteries.

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #22 on:** June 11, 2012, 12:30:35 AM »

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on June 11, 2012, 12:13:43 AM

....Taking pictures of my daughter is pretty frustrating with a pocket camera because of the lag between pressing the shutter button and the actual picture. With the "big" camera it takes the shot immediately before those fleeting expressions are gone. ...

That's my biggest complaint, too. I'm used to having my 35mm SLR take a picture in 1/1000th of a second, and be ready for the next one 1/1000th of a second later!
I typically turn off the "preview" feature on the digital, and set the resolution for the lowest possible acceptable pixel count. That speeds things up a lot between photos. BUT, nothing can speed this pocket cameras up when it comes to trying to shot an action shot. You have to start pressing the shutter release a couple days before the scene you want to capture happens, and then hope you guessed right.

As far as the bracketed shot go, my antique Olympus 510, the Sony Cybershot, and this Olympus 720SW have an easily accessible button that lets you slide from 2 stops under, to 2 stops over in 1/3rd stop increments. Really quick and easy to use.

zammer · « **Reply #23 on:** June 11, 2012, 10:36:09 AM »

Time for a Cat nap...Zzzzzzz

Wounded Thumb · « **Reply #24 on:** June 11, 2012, 11:34:08 AM »

Thank you PW

kanukkarhu · « **Reply #25 on:** June 11, 2012, 11:50:52 AM »

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #26 on:** June 11, 2012, 12:13:44 PM »

Quote from: dsmjon on June 10, 2012, 02:43:52 PM

Canon 5DmkII, 100-400L

RTH eats snake...snake tries to eat RTH.

Really enjoyed this photo. Nature in Action!

Highlife · « **Reply #27 on:** June 11, 2012, 12:22:38 PM »

Quote from: Old Philosopher on June 11, 2012, 12:13:44 PM

Quote from: dsmjon on June 10, 2012, 02:43:52 PM
Canon 5DmkII, 100-400L

RTH eats snake...snake tries to eat RTH.

Really enjoyed this photo. Nature in Action!

Agreed. RTH FTW!

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #28 on:** June 11, 2012, 11:21:26 PM »

I'm really getting to like this camera.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #29 on:** June 12, 2012, 12:08:48 AM »

Flower macros are great!

woodsrunner · « **Reply #30 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:22:38 PM »

pine creek lake absaroka mtns...montana...wo ods

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #31 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:29:32 PM »

woodsrunner · « **Reply #32 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:45:24 PM »

reckon thats getting yer moneys worth!!!very cool OP...woods

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #33 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:57:22 PM »

Quote from: woodsrunner on June 13, 2012, 09:45:24 PM

reckon thats getting yer moneys worth!!!very cool OP...woods

I reckon that saw is older than you and me put together!

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #34 on:** June 13, 2012, 10:09:30 PM »

The really interesting thing about that saw is that I believe the blade was hand-made from a plain strip of metal. The old timers really knew the meaning of DIY!

woodsrunner · « **Reply #35 on:** June 13, 2012, 10:16:14 PM »

Quote from: Old Philosopher on June 13, 2012, 09:57:22 PM

Quote from: woodsrunner on June 13, 2012, 09:45:24 PM
reckon thats getting yer moneys worth!!!very cool OP...woods
I reckon that saw is older than you and me put together!

that is old!...LOL...yer probably right about that saw blade op, different breed of human for sure!...woods

Sudz · « **Reply #36 on:** June 14, 2012, 08:14:28 PM »

One of my newest favorites! Memorial Day weekend, Wonderful weather, and my Fatbike.

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #37 on:** June 14, 2012, 08:25:33 PM »

Nice perspective, Sudz! I like the composition in that bike pic!

Sudz · « **Reply #38 on:** June 14, 2012, 11:19:22 PM »

Thanks OP, maybe two years of Art wasn't a waste

Absolutely Loved that weekend! Snow at about 8000 feet, little bit of drizzle/sleet below and beautifully green. Not 10 feet from where I snapped the photo I found a large batch of newly opened Indian Paintbrush flowers, I was in my element that day.

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #39 on:** June 16, 2012, 10:13:59 PM »

White Campion (wildflower). The roots are boiled and used as soap.

zammer · « **Reply #40 on:** June 21, 2012, 10:06:00 PM »

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #41 on:** June 21, 2012, 10:19:21 PM »

Nice!

GrowlingBear · « **Reply #42 on:** June 21, 2012, 10:21:22 PM »

Big pallet roasting over a foot-deep bed of coals on a cold February night in the desert:

Dadio · « **Reply #43 on:** June 22, 2012, 07:33:13 PM »

Old Philosopher · « **Reply #44 on:** June 22, 2012, 08:00:01 PM »

Nice! Thanks! Change that one of the hunters to b/w, or sepia and that's probably what a deer would see. Or not see!

easy_rider75 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 23, 2012, 09:12:01 AM »

this was a total crap lucky shot I got of our dog. taken with a nothing fancy o it point and shoot

Buckskin · « **Reply #46 on:** June 23, 2012, 02:50:05 PM »

One of my friends. He is a real Jack .

Taken with my dumb phone (I cant afford a smart one yet)

Dadio · « **Reply #47 on:** June 24, 2012, 06:51:47 AM »

zammer · « **Reply #48 on:** June 24, 2012, 09:35:58 AM »

Good shots all, I especially like this shot GB took...and have dubbed it "The burning gates of Hell"

Dadio · « **Reply #49 on:** June 24, 2012, 09:49:58 AM »

Should that be "burning GRATES of hell"? Does look like something out of a Lord of the Rings movie....

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Author Topic: Shutterbug showcase (Read 747257 times)