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Photography

I would be keen to discuss topics relating to Photography


Created By on 15/12/2015

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EllenMay
19th May 2021 19:01:20
0
Thanks for voting!
I enjoy photography - largely nature photography or portraits. I have to have my camera on me all the time. Yes my mobile is useful for this, but I need the actual camera and even on dog walks etc it's with me at all times. I don't do professional photography but have been asked to take photos at baptisms etc for family and other events. Any tips welcome really.
MickeyMoose
29th Nov 2021 00:04:40 (Last activity: 7th Jan 2022 12:31:03)
2
Thanks for voting!
I have had a camera since I was a teenager. I had my own b&w darkroom until I switched to digital.
For me it was truely a hobby but I did occasionally sell a print or two. I was in three art shows and won 2 honorable mentions and a first place.
My area of interest is main still life and nature photography.
Now, well into my senior years, my cameras have grown dusty but I still enjoy the web sites.
Response from dcline35 made on 12th Dec 2021 04:09:36
Started with home darkroom in 1952. I still have fun with photography. Lately I have been photographing small things, The grain in wood is beautiful. Looking closely air a spider web shows a rainbow of colors. I would like to chat about any aspect of photography or optics.

Here is a technical teaser. Do you know your camera magnification when you take photos?
Response from MickeyMoose made on 13th Dec 2021 00:33:55
I have an android and yes, I do print them.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 13th Dec 2021 00:47:31 > @dcline35
Wow. In '52, I was only interested in playing outside.
I love close up and macro photography. Two of my favorite photos are old b&w prints from 35mm negs. One is a close up of a red cabbage cut in half down the stem. I like to ask people what it is. Most guess that it is some kind of river tributary system. Another is a close up looking straight down the neck of an empty Pescovino wine bottle (you know the fish shaped wine bottle). It's got very high contrast with just a hint of a cobweb in the opening. Nobody ever guesses that one.
As far as your teaser, I'm sorry to say, I don't know the answer but I will look it up.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 16th Dec 2021 13:13:45
Good question actually. Being that they are my photos, I am prone to saying that the quality was good. By the same token, I have always held the belief that subject matter and composition do as much for image quality as lens and film (or sensor).
For the images that I take with my phone, I first transfer them to my computer. Then I work on refining the image in photoshop. I then print it on my printer. If the image is not what I was looking for, I go back to step two until I am satisfied.
Most of the photos that I hang on my walls are from my old cameras but some are from my phone.
I have a few that I really enjoy that were taken from my phone.
I hope this answers your question.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 18th Dec 2021 14:13:20
My collection of cameras is quite eclectic. My very first camera was a miniature 'spy' camera that my dad bought for me on one of his trips to the far east. One of the pictures I took was a big old oak tree in the middle of a pasture. It looked like a giant umbrella, protecting the elves that lived in the field.
After I grew up, I started shooting Pentax but quickly switch to Ricoh. I just liked the feel and balance of the Ricoh. I carried that camera over hill and dale for the ten years that I chose to live out of a back pack. And even after I settled down and finished my education, I still carried it wherever I went.
I later bought a Mamiya medium format camera that produced some nice high quality photos. When I switched to digital, I bought a Canon. I still favor Canon products.
For lenses, I always chose Tamron.

And yes, I had my own B&W darkroom for nearly thirty years.
I hope that you will tell me about some of your favorite photos and that dcline35 will tell me more about wood grain.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 19th Dec 2021 19:17:54
As you suggested, I took a look at your photos. Lovely, Lovely images. I really love the one of the glass 'dishes' strung together with wires . . . but to quote JazzeR77. "What is it"?

BTW, I took your suggestion and posted a few of my favorites.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 19th Dec 2021 21:37:13
Indeed, we do come from different places. The only monument here is a strange little sculpture about 30 miles north of here.
Thanks for the compliments!
Response from MickeyMoose made on 19th Dec 2021 21:47:30 > @dcline35
Looked up camera magnification and I remembered reading about it years ago (Real Image size as related to the size produced on the film or sensor). I saw the picture of the dog in the leaves. Very nice.
Here we don't have autumn colors. In fact, we really have only summer and winter. Spring and fall just get sucked into summer. It's 83 degrees here now and I'm considering turning the AC on. As far as colors, we have just green and brown. When I rake leaves, I gather about 20-30 palm fronds into the bed of my truck and haul them out to the road.
Please share some more of your work.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 22nd Dec 2021 22:27:20
I was extremely curious about this sculpture. It took quite a bit of Googling, but I finally found a straight on shot of this sculpture.
Back in the early 70's, I went through an architecture phase while living in San Fransisco. I must say that if I had seen this sculpture, I would very likely have taken the same shot.

BTW You and the other photographers have re-inspired me and I have dusted off my camera. All that's left is to dust off my photorapher's eye (ha ha).
Thanks
Response from MickeyMoose made on 23rd Dec 2021 23:34:41
Thank you once again. I posted some more images. At least one has elicited some nice responses.
Mickey
Response from dcline35 made on 26th Dec 2021 16:18:08
just a couple notes of interest. In photographing spider webs, it takes a macro lens with extension tubes and a dark background to photograph the color. It often requires multiple shots as the web moves with a gentle breeze and focus is never certain. Photographing wood grain takes very high magnification. I used two lenses, face-to-face. The magnification is the ratio of the focal lengths. Using a 30 mm lens facing a 300 mm lens means that the image on the focal plane is ten times the size of the object. Every type of wood has a fingerprint that is identifiable. There is a lot of beauty in small things that you normally ignore.
Response from dcline35 made on 26th Dec 2021 16:48:12
I started photography in high school. The photo hobby was expensive with film costs and developing costs. I cut film cost by purchasing bulk 300 mm long rolls and winding them into empty cartridges. With an enlarger, prints of any size were possible. I could put a short strip on film in the enlarger to copy documents below. Many copies were done for the school yearbook. Photo editing was achieved by dodging parts of the projected image.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 26th Dec 2021 18:42:19 > @dcline35
First of all, thanks for responding.
Second of all, I've never heard of or even thought of putting two lenses together. Can you please go into more detail as to the mechanics of this process.
I have shot spider webs before but never in the dark. I would like to do some experiments.
Thanks
Mickey
Response from dcline35 made on 26th Dec 2021 19:57:44 > @MickeyMoose
In the late 50s I used a 2 1/4 square Yashika. I made a few 16" x 20" photos that still hang on the wall. Using a standard hobby enlarger to get that large was difficult. The enlarger was rotated from the base with base sitting for the table. The photo paper was on the floor to give a working distance of nearly 1.5 meters. The projected light was so dim it took a five minute exposure.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 26th Dec 2021 21:50:50
I never thought about the trick of putting the paper on the floor and my darkroom was too small to put the paper on the wall. Kinda makes me want to go back in time.
I was just looking up the concept of putting two lenses face to face. II think I'll purchase a coupler and give that a try . . . Thanks.
I just ordered a scanner that can scan film and I have dug out my film binders. There are images in the collection that I haven't seen in decades. This is turning into a new / old adventure.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 31st Dec 2021 19:29:57
You wrote that we come from very different places. That gave me a bit of a chuckle. See my latest photo post and you'll understand why.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 31st Dec 2021 23:43:54
Poor guy was just enjoying the sunshine, hoping for a nice, tasty rat and not worrying about anything and then along came me.
He was actually quite a nice, cooperative fellow and was quite happy when I turned him loose back into the woods.
The Indigo is an endangered, non-venomous constrictor I felt very honored to have met him.
Several years later, I found a baby diamondback rattler in my garage. I did not pick him up by hand. I used one of those reacher / grabber sticks that so many of us seniors have. I put him in a bucket and took him out by the pond. I tipped the bucket over away from me and took a step back to watch. A moment later, he peaked out from around the open top and looked at me as if to say, "Thanks for not killing me. I'll try to return the favor."
6:30 here. Happy New Year.
Response from dcline35 made on 2nd Jan 2022 04:51:52
Help me find the way to post photos. I have several hundred photos of spider webs, 80% are no good. a couple very nice. More difficult, are photos of the end grain of wood, very high magnification is required. I gave up bird photography at 80 when my knee gave out. Here is a history note that is hard to beat. I just discovered three photos of my childhood farm home, probably my very first roll of film, 72 years ago.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 2nd Jan 2022 13:23:48 > @dcline35
Are you looking to post them on this site (in the Showcase area), some other site?
Response from dcline35 made on 3rd Jan 2022 03:48:37 > @MickeyMoose
Using two lenses together for high magnification is not complicated. You probably have everything needed. It will take a couple hours to get started. Use a standard telephoto on your camera. An SLR is great as you can view the subject to achieve lens alignment. Focus at infinity. Position the short focal length lens facing the telephoto, accurately centered and parallel. A target, possibly a piece cloth or maybe microchip is placed at the normal focal plane. Again this lens is set at infinity focus. The spacing between lenses is not critical as the light between the two is parallel. The whole apparatus needs to be tied down to be stable, very stable. Look through the viewfinder of the SLR while you shift and focus to get a sharp view. Magnification is the ratio the focal lengths. The higher magnification is extremely sensitive. Start with a low magnification. This works and I ignored some other technical features.
Response from MickeyMoose made on 5th Jan 2022 01:33:14 > @dcline35
I finally made my first exposures using face to face lenses. The subject was a piece of cedar.
The image appeared as a small circle in my view finder. I had a lot of trouble focusing the image and resorted to using an f22 stop with a timer shutter release.
The resulting cropped photo looked like a brown, slightly out of focus mountain range.
First tries are first tries. I could not run a marathon when I first learned to stand and walk but twenty years of practice led me to be able to do just that.
I'll keep you posted with future experiments.
Thanks
Mickey
Response from dcline35 made on 7th Jan 2022 04:36:35 > @MickeyMoose
Keep trying different the face to face lens for high magnification. There is no manual for this. I used bright illumination and let the camera select the exposure. I think your idea of a small aperture would improve the depth of field. I finally made a lever device so I could move the target focus by a couple thousands, If you play with lens spacing the small circle may be improved. The cedar target may lack interesting detail. Look at an illuminated zone your phone. Feel free to ask. Dick
Response from MickeyMoose made on 7th Jan 2022 12:31:03 > @dcline35
Thanks. I'll try and I'll keep you posted.
LordoftheTeapot
22nd Jul 2019 10:58:23 (Last activity: 31st Dec 2021 05:12:43)
0
Thanks for voting!
I was a professional photographer for over 10 years and for what it is worth I believe that there is no such thing as a bad photograph. So get snapping and enjoy
Response from CaroleAH made on 22nd Jul 2019 11:14:33
You obviously haven't seen some of my rejects, LordoftheTeapot!!!! Perhaps we ought to have a Reject section on the Showcase to share our mishaps! 🙂
Response from LordoftheTeapot made on 25th Jul 2019 13:00:38
LOL I'm sure they are not as bad as you think
Response from CaroleAH made on 25th Jul 2019 15:43:03
At least with digital photos you can look at them (and delete them) straight away if necessary. In the "olden" days of films and trips to the pharmacy to have them developed there was occasionally that awful moment when something hadn't turned out as expected especially if the photos had been taken on holiday abroad and there was little chance of recapturing the moment.
Response from Bloominrosey made on 29th Jul 2020 16:50:42
As a retired professional photographer I agree with you. There are great photos but even the ordinary ones have merit. I am very much into insect and nature photography these days if anyone wants to discuss that
Response from Sally - Silversurfer's Editor made on 29th Jul 2020 16:54:22 > @Bloominrosey
Hi Bloominrosey,

Welcome and many thanks for your first comment in our Forum.

If you already know your way around, then we will leave you to it.

If you are looking for some lively discussions, head on over to the Forum homepage to see what's trending right now and feel free to join in the discussions, with all our friendly members, perhaps ask a question or even start your own post.

Response from dcline35 made on 31st Dec 2021 05:12:43 > @Bloominrosey
My photos of insects are usually unsatisfactory due to depth-of field. When I see the little hairs on the front legs, the rear legs are fuzzy. Some insects have an amazing number of elbows.
SnapperStephen
9th Apr 2021 10:15:04 (Last activity: 12th Dec 2021 08:20:00)
0
Thanks for voting!
Hiya,
An old pal got me interested in photography a fair time ago starting with an old Zenith. I still have my old film cameras including a Voigtlander Vito B which has a wonderful lens. Along with a couple of Pentax I have a Bronica ETRSi which is a great medium format camera (I'll have to brush off the dust and get some film in). Up to date I have a Canon 40D DSLR which I enjoy using. For my travel pics I use a now old TZ10 which does the job nicely but would like a more up to date model such as Olympus 4 1/3 system.
I haven't been out since before lockdown the last real shoot was at the Beamish museum. Prior to that was a really enjoyable Peaky Blinders themed shoot at the Black Country Living museum near Dudley.
I enjoy landscape, historical places / vintage shoots and street/architecture photography.
Response from dcline35 made on 12th Dec 2021 04:24:55
Some similar history. I bought my voitlander Voitlander. in 1954. Later came Pentax twin lens, The Bronica looked wonderful but I could never justify the investment. I now have have the latest EOS R but mostly use the iPhone. For the past five years I have mostly worked photographing small features. I spent my career in technical optics but it was far removed from photography.
Response from Sally - Silversurfer's Editor made on 12th Dec 2021 08:20:00 > @dcline35
Hi dcline35,

Welcome and many thanks for your first comment in our Forum.

If you already know your way around, then we will leave you to it.

If you are looking for some lively discussions, head on over to the Forum homepage to see what's trending right now and feel free to join in the discussions, with all our friendly members, perhaps ask a question or even start your own post.

Fitou
29th Aug 2021 17:18:23 (Last activity: 31st Aug 2021 23:01:36)
0
Thanks for voting!
I am a photographer and in particular I mainly do black & White photographs as I tend to find that this makes the photograph look timeless. Is there a forum/Gallery on this site for posting photographs ? would be interested to see everyones work.
Response from CaroleAH made on 29th Aug 2021 23:46:41
Look at the Community Showcase Fitou and you will see loads of photos from Silversurfers.
Response from Fitou made on 31st Aug 2021 23:01:36 > @CaroleAH
thanks will have a look.
Feklar
6th Dec 2020 05:06:10 (Last activity: 13th Dec 2020 08:35:32)
0
Thanks for voting!
I am 67 and interested in photography I started an online course but lockdown caused me to lose interest and I didn’t finish the course. However I’m going on holiday to Scotland and Ireland next year and the snapping will resume I hope. Happy to chat to anyone else who does photography
Response from Lumixcam made on 11th Dec 2020 20:36:37
I have been involved in photography most of my life. Back in 2008 I started using the then new micro 4/3 system and still very keen on it. I have produced slide shows for clubs and sold prints along with having some published but now only take photos for myself.
Very willing to talk about photography.

Perhaps I could make a strange request here ! Some years ago Panasonic produced the GF1 micro 4/3 camera. The white version and the Sakura (cherry blossom) pink cameras were never imported in to the UK. I would very much like to obtain one of these, or both. If anyone is aware of one for sale then please let me know.
Response from Feklar made on 12th Dec 2020 11:14:47 > @Lumixcam
Ah sorry I have no idea where to get one of these.
Response from Lumixcam made on 12th Dec 2020 16:03:31 > @Feklar
It was a long shot as these cameras were on sale in Japan and a few other countries.
What camera are you using now ?
Response from Feklar made on 13th Dec 2020 06:56:45 > @Lumixcam
I’m have a Fuji XT 100 but would like a Fuji XT2. I know there are much better models being produced but I prefer to see the settings on the top of it as I hate menus. I also like to use the manual setting on my smartphone. I began with a very basic cannon dslr which I found awkward and cumbersome. As I responded what I realise is an old post now haha I’ve got out of doing any photography short of snapping the grandkids.
Response from Lumixcam made on 13th Dec 2020 08:35:32 > @Feklar
I am aware that the Fuji XT2 is very well regarded but I have not used one myself. I agree that manual controls are best and I dislike menus, perhaps it is an age thing, in the old days everything was manual !
Feklar
13th Dec 2020 06:58:36
0
Thanks for voting!
Obviously an old post duh!!
Feklar
12th Dec 2020 11:21:53
0
Thanks for voting!
Hi Michael

I’m new to it by about 2 years, but I’ve recently lost my mojo with everything going on. I was doing a professional course but gave up on that because I found it too hard. Although I’m still in with a chance of continuing with an extension I was given. I was at the portrait stage. I passed all the earlier modules but it was too pressured for me. I’ve also been doing another course running alongside the first which taught me far more than the first. I started with an old canon dslr then moved onto Fuji. I’ve also gotten some good portraits with my Smartphone using manual. I don’t care for portraits I like black and white, architecture, micro, and street.
Patrington1a
24th Feb 2020 09:41:39
0
Thanks for voting!
Great.what camera are you using.mine is a lumix tz90 and a tz100.
CarolF3
10th Jun 2017 15:01:13 (Last activity: 8th Feb 2020 18:58:53)
0
Thanks for voting!
Hi everyone, I 'm relatively new on this site and still finding my way around, but just came across the photography section. I am no expert but a keen amateur photographing anything and everything but particularly interested in re-enactments, architecture and landscape. Up until last year I rarely shot people but getting out of my comfort zone now and have done some model shoots as well as candid portraiture. For me it's an escape from work, email and telephone - when looking through the view finder I forget all that.
I shoot with Canon 6D and 600D and would love to hear from others with the same interest.
Response from SnapperStephen made on 8th Feb 2020 18:58:53
Hello Carol,
Those are the subjects I like to do. The 40s weekends at the Severn Valley railway are always very good as are the ones at the Black Country living museum and Beamish. I have done a few model shoots on a theme. The Film noir theme shoot was really good but my favourite was the Peaky Blinder themed shoot at the museum. It really does help you escape.
Kind regards,
Stephen.
Patrington1a
2nd Feb 2020 19:52:34
0
Thanks for voting!
Got 3 lumix cameras.best camera I've ever bought..the pics have been on tv.had one or two in magazines and the camera club like most of them...
edsoldtrout
14th Nov 2016 16:40:21 (Last activity: 13th Mar 2019 09:38:32)
0
Thanks for voting!
Hi Everyone,
Why am I suddenly having problems uploading my photo's to the showcase page, only certain ones will upload and it seems to be the newer one's I've taken that won't upload as I have no trouble with older photos. Any help would be gratefully appreciated
Response from CaroleAH made on 28th Jan 2017 16:54:13
Hi,
I have had problems too and when I looked at the specification, for the photos which wouldn't upload, on the Picasa website (which I use for editing my photos) they were all very colourful photos and were about 8.0MB and over so perhaps they were too "big".
Response from SnapperEddy made on 13th Mar 2019 09:38:32
You might need to keep your files below about 4mb for it go on the web.

Regards
LeonardM8
30th Jan 2019 17:22:49 (Last activity: 30th Jan 2019 21:50:08)
0
Thanks for voting!
Here's a strange thing, when I joined SS about 11 days ago, I was using my Windows 10 laptop,
I looked at a lot of peoples shots on photo page, I thought some of them lacked a bit of sparkle, including mine, so with software I put more sparkle into mine.
the last couple of days I have been using my MacBook Air to view the same pages, and there it was every body else's shots looked fine and sparkling, and mine were starting to look a bit over cooked. lucky enough I had put original photo's onto both lap tops, so for me All is not lost.

What I'm wondering is, is this the case with anyone else ??? or is it that somewhere I have my settings wrong on my windows ????

be interested if anyone else is lucky enough to have both laptops, and whether they have had the same experience ?
Response from LeonardM8 made on 30th Jan 2019 21:50:08
Hi Trish, JPEGS. had a word with son an hour ago, he said it's the quality and make up of the screen, he say's everything is so much clearer and brighter on apple stuff, and so it should be for the price LOL.... it sound similar to what your saying ….. but thanks for answering... Len
Mcginty
12th Feb 2017 08:17:53 (Last activity: 3rd Nov 2017 09:36:51)
0
Thanks for voting!
Hi,would like some advice,I own a four thirds Olympus camera,looking for a lens,that would cater for general walk about and cover lowlight as I am going overseas soon.Thanks
Response from ChrisJBSC made on 3rd Nov 2017 09:36:51
Tremendous choice available - all depending on what you want to spend!
My most used lens is the cheaper 40-150: It is very light weight for its focal length, so can stay on the camera (OM-D EM-1) all the time. I keep looking at the PRO range - but the money in the pot never gets up to that amount!
If you want a very low-light lens, then there are some f1.2 and f1.4 prime lenses available now.
Sandraterry
15th Jul 2016 20:29:40
0
Thanks for voting!
I too had some early experience of film photography in my early working life 50 years ago but gave up after five years as winter time I was going to work in the dark, spending all day in the darkroom and going home in the dark. I then went into a different career path but came back into photography as a hobby when I retired. I have joined a photographic society and had some success in club comps as well as making some good friends.
Goldfynche
19th Mar 2016 14:25:32
0
Thanks for voting!
I too was a pro wedding photographer for many years. Strictly roll film. Way before digital became the norm. In the last few years of my career, I went over the video. I found the medium more satisfying for capturing the atmosphere of a wedding. I did all the editing and titling on a PC.
patrington
1st Mar 2016 14:40:54
0
Thanks for voting!
Wise words mike, please look on the gallery i have several there. Would value your opinion.
cheers
patrington
patrington
26th Feb 2016 10:56:53
0
Thanks for voting!
Me too. Hung my camera up since i retired and used my 15 million pixel mobile for my pics now.
Still use my G15 canon but very rarely.
How many of us use phone now for photography??
Michael66 Original Poster
15th Dec 2015 22:11:59
3
Thanks for voting!
I have been an avid hobbyist of Photography for many years. I have worked with small and medium format photography equipment, and have also work professionally in the category of wedding photography. In the distant past I have had the opportunity to work briefly in the modelling photography field. Throughout my years of exposure to the different categories of photography, I have found that probably the single most important area of photography to become familiar with is "proper exposure", and "lighting". Weather you own a simple point and shoot camera, or a more sophisticated view camera, knowledge of lighting, and proper exposure techniques are critical. Many years ago I started out my hobbyist journey into photography with virtually no knowledge what so ever...read some books...took some classes, and studied all I could about photography. I studied about composition, the rule of thirds...subjects...I even studied about the best times of day to photograph my subjects, and much more. And this was all long before digital photography even came onto the scene. I even took several courses in film development thru photo lab courses. And these film development lab courses are what made me realize the importance of knowledge of "proper exposure", and "lighting". It doesn't matter what type of photography system your working with...weather it be a simple totally manual system, or a completely automatic system...or something in the middle..."proper exposure", and "lighting", are the single most important factors for a well exposed photograph. You can have the most interesting subject that you may have photographed, but it's not worth anything if the exposure or lighting isn't correct for the scene. My recommendation, no matter what type of camera system you own...start you photography journey by learning all you can about "proper exposure, and "lighting". Don't worry about composition, or what subject you choose, that will all come in time. I hope that my comments here are helpful, and have enlightened you journey into the world of Photography. Happy Shooting, Michael66

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