Author Topic: Better photos and a few more "stickys"  (Read 4096 times)

PAG1952

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 392
Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« on: 15:37:08, 16/04/16 »
First of all, and I suspect that I am not alone when I say this; I'm very much a walker that likes to take photographs and not a “would be photographer” that goes for a walk looking for a location to photograph.

I take hundreds if not thousands of photos a year and it’s probably fair to say that 70% of them are complete and total c-r-a-p, a further 20% are fairly c-r-a-p, 9% are, what I would call, reasonable “memories” photos, and 1% are (possible) worth showing to others. I very much doubt that I will ever produce a competition winning picture.
 I would, however, like to improve my photography so that perhaps only 50% are complete and total c-r-a-p.

So I've been lurking around a couple of the photographic forums lately but to be honest I have the distinct impression that if I were to put any of my photos on their forums I would either be ignored or ridiculed. Even in the beginners sections the impression I get is that unless you are prepared to invest a fair bit of your hard earned cash in the “right equipment”, and want to become “a photographer” like them, then you really shouldn't be there.

So what’s all this rambling leading up to you ask.
 
I think midweekmountain has already pointed out that:
A)    It’s nice to have somewhere to put your “piccies” for others to see,
B)    When threads go quiet for a while they tend to slip down the list before they finally disappear off the radar and die.

I suppose that I'm looking for somewhere to put my pictures where others can see them, comment on them, and maybe offer useful advice on technique and composition where appropriate (not just “oooooooh nice photo Bert21”).
 There are a few half decent photographers on here who could offer some constructive advice.
The sun is always shining.......... it's just that on most days the clouds stop us from seeing it.

Strider

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1386
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #1 on: 19:48:51, 16/04/16 »
Well, you could open a Photobucket account and link to it in your sig. inviting constructive criticism.  Or, start a thread here and call it 'Photography Techniques' or something of that sort.   I'd read it - my photos always look disappointing, I can generally get the horizon straight but that's about it!  If it proves popular enough it could get stickied.
Not all those who wander are lost

botty

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1801
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #2 on: 21:10:23, 16/04/16 »
And absolutely brilliant post, almost exactly my sentiments.


I have over 50,000 photos on Google Photos, and to get that I've probably taken double that. Of those 50,000 or so the vast majority are the same as PAG1952 says, they are there for memories. I love to just look back and the photos remind me of walks we've been on, places we've visited, rugby games we've watched, people I know, and sights we've seen. An outsider may think "what have you taken a photo of that for?", but for me they may just act as a point on a map, a record of where I have been.


Probably 85% of the photos I have online have a limited audience of family and friends, I decided a couple of years ago that letting everyone out there know exactly where I've been and what I've done might not be wise in the world we live in where there are people out there who might use that information for ill gain; the same reason that I took my blog out of the public domain at the same time although I have continued with it and now have around 220 posts on there.


So yes I would be the same, in fact I have just started a new album where I am putting a few of my favourite photos; some 'straight out of the tin' and some edited in some way. I would love people to comment on my photos and provide constructive feedback.

CallMeSteven

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1098
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #3 on: 21:55:47, 16/04/16 »
Great idea. I've found the only way to improve my photography is take as many photos as I can and get the best from the gear I have. I now only have a £100 camera, but am very happy with around 10-15 % of the shots I take.


It could be worth starting a thread in the Photography section to run say for a month on a particular theme. As an example on say Macro shots of Spring or Trees in Blossom
and maybe have a rule that only three shots can be in the thread from each person per month. You and others may well improve their techniques simply by looking what others take
on the theme of the month.


Just an idea - what do you think?  (my main concern of any criticism, of someone else's photos, is that the person commenting can only really do so, subjectively, which may not that
helpful) .

alewife

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6251
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #4 on: 00:13:34, 17/04/16 »
I love taking pics, and some I think are quite good. But realistically in this age of digital media , I am a better photographer than I ever was when it took more effort. But not as good as the real macoy. If you want comment on your pics, then bite the bullet and engage with a photographic forum, there are plenty out there. Its great to see pics on here in trip reports but I think its unlikely that you will get a proper critique of you pics on here.(imho)
Alewife


...beware of the bull!

barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #5 on: 12:41:24, 17/04/16 »
Nothing worse than a bunch of stale stickies hanging around at the top of the main page. I think it is best for the OP to bring a topic back to the fore when he has something to extra to say, it will not drop down the page or off the first page if it is engaging interest. Humper Lumpers best pick of the day has now reaches 214 pages a HP has seemed to have left this forum being last active Jan 2015 but his topic still stays top of the page.


Like many, my photos are mostly **** as described by others, but MWM's topic was a stroke of genius, will it last? That is up to the rest of us, it does give a different slant for posting, and perhaps the more we try to understand the gist of the topics we post in perhaps the more we will get out of them. I for one know that I am a bit idle some times in digging around in my back files to pop in an appropriate response.



BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Wurz

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 791
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #6 on: 14:09:54, 17/04/16 »
I've got quite into photography over the last couple of years, whether I'm any good is a matter of opinion but FWIW here are some pointers which might be helpful.


Basic composition - have a quick look at what you are actually seeing through the viewfinder.  People tend to get caught up with the main subject and often don't realise there is a lot of other rubbish in the frame that ultimately detracts from it.  Try moving around a little bit so the distractions are removed or the angles are a bit more interesting.  This includes getting closer to the ground or on top of a rock.
Know the limitations of your camera.  Particularly in low light or trying to shoot into the sun.  Most good pictures of sunsets are taken using ND grad filters and or bracketing 3 or more shots.  The HDR mode if your camera or phone has one does this.
Also with regards depth of field.  If you can adjust the aperture of your lens the smallest size usually F16 or F22 will cause diffraction.  most lenses are at their optimal from F8 to F11, this is also where you will get the best front to back sharpness in your pictures.
You don't need a tripod but again you can rest your camera on a wall or something and use the self timer to reduce movement. Image stabilisation is really useful but it's best to try and keep the shutter speed above the lens size. So for a 50mm lens try to stay at 1/50 sec or faster.
Pictures are generally better when it's sunny, drab days tend to lead to drab images.
Try editing your pics after you've taken them.  You will never see an image in a magazine, paper or poster that hasn't been tweaked in some way.  You don't need to spend hours on each picture but it is very easy to adjust a shot, straighten it, play about with the brightness and colours in a minute or two.


Hope that that is of use to someone.

midweekmountain

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2096
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #7 on: 14:11:05, 18/04/16 »
Interesting post this one, in truth I really do not know the answer to the best way of using your photos.

By now most folks on here will have seen my attempts I am definitely in the walker/climber/mountaineer mould who takes photos school and thankyou to those who have commented on my efforts.

If anyone want to contribute feel free and likewise I would be interested if any good ideas come out of this.

Does it work?


You tell me.....Please!!!!!!.....thats what this forum is all about!!!!!

pleb

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5763
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #8 on: 10:33:24, 19/04/16 »
Personally I just take plenty of digital shots, on the basis that some are going to be decent. It seems to work?
Its interesting to go back in time on here and look at old TR's.
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

Kukkudrill

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 395
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #9 on: 21:37:24, 19/04/16 »

Good points here. But I suspect a lot of people would need this translated into plain English ...

Also with regards depth of field.  If you can adjust the aperture of your lens the smallest size usually F16 or F22 will cause diffraction.  most lenses are at their optimal from F8 to F11, this is also where you will get the best front to back sharpness in your pictures.


... so here goes.


A camera lens has a diaphragm like the iris in an eye which widens or narrows to control the amount of light reaching the sensor. The bigger the f stop number, the narrower the aperture (go figure). A wide aperture can kill the sharpness in a photo due to the limitations of the lens, and a narrow aperture can do the same again due to the limitations of physics - aka diffraction. Like Wurz says, f8 to f11 is the sweet spot where most lenses are at their sharpest.


Most DSLR lenses, that is. Your average compact camera won't stop down narrower than f8. But f8 on a compact is actually smaller than f8 on a DLSR - small enough for diffraction to kick in. So with a compact I would use a wider aperture (smaller f number) than f8.
Make the most of the available light

PAG1952

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 392
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #10 on: 23:00:09, 19/04/16 »
I think it’s snippets of information like those above that many people will find really useful.

I'm probably the reverse of many people who are trying to improve their photography in that my understanding of the physics and optics is pretty good. My problem is not with the technicalities, it's with the “art” of photography.


It doesn't matter how good the equipment is, or how well you understand it, or how good you are at post processing; at the end of the day you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Where I need help is in not taking photos that are “sow’s ears” in the first place.
The sun is always shining.......... it's just that on most days the clouds stop us from seeing it.

alewife

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6251
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #11 on: 08:15:22, 20/04/16 »
To PAG1952, there seem to be lots of courses available for this, at least around here. Someone to take you out for a few hours and help with that. I was looking for a course which teaches you about takingbthe camera off auto, but nobody seemed to offer that option (for Mr A).
Alewife


...beware of the bull!

barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #12 on: 10:49:36, 20/04/16 »
Interesting post this one, in truth I really do not know the answer to the best way of using your photos.
Does it work?

You tell me.....Please!!!!!!.....thats what this forum is all about!!!!!


If you enjoy posting photo's, keep on doing it, at least you are sharing them. What the result might be we probably will never know, but there is a chance that it will inspire someone, who does not have the opportunity to see the things and have the experiences you have had to do something.


In my early twenties I gave a slide show to a scout group about a weekend I had spent on Ben Nevis climbing in snow conditions, we had camped at the start of the snow line under the N face and spent three nights there and I came away with a couple of rolls of 35mm colour slides. This was in the days of B&W tv before Joe Browns series on the Old Man of Hoy.


I got the usual thanks and sounds of appreciation from the Scout leaders who just happened to be regulars in my local pub, but there it ended or so I supposed.


Twenties years later, I was approached by at a social function by a very fit looking chap about 10 years younger than myself, who told me that he owed me a lot. My climbing career never advance more than hobby, but this guy had been inspired by my slide show and gone on to make a career in outdoor activities, taken part in big time expeditions and had in fact gone very much further than I had.


Point is I grew up in a more privileged background than many and had opportunities that would have been denied to lads, on the estate that the scout group got it's membership from.


Now being a bit of a Dinosaur, the internet is something that has come at the later part of my life, many will take it for granted, having had it around for all their lives. But there is another interesting thing I have noticed and that is how some of my photos appear on other web sites and some of these are to do with promoting out door activities.


Are we doing some good by just sharing our experiences on line.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

midweekmountain

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2096
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #13 on: 12:29:37, 21/04/16 »
To PAG1952, there seem to be lots of courses available for this

Absolutely thats because charging someone £200 for a one off 2 day course is a good little earner.


The smart way to learn it is to join a photography club that has some fellows of the royal society and proffesional photographers as members.


Costs me £35/year, each week is like a mini course in itself, for the princely sum of 67 pence per week, they run studio sessions, photoshop. lightroom, photo printing sessions, basically all aspects of the activity.


competitions- this is a steep learning curve, let me tell you after you have had a photo critised you don't make the same mistake twice.


Also have a series of lectures from top photographers like the landscape photrographer of the year and BBC natural history guys.


I would recommend this route to anyone who is serious about wanting to improve their photos.




midweekmountain

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2096
Re: Better photos and a few more "stickys"
« Reply #14 on: 12:40:49, 21/04/16 »
My problem is not with the technicalities, it's with the “art” of photography.

One of the cornerstones of the art of photography is composition, if you google photographic composition rules you will get loads of info.

It sounds complex at first but once you know what you are looking for it becomes obvious.


Once you know what to look for try looking at the old master impressionist artists work like monet for example and see how they use the composition rules (and break them).  They were truly genius's you can learn a lot from them.
« Last Edit: 13:07:11, 21/04/16 by midweekmountain »

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy