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Fortnightly Challenge - Dec 18 thru Jan 8 - Topic: Holiday

Seeing the New Year in with a bang in the village of Belford, Northumberland, England.

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CK Williams said:
A couple from a recent holiday in Genoa NV. (clickable)
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Life has gotten very complicated for me in the last 1.5 years. I really appreciate these reflections on a simpler, kinder, less complicated world. My only suggestion would be to take out all of the power lines. They are an unwelcome intrusion by the more modern world.
 
JDDavis said:
Thanks for the tip. I'll try that next time for sure. Typing this I was also thinking about how I learned to shoot a rifle. When we shot, you pull the trigger after exhaling and I would use the rifle sling as leverage to hold it more steady. Could probably do the same thing with a camera. I shoot alot with out a tripod. (most of the time I wish I had a tripod).
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I learned about a simple but effective photographic version of your sling. At the hardware store get some mason's line, a bolt that will screw into the tripod mounting bolt on your camera, and a fender washer (the big ones). Tie one end of the line to the bolt and the other to the washer. The length of line should allow you to step on the washer and raise the camera to eye height with there being some tension on the line. It is not perfect but it works well for exposures up to almost a full second.
 
deep diver said:
Life has gotten very complicated for me in the last 1.5 years. I really appreciate these reflections on a simpler, kinder, less complicated world. My only suggestion would be to take out all of the power lines. They are an unwelcome intrusion by the more modern world.
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That was my thought too, just haven't had the chance yet. (SOTC images) It is nice to escape the modern world. I wish I could do it more often. Here are a couple of more. The deer was walking down Main Street with its friends before pausing in a yard.
 

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Our home decorated for the holidays.
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Not much snow here in SE Michigan, unlike others portions of the states.
Just barely enough for the kids to go sledding down the front.

Happy Holidays to all, hope everyone "re-fueled" your body for 2010.
 
JDDavis said:
Thanks for the tip. I'll try that next time for sure. Typing this I was also thinking about how I learned to shoot a rifle. When we shot, you pull the trigger after exhaling and I would use the rifle sling as leverage to hold it more steady. Could probably do the same thing with a camera. I shoot alot with out a tripod. (most of the time I wish I had a tripod).
Click to expand...

+1 on nice shot .

For hand held stability, I've learned to wrap the excess neckstrap around my wrist as I tuck my elbows into my chest, makes the upper body "tripod like", stiff and really seemed to improve my lower shutter speed shots. ymmv.
 
deep diver said:
I learned about a simple but effective photographic version of your sling. At the hardware store get some mason's line, a bolt that will screw into the tripod mounting bolt on your camera, and a fender washer (the big ones). Tie one end of the line to the bolt and the other to the washer. The length of line should allow you to step on the washer and raise the camera to eye height with there being some tension on the line. It is not perfect but it works well for exposures up to almost a full second.
Click to expand...

I tried that several times and it didn't work well for me. I found out that in order to be stable I had to pull on the string, and that created horizontal movement. I only needed this to go slower than 1/6th and at those shutter speeds it wasn't working for me. I can go down to 1/10s with a 50mm lens and about 1/6s with the 28mm. Even with shutter speeds as slow as these I on average get about half my shots tack sharp (at 100%).

mtbdudex said:
For hand held stability, I've learned to wrap the excess neckstrap around my wrist as I tuck my elbows into my chest, makes the upper body "tripod like" and really seemed to improve my lower shutter speed shots. ymmv.
Click to expand...

What I usually do when I'm doing a lot of handheld slow shutter is take the neckstrap off the camera, it's just unnecessary clutter that adds to the vibrations and distractions. Having the extra battery grip helps more for stability than anything else. Of course, proper breathing and posture are mandatory.
 
Here's my first contribution to the two week challenges. This was shot late November, out of the two week window, but that's only a suggestion right? :)

Clickable to the flickr page
 
taken while on holiday and was greeted by 18 in. of snow!

(clickable)

another from a previous holiday in munich...a splendid city!

(clickable)
 
gnd said:
What I usually do when I'm doing a lot of handheld slow shutter is take the neckstrap off the camera, it's just unnecessary clutter that adds to the vibrations and distractions. Having the extra battery grip helps more for stability than anything else. Of course, proper breathing and posture are mandatory.
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My Canon factory neckstrap is not so easy to remove.....yours must have clips, might be minor $ upgrade for me later this year.
I do remove lens cap straps/etc when on tripod @ long zoom, even that causes slight vibration if hanging/swaying from the lens, the neckstrap I bundle around so it's still.
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mtbdudex said:
My Canon factory neckstrap is not so easy to remove.....yours must have clips, might be minor $ upgrade for me later this year.
I do remove lens cap straps/etc when on tripod @ long zoom, even that causes slight vibration if hanging/swaying from the lens, the neckstrap I bundle around so it's still.
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Actually, I don't use the factory neckstrap. I have one of those cotton vintage straps that still have elastic bands for film cartridges. It's much much more comfortable to wear around the neck and also very easy to remove. Just search eBay for vintage camera strap and you'll find a ton of them for 10$ and up. :)
They also don't scream "VERY EXPENSIVE DIGITAL CAMERA HERE" with bright red letters on black background ... ;)
 
gnd said:
Actually, I don't use the factory neckstrap. I have one of those cotton vintage straps that still have elastic bands for film cartridges. It's much much more comfortable to wear around the neck and also very easy to remove. Just search eBay for vintage camera strap and you'll find a ton of them for 10$ and up. :)
They also don't scream "VERY EXPENSIVE DIGITAL CAMERA HERE" with bright red letters on black background ... ;)
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Scott Kelby has a unique way of making a sling out of the camera strap that braces the arm. I can't describe it, so go to a book store and look for his Digital Photography series. Don't buy the book, just look at the pictures. They used to be quite expensive the last time I looked at them here, but Amazon lists them for under $20 USD.

I'm not as concerned about a strap the is obvious. You have the camera out, anyway. What concerns me is a camera bag that screams "Steal Me"

Dale
 
JohnMC said:
someoldguy, I really like what you are trying to capture with this image. There are two things that are hindering this photograph in my opinion. The first is the trumpets seem a little soft. The second is I would love to see this same location as a vertical. I think the image would look superb as a vertical with the "trumpet walkway" leading your eye into the Christmas tree in the center.

JohnMC
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Here's the vertical . Whole lot less people around , used a 24-105L this time.
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A couple from the Santa Fe NM area. (clickable)
 

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mtbdudex said:
+1 on nice shot .

For hand held stability, I've learned to wrap the excess neckstrap around my wrist as I tuck my elbows into my chest, makes the upper body "tripod like", stiff and really seemed to improve my lower shutter speed shots. ymmv.
Click to expand...

Good conversation about stability. I have a Black Rapid RS-4 on my camera and it goes around bandoleer style. I like it a lot better than the traditional neck strap. After reading all this I've noticed that I can hook the strap with my right elbow as I tuck it in (tension) and then press my left elbow into my stomach (as someone mentioned above) and it makes for a pretty stable platform. I think this will improve my non tripod shots some.
 
yetanotherdave said:
Here's my first contribution to the two week challenges. This was shot late November, out of the two week window, but that's only a suggestion right? :)

Clickable to the flickr page
Click to expand...

I really enjoyed this shot. The lighting was just right. At first glance it looks like a shot of some far away galaxy or nebula....something spacey. Very interesting. Very nice.
 
SonicChronicler said:
Seeing the New Year in with a bang in the village of Belford, Northumberland, England.

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This reminds me of our first New Years in Heinsberg Germany. We could see the entire city from the 3rd floor window of our row house and the display and the action in the streets was amazing. I wish I could live on both sides of the pond.
 
Brand new to the world of dSLRs. Be gentle. ;)


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Canon EOS 1000D - 50mm - ISO 400 - f/1.8 - 1/20
 
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