How'd you get your favorite shot (and my new photo info)

[James L]

Hey all,

I am new to DSLR, and I wanted to take my D80 out for a spin on close up photography.

I have a LOT to learn, but I am pretty happy with this picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/76737768@N00/383332087/

To set this up I draped a white shirt over a box on my table, then placed the can down where natural window lighting would hit it. I misted the can with water, and shot it in Aperture Priority Mode (whatever settings the camera came up with). Post production was a little brightening and a little unsharp mask in PhotoShop.

I would love to see images from other people, and how you got the shot you love... camera settings, composition, etc.

I think it would be a great learning experience for a newbie like myself.

Cheers!

 

[Clix Pix]

Alrighty, here ya go....

Set up was on the dining table and I used the Nikon D200, 60mm macro lens, aperture priority. Settings: f/4.5 @ 1/80 sec, ISO 640. I don't remember now for sure, but I think I handheld rather than had the camera on the tripod. I was getting ready to set up for a different shot when this idea came to me. PP was in CS2, a little adjusting of the exposure and color levels, a touch of USM (unsharp mask) and that was it.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

nice shot of the coke can!

My fav shot(s) would have to be the two posted below. both of them are taken in New Zealand on an S3 IS. Prints are available on my deviantART site if your interested

The first one was among my first macro shots. I remember i had to get the cam in a weird angle to get the lens in the petals and also to allow enough light to get in. But the shot came out great i reckon!

The next one was on a beach in NZ (i think it was in Hokitika). I saw this amazing piece of driftwood on a beach, and it was almost calling for a pic to be taken. I didn't set anything up for this shot; its all natural

 

[atari1356]

With a full time job and a 2 year old daughter, I don't have time to take many pictures other than family stuff... but I have a few that I really like so it's hard to pick a favorite. Here are a couple:

Mother and daughter - taken indoors in natural light (Canon 350d/50mm 1.8 lens - converted to b/w in iPhoto)

At a toddler friends birthday party, this little girls hair was standing up due to static electricity from a balloon above her head. (Canon 350d/85mm 1.8 lens - adjusted levels, converted to b/w and added some vignetting in Photoshop)

 

[Mydriasis]

Clix Pix, awesome shot! Love the color and simplicity of design, the top right corner seems a little heavy but other than that, magnificant .

James L, if your into this kind of stuff you might also want to check out http://www.radiantvista.com/ they have tons of great video tutorials and this really interesting podcast-thing called the daily critique. I think you like it.

 

[balofagus]

Pentax K100D w/18-55 kit lens
28mm
f/11
1/1500
ISO 400

This was taken in my backyard in the fall. There is a bit of straightening and a tiny crop. Then I converted to B&W with Channel Mixer and added the duotone with a curve.

 

[epicwelshman]

Luck.

 

[Sdashiki]

First shot was a test for writing with light. Open shutter in complete darkness. Ran a light behind model to create the streak. Then flashed once.


Second shot was another test for multiple exposures. Open shutter in complete darkness. One arm position, flash, another position, flash, and a third position, flash. You can obviously tell the reciprocity problems with this from the opacity changes of the arms. Id like them to all be even of course. A little PS, can fix that, I just never did.

 

[wwooden]

Second shot was another test for multiple exposures. Open shutter in complete darkness. One arm position, flash, another position, flash, and a third position, flash. You can obviously tell the reciprocity problems with this from the opacity changes of the arms. Id like them to all be even of course. A little PS, can fix that, I just never did.
View attachment 67905

Is there a way to multiple exposures in one shot with digital cameras? I took photography in high school with a film camera and we would do those types of shots. For example, I did one where I sat in a few different seats at a table to make it look like I was having dinner with myself. I haven't found a way to do this with digital. I know, you can do it later in a photo-editing program, but most of the fun to me is in taking the shot.

 

[Sdashiki]

try to see if your camera has a BULB (shutter stays open as long as you hold button) setting, or something like it.

id assume a DSLR could not have dropped this "feature" of traditional SLRs.

 

[balofagus]

Actually, both the Nikon D80 and D200 as well as the Pentax K10D are capable of performing the traditional, multiple exposure. The Pentax can combine up to 9 images, while the Nikon cameras can combine up to 10 images.

 

[seenew]

try to see if your camera has a BULB (shutter stays open as long as you hold button) setting, or something like it.

id assume a DSLR could not have dropped this "feature" of traditional SLRs.

Actually, all DSLR's I've used have the Bulb setting. In fact, the cable release I bought for my 350D works just as well with my Elan7E, despite the former being digital and the latter being 35mm.

[edit]
Here's one of my favorite shots. Nothing I really did to set up this, except compose it how I wanted. The rest was just luck-- some private school was at the museum on a field trip, so it was interesting for everyone in the shot to be dressed the same way.

 

[b0tt094]

Actually, all DSLR's I've used have the Bulb setting. In fact, the cable release I bought for my 350D works just as well with my Elan7E, despite the former being digital and the latter being 35mm.

[edit]
Here's one of my favorite shots. Nothing I really did to set up this, except compose it how I wanted. The rest was just luck-- some private school was at the museum on a field trip, so it was interesting for everyone in the shot to be dressed the same way.

very cult like, the part that really sells it, is the two girls waving at the top... individuality

 

[edge540]

Actually, both the Nikon D80 and D200 as well as the Pentax K10D are capable of performing the traditional, multiple exposure. The Pentax can combine up to 9 images, while the Nikon cameras can combine up to 10 images.

Where can you say to combine 10 images? I have the D80 and there is only an option for 2 or 3 multiple exposures. Is there somewhere else i should be looking?

 

[Clix Pix]

Where can you say to combine 10 images? I have the D80 and there is only an option for 2 or 3 multiple exposures. Is there somewhere else i should be looking?

I believe the D80 only does 3 multiple exposures at a time, whereas the D200 can do 10 or maybe it's 11...

ETA a three-image multiple exposure I shot with the D200 last spring:

 

[Forced Perfect]

I don't know what it is, but I seem to have pretty great luck with walking up to something, snapping a photo (usually in full auto) and getting a photo I'm really happy with. It's probably all luck.

Top-left: A flower on my way home from work.
Top-right: A monarch I happened to spot and snap one photo of before he flew away.
Bottom-left: A young gull who was trying to get some food from kids.
Bottom-right: Some people were feeding this swan.

All of these were taken with my wife's Canon Digital Rebel (original one) and my EF 70-200mm F/4.0L

 

[atari1356]

I don't know what it is, but I seem to have pretty great luck with walking up to something, snapping a photo (usually in full auto) and getting a photo I'm really happy with. It's probably all luck.

A little luck...

All of these were taken with my wife's Canon Digital Rebel (original one) and my EF 70-200mm F/4.0L

... and a nice lens.

 

[Forced Perfect]

A little luck...




... and a nice lens.

Hell yeah. I love my 70-200mm L. Next on my list is the EF 16-35mm F/2.8L and after that a new body. That way I don't hog the Rebel from my wife. I want to wait for whatever replaces the 30D, but man, the write speed on the Rebel is so slow it drives me crazy missing a shot because of it!