Photo of the Day - October 2009

[Doylem]

f/11 at 20 seconds. How did you meter this to keep from burning the windows out? If you bracketed the exposure, how many frames did you shoot?

Your technical command of exposure continues to amaze me. Framing is not bad either...

Thanks for the comments about my church shot. “Technical command of exposure” is quite a compliment, but, in truth, I just keep things very simple. In the days of film there were only two variables, aperture and shutter speed. Now, with digital, we have a third - ISO - since we can change ISO values on a shot-by-shot basis. But I use a tripod all the time, so two of these variables tend to stay the same: ISO 100 and f/11. That only leaves one variable, shutter speed.

I use manual exposure, make a guess at an appropriate shutter speed, take a shot, check the back of the camera to see how it looks. I make further adjustments to get a correct(ish) exposure. Then I generally take another couple of shots, either side of this value… to give a choice of three pix once I’ve downloaded them to the Mac.

It’s ‘trial and error‘, really. I’m sure there are quicker ways to get to a similar result, but my photography is about slowing down, not speeding up. What matters, for me, is finding a composition in which the subject of the pic and the lighting conditions are working together… not ‘pulling apart’… at which point the exposure values pretty much look after themselves…

A shot from the same church (Torpenhow, dating back to 1120 ). HDR from 7 exposures (it was very dark in there), to get some detail into the Norman arch, while keeping the gloomy mood...

 

[MBP123]

 

[MaddMacs]

Church on South Beaver

I'll join in, since were doing churches. This was taken during the planetary alignments of at the beginning of the year.

 

[TKEik683]

From Black River Stages 2 weeks ago. It was tough shooting because the riders were in and out of the shade while the background was in direct sunlight. Thoughts?

 

[Designer Dale]

Thanks for the comments about my church shot. “Technical command of exposure” is quite a compliment, but, in truth, I just keep things very simple. In the days of film there were only two variables, aperture and shutter speed. Now, with digital, we have a third - ISO - since we can change ISO values on a shot-by-shot basis. But I use a tripod all the time, so two of these variables tend to stay the same: ISO 100 and f/11. That only leaves one variable, shutter speed.

I use manual exposure, make a guess at an appropriate shutter speed, take a shot, check the back of the camera to see how it looks. I make further adjustments to get a correct(ish) exposure. Then I generally take another couple of shots, either side of this value… to give a choice of three pix once I’ve downloaded them to the Mac.

John,

Thanks for the time and info. My xsi is my first dslr after learning to shoot on film and doing my own processing. There are more choices in aperture and shutter speed and it takes some getting used to. And don't be modest, you do have an excellent eye for exposure and framing.

Dale

 

[kallisti]

 

[otter]

Small village outside of Manila, Philippines.

 

[Phrasikleia]

Very nice, Kallisti. That shot is very rhythmic. It's tough to pull off a photo that works without an obvious resting place for the eye, but this one does, I think because of its repetition of forms. Whatever is it that we're seeing here?

Edit: Just noticed yours, otter. Great light and composition there.

And Doylem, that's one of the best results I've seen from a 'natural' use of HDR. I'm tempted to call you a master of post-processing, but you'd likely be offended!

 

[kallisti]

Very nice, Kallisti. That shot is very rhythmic. It's tough to pull off a photo that works without an obvious resting place for the eye, but this one does, I think because of its repetition of forms. Whatever is it that we're seeing here?

Thanks for the kind words. It's part of a display at the Truman Presidential Library. There is a light source on one side of the planes and a circular screen on the other. The light source projects moving clouds against a blue background onto the screen, giving the illusion of motion.

This may make it a bit more obvious:

 

[SelfMadeCelo]

Thanks for the kind words. It's part of a display at the Truman Presidential Library. There is a light source on one side of the planes and a circular screen on the other. The light source projects moving clouds against a blue background onto the screen, giving the illusion of motion.

This may make it a bit more obvious:

For a second there I thought it was from an airport. I can't remember which one (I think San Fran? Philly? One of those two), they have little airplanes suspended like that and when you look at the entire thing it makes up an airplane. Pretty cool

Update: I lied. They're hanging birds that form birds. I was way off lol Oh and it's in Philadelphia.

 

[WinterMute]

Taken in a rail-yard near Dartmouth this summer, too close, with too long a lense and a river at my back....

 

[pdxflint]

Why did the rock band cross the street?

Camera: NIKON
Model: D50
ISO: 800
Exposure: 1/100 sec
Aperture: 4.0
Focal Length: 24mm

 

[Kronie]

fall foliage pano

This has potential. Unfortunately, the compressed version looks better than the original. It was insanely windy out so nothing really looks in focus. I'll have to go back when its calmer. Sunrise is just on the left side of the pic.

 

[emorydunn]

This is one of my recent infrared photos.

 

[Phrasikleia]

Taken in a rail-yard near Dartmouth this summer, too close, with too long a lense and a river at my back....

I think it's a very successful composition. It's just enough to let us know this is "the end" and to get a good look at the details. No need for a wider lens here.

 

[kallisti]

 

[bld44]

Not my best, but I really liked the colors in this photo for some reason.

 

[Designer Dale]

Kids sure are tough these days!
Wright Park, Tacoma

Dale

 

[Designer Dale]

Taken in a rail-yard near Dartmouth this summer, too close, with too long a lense and a river at my back....

Loads of potential here. I could spent days shooting details on something like this. I love rust

Dale

 

[gkarris]

First shoot with my new used-lens, LOVE IT!

Finally decided to bring a dSLR to the meeting at our local Rocketry Club Chapter (got tired of the P&S noise).

Explaining how he built his model Mercury Redstone Rocket.

NOTE: There wasn't a lot of light down in the basement meeting room. WOW, did this come out great!

Olympus E-420, Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.7/50mm at f2.0, 1/125, ISO1600, Fotodiox C/Y to 4/3 Adapter

(Sorry, I just couldn't figure out the Canon "Nifty-Fifty". Why Olympus gets such a bad rap is beyond me - one poster said "Lack of lens choices..." )

 

[stagi]

my first time sharing, some amazing light near the end of a wedding:

 

[Phrasikleia]

Why Olympus gets such a bad rap is beyond me - one poster said "Lack of lens choices..." )

The Cynic in me wants to say it's because Olympus is neither Canon nor Nikon. My camera is a Canon, but (perhaps unnaturally) I have no real sense of loyalty to the brand. I just love photography and all of these little gadgets we use to create our photos. I have my reasons for choosing Canon, but I realize they are entirely specific to my own needs. There is no perfect camera, but there is possibly a best camera for a given purpose, and/or for a given photographer. I think it's a pity more people don't see things that way.

 

[grassland]

bad moon rising

from a little village on an island called fogo.

 

[WinterMute]

I think it's a very successful composition. It's just enough to let us know this is "the end" and to get a good look at the details. No need for a wider lens here.

Thanks for that, I'm still getting "accidentally" decent pictures in the main, but i did spend some time looking at the rolling stock for a good composition.

Loads of potential here. I could spent days shooting details on something like this. I love rust

Dale

I shot a few more, didn't have much time with the family and dog in tow...! I'll see if there are any other worthy shots.

 

[wheezy]

This has potential. Unfortunately, the compressed version looks better than the original. It was insanely windy out so nothing really looks in focus. I'll have to go back when its calmer. Sunrise is just on the left side of the pic.

That is AMAZING. We get colors here (Utah) but I'm still looking for the best vista to get a shot such as this. Amazing.

Looks like something from a Fantasy Movie, really cool.

my first time sharing, some amazing light near the end of a wedding:

You better keep sharing! I'd love to see more portraits in this thread, and you need to make your images bigger so we can really enjoy them!