Boss photos you've taken

pbeyer · March 12, 2014

Bilbo said:
Tried a higher ISO (400) to give a faster shutter speed on the moon last night - 500mm lens with 1.4x extender (cropped).

Exif: ISO 400, 1/250th sec, @ f/9

Paul.

Absolutely stunning Bilbo. I see every one of the photos you post here and think it can't be topped. Yet you outdo yourself the next time. So impressed.

Any tips for someone trying to learn the trade?

Bilbo · March 12, 2014

pbeyer said:
Absolutely stunning Bilbo. I see every one of the photos you post here and think it can't be topped. Yet you outdo yourself the next time. So impressed.

Any tips for someone trying to learn the trade?

Thanks for the compliment m8.

As for tips, all I have ever done is practice on my own, and tried to improve my editing as time has gone by. I've had to training, so everything I do is all from persevering. If at first I don't succeed, I try and try again. If I think I've got it right - it gets a public viewing, and occasionally, I update my website with the odd new image in the hope somebody might buy one!

Paul.

pbeyer · March 12, 2014

Bilbo said:
Thanks for the compliment m8.

As for tips, all I have ever done is practice on my own, and tried to improve my editing as time has gone by. I've had to training, so everything I do is all from persevering. If at first I don't succeed, I try and try again. If I think I've got it right - it gets a public viewing, and occasionally, I update my website with the odd new image in the hope somebody might buy one!

Paul.

As of now I don't do any editing, so maybe that will be the next step up see if I can get something else out of my shots

Bilbo · March 12, 2014

pbeyer said:
As of now I don't do any editing, so maybe that will be the next step up see if I can get something else out of my shots

Download Adobe Elements - you can use it for 30 days in trial mode with no restrictions, after which you have the option to buy it. Until the 18th March 2014, there is 30% off the normal retail price.

If you can, shoot in RAW mode with your camera - though be aware, a RAW image file will need editing as this is literally a "digital negative" equivalent to the old "film negative". Editing JPG photo's can of course still be done, but the more editing you do, the more "final quality" you will lose.

pbeyer · March 12, 2014

Bilbo said:
Download Adobe Elements - you can use it for 30 days in trial mode with no restrictions, after which you have the option to buy it. Until the 18th March 2014, there is 30% off the normal retail price.

If you can, shoot in RAW mode with your camera - though be aware, a RAW image file will need editing as this is literally a "digital negative" equivalent to the old "film negative". Editing JPG photo's can of course still be done, but the more editing you do, the more "final quality" you will lose.

Thanks for the tips Bilbo!! Will have to give it a go.

Reemul · March 13, 2014

You should be shooting in RAW format and using a photo editor for all your stuff. Even real film was developed before viewing. I used to work on photo mini lab 25 years ago and learnt my stuff then.

There are lots of different types of software to use I would recommend Lightroom. It costs about £75 and is Powerful, simple to use and also works as a great cataloging system. There is a 30 day trial available as well.

The main thing with editing is it can recover poor shots, increase detail as well as cropping so you can remove unwated stuff or improve framing.

It also helps you improve in general because it shows you what you could do and do better, eg framing.

pbeyer · March 13, 2014

Reemul said:
You should be shooting in RAW format and using a photo editor for all your stuff. Even real film was developed before viewing. I used to work on photo mini lab 25 years ago and learnt my stuff then.

There are lots of different types of software to use I would recommend Lightroom. It costs about £75 and is Powerful, simple to use and also works as a great cataloging system. There is a 30 day trial available as well.

The main thing with editing is it can recover poor shots, increase detail as well as cropping so you can remove unwated stuff or improve framing.

It also helps you improve in general because it shows you what you could do and do better, eg framing.

Awesome tip. I think I'm going to start giving it a try. Will have to find some tutorials on basic editing and work my way up from there. Thanks for the Lightroom tip!

Bilbo · March 13, 2014

Anybody wanna buy a flashgun? Metz 36 AF-5 Flashgun - Canon EOS fit. Excellent condition (no box, and there were no instructions in it anyway!)

Hardly used. £35 inc P&P.

Bilbo · March 13, 2014

Window Gnat at Night.

A Window Gnat. Or a midge. One or the other.

Anyway, this one was on the top of the compost bin tonight - and was photographed in total darkness. Focus was by torch, and then swapped that for the flashgun held just above the bug. Very hard to focus when you can't really see anything!

Paul.

muddy mudguard · March 13, 2014

So, question to all photographers - thoughts on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i???

pbeyer · March 15, 2014

muddy mudguard said:
So, question to all photographers - thoughts on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i???

Sorry mate I shoot a micro 4/3 now but everyone who shoots canon has raved about them.

Think @Bilbo shoots a canon, maybe he can help ya out

pbeyer · March 15, 2014

Reemul said:
You should be shooting in RAW format and using a photo editor for all your stuff. Even real film was developed before viewing. I used to work on photo mini lab 25 years ago and learnt my stuff then.

There are lots of different types of software to use I would recommend Lightroom. It costs about £75 and is Powerful, simple to use and also works as a great cataloging system. There is a 30 day trial available as well.

The main thing with editing is it can recover poor shots, increase detail as well as cropping so you can remove unwated stuff or improve framing.

It also helps you improve in general because it shows you what you could do and do better, eg framing.

Found and old version of Lightroom for free (3.6) as I'm running XP on my crappy travel computer.

Switched camera into raw, charged the battery and packed up the lenses. Bout to head into Rome and try some stuff out. Will report back tonight after the match.

Wish me luck.

Bilbo · March 15, 2014

pbeyer said:
Found and old version of Lightroom for free (3.6) as I'm running XP on my crappy travel computer.

Switched camera into raw, charged the battery and packed up the lenses. Bout to head into Rome and try some stuff out. Will report back tonight after the match.

Wish me luck.

Be sure your version has the right "support" for the RAW files of your camera m8 - the older versions may not be able to process newer cameras' RAW files.

Good luck!

Bilbo · March 15, 2014

muddy mudguard said:
So, question to all photographers - thoughts on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i???

Very decent camera. Based on the slightly older model (650D we call that, yours we call the 700D). 18mp, Digic 5, variangle screen, shots 5 frames per second, nice and quick.

You'll love it if you're getting one m8.

pbeyer · March 15, 2014

Bilbo said:
Be sure your version has the right "support" for the RAW files of your camera m8 - the older versions may not be able to process newer cameras' RAW files.

Good luck!

Thought this wasn't going to be a problem as everything I read said you could update the RAW processors. I was wrong.

Downloading Elements trial now to see my shots from this morning.