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| March 3rd, 2007 09:33 PM | |  LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | Something To Think About
I hear a lot from people who are trying to improve there techniques and learn about their camera and settings and are looking for an easy way or a blueprint to do this.
I have never taken a photo of a lunar eclipse before tonight, and I want to tell you how I went about it. First, everyday I go back and study up on a few features on my new camera. In preparation for shooting the eclipse, I looked at some setttings and adjustments I had never used. Okay, it's dark, the clouds are moving, the eclipse is visible and then not! I took 87 shots trying different settings and setups and think I finally figured it out. From the book, hell no! From experimenting and trying different combinations. My emotions went from wanting to throw the camera off my bedroom balcony to pure exhileration that after the 70th shot or thereabouts, I knew I pretty much had it! All in all I got about 5 decent shots and two that were pretty good in my opinion.
More than two hours, several glasses of wine, when I move forward my blueprint for doing this again is in my head. I want to keep getting better and am determined to do so. If you spend thousands of dollars on good equipment, you have to learn how to use it and maximize it's capabilities. You do this by practicing, and trial & error. There is no Crib Sheet in the world that you can use that will take you through the reality of doing it under the ever changing elements you will face each time you shoot.
I do not mean to pontificate, but I truly believe this to be a reality. LVE | | | [1] 2 >> | | | March 4th, 2007 08:06 AM | | ssomajik
Joined: Sep 18, 2006
Posts: 163 | Camera "books"
I read my "how to" book cover to cover and absolutly nothing made sense until I started paying ATTENTION to what was/is being taught here..grin.. Thanks Larry for confirming and validating the intense feels of frustration. It helps to know that even the advanced/experienced person "suffers" just like the "newbee". I've been printing tips, advice and keep it with me (the book is in the drawer), and try to take a picture step by step. Good DOF is what I'm working on now. | | March 4th, 2007 09:13 AM | | LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | Thank you all
Please believe me when I tell you that this is the only way to go. My wife is quit good and has suffered through these same growing pains, She is always making notes to herself but now realizes when she is shooting she doesn't have time to read them and must experiment until she gets what she wants. I keep telling her "figure it out" She does, and she is getting very good. Some day I will get her to participate on this site. This is not her thing at the moment, eventhough she is a member. | | March 4th, 2007 09:16 AM | | LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | Kathi
There are some very good books about using cameras other than the manual that comes with the camera. My wife bought me one for my new Sony Alpha and it is outstanding! I study it all of the time so I can commit things to memory and not have to worry about them in the field. | | March 5th, 2007 05:08 PM | | Malu
Joined: Sep 18, 2006
Posts: 165 | Books and notes
Yes I read books and books and try to put it on practice but doing it manually and shoot shoot shoot is the best experience, even when I have a notebook where I write what I do and worked just as Larry's wife hardly ever go back to them and then they do not apply in all situations like different lighting and place. Practice is what helps us learn. | | March 5th, 2007 07:30 PM | | LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | You are Spot ON!
| | March 6th, 2007 08:37 AM | | LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | Excellent Point GGW
Some people say that experience is not always the best teacher, because it gives you the practice first and the lesson afterward. Having said this, I think that there is no subsitute in photography for practice. The more situations you put yourself into, the more you experience, the more you will understand. The camera manuals and other materials will make a lot more sense if you have more field experience. | | March 6th, 2007 08:56 AM | | andreyG
Joined: Sep 19, 2006
Posts: 391 | practice
I think practice is an important thing, and nothing can substitute it, but the first think is what do you want. You see the effect (light, scenary etc) and you take a picture, then you put it on the screen and see a duull ggggrrrraaaay and truly boring thing instead of sun-through-grass that you saw there, then you have to think and experiment - this is a first stage - to make on the screen what you see. the next stage - when you see something and imagine how it looks in interpretation of Mone (Dali, Tician etc) and try to make it, when you know what you are looking for the greek of the manual selftranslated to normal language - you get the manual opened and play with your camera reading it. Than you go to the field and found out that everything that you plan went conpletely not as you plan it - and this is an experience, but as soon as you begin to master the first steps - you go forvard with the speed, and it is becoming damaging to your budget, because you need new equipment, when you got new equipment - story begin from the start... | | March 6th, 2007 05:47 PM | | ssomajik
Joined: Sep 18, 2006
Posts: 163 | GGW/Andrey message
I haven't heard that "lecture" since my Psyc instructors gave it and had all but forgotten it. I'm a writer,.when I write things I remember them, thats how I aced my courses. Thank you for the reminder.....Andrey's words are sooooo true they are scary, especially the part about damaging the budget. All the help and support going on here has made me realize there is more more more that can be done with a camera. I'll probably "kill" my budget but discovering what I might be able to do with all this help and new equipment and practice, practice,practice will be worth it. BIG THANK YOU to you all | | March 16th, 2007 01:30 PM | | andreyG
Joined: Sep 19, 2006
Posts: 391 | cherriperry
it depends what you do with the pictures, i have planty pictures of my aunt Sara from my trip to St. Petersburg, with a babilone of staff on the BG, that I am doing nothing with, Those picture are for my mom to see her favorite cousine, and aunt Sarra almost always in staff till here eyelashes. If you want to make an exhibition of it - make a BG switable to the topic of exhibition. Snaps for a family albumes - is of different ethic then art photography. Just make it recognizable, and no spinach in the teeth. | | March 16th, 2007 01:35 PM | | LVE
Joined: Aug 1, 2006
Posts: 827 | Cheri
Practice in different situations so when you are faced with a circumstance like you describe you are prepared.You do nit always have to take something you are going to do something with other than learn from it. You come from a military background. What do they try to get you to do? Prepare oneself for all situations!
For example I have a new external flash. The results I have from it vary, and I am not comfortable with it yet. I have probably taken 200 shots to practice, lights on, lights off, bounce, tilt, shadows, difussion, manual, automatic, etc.
I will tell you one thing, in the trailer situation you describe, where you are trying to get a souvenir shot, then, are you ready for this, SHOOT IT ON AUTOMATIC if you are not sure and don't want to waste someones time. I do this often. In fact I find for most shots my flash goes well with one of my auto modes. | | | [1] 2 >> | |
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