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Photo Critique Thread - [JPEG] (Page 28)
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ghporter
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Jul 3, 2009, 02:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by harbinger75 View Post
Yup. Just read up on the manual, and setting the curtain as you wish will be easy. You'll have to experiment with flash settings and such, but that's the fun of creative photography!
I can't find anything about curtain settings in my Canon EOS XTi's manual. Any synonyms I should be looking for?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
IceEnclosure
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Jul 3, 2009, 02:39 PM
 
My photo was taken with the flash on a TTL cord, camera in manual setting. The shutter was set for something like 1/2 second and the flash operated normally, via TTL. No curtain settings were adjusted.

Long-ish exposure, off-axis flash. Do it.
ice
     
IceEnclosure
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Jul 3, 2009, 02:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
I can't find anything about curtain settings in my Canon EOS XTi's manual. Any synonyms I should be looking for?
Custom Function #9 in the Custom Functions menu on your camera?
ice
     
ghporter
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Jul 3, 2009, 05:14 PM
 
OK, here's my first reasonable contribution. This is Topaz, and I think this is the quintessential "kitten picture." It's a plain JPEG, and I haven't done anything to it.

(Click on the image for the full size picture.)

I'd appreciate your critiques.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
harbinger75
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Jul 3, 2009, 06:56 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
OK, here's my first reasonable contribution. This is Topaz, and I think this is the quintessential "kitten picture." It's a plain JPEG, and I haven't done anything to it.

(Click on the image for the full size picture.)

I'd appreciate your critiques.
What can we say? It's a LOLcat, right? They pretty much run the universe now.

(very cute, btw)
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Jul 4, 2009, 05:22 AM
 
The only thing that cats 'run' around me, is away.

Technically the photo is good, as for subject matter ...

Uploading my fist D40 photos atm.
     
Oisín
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Jul 4, 2009, 07:33 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Uploading my fist D40 photos atm.
You get a new fancy camera toy, and you pop the cherry by taking pictures of your hands?


Glenn:

It’s a nice picture, but it doesn’t really do anything for me …

It could use more colour, I think. The colours are too mild and doesn’t draw any interest. Also, the woman/hair on the right detracts and distracts more from the image than it adds.

More importantly, though, it doesn’t tell me why it was taken. It’s more of a snapshot than a photograph to me. It shows a cat, all right—but what was it about this moment that demanded it being captured? It doesn’t tell me that.
     
harbinger75
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Jul 4, 2009, 08:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
The only thing that cats 'run' around me, is away.

Technically the photo is good, as for subject matter ...

Uploading my fist D40 photos atm.
I'm not really a fan of cats, either, but the meme seems to still be active on the intarwebs.
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Jul 4, 2009, 08:59 AM
 
Photo link removed by mattyb 26 Dec 2009
( Last edited by mattyb; Dec 26, 2009 at 09:47 AM. )
     
IceEnclosure
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Jul 4, 2009, 05:13 PM
 
Is this going to be the snapshots page?

Congrats on getting your D40!
ice
     
Oisín
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Jul 4, 2009, 05:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Sorry mate, don't get this.
Always check for cheeky Danes pouncing on inadvertent typos with tongue-sticking-out smileys. “Fist” photos, geddit? Haha. Haha. Ha. Ha. Ha.
     
mattyb
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Jul 5, 2009, 04:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by IceEnclosure View Post
Is this going to be the snapshots page?

Congrats on getting your D40!
Listen IceEnclosure Sir, I have a boring life, with two kids. Those that read this thread SHALL suffer the odd 'snapshot' that I take confirming this boring life.

So there.

Photo removed by mattyb 26 Dec 2009

As an aside, been fooling around with Aperture (trial version). Very easy, typically Apple. Haven't got a fookin clue what all the settings mean yet, but there are loads of pdfs at Apple that I'm slowly getting through. Nearly forgot, there's a SmugMug plugin for Aperture as well.
( Last edited by mattyb; Dec 26, 2009 at 09:46 AM. )
     
ghporter
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Jul 5, 2009, 11:15 AM
 
Originally Posted by Oisín View Post
Glenn:

It’s a nice picture, but it doesn’t really do anything for me …

It could use more colour, I think. The colours are too mild and doesn’t draw any interest. Also, the woman/hair on the right detracts and distracts more from the image than it adds.

More importantly, though, it doesn’t tell me why it was taken. It’s more of a snapshot than a photograph to me. It shows a cat, all right—but what was it about this moment that demanded it being captured? It doesn’t tell me that.
It's a candid shot. The kitten was on my wife's shoulder and exploring the world. To me, her facial expression is one of unbridled curiosity coupled with ultimate innocence.

I agree about the colors, the camera decided about white balance and exposure for me, and while HER color came through really well, the background sort of muddied up and that distracts from the whole thing. The hair is that way because the kitten was playing with the hair until a moment before the picture was taken.

Thanks for the critique. I can see the "snapshot" character of the picture too, but it also seems to say more about kittens than just "here's a kitten." I have newer pictures to post and will later on, as I'm not at home this weekend.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
mr. burns
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Jul 5, 2009, 04:33 PM
 
hey, a fireworks photo. what a surprise.

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richwig83
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Jul 5, 2009, 05:05 PM
 
Not seen much Motorsport in here so here goes!



Love your pic Mr Burns!!

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Jul 5, 2009, 05:40 PM
 
Bravo mr.burns, bravo. Very nice.

Good pic richwig83, especially showing that he got his knee down.
     
harbinger75
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Jul 5, 2009, 06:11 PM
 
Very nice fireworks capture there! Composing fireworks takes practice, so kudos!

The motorbike photo was a very nice snap as well. That's hard motion to capture, so getting it as crisp as that was nice. I like the diagonal line of the crop, too.
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richwig83
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Jul 5, 2009, 06:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Shutter speed technically means how long the shutter is open. "Slow curtain" means that the shutter opens and/or closes slowly.
Dont think thats right

Its slow sync... uses both the flash (at either just after the shutter opens or just before it closes) and longish exposure!
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Laminar
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Jul 5, 2009, 06:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by richwig83 View Post
Not seen much Motorsport in here so here goes!

snip

Love your pic Mr Burns!!

Rich
Love it! The crop is great, the picture is fantastic.
     
Railroader  (op)
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Jul 5, 2009, 08:47 PM
 
This is from an egg toss contest last week.

MUST be viewed in large size to appreciate the egg splatter. [Click for large size]

     
Laminar
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Jul 5, 2009, 08:52 PM
 
Great timing! The splatter and expression are great.
     
harbinger75
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Jul 5, 2009, 09:09 PM
 
Haha, nice capture! Great splat!
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harbinger75
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Jul 5, 2009, 09:22 PM
 
Ok, here's another of my favorites from our recent trip to Colorado:

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ghporter
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Jul 5, 2009, 10:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by richwig83 View Post
Dont think thats right

Its slow sync... uses both the flash (at either just after the shutter opens or just before it closes) and longish exposure!
You are correct. And your explanation is WAY more succinct and understandable than the half dozen or so explanations I found trying to verify my earlier statement. The effect of slow sync (which is firing the flash just before the second curtain closes) can look like the shutter curtains open or close more slowly, but it's all about the flash sync timing.

For those reading who don't know, the "curtains" are the actual shutter parts. When you open the shutter, the first curtain moves out of the way of the aperture. When the shutter closes, the second curtain snaps into place, blocking the aperture. After it closes and you release the shutter button, the shutter resets with the first curtain closing and then the second curtain opening. It's much simpler than it sounds...

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Jul 6, 2009, 04:28 AM
 
Originally Posted by mr. burns View Post
hey, a fireworks photo. what a surprise.
Wow. How did you do that? Could you post the EXIF data and some more details?
The lighting is just perfect: you can see the crowd while the fireworks still looks like a perfect flower.
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Oisín
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Jul 6, 2009, 04:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Railroader View Post
This is from an egg toss contest last week.

MUST be viewed in large size to appreciate the egg splatter. [Click for large size]
Oh, that's an egg!
     
Railroader  (op)
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Jul 6, 2009, 10:56 AM
 
Perhaps I should have mentioned that the egg toss was at a Baptist Family Camp!!!
     
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Jul 6, 2009, 12:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
Wow. How did you do that? Could you post the EXIF data and some more details?
The lighting is just perfect: you can see the crowd while the fireworks still looks like a perfect flower.


8 second exposure, f/5.6, ISO200.

normally just a couple fireworks like that wouldn't light up the crowd enough. i'd have to keep the shutter open longer but that would result in too many firework explosions and it wouldn't look nice. but that red streak really lit up the sky and i knew that was going to be the one. i got the right mix of good fireworks and good lighting. it's the shot i envisioned and wanted to get, but i was lucky to get the right conditions and capture it.

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Jul 6, 2009, 01:35 PM
 
@ ghporter, mattyb, mr. burns, richwig83, Railroader, harbinger75:

Wonderful photos!


And here I am - and I want to say hello and bring you some flowers and a bee...

Dreams have only one owner at a time. That's why dreamers are lonely.
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Laminar
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Jul 6, 2009, 02:16 PM
 
The colors are nice. I'm not sure if it's a result of compression or size reduction, but the photo doesn't appear very sharp.
     
richwig83
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Jul 6, 2009, 02:19 PM
 
Nice... harbinger75!
Love the contrast between the mountains in the background and the mountain on the left hand side of the foreground!

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Jul 6, 2009, 02:38 PM
 
I took some photos yesterday when I was in SOHO.



     
harbinger75
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Jul 6, 2009, 02:54 PM
 
Thank you very much Rich!

Kaseys - I like the contrast between the yellow and the green, but the only thing (compositionally) I'd change is the large, dark hole in the top-center of the photo and maybe the perspective (I'd shoot more at the same level as the flowers, instead of down onto them). But, I'm always a sucker for photos of little critters!
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harbinger75
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Jul 6, 2009, 02:55 PM
 
mdc - I really like the crop of the second photo and how that bubble is nice and crisp. Those are hard to focus on, so that was a nice snap!
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Jul 6, 2009, 03:19 PM
 
My latest of the little guy. I am really starting to enjoy playing with light. C&C welcome.

     
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Jul 6, 2009, 06:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Just for that, here's the obligatory cat pic (no the cat isn't ours) :

Not so much a critique as an observation. That cat might be wise to run - it looks to me like the kids have plans. And it's not hard to figure out the cat is featured in them.

Ok, so maybe it is a critique. The picture conveys a sense of trouble quite well. Like the next picture may show a white tail sticking out from under a closed toilet seat or something.
     
mattyb
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Jul 7, 2009, 09:02 AM
 
The two of them together ALWAYS cause trouble. But the cat is pretty nice. He's been spaded (not by my kids) and takes all sorts of abuse without getting nasty. He does get a saucer of milk every now and again. The other neighbours (we're the bottom floor flat) feed him all the time.

I just love the fireworks shot. I shall try and do the same thing on the 14th of July - I just want to fool around with a Manfrotto before actually laying out the money for one, and I haven't found a shop nearby yet.
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 11:16 AM
 
MarkLT1, kid looks good!
ice
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 11:49 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
It's a candid shot. The kitten was on my wife's shoulder and exploring the world.
Ah, but we didn't get any of that - candid, wife's shoulder, exploring.

The crop of the photo just gives us the cat with its admittedly cute expression, but with no context at all.
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by MarkLT1 View Post
My latest of the little guy. I am really starting to enjoy playing with light. C&C welcome.

This is astounding.
     
harbinger75
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Jul 7, 2009, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by MarkLT1 View Post
My latest of the little guy. I am really starting to enjoy playing with light. C&C welcome.

This is a great shot of him! I get the feeling he's looking at someone or something, and asking "What? Did I do something?" I like the lighting and the muted background colors.
     
Nai no Kami
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Jul 7, 2009, 01:29 PM
 
Oh, I'm so late for this thread. I have some pictures to share with you.






Y no entienden nada... ¡y cómo se divierten!...
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 02:05 PM
 
Nice pics Nai no Kami. Very nice.
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 03:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by Jens Peter View Post
First, congratulations on becoming a dad! Second, that is a fantastic portrait of your boy; the smile, eyes and the soft lightning is very good. And it works well with the B/W. To me it looks very professional.

A technically question; how do you fire the flash off camera? Is it using a cable, another flash or pocket wizards? I've been playing around with the idea, but haven't really decided on a solution yet.
My bad- I completely missed this reply to my earlier picture (I guess that comes along with the sleep depravation ).

Actually, it wasn't a sync cable, or wireless transmitter- but a generic long TTL shoe cable (Canon only makes a little 3' job. The one I use is 10').

IceEnclosure, Spheric Harlot, and harbinger75-

Glad you like the new shot! There are a few more from the shoot here: http://www.dobossy.com/Gabe_BlackBG/ . He sure is getting big fast!!!
     
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Jul 7, 2009, 06:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Nice pics Nai no Kami. Very nice.
Thank you very very much.

Y no entienden nada... ¡y cómo se divierten!...
     
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Jul 8, 2009, 04:33 AM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
The colors are nice. I'm not sure if it's a result of compression or size reduction, but the photo doesn't appear very sharp.
Yes, of course - it's a result of size reduction (Bummer!).
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Jul 8, 2009, 04:58 AM
 
Nice B+W shot of Montmatre Nai no Kami!!!
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( Last edited by richwig83; Jul 8, 2009 at 06:39 AM. )
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Jul 8, 2009, 05:14 AM
 
Originally Posted by richwig83 View Post
Nice B+W shot of Montmatre...

Doesn't look like Montmartre to me ...
     
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Jul 8, 2009, 06:38 AM
 
I was refering to Nai no Kami photo above... sorry should have been clearer
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Jul 8, 2009, 10:17 AM
 
Awesome Thanks for posting
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