• Members 411 posts
    June 20, 2023, 7:13 p.m.

    Hi fotoword,

    Love those early morning colours, stunning.

  • Members 411 posts
    June 20, 2023, 7:17 p.m.

    Hi Dunlin, Thank You.

    Hope you get lots of photos, weather is looking good after localized showers today, later in the week it could reach 30C. 😎

  • June 20, 2023, 8:14 p.m.

    Steve,

    I am not sure that would have made much difference. The histogram shows a pretty uniform range, and comparing the animal with the grass, there is not much difference in levels. It is a very challenging case! But I like it anyway.

    raccoon-histogram.jpg

    David

    raccoon-histogram.jpg

    JPG, 35.4 KB, uploaded by davidwien on June 20, 2023.

  • Members 1662 posts
    June 20, 2023, 9:01 p.m.

    Great shots, love the colorful water and the interesting poses. I like this one particularly and would call it "conducktor" 😉 Very well captured!

  • Members 732 posts
    June 21, 2023, 12:33 a.m.

    Dunlin,

    I think it leaves us right where we are.

    Photography-wise, I don't see Gear Patrol going any where.

    They loudly proclaim that the have acquired DPReview, but their magazine is full of articles on pen knives, pizza ovens and pickup trucks, etc. I can't see them devoting a lot of print space to the art and science of photography.

    Steve Thomas

  • Members 176 posts
    June 21, 2023, 8:59 a.m.

    Hi SimpleJoy
    Now that you mention it, I see that is quite the appropriate title 😃. Very clever.

    Thanks for the comments.

    Cheers
    Paul

  • Members 1739 posts
    June 21, 2023, 10:16 p.m.

    Subject: Programming and Waves

    Hi everyone,

    I edited this on 6/22/23 to explain more about the beach pictures. Sorry...I've been going so fast with so many activities that I didn't explain it very well.

    I'm back from vacation (holiday). I'll start off by showing some pictures I took the previous week at Cannon Beach, Oregon while I work on the post processing from the Montana trip. I used these Cannon Beach wave pictures to test out my newly revised EXIF data program which I describe below.

    Because I'm so busy post processing, I won't be very active on this board for about the rest of the week (other than a few simple comments). I've got about a thousand more photos to process from my trip to Montana and back, a lot of them taken from a moving car.

    But I wanted to share with you, some more of my EXIF data programming. I was thinking last night that I could list the photo number with the selected EXIF data programmatically with a space, that is with a carriage return which is Chr(13). The space would be where I could embed the photo. So now I can do all of this much much easier and faster with less chance of errors too. As always, I would share the code with those that are interested. With that code that I used, here's a sample of the weekend prior to my vacation. Also you all should expect that the code could change, as I think of new ideas of how to save time and do things differently. I may also add options on my form. In other words, it's still preliminary. I write programs so I can make life easier, as I often make life more difficult by keeping so busy. 😀

    The wave pictures are a very small sample of dozens of photos I took at the Cannon Beach. They also had a sand castle event that gave me plenty of other photo opportunities. With this edit I also revised the third picture. It was not straight at the horizon and a little too dark for my liking.

    Photo No. 1
    ResizedDPR2-18.jpg
    Model - Canon EOS Rebel T7i
    ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
    FNumber - 10
    ISOSpeedRatings - 200
    ExposureBiasValue - -0.33
    FocalLength - 200 mm
    Lens Model - EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

    Photo No. 2
    ResizedDPR2-20.jpg
    Model - Canon EOS Rebel T7i
    ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
    FNumber - 10
    ISOSpeedRatings - 250
    ExposureBiasValue - -0.33
    FocalLength - 200 mm
    Lens Model - EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

    Photo No. 3
    ResizedDPR2-22R1.jpg
    Model - Canon EOS Rebel T7i
    ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
    FNumber - 10
    ISOSpeedRatings - 100
    ExposureBiasValue - -0.67
    FocalLength - 157 mm
    Lens Model - EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

    Photo No. 4
    ResizedDPR2-23.jpg
    Model - Canon EOS Rebel T7i
    ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
    FNumber - 10
    ISOSpeedRatings - 100
    ExposureBiasValue - -0.67
    FocalLength - 157 mm
    Lens Model - EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

    Photo No. 5
    ResizedDPR2-24.jpg
    Model - Canon EOS Rebel T7i
    ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
    FNumber - 10
    ISOSpeedRatings - 125
    ExposureBiasValue - -0.67
    FocalLength - 157 mm
    Lens Model - EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

    ResizedDPR2-22R1.jpg

    JPG, 263.4 KB, uploaded by Digirame on June 22, 2023.

    ResizedDPR2-24.jpg

    JPG, 228.2 KB, uploaded by Digirame on June 21, 2023.

    ResizedDPR2-23.jpg

    JPG, 237.5 KB, uploaded by Digirame on June 21, 2023.

    ResizedDPR2-20.jpg

    JPG, 269.1 KB, uploaded by Digirame on June 21, 2023.

    ResizedDPR2-18.jpg

    JPG, 227.5 KB, uploaded by Digirame on June 21, 2023.

  • June 22, 2023, 4:49 p.m.

    More boring pictures of Vienna...

    Today I went out with just my RF16mm lens. It is actually 15mm when uncropped, but let's not argue about that!

    Unlike the 50mm lens that I used last week, what I see here is what I see in real life, and to me the photos give a much better impression of the actual localities. (Not as many tourists out today as there were last week.) I have uploaded largish versions for the full effect.

    IMG_6047_DxO-b.jpg

    IMG_6052_DxO-b.jpg

    For comparison, two of the 50mm photos again:

    IMG_6021_DxO-b.jpg

    IMG_6019_DxO-b.jpg

    This is the Neuer Markt ("New" Market). The name dates from 1274! Last year the fountain was temporarily removed and the area was excavated for the building of a large underground car park. (Only €2.20 an hour to park right in the heart of the city!) I think the photo gives some idea of the scale of this open space.

    IMG_6040_DxO-1-b.jpg

    David

    IMG_6040_DxO-1-b.jpg

    JPG, 1.9 MB, uploaded by davidwien on June 22, 2023.

    IMG_6052_DxO-b.jpg

    JPG, 3.6 MB, uploaded by davidwien on June 22, 2023.

    IMG_6047_DxO-b.jpg

    JPG, 2.3 MB, uploaded by davidwien on June 22, 2023.

  • June 22, 2023, 7:45 p.m.

    Interesting pictures. I dont recall seeing the sea when I was in Montana!

    David

  • June 22, 2023, 7:56 p.m.

    Welcome, Clikka! Thanks for the interesting photos. Those trains remind me of my extreme youth, before the diesel-electric engines came to the North of England. Thise that I see and travel on now are all electric. Much cleaner and not so smelly, but lacking in romance...

    David

  • Members 1739 posts
    June 23, 2023, 12:17 a.m.

    David,

    Thanks for making me aware of that.

    I edited my post to explain better. But I did say prior to editing "here's a sample of the weekend prior to my vacation." That was buried in my EXIF data programming comments. But the whole thing was not clear, so I fixed it. I've been going too fast.

    When did you go to Montana? Where in that state did you go? Did you visit Glacier National Park?

  • June 23, 2023, 7:01 a.m.

    Unfortunately, I went to the boring bit of Montana. Hopefully, Digrame has photos of the interesting bits!

    David

  • Members 567 posts
    June 23, 2023, 3:56 p.m.

    A nice set of images of your neighbour! I believe this is a pine squirrel, often referred to where I live as a red squirrel, but note that it is not the same as the European Red Squirrel that has much longer ear hair!

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_red_squirrel

    Andrew

  • Members 1662 posts
    June 23, 2023, 4:24 p.m.

    Yeah - you're right! Seems significantly better suited for what you do! In the first shot it might be a little bit too wide for my taste, but of course that could easily be cropped, while the reverse option (stitching) with the 50 mm is no great alternative on a busy street with people moving. In the shot of "Neuer Markt" it works very well and really captures enough of the space to provide a good impression. Well done!

  • Members 411 posts
    June 23, 2023, 6:52 p.m.

    Hi Digirame,

    The first photo with the light illuminating the crashing waves and the birds around the rock looks tops to me. 👍

  • June 23, 2023, 6:57 p.m.

    Thanks for your comments. With regard to the first shot, one has to realise that this is a wide pedestrian zone, since it was formerly a street with 4 lanes of traffic and sidewalks. I think that when people compare the angle of vision of a lens with that of the eye, they dont take into account that we move our eyes and heads!

    I will try to compare with 35mm next week.

    David

  • Members 1739 posts
    June 23, 2023, 10:26 p.m.

    Everyone.... 😀

    I did look at all your photos...wow...some really nice stuff. Rather than jumping into the middle of this thread and commenting, I think I'll continue fresh on the next one which will be started in two days.

    David,

    To help with your question which is "personally, I welcome others telling me how I can take better photos of more interesting subjects". That's a really good comment and so important. I don't use the most expensive gear, but I do take photos almost every weekend and anything goes as I don't limit myself. Here's some ideas for you and others.

    1) Wildlife: deer, raccoons, elk and birds etc.
    2) Scenes...get out and do some hiking for really neat photos.
    3) Events like races, fairs, festivals and parades. Check the internet for activities near you.
    4) Street photography (each country as their own laws for this, so check before....)
    5) Buildings and other structures...like I found some wind mills on my most recent trip. Stained glass windows are excellent too.
    6) Flowers and insects
    7) Pets
    8) Photos from a moving car (while of course while someone else is driving).
    9) Macro photography
    10) Take pictures in the rain (with an umbrella or other protection)...show thunderstorms...lightning...rainbows...large black clouds etc.
    11) Car and air shows
    12) People skiing, surfing or jumping off rocks etc...showing lots of activity.
    13) Take some video. I like using my mirrorless cameras for that, but the DSLR works OK too. I'm a novice when it come to that, but it's the future....
    14) Find famous people on cemetery headstones like I did once. Research where that person lived; take pictures of their old house etc. Provide for us a story.
    15) Be actively aware of news events. Like once I heard from someone about a fire in a town. I went there and documented it like a journalist. I don't think I showed photos of that. Unfortunately one person died, but mostly only one or two buildings were destroyed. It took them about a day to extinguish.
    16) Sunsets and sunrises...look for silhouettes and bodies of water for the best results.
    17) Spectacular water falls....
    18) Vacation photos...all sorts of interesting things can be found...like when I documented a restored ghost town at Bodie, California.
    19) Farms with their interesting plants and tractors.
    20) Photos at night in cities or other places...that's fun to do, showing the bright lights etc.
    21) Zoo...a lot of animals can be found. That can be something you might want to visit multiple times a year.
    22) Construction...once I captured many cranes at night. It was so cool.

    Can anyone else think of any other ideas for subject matter? I wrote those above by looking at my photo folders, which I label by type and date.

    I'll give you a precaution when taking pictures of people (strangers) at events or "street photography". First be aware of the laws. Secondly be aware of people's feelings. Some people (strangers) are quite comfortable with you taking pictures of them (usually the younger generations with their ubiquitous cell phones). But others may not as there still may be some phobia over pictures taken. As long as it's legal, go to areas where many other people have cameras that they are using...take pictures with them...be part of the crowd. Sometimes I sit next to other people and take their photos, so I don't appear threatening. Sometimes I ask them for photos. Also go with a friend. Bullies often will attack you when alone (for any reason), but won't (as much) when you are with someone else or others. OK...be safe...now have fun with your cameras.

    Anyone else like to share their experiences...anything to add?

  • June 24, 2023, 7:40 p.m.

    Nice pictures, Mocha. This one reminds me of a butterfly I snapped when it landed on the handlebars of my bike last year. I will look for this.

    David

  • Members 643 posts
    June 24, 2023, 7:40 p.m.

    ...and I'm back.
    Now it's processing time for me, too.

  • Members 643 posts
    June 24, 2023, 7:41 p.m.

    Awesome Digirame.

  • Members 1662 posts
    June 24, 2023, 8:30 p.m.

    Thanks a lot - that's certainly quite a list with lots of ideas what to shoot! I'll surely have to try quite a few of those you mentioned, once my kids are a bit older and it will hopefully be easier to shoot more outside.

    I've started a thread called "What are your biggest inspirations/motivation boosts?" here, where a couple of people already mentioned some really interesting photographic ideas/approaches which help keeping them inspired and motivated already. So if you're interested, take a look, and of course also feel invited to add some of your favorite things to try or experiment with! 👍

  • June 24, 2023, 9:12 p.m.

    Some lovely photos this week. Thanks!

    Photobygms was out and about taking shots of the countryside in The Netherlands.

    SteveP found a cute pine squirrel in his yard.

    WhyNot displayed photos of the Rocky Mountains in Coloratdo, complete with elks, and also gave his philosophy for taking photos on walk-arounds.

    Simplejoy amazed once more with his macro shots of berries and leaves. His titles are always memorable and relevant.

    Stevet presented a couple of enigmatic photos that needed to be looked at hard -- always good! And his raccoon reminds me that two of these once moved into part of the roof of my house, and used to fight -- like raccons -- at night. We waited until they went out and blocked the hole they used. After blaming each other for not leaving the door open, they eventually took the hint and relocated.

    Mocha was in Cornwall by the south coast, with a variety of interesting shots.

    A new member, Oldclikka, showed us a vintage railway near Auckland, New Zealand.

    Fotoworld's accommodating wood ducks are obviously all very musical.

    Dunlin is also in Cornwall, and promises his photos soon.

    Digrame has photos to show us from Montana, and perhaps Idaho, and eastern Oregon -- he already showed us dramatic scenes of the Pacific Ocean from western Oregon. In addition his checklist of 22 ideas for things to photograph was most welcome.

    Simplejoy's thread is worth reading and contributing to, even, if like me, you have difficulty in understanding what motivates you as a photographer.

    If you notice photos taken by Canon users in other threads, please invite them to post here also.

    The new weekly thread is now open here. Please start using it now.

    David

  • Members 411 posts
    June 24, 2023, 9:26 p.m.

    Hi davidwien, Thank You.