Author Topic: Photography (Read 22606 times)

Smokin Don · « **Reply #-1 on:** January 27, 2013, 02:43:25 AM »

I have enjoyed taking photos since I bought my first camera while in the USAF back in 1960 to 1968. I have had a lot of different cameras over the years. My currant camera is an Olympus E620 with 3 different lenses. I also like backyard bird watching and have fed hummingbirds for over 20 years now.
Birds and butterflies became my favorite subjects.

The editing software I use is Photoshop Elements, currant version is 10. Back about 2007 I was active at a photography site called treklens. It is like this site where photographers from all over the world show their work and talk about them critiquing each other. I have over 600 photos there if you want to check them out. Some are good and some not so good!
http://www.treklens.com/members/deains/

I have had two photos published and sold one at an Art show here for $60 a couple years ago. I am not too shabby but would starve to death as a photographer!

From treklens I built myself a PVC light tent to use photographing small objects. A lot of food photographers use one to get good photos without harsh reflections from using a flash. If you are interested in making one here is a link to the site I used for plans to make mine. http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

I don’t use the light tent for taking my food photos, I don’t have room to keep it set up and I am more interested in eating the food I cook before it gets cold! I take all my photos with the onboard flash in Macro mode and rely on software to make it better. I have kind of learned to keep most reflections down shooting photos around my kitchen.

You don’t need an expensive camera to get good photos, most of the point and shoot cameras in the $100 to $200 range price take great photos and you can make them better with software. I know Photoshop Elements software pretty well; I have belonged to a site that gives instructions on how to use it. I am not a fan of the new cameras built into the newer cell phones now. Sometimes they do great and other times can’t get the right color balance. If any of you have any questions on taking photos I will try to help if I can. The better your photos the better your cooks will look.

Some photos from last summer

Female Ruby Throat Hummingbird

Dogwood Bloom

Sparrow

Day Lily

Smokin Don

smokendevo · « **on:** January 27, 2013, 03:18:28 AM »

Very nice photo's Don. I like taking pictures also and about a year and a half ago I bought the Nikon d5100 so I could do some High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI or HDR). I started out with guns a blasting but lately I just don't have the time for it. Going to retire in 17 months so hopefully I will pick up on it again. There is really good software out there that makes it all so easy.
This one is the falls just 5 minute walk from my back door.

SiFumar · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2013, 03:20:56 AM »

Nice pictures! I "lost" my camera in Az bout a year ago...and relying on a phone camera...I know poor second. I kinda been spending the money on "cookin, bbquing, smoking supplies"...any suggestions on a cheap, decent camera? Thanks!

bbqchef · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2013, 07:23:38 AM »

I'm from the old school... Nikon F4's for a number of years when I worked for newspapers. Now it's all digital!

Hub · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2013, 07:33:46 AM »

Great photos, Don. Sure beats my cell phone shots

I still have my Nikon SLR and loved it back when film was the media of choice. I have yet to "warm up" to any digital cameras mainly because I despise fighting my way through menu lists to try to get something done when a simple button, dial, or switch would do it easier and faster.

Hub

Smokin Don · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2013, 09:11:09 AM »

SD what a view close to your home!! Must be nice. Good photos.
SF I am partial to Canon cameras, probably since that is what I started with when I went digital. Canon and Nikon seem to be the two favorite out there. Here is a great camera preview site. http://www.dpreview.com/
They preview all the cameras out there.They get in it pretty deep but in the final pages you can get some good info. Don

mikecorn.1 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2013, 09:39:16 AM »

Nice pics Devo!

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

muebe · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2013, 10:47:26 AM »

You guys take some fantastic pictures!

Keymaster · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2013, 11:17:16 AM »

Great photos guys!! Most my pictures are of food or my cats, guess I need to get out more

Don O · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2013, 11:25:42 AM »

Thanks for sharing those pics. Really nice work SDon.
Good recipes and now good pics.

drbiggles · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2013, 06:36:16 PM »

Quote from: Hub on January 27, 2013, 07:33:46 AM

Great photos, Don. Sure beats my cell phone shots

I still have my Nikon SLR and loved it back when film was the media of choice. I have yet to "warm up" to any digital cameras mainly because I despise fighting my way through menu lists to try to get something done when a simple button, dial, or switch would do it easier and faster.

Hub

Totally hip to that. The old mechanical film cameras feel like a fine watch in your hands, perfect in every way. Simplicity at its best that brings a happy smile. I found with the more expensive digital bodies one has the knobs on the outside of the body instead of buried in menus. With my D700 and my old D200, one can just move a finger or two and make any appropriate changes necessary. The full frame sensors finally allow me to use my 50mm and get a 50 out of it instead of a 70 some odd mm. I can't say how absolutely disappointing it is to slap on my 20 and have it come to a 30. Nasty nasty.

For me, I just can't justify spending any more time behind the computer. All my effort goes in to exposure and composition in the camera and use photosnot only for resizing, levels and a little extra contrast from time to time. I am unable to edit the image to make it any better. Crap in, crap out.

xo, Biggles

teesquare · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2013, 05:11:19 PM »

Beautiful work folks. Keep it up - and we will set up a forum section devoted to teaching others how to take great pictures of food!

What do you think? Will you guys post in it, and help build that section a little?
T

mikecorn.1 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2013, 06:33:30 PM »

Quote from: teesquare on March 04, 2013, 05:11:19 PM

Beautiful work folks. Keep it up - and we will set up a forum section devoted to teaching others how to take great pictures of food!

What do you think? Will you guys post in it, and help build that section a little?
T

I say why not. Although I take my pics with my phone. So much easier to shoot and upload.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

rexster314 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2013, 07:18:58 PM »

Here's one of my hummers from last year.

RAD · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2013, 07:51:37 PM »

a friend of mine