Photographers!

[Cognitive Gear]

So does anyone else on CAA enjoy photography? I just got my first DSLR and have been really enjoying getting back into it. (I had taken a film photography class last year.) It would be great to see some of the photos other CAAer's have taken, and hear comments and tips!

Here's one I took while at the local fair (no post processing was done on this image):


Ferris Wheel by The Peacemonger, on Flickr

Feel free to browse my flikr and ad me as a friend!

[Ante Bellum]

I would say I enjoy it, but I'm still at the "kid with an expensive camera" stage. I'll have to downsize some of my photos before I post any here.

[Makachop^^128]

I love photography >.< its my big thing
heres some on my DA http://makachop128.deviantart.com/

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/...be94bef0_z.jpg
Ferris Wheel by The Peacemonger, on Flickr

Great picture!

[Cognitive Gear]

I would say I enjoy it, but I'm still at the "kid with an expensive camera" stage. I'll have to downsize some of my photos before I post any here.

Oh, believe me, in a lot of ways that is exactly where I am. I hardly understand the rules of composition, I just sort of shoot what I think might look good. I really only get 1 out of 10 shots that I think are decent.

I love photography >.< its my big thing
heres some on my DA http://makachop128.deviantart.com/ Great picture!

Thanks! I looked over your DA, and there are some really fantastic pictures in there!

[Tancos]

I've got a gallery here. There's cosplay, ballet, botany and whatever catches my eye.

[Warrior4Christ]

I like photography too.
I like the interesting wide-angleness of the ferris wheel one. What's the "new lens" you were testing? Was it something like a 50mm f/1.4? IMHO, it's better/more useful to play around with your new gear/camera for a while by itself and get a feel of the limitations, then expand with lenses when you know better what you want.

Makachop: you've got some nice ones in there - you seem to have a good eye for composition.

Tancos: Wow, quite a collection! The gallery thumbnails make them look blurry but they're actually sharp. I like the indoor fisheye/panoramic ones.

Oh, believe me, in a lot of ways that is exactly where I am. I hardly understand the rules of composition, I just sort of shoot what I think might look good. I really only get 1 out of 10 shots that I think are decent.

Ha. My flickr is http://www.flickr.com/photos/noobwithanikon/. But I've progressed a bit since I named my account. I haven't updated it in a while - I should though. Got plenty.

[TopazRaven]

I enjoy photograpthy as well, but I'm really bad at it. xD I did take a class for it in high school, but I sucked then to. It didn't help I wasn't trying very hard either though. I have one of those normal little digital cameras. I'm hoping I might be able to take a class again some day and actually put some effort into it.

[Roy Mustang]

As long as you know me, I have been one. It was the best thing that I did as taking digital photography as a major in college.


I'm waiting for tomorrow as Nikon plans to release their new camera.

[firestorm]

As you guys know from my thread asking to help me win my first photography contest. I also love photography! Here is my facebook fanpage if you guys wanna check out my work and follow me.

https://www.facebook.com/HigherDesigns

Cog you have a really good eye for the rules of compostion. Simple background. The spokes of the farris wheel grab your eye and leads it to the center. Great job!

I enjoy photograpthy as well, but I'm really bad at it. xD I did take a class for it in high school, but I sucked then to. It didn't help I wasn't trying very hard either though. I have one of those normal little digital cameras. I'm hoping I might be able to take a class again some day and actually put some effort into it.

Topaz those little cameras can take amazing pictures as well. It's all about learning the rules of photography. Want proof? go to my photos on my facebook fanpage, go to model photography. All those pics were taken with a kodak easy-share.

[Warrior4Christ]

A very useful Q&A site for photography (part of the stack exchange series of sites that cover many things - programming, cooking, Christianity, finance, parenting, homebrew, etc):
http://photo.stackexchange.com/

[Cognitive Gear]

It's great to see that there are quite a few of us here. Would anyone be interested in short term contests or assignments, with the winner picking the theme of the next one? It could be a great way to get us all active, to get some feedback, and to give those flikr accounts something to do!

A very useful Q&A site for photography (part of the stack exchange series of sites that cover many things - programming, cooking, Christianity, finance, parenting, homebrew, etc):
http://photo.stackexchange.com/

Glancing over this quickly, I can tell that it will be a really great resource for me. Thanks!

As long as you know me, I have been one. It was the best thing that I did as taking digital photography as a major in college.

I'm waiting for tomorrow as Nikon plans to release their new camera.

Glad to see you here, I was hoping that you might drop in! As always, your photos give me inspiration to push my own photography forward. Your work really is just fantastic.

Cog you have a really good eye for the rules of compostion. Simple background. The spokes of the farris wheel grab your eye and leads it to the center. Great job!

Thanks! Hopefully I will be able to keep pushing forward to take better pictures!

I enjoy photograpthy as well, but I'm really bad at it. xD I did take a class for it in high school, but I sucked then to. It didn't help I wasn't trying very hard either though. I have one of those normal little digital cameras. I'm hoping I might be able to take a class again some day and actually put some effort into it.

I have good news for you! The point and shoots can take some really fantastic pictures, and it's really more about capturing the image you want than having a fancy camera. All it takes is the willingness to learn and a drive to create!

[Roy Mustang]

Glad to see you here, I was hoping that you might drop in! As always, your photos give me inspiration to push my own photography forward. Your work really is just fantastic.

Thanks. I can say that I'm still learn more and more. There is so much that you can do with photography. I'm trying to nail down pan shots, but I still learning on that.

Would anyone be interested in short term contests or assignments, with the winner picking the theme of the next one? It could be a great way to get us all active, to get some feedback, and to give those flikr accounts something to do!

I would love to help, if anyone wants to get this off the ground with contests and assignments. I can vote and maybe do a few of the contests and assignments, but someone would have to let me know, when they start and such. I thought that after I got things in order as being married and the move, that I could post more. But it will be here and there for posts from me here. I'm going to try to post as much as I can here about photography, but just this few weeks that I got a photography trip back to my old home state. I'm now backlog with close to 500 pictures that I have to edit. So, I will be on Flickr, FB and my wordpress site that I'm now going to change it to a photography trip blog now.

[Warrior4Christ]

The contest sounds like a great idea! Does it have to be taken specifically for the contest, or can it be "here's one I prepared earlier"?

[firestorm]

I'd love to join in a contest! I'd say thought that if you do a contest also post a link to a site where it teaches the rules of composition so that everyone can know what it takes to get a great photo

[Atria35]

Hm. I'm late to the party! I'm really into photography, but my camera is broken and I can't afford to get it fixed. My teacher and friends noticed I have a 'good eye' when it comes to composition- I just seem to get the way a picture should look.

However, actually getting the time to go out and take them... >.>"

I'll post when I get my camera fixed. As it is... yeah.

[Makachop^^128]

contest? :3 maybe I'm in idk I'm bad at contests

[Nanao]

I'd be interested in contests/assignments as well ^___^ I'm not a very good photographer... never taken any classes or anything like that, but I have a lot of fun with it.

[Cognitive Gear]

Ah, it's nice to hear that people would be interested! The primary goal I have in mind is really just to get us out and taking pictures, so we can all improve. The basic outline would be something like this: (and I think I answer the questions asked so far in the rules)

-Each contest has a 'topic' which can be interpreted as the photographer sees fit.
-One entry per user.
-Photos must be taken during the contest time period.
-Winner is chosen by vote: open to all members. (But please, don't fix it by making it a popularity contest.)
-The winner of the previous contest chooses the theme of the next. They will also open up a thread for it. (This will help this board be more active, and will help others know when the next contest starts.)
-Your photo can be anything you like, any color, any size. Just try to keep it within reason so it fits in your post!
-All the normal CAA rules apply to the photos, so nothing indecent or controversial, please!

Let me know how those rules sound, and if there are any additional you'd like to see. I'm not sure about time period, as I think that once a month is a bit long (people will forget about it) but twice a month might be just right. I really just want this to be a friendly, fun thing for us as a community.

[Warrior4Christ]

Sounds good Cog. Twice a month is good. Just a suggestion to prevent the "popularity contest" thing - perhaps they could be anonymous. PM the entries to the person running that round, and they put up everyone's entries (but then the URL might give it away... so nevermind).

[firestorm]

I have a couple of questions:

1. Can we use photoshop on our pics or will this contest be strictly whatever comes out of the camera? I know I use it on my photos when the lightings not what it should be or it's too dull or blurry.

2.Why don't we create a flickrgroup for the pics? so that when people vote they can see all the pics at once and they can't tell which is which. You can put their name descriptions as numbers and people can vote number 1, or number 2, etc., etc.,

To be honest I think this could really catch on in the site cause It takes a few hours to get a good sketch in for a drawing contest on the other hand and good photo can take a few minutes to an indefinate amount of time depending on weather conditions, lighting, pedestrian activity level (if your
trying to get a good photo of a popular place) and other things. So there definately is a luck factor to it which is a fun thing.

Also, people are generally more warm up to the idea of being behind a lense then sketching a drawing IMHO. Most don't sketch just because they believe they can't and that one must have an inborn ability too. On the other hand most people believe anyone can take a picture. Which is true but, as with anything, only those who've practiced enough can take truly great pictures!

lol sorry for rambling on but I do think that this'll catch on for just those reasons

[Roy Mustang]

2.Why don't we create a flickrgroup for the pics? so that when people vote they can see all the pics at once and they can't tell which is which. You can put their name descriptions as numbers and people can vote number 1, or number 2, etc., etc.,

I think that is a good idea. The only question is, how many here have a flickr account? Where they are free to get one, I think there is what a total of three or four of us that have one?

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Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[Atria35]

I don't have one. I'd be willing to get one, though. *as soon as I got my camera fixed- still broken!*

[firestorm]

I think that is a good idea. The only question is, how many here have a flickr account? Where they are free to get one, I think there is what a total of three or four of us that have one?

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Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

Whoever doesn't have one can send it to the judge to put them on flickr. Just put your name when you submit it.

Either way, I'd love to do it! What would be our theme though? any suggestions?

[firestorm]

Since this hasn't been active for a few days. Are we considering a no for this?

[Warrior4Christ]

I'm still keen.
So for a topic, could it start off as just a colour, like blue? Or a subject like "a plant"? Or "sunset"?

[Cognitive Gear]

Sorry for dropping the ball on this. I've been busier than I expected to be this semester. I think that we ought to just go for it, and see how it goes.

I'm still keen.
So for a topic, could it start off as just a colour, like blue? Or a subject like "a plant"? Or "sunset"?

All of those would work well. Personally I tend to choose words that are more abstract, like "hope", but I think that things that are more specific cause people to be creative in a different way (to try to stand out).

In addition, I think that you can also use photographic techniques as topics. It can get people to try new things that they may not have before!

I have a couple of questions:

1. Can we use photoshop on our pics or will this contest be strictly whatever comes out of the camera? I know I use it on my photos when the lightings not what it should be or it's too dull or blurry.

2.Why don't we create a flickrgroup for the pics? so that when people vote they can see all the pics at once and they can't tell which is which. You can put their name descriptions as numbers and people can vote number 1, or number 2, etc., etc..

1) Personally I would like to just leave it unrestricted until it is proven to be a problem. This is a photography assignment/contest, not a photoshop assignment/contest, so hopefully people will restrict themselves and be honest about what kinds of edits they performed. (I think that people are generally more impressed with non-photoshopped pictures than they are with photoshopped.)

2) This is a good idea.

I suppose that leaves us with two decisions to make: What will the first assignment's topic be, and what kind of schedule do we want to have?

[firestorm]

In addition, I think that you can also use photographic techniques as topics. It can get people to try new things that they may not have before!

I love this Idea!

1) Personally I would like to just leave it unrestricted until it is proven to be a problem. This is a photography assignment/contest, not a photoshop assignment/contest, so hopefully people will restrict themselves and be honest about what kinds of edits they performed. (I think that people are generally more impressed with non-photoshopped pictures than they are with photoshopped.)

I agree. I mostly just try to pump up colors when a photo seems grayed out for some reason. Or just get rid of something that wasn't supposed to be there (like dirt spots or someone's hand if they tried to photobomb the picture)

(2) This is a good idea.

I'll create the group then. Do we need permission from the higher ups first or should I just go and create it now?

I suppose that leaves us with two decisions to make: What will the first assignment's topic be, and what kind of schedule do we want to have?

Well i have 2 ideas..

1.One project we did for our class was we were all given a disposable camera and, using the rules of composition, had to go out and take pictures. Then when came back with our cd from cvs or whatever we would view them in class.

Maybe we can do something like that. ORRRRRR.....

2. The 2nd project we had was, using composition, we had to take pictures of things that mostly comprised of one of 4 main color: Red, blue, green, yellow. Now you can get creative of this by using what's representative of those colors. aka red could mean danger or love, blue meaning sadness, green meaning greed or nature, yellow meaning caution or don't eat the yellow snow etc,. etc,. etc,.

Also by the way I'd love to have an organized event.

For example, this past month I took part in an event called "Scott Kelby's 4th annual World Wide Photowalk" Basically it was an event that took place all around the world where photographers would get together in their respective city and they would have 2 hours to take photos along a set route created by Walk Leaders. (who were volunteers for the event) Then at the end they could go hang out for lunch, talk to each other about their experience, show off their photos, learn from those more experienced, and give advice to those who are newer.

I'd love to do something like that here but simpler. Like we organize a day where we all decide to go take a walk around our favorite place or our city and just photograph for 2 hours then post the photos on the flickr page and even (if you have google+ or Skype) have a video chat to just hang out, have fun, and discuss our photos and experiences on our walk

as far as schedule I'm not to sure.. Maybe one every two-three weeks?

[Roy Mustang]

Personally I would like to just leave it unrestricted until it is proven to be a problem. This is a photography assignment/contest, not a photoshop assignment/contest, so hopefully people will restrict themselves and be honest about what kinds of edits they performed. (I think that people are generally more impressed with non-photoshopped pictures than they are with photoshopped.)

I hope that no one thinks that I'm trying to start something here. Where I agree with this as a photography assignment/contest and I maybe reading this wrong on what you said. But since I finish college and had to use photoshop here and there in the photography major. I hope that you don't shy away from using photoshop from time to time. I use to be a person that didn't like to use photoshop to do any editing until the teacher made us use it it. About the only thing that I would use photoshop was, if I needed to crop a picture as if something that was still too far away from the lens. But then I got to the point that I was using it to change color pictures to B&W, which is far better then letting your camera to B&W and letting it do it.

Where Firestorm and me agree as the most editing that I do is the same thing that he does. Got to love the content aware fill that is in Photoshop Elements, when I found a pole that I don't want in a picture and there is not freaking way to get around it to take the picture.

I think two programs that photographers need is, Photoshop Lightroom (photoshop for photographers) and Photoshop Elements. Lightroom is something good to have, if you use RAW format. Which is something that I plan start using by the end of the year.

The next thing for me to learn and will take time is HDR photography.

[Cognitive Gear]

I hope that no one thinks that I'm trying to start something here. Where I agree with this as a photography assignment/contest and I maybe reading this wrong on what you said. But since I finish college and had to use photoshop here and there in the photography major. I hope that you don't shy away from using photoshop from time to time. I use to be a person that didn't like to use photoshop to do any editing until the teacher made us use it it. About the only thing that I would use photoshop was, if I needed to crop a picture as if something that was still too far away from the lens. But then I got to the point that I was using it to change color pictures to B&W, which is far better then letting your camera to B&W and letting it do it.

Where Firestorm and me agree as the most editing that I do is the same thing that he does. Got to love the content aware fill that is in Photoshop Elements, when I found a pole that I don't want in a picture and there is not freaking way to get around it to take the picture.

I think two programs that photographers need is, Photoshop Lightroom (photoshop for photographers) and Photoshop Elements. Lightroom is something good to have, if you use RAW format. Which is something that I plan start using by the end of the year.

The next thing for me to learn and will take time is HDR photography.

Oh, certainly. Photoshop is a tool. It's like the development room for film photography. Very important. I just tend to think that people enjoy seeing a picture of a house floating down a river more when it's a picture of a real event than when it's a creation of Photoshop. As such, if someone were to submit such a picture, I think it would be best if they were upfront about how that photo came to be.

[firestorm]

The next thing for me to learn and will take time is HDR photography.

When you get lightroom let me know. On this photography forum I go to I was sent these free presets that do a pretty good job at creating HDR-like images.

If you want example here is a before and after of a shot I took at a soccer game. I did have to tweak it a bit afterwards to get what I wanted, but the preset did about 90% of the job for me. Here they are:

Original

HDR-like



(and yes I did get rid of the lightpole and the people in the background as they were distracting from the subject)

I hope that you don't shy away from using photoshop from time to time.

Oh, certainly. Photoshop is a tool. It's like the development room for film photography. Very important. I just tend to think that people enjoy seeing a picture of a house floating down a river more when it's a picture of a real event than when it's a creation of Photoshop. As such, if someone were to submit such a picture, I think it would be best if they were upfront about how that photo came to be.

I think Cog is talking more about Photomanipulations. I'm sure you know what a photomanipulation is, but for those who don't here is an example of one I did quite a while ago:

Cherryblossom

Basically I took about 15 different photos and combined them together to make one image.

I don't think you shouldn't use photoshop in a photography competition, but this kind of photoshop work goes more into illustration then photography, as I didn't capture the end image with my camera nor does it even look like the original photos which I used.
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Now for Important news:
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[size=84]We were given the okay by Goldy to start the contest and flickr group.


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