December 30, 2011

Nutria

Camera: 50D
Lens: 500mm
Aperture:f/8
ISO:1600

December 27, 2011

White Flight


Winter Blue

Camera: 50D
Lens: 70-200L@200
Aperture:F/4
ISO:1250

Film War II

The war isn't really Film vs. Digital.
The war is good photos vs. bad photos.
I am for the good. Regardless of origin.
That is my conclusion.

December 20, 2011

The Great (film) War

I have come to the conclusion that there is no local place that I can have my 35mm film properly scanned. I have a couple options yet to try father afield... But I guess the size is ok for online!

I mostly use my Elan II for wide shots(So I am not given a 1.6X crop factor by my 50D) or where I want really shallow depth of field.(Rarely!).

I have on occasion been rather harsh on film. It is inferior in many ways.

However. It. Is. Really. Fun.

I was recently challenged to be a bit more accepting of film. After all it does have a long and glorious tradition... So I am working on it!



December 16, 2011

Dancing Stars II


Subject

There are tons of self-inflicted rules in the world of photography. The rule of thirds. The sunny f/16 rule. Match your shutter speed to your lens mm. Etc. Do this. Do that.

The rules were created for a reason. The rules can help undisciplined photography turn into decent photography. Without rules even the newest noob can get lucky. But with the rules the noob can be lucky all the time.

IF... You are careful about your subject.

Like actually having one. Actually the more defined your subject the more the viewer will be able to understand your shot. (This is more important than you may guess). Obviously with studio/people/news/sports photography the subject is well defined. Usually Mr. Photog doesn't have to worry about subject. He goes right to composition.

With Nature/Art/Still life/Landscape Photography it gets a little tricky.

In Nature it is easier to know if you have strong subject if you going after an animal or single plant. But if it is a group of animals(Birds.. Ahg) or plants it is more about design then a single subject... In fact the design or composition of the group usually becomes the subject.

"Art" Photography tends to be a very undisciplined segment of photography. Why? Because.

Still Life. Fun stuff. I guess. I am not big into this so figure out how to have a meaningful still-life yourself.

Landscape. This is my all time fave type of photography. It is really challenging to get a good shot. Often an amazing scenic has no strong delineating feature and proves to be a weak or dull photograph.

I have taken thousands -tens of thousands of dull landscape pictures. Why? It wasn't the cameras fault, or the scenery, or the color, or the lighting, or the composition or the rules.

It was a weak subject.


For instance: My random shot of my car and gear bag at on an "Adventure" is a stronger shot than the smoke covered mountain I was there to shoot.








  Strengthen your shots by demanding more of your subject.




(Quick tip: Have an awesome landscape that refuses to be interesting? Throw a human being into the shot...)

Phothog

December 13, 2011

The goal

What is better Film or Digital?
What is better Prime or Zoom?
What is better Canon or Nikon?
What is better...

Ok Each of these topics are fun to argue about discuss. They are relevant topics.

They are relevant as far as they help with the "Goal".

And what is the goal? To take pictures of course!

Even that is not quite right. The goal is not to take pictures. It is to have taken pictures... End goal.

So gear is the means.
The finished photo is the ends.

Of course for the picture once it has been manipulated by all our gear, its life is just beginning... Where will it end? Maybe at auction selling for millions. Maybe in a scrapbook. That is a story for another post.

As Photogs what should our focus be? Short answer: The Subject.
The Subject requires its own post as well.

What to take away?

Focus more on what is in front of the camera and less on the gear.

(Sadly I can only give advice as I am confirmed gearbug.)

But remember this: If your hobby is gear then enjoy it, after all, sometimes the journey is the destination.

PhotHog

December 9, 2011

December 7, 2011

December 3, 2011

Ensenada








December 1, 2011

Baja
































November 30, 2011

Mexico

South of the border... Warm weather, Great food, beautiful landscapes and friendly people... And great spiders.






























Phothog

(The next post re:Mexico won't be so myopic)

November 27, 2011

Lemolo Falls



Location: Lemolo Falls
Camera:50D
Lens:17-40L @17mm
ISO:100
Tripod:Slik U212 w/Manfrotto 322RC2 head

Random Harvest II




Random Harvest