The Official S-T.N Photography (methods) Thread

[Thunder7]

That's a nice photo Fred,  I think in the spring we need Joel to lead a I think he called it sniffing the flowers ride where we look for places to take photos. I took some of the building outside of the coffee shop but have to edit out some of the light too bright.

Thanks!

I'm not quite sure how a ride like that would work out. I do those rides solo as I stop when I want for as long as I want. Sometimes I go past something then turn around to get back to it. other times I might start riding away from something I just shot, then see yet another angle or something I missed and stop again.

Also, I have to say from an artist's standpoint, shooting works that will eventually be copywritten and out there for sale I cant say that I'd really want to "share" my locations. I know that sounds selfish but it avoids potential legal complications down the road. Its like sending an author a story idea. Once that idea has been received by the author, he/she wont use it because it could potentially be the basis for a lawsuit as the person who sent them the idea in the first place could say that it was stolen from them. I know of one writer in particular who was forced to trash an entire storyline because of just that reason.

[Thunder7]

OK, now here's an ethics type question.

There's a neat barn on my way to work. I stopped at the side of the road this morning and shot some photos. I had enough zoom in the camera to get some good photos, but I'd still like to get some wide angle shots, but up close. That would require walking around on the property.

I stopped after work today at the house there to ask permission, and not only was no one there, the inside of the house was clearly under construction and not livable. There were car tracks in the snow covered driveway, and there were well fed horses near the barn.

So, my question is... tomorrow morning, do I just go and shoot photos from the property? Or do I wait till the day comes that I drive by (whenever that is) and there's another person so I can ask permission? I don't plan on doing anything wrong or malicious, and I don't want to bother the horses and freak them out.

I'll post the photos that I took this morning later on this evening.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff,

Here is how I would handle it. When outdoors shooting onto somebody's property, there is a clear cut expectation of privacy by the occupants of that property. Therefore, photos of the people inside the property would be conosidered an invasion of privacy which in this instance is not the case.

My method is that I know it is private property and treat it as such. I stay off. That is not to say that torags is wrong, but that is how I do it.

[torags v2]

Jeff, you are in the beginning stages of lens envy......  It's a slippery slope....

 

[Jeff]

My wife thinks I should stay off as well, at least until I get permission.

Regarding lens envy... that's one area my point-n-shoot does well. With a 12x optical zoom, I have the equivalent of a 432mm zoom on a 35mm camera. Obviously the quality isn't up there like a pro lens on an SLR, but it's still pretty darn good for a $350 camera.

Here's a couple photos I took today:

The barn (not fully zoomed, shot from the side of the road)


And a bonus shot of an eagle. I very rarely have my camera with me going to and from work. I usually leave it at home so my wife can use it, since we bought it primarily for photos of our daughter. I really need to get a second camera. I totally lucked out having it, and there were actually two eagles on this tree!

[Thunder7]

My wife thinks I should stay off as well, at least until I get permission.

Regarding lens envy... that's one area my point-n-shoot does well. With a 12x optical zoom, I have the equivalent of a 432mm zoom on a 35mm camera. Obviously the quality isn't up there like a pro lens on an SLR, but it's still pretty darn good for a $350 camera.

Here's a couple photos I took today:

Nice shots. The shot of the eagle is the best reason to always have a camera with you.

[torags v2]

Eagle... Nice capture Jeff and nice color....  

[DredheadV2.0]

I am, after all, kind of a luddite  

Pfft.  You sold your Harley.  You can't be THAT big of a Luddite.  

[Yankee Dog]

..........................

I have a question.  Now dont take this as critisim as I have the same problem.  The eagle is slightly out of focus.  The problem seems to be that the camera focused on the branch in the foreground.  How do you solve something like this.  Is is as simple as putting the camera in manual focus mode or is there a better way  My camera is a Kodak Easy something or other, mostly one step above a point and shoot.  It does have the ablity to adjust manually but it is a bit of a PIA.

Yankee Dog

[Jeff]

Yeah, the eagle is just a bit out of focus, but still very usable. I have the same problem though anytime there's a similar situation. I've thought about using the manual focus, but on any type of point n shoot, it's a serious PITA. I'm open to suggestions as well.

Jeff

[Thunder7]

I have a question.  Now dont take this as critisim as I have the same problem.  The eagle is slightly out of focus.  The problem seems to be that the camera focused on the branch in the foreground.  How do you solve something like this.  Is is as simple as putting the camera in manual focus mode or is there a better way  My camera is a Kodak Easy something or other, mostly one step above a point and shoot.  It does have the ablity to adjust manually but it is a bit of a PIA.

Yankee Dog

Unless you can select your focus point, or select your aperture you will need to go manual on the focus. If you can control your depth of field, then that would help a great deal.

[Thunder7]

  Not something you might find on the label ordered by the FDA

I think it would be high comedy to see how the woulod handle it.

[Thunder7]

Or you could look at if from the other angle and call it "The Upside of Constipation"!  

Well, yeah- youd even get that nice warm feeling after a while too......

[torags v2]

Yeah, the eagle is just a bit out of focus, but still very usable. I have the same problem though anytime there's a similar situation. I've thought about using the manual focus, but on any type of point n shoot, it's a serious PITA. I'm open to suggestions as well.

Jeff

It's difficult to get a central focus with a P&S. My wifes Canon which gives great sharpness with rich colors, has a viewfinder that not directly related to the lens (its 3' high at 20' away),  my LX1 doesn't even have a viewfinder, it has an unreadable LCD.  Check in your preference menu if they have a "focus on closest object" and unselect that, if manual focus is not available.

Those that see fuzz  in that shot (sharp eyes) are candidates for a dslr. I give you a year.....

 

[Jeff]

It's difficult to get a central focus with a P&S. My wifes Canon which gives great sharpness with rich colors, has a viewfinder that not directly related to the lens (its 3' high at 20' away),  my LX1 doesn't even have a viewfinder, it has an unreadable LCD.  Check in your preference menu if they have a "focus on closest object" and unselect that, if manual focus is not available.

Those that see fuzz  in that shot (sharp eyes) are candidates for a dslr. I give you a year.....

 

I tell ya, with this thread, my jonesing for a DSLR just keeps getting worse! And I wanted one pretty badly before. Now... how am I going to come up with a spare $1000?

Jeff

[torags v2]

Put this link in your pocket...

http://www.KEH.com

It has a good reputation for used product and their rating is good as well as customer service.

I'm in the Nikon family and I would recommend a D50 with a 18/200mm lens. Buy good glass.

There are probably folks in the Canon family who could make a similar recommedation.

Jeeze I feel like a drug dealer.

[Jeff]

Put this link in your pocket...

http://www.KEH.com

It has a good reputation for used product and their rating is good as well as customer service.

I'm in the Nikon family and I would recommend a D50 with a 18/200mm lens. Buy good glass.

There are probably folks in the Canon family who could make a similar recommedation.

Jeeze I feel like a drug dealer.

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

I'm more of a Canon guy myself, but only because that's what I've always had... no real bias against Nikon. If I had the money for it, I'd pick up a Canon Digital Rebel (or XT or XTi) and a good lens tomorrow.

Jeff

[Thunder7]

Put this link in your pocket...

http://www.KEH.com

It has a good reputation for used product and their rating is good as well as customer service.

I'm in the Nikon family and I would recommend a D50 with a 18/200mm lens. Buy good glass.

There are probably folks in the Canon family who could make a similar recommedation.

Jeeze I feel like a drug dealer.

Yeah, well as long as you dont tread on my turf then you'll love a long healthy life........  

I'm all about Canon if nobody could tell but Nikon makes excellent DSLRs. If you stay with the lower end lenses then I feel that Nikon actually has better optics than Canon in that category. Whatever you do, do NOT buy Sigma lenses. The most inferior optics I have ever had the misfortune to use. Second only to Minolta's Maxxum optics of the mid 1980s'.

[johnnyb]

Best luck I've had with third party optics has been Tokina.  Don't have any in the bag at the moment but over the years I've had a couple that I really liked.  'Course Tokina was started by a few Nikon optic engineers oh those many years ago.

[Thunder7]

A good resource for lens data:

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/index.php

[johnnyb]

Best luck I've had with third party optics has been Tokina.  Don't have any in the bag at the moment but over the years I've had a couple that I really liked.  'Course Tokina was started by a few Nikon optic engineers oh those many years ago.

Man, this cold is kicking my butt.  I DO have a Tokina in the bag right now.  Picked up a new 12-24 AT-X Pro DX a few months back.  I can only say good things about it.