The Never Ending Photo Thread

[JohnnyB]

Here is a pic of a random town in Guizhou province that I snapped in the middle of a 40 odd hour train ride across the country back to Shanghai this weekend. Awesome looking little place that I very much intend to go back to and spend some time in.



Also, a couple more random pics of Chinese countryside. (They've all been shopped a bit to improve clarity as they were snapped through the dirty window of a speeding train)









And, finally, that most famous of fake Apple stores that was featured in the international news recently. There is no sign saying it's an apple store now, but basically everything else still looks identical.

[Regulator75]

Keeping with the Spider Macro theme.


Spider by Witty nickname, on Flickr


Webbed by Witty nickname, on Flickr

[Yasa]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

On a side note, I know some people just don't like the look of HDR images, and I understand that, but sometimes I also hear people looking down on HDR images or heavily processed images as if they reflect a cheapening of the art (not making accusations here, just a general observation).

I don't have a problem with HDR in general. I have a problem with them being poorly done, or when somebody takes a boring image and tries to tone map the hell out of it make it look better.

I think post-processing is an essential part of photography, but too many people rely heavily on it as a crutch rather than a tool. I don't have any issue when people use it to highlight the subject, or create a better understanding of their message but stop increasing the contract and over-sharping everything!

That being said, I do PP in all my photos. Even if it's to darken the blacks a bit, de-saturate, crop, etc. but my main goal in photography is to eliminate as much PP as I can. I do that by learning my camera better with every shot, and figuring out what I can do different from last time.

All in all though, composition, exposure, DOF and subject are main things you want to master first.

[Tiger]

I haven't posted on this thread before but everybody seems so positive here and have great advice so I'll give it a try.
I have a question though, how do people take such good macro photos? there are some amazing ones just recently by regulator75 and ah123 just to name a few. What lenses do you usually use and what shutter speed and f stop are those photos taken at. I always have problems good focus and good depth of field.


My first attempt at very long night exposures





Bees in the rain... I like this picture but it would have been better with so more depth

[Regulator75]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I haven't posted on this thread before but everybody seems so positive here and have great advice so I'll give it a try.
I have a question though, how do people take such good macro photos? there are some amazing ones just recently by regulator75 and ah123 just to name a few. What lenses do you usually use and what shutter speed and f stop are those photos taken at. I always have problems good focus and good depth of field.

Thanks Tiger, your star / sky long exposure is very good.

For my recent macro work, I use the Nikkor 105mm VR f/2.8 lens.
IMO it's one of the sharpest lenses Nikkor makes (that I've used).

I upgraded last year from the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Feel free to view my EXIF data on my shots, it really depends on the subject and what I'm trying to accomplish.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=rec&...q=macro&m=tags

[Titan]

Thanks again Reg75. Loved the Vader on that link!

[ah123]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I have a question though, how do people take such good macro photos? there are some amazing ones just recently by regulator75 and ah123 just to name a few. What lenses do you usually use and what shutter speed and f stop are those photos taken at. I always have problems good focus and good depth of field.

Thanks - mine are taken with a Tamron 90mm, for the spider picture, I used a number of extension tubes and a speedlight. As with Regulator75's pictures, if you click on the link, you check out the EXIF data.

I am still learning macro photography, some links I have found helpful and that might you find useful as well:

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/sho...d.php?t=315210

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...aphy-intro.htm

[Jayems]

Any of you Canon guys lose a lens recently?

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/...kpix?hpt=hp_t2

[Regulator75]

Lakeside by Witty nickname, on Flickr

[Cowperson]

Ruby crests a random ridge on the weekend . . . .



Following some old cattle trails . . . .



Pete and Ruby coming down an old, cobbled-together, fence line . . .



A new Calgary based opera company visits the Millarville Farmers' Market . . . . this lady was fantastic.



Cowperson

[Yasa]

Originally Posted by Jayems

Any of you Canon guys lose a lens recently?

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/...kpix?hpt=hp_t2

Fell from a dirigible? Really?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Lake Louise by apeddle1982, on Flickr


Moraine Lake by apeddle1982, on Flickr


Giz at the Falls by apeddle1982, on Flickr

[Jayems]

Just wrapped up my first wedding in Banff today. Stressful stuff. Will post a few tomorrow.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Jayems

Just wrapped up my first wedding in Banff today. Stressful stuff. Will post a few tomorrow.

Wedding I did last week, can't wait to see yours!


Sharing a Moment by apeddle1982, on Flickr


Duties Finished! by apeddle1982, on Flickr

[Regulator75]

Here is the latest photo of my little man.
Nolan is now 10 days old and is adjusting well to his new life.

Hi There! by Witty nickname, on Flickr

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Here is the latest photo of my little man.
Nolan is now 10 days old and is adjusting well to his new life.

Hi There! by Witty nickname, on Flickr

Has he been watching Zoolander this week?

[Regulator75]

You know it. Nolan released Magnum on us.

[Bigtime]

"My god, it's beautiful."

[JohnnyB]

Some pics from Anhui province where I spent the last week in a small town for a friend's wedding.
These are pics of the groom's home.

The entrance to his home.




Gray haired old man climbing his tree to pick some persimmons for us.


Walking through the fields


The groom showing us some of the cotton plants


House using a bamboo tree for an antenna pole


Some beautiful flowers growing in the village

[Cowperson]

Not perfect, but a nice Fall shot of Ruby in the forest . . . .



Cowperson