Photography of ATS Members

Summer thundershower with rain on windshield, just outside Laramie, Wyoming, two years ago:

I like the static-feel to that image…The color balance is warm and the rain-drops add to a sense of wonder – It could have been taken 20 years ago, or just yesterday…

That’ll be a couple of fun trips! The Heartland is a place I’ve always wanted to photograph…And I can’t even imagine the jewels that’ll cross your viewfinder in Peru!

I certainly appreciate the feedback! Eliciting audible “wows” is what keeps me coming back time and time again! I’m glad to know you’ve enjoyed viewing them as much as I enjoyed taking them

Regarding your questions, I suppose a quick “lesson” would be in order

One thing I don’t believe I’ve touched on here is a principle which I used in the blue bird photo, along with some of my past photographs



It’s called the Rule of Thirds…When looking through your viewfinder, mentally divide the frame into three-by-three sections – In short (more info on the link above), objects placed in or around the intersection of these points have been proven to be more eye-catching and dramatic than say…placing your subject dead center…

Typically you'd want more objects intersecting those lines that just my one little bird though

As for the last image there with all the arrows and my remark in photo gibberish regarding f/36….There’s a pretty good lesson on aperture I can expose here…

Anytime you see f/ followed by a number, it denotes the aperture of the camera…Which is directly tied to the shutter speed and several other settings…Key here though is the difference between high and low f-stop values…

I mentioned that I found out how dirty the sensor on my camera was by shooting at f/36…



If you look at the chart above, you’ll see that means that the diaphragm on my lens was very narrow, and thus anything and everything my lens could capture in the frame was done at a very crisp level of detail – High apertures are primarily used for landscape shots were high Depth-of-field (amount of image in-focus) is necessary…

That’s why every spec of dust my camera’s sensor has accumulated from switching lenses shows up in that photo, which is what each little arrow is pointing to there…

On the other end of the stick, a shallow depth-of field is achieved with a wide aperture, such as f/1.8 – Which is what I set my camera to for the blue bird shot, so that only the area around the bird was in focus, and all else in the background is therefore blurred due to the selective focusing…

Regarding how this all relates to shutter speeds – The higher your aperture, the long the shutter speed (or the amount of time the shutter remains open)…In low-light handheld situations, you are often forced to reduce your aperture in order to increase your shutter speed so that you can get a clean image that’s not underexposed….That’s one example of when the use of a flash can assist in giving you a little more of a buffer zone….



[edit on 5/22/2006 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

EnronOutrunHomerun

One funny thing about photography is that if we do not have any talent (my case :shk we can still get some good photos with luck, but if we have the talent (like all the other posters on this thread) we can get some good photos and some excellent photos.

But if we have the talent and the techniques then we can make many more excellent photos.

So, I think that you are doing a good thing teaching the ones that do not know all those techniques the way of getting the best out of their opportunities and of their equipment.

I know that there many things about photography that could be said to help the less “professional” photographers because my sisters is a professional, and I learned something about it while she was studying.

Much truth in those words ArMaP....And I'm always happy to share!

Much of what I’ve learned has been bartered online in exchange for time spent developing my ability – It’s all about practice, and as you mentioned….You will either innately carry it forward or you won’t – Yet everyone shares that ability to take what is offered to better their time spent with the camera, regardless of whether it comes naturally to them….

I suppose the best advice I can offer anyone reading this who is hesitant of posting their photos here or is worried because they don’t have some fancy camera – Something I think we’ve all said here in the past, but it bares repeating every so often…

The camera you use is only a tool – It can be crude or ornate, but what matters most is your love of photography – You cannot take into your hands a complex machine and expect to work it like magic overnight…Film or digital – It doesn’t matter when you’re fine-tuning your skills – All you need is to develop your eye to see the shot and everything else begins to fall in place with time….

So ask questions if you don’t know the answers….Take a walk around town with your camera and push buttons, take photos from funny angles that make other people laugh at you….

Then post your photos here!

Hey everyone,

Enron...you asked about some of the houses we paint out here...here is one we did as a custom new construction...it took about 2 years to complete the finishes...I was up there today doing some touch-up, so I thought I would snap some pics. It rained (again!) over the last couple of days, so the light and air were nice (some of you weather-control conspiracy folks need to do something about our weather here in Northern California...enough with the rain already!)

You can only see about 2/3 of the house from this direction; there is a whole other 2 storey wing which doesn't show from here:



This shows about 2/3 of the inner courtyard:



They have a pretty nice view out over town and both ends of the valley:



This architectural "detail" is actually done with paint...shadows and everything. The surface is truly flat (except for the small 3" return over the door (the doors are real). This is a type of decorative painting known as "grisaille"...the creation of the illusion of a 3-dimensional architectural detail on a flat surface:




I liked the lines in this view...the material used on the walls is called a "limewash"...it's a traditional "old European" finish, hand made with dry pigments in a limewash vehicle, and applied entirely with over-sized wall-brushes...from this angle you can see that the "grisaille" details are actually flat:



When I got down to the end of the above walkway, I found some nice light...here you can see how the limewash ages over time...it originally looks pretty monochromatic, but as it ages and the lime in the material reacts with moisture and light, it develops these really nice, soft tones and effects; again, the outer frame of that window is done in "grisaille", the frame and it's shadow lines are done entirely as an illusion (the wooden window and the sill are real):




BTW: if anyone is looking for a nice family home in Northern California this one is for sale. Asking price? $13,000,000.00, from what I understand...but hey, it comes with yard maintainence service included



[edit on 5/23/2006 by apocalypticon]

[edit on 5/23/2006 by apocalypticon]

[edit on 5/23/2006 by apocalypticon]

[edit on 5/23/2006 by apocalypticon]

you can get something similar in Spain for $400,000
Half the property programs here in the UK are about finding holiday homes or retirement homes in europe,ie: France and Spain mainly
amazing how cheap it is when the currency is converted.

apocalypticon, i made that windscreen shot my desktop
just loved the way it looks like im looking through glass not a camera lens
very nice pic

[edit on 23-5-2006 by AdamJ]

Beaver!



Swans!

We were driving home and I glances to the left and saw two white dots in the corner of my eye. You rarely see swans around - these are the first I've seen in a while.
I think they are Trumpeter Swans, but I am not 100% sure. At first I wanted to see they were Mutes but there is not much a bump on their beak which normally gives away whether it's a Mute or not. These look pretty smooth.

Anyway, some pictures:

What a gorgeous home apocalypticon....$13 Million is a little out of my price range, but with a lawn maintenance contract included - Hell....You talked me into it - Where do I sign?!

What is it with rich people and their obsession to flaunt

I've got a few rich friends...They always have their heads in the clouds....Enough rambling though - Awesome shots! Again - The framing of your shots is well composed - And need I even comment on your exceptional painting ability?! Holy smokes!

I've got some cool video footage from a trip to London where I got a homeless guy drawing a 3-D image on the street....Phenomenal stuff....It boggles my mind - This is a technique that goes back centuries, and it amazes me every time I see it - Great work man! You're certainly in the right part of the world to apply your talents to well=paying customers! I'm still trying to figure out how someone can afford to front the money for a house of that magnitude without having a buyer committed, but I'm sure in a few weeks some super-star will be living in the digs you helped create - How cool is that?!

parrhesia - Great shots! Excellent capture with the wings spread open...I think my favorite of the swan photos is the one right below that Awesome job balancing that one out with the tree stump, and the ripples in the water give it just the right amount of motion....Like the shallow DOF on that flower photo - Very crisp subjects and blurred backgrounds make for very interesting photos....

Here's a few I took before I went out to the Smokies - They're from some of the birdfeeders in our backyard...Nothing spectaciluar.....

Momma bird off to feed her young....

They flew the nest the week I was gone - One or two days after this photo....

Those pesky squirrels!!

Okay – Next photography lesson….Why does that last shot of the squirrel I posted suck?

Well….Because I didn’t pay attention to one of the most important fundamentals of photography….Don’t take outdoor photos during the harsh midday sun!

See all the “hot” white spots in the photo – All victims of the harsh beating sun….If you’re taking photos outdoors, remember to choose the golden hours to take your photos…

The dawn and dusk hours are your best bet….And if you have to take that midday photo – Think the impossible – Use your flash!! It will fill in the harsh shadows created by the midday sun…





[edit on 5/23/2006 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

Upon finishing some backyard beautification today, I thought I would post a few photos of The Pond.


For a size comparison, the reeds at the other end are appprox. 4-5 feet tall.


All-in-all, it's about 4-5 acres in size.


The kids love it, as do many others.
Me ... I get the priviledge of mowing around it.

Large-mouth Bass and Bluegill/Sunfish abound. We even do a bit of "tubing", now and then.

Summer is upon us and it's one of my favorite times of the year.

Enjoy!





[edit on 5/23/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

Wow - Massive acreage!

That's beautiful! I feel your pain regarding the mowing.....I share mowing duty with my father on 6 acres of land.....

I hope you have a riding mower!

Awesome job on the beautification though - What all have you been working on? The reeds certainly look fresh and healthy!

My parents plan on putting a small pond in their backyard....But I seriously doubt it will be large enough to feed large-mouth bass!! That must be a blast, being able to go out and fish from your yard whenever you want!

Cool shots

[edit on 5/23/2006 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

Well...people are posting some great shots...

2 for me, then it's beddy-bye time...


Lighthouse at Crescent City:




Off into the Coastal Redwoods:




G'nite all...

Well, I am a happy kitty these days, my parents offered me a camera (Sony CyberShot), so i will have to stop taking pics with my beloved disposible Kodak's... hmmm... i think i will miss the adventure...

I was probably the only person here without a NORMAL camera...lol, and i was intending to keep it that way for a while, but hey ... Moms and Pops opened their wallet, so i went for it

I still have one last disposible film filled with new pics, but I'm still waiting for the developing thingy ...

Anyway ..here are 4 shots i took with my new 'machine' ,

Green Walk



Bleen - Blue & Green



Seagull at the Park




and ...


Me again... I have frakles (or whatever the name is)... hehe



[edit on 23-5-2006 by BaastetNoir]

Congrats on the new camera BaastetNoir!

Your shots looked nice before...hopefully this new camera will mean we'll see a lot more of your work!

All of those shots are nice, but I especially like the seagull...something about the critters of the world that is always interesting. Gotta' wonder what they think of us...probably trying to figure out if we're "edible"...

Here is one more of a "Redwoods Series" I am tryng to put together:

Redwood Streambank:

Hey all,

Here are a couple more I took on the way to work today.


While gassing up the work ride:




French Laundry Flower:






[edit on 5/24/2006 by apocalypticon]

Hey all,


Flower #2:





Flower #3:





It late...me tired...me go bed now...

That last picture I posted is absolutely...disturbing...try this one:


French Laundry Flower #5:




There...hope that's better...

Love the flower serires Apoc, congrats


my first attempt to a Makro shot, a lil blurry i think

Beautiful, beautiful pictures! I love them!

EnronOutrunHomerun, don’t be too hard on me I’m a total amateur!

These are a few pictures I’ve taken around our home.

In the snow…






Cholla fruit...



Lavender bush...



An old water tank...



The view from the bottom of our lane...



Winter sunset out the kitchen window...

Deva, Romania, February (did I mention it was cold there...):

Hey all, it's the weekend...

I can't tell ya' why I like this picture...maybe its the color against the sky.

Anyway...

French Laundry Flower 6:





I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend !!!