I guess it would be good to start something like this as well. Share your tips, tricks, and questions about photography right here. @Baldhead_J, as @Meggie said, they used some Nikon glass or "AF-S 85/1.8." This is what is known as a "prime lens" in that it is a fixed focal length. This is opposed to a zoom lens that will allow you to change the focal length, or zoom in and out with a twist of a ring on the lens barrel. The only ring on the lens that Meggie used is for focus. So she has to move herself closer and further from the subject to "zoom." As for the sharp foreground and blurred background, this is called "bokeh." This can be affected by the lens that is used, by the aperture of the lens, and the distance to the subject. It is actually a very deep conversation as there is "good bokeh" and "bad bokeh" that is debated all the time. Bokeh can be used to focus attention on a particular part of the photograph. It is best exemplified by this shot that I took for my buddy while he was getting ready on his wedding day: Alternatively, you can crank your aperture and get everything in focus because math. This is one that I shot last year when I got to test the new GMC Canyon for a week. Note that with the first image, in the distance from Josh's hand to his face, we lose focus, which is called "depth of field". But with the Canyon, a 1/4 mile was still in focus. This was due to the distance from the lens as well as aperture.
Thanks for starting this. I'm gonna enjoy this thread. Apparently it's Creative Arts Friday around here.
The both of us are very New Mexico proud, so yes. He and his wife live in Albuquerque and are the people that I stayed with and helped remodel their new place when I was riding through and met you last summer.
Great pics Nick. You have a talent and it's more than just knowing what to set the shutter speed/ aperture/ etc. but an "eye" for the right angle / frame, etc. The technical part I get, the "eye" was something I could never master.
Like I always told the people coming into the sporting goods sections that I managed, hold that little fish or bigger fish in front of you at arms length. I'll take the pic and it will look like a Monster.
I actually struggle with the mechanics at times. I have to take several test shots and when things like ambient light change, I have to take some test shots to get things dialed back in. Thank GOD for digital cameras and post processing. Wide angle and get that fish REAL close to the lens. When you think it's close enough, 2 inches closer... HA!
I would love to become a better photographer. I have a little Sony A6000 and I like it but I have zero clue or lack the "depth of perception" to really see what I'm missing. It's a true art form and skill set.
That is a great mirrorless camera. I know a lot of people that carry that as their "ride camera". Get out there, take it out of AUTO (green camera) mode, and take a BUNCH of crappy photos. Experiment with what works, what you liked about the images, what you didn't, sort out what you changed. That's what I did. Grab a cooler, and set yourself up in the backyard one late afternoon (when the sun isn't super harsh) and take a hundred or two photos. Then go look at them on the computer. See what you like, and don't. Get yourself a photo editor and start dicking around. Try GIMP - GNU Image Manipulation Program. Another note for using photo editors: Shoot in RAW format so that you have a bigger file to manipulate. It takes up more room on your card, but it also leaves more info to manipulate.
I've been shooting in RAW/Jpeg just to see the differences. I definitely need to practice practice practice.
Pre-edit, you won't see significant differences between the two. A jpg is just a flattened version of the file. RAW is a larger file so that you can manipulate the image further (Read: save the image when you really screw everything up).
I tried taking a picture of the moon a few days ago. I quickly found out that can't be done in Auto mode or without a tripod. Now I have to search for my tripod if I really want that shot. And then play with the F-stop. I at least found the mode that doesn't use flash. I haven't had a good camera in years and this new one has me reading the darn manual at every turn. Nikon D7100. More camera than my Minolta that used different "cards" for different kinds of shots. But now all my lenses are worthless with this camera. Although I might be able to use the Fisheye and an adapter and of course no Auto mode. I'll have to look into that more.
Amazon.com : Fotodiox Pro Lens Mount Adapter, Minolta MD/MC Lens to Nikon F-Mount Camera such as D7200, D5000, D3000, D300S & D90 DX : Camera & Photo Problem solved for the Minolta Lenses on your Nikon (double check that your Nikon is an F-mount. I am pretty sure it is: Nikon | Imaging Products | Specifications - Nikon D7100) As for the moon. You will need to set up a tripod, long exposure, and get your longest lens after that sucker. I believe that anything slower than 1/60th (shutter speed) will require a tripod (or other firm surface) to get a clear shot. Your f-stop will not get the shot alone, but it will be a combination of f-stop, shutter speed, and ISO (keep this low to keep the grain out of your photo). ProTip: Put your camera on a 2 sec delay when taking long exposure shots. That way the motion caused by you touching the button doesn't shake the camera while the exposure is being taken.
Don't listen to @NickJ... You need to take the SHORTEST exposure you can. Believe it or not, the moon moves pretty fast, and anything shorter than 1/30 will blur-out the features. We do quite a bit of it, and here is how: 1. As @NickJ said, longest lens you can get. The shot here was taken with 600mm equivalent (400mm for our system). In a fisheye, you would never find the moon in the picture. 2. As @NickJ said, tripod and a remote release or delayed release is a must. 3. Autofocus and auto-exposure actually works fine if you fill the frame with the moon. If the moon is very small in your picture, go manual. 4. Lowest ISO possible for best dynamic range. Of course, that probably still means a high ISO like 800-1200... 5. If at all possible, work around the f/8, which is the sharpest in most lenses. Stop it down if possible to f/11, but you will run out of light. 6. Shoot RAW, not JPEG for post-shot processing. If you haven't used Lightroom before, send me the files and I'll be glad to process them for you. 7. Shoot and shoot and shoot. It's not an easy subject. This was shot at the end of last year near our place in Costa Rica. https://www.bigdspeedshop.com/products/moon-over-playa-hermosa
This is a little more advance, actually two pictures superimposed. One is slow exposure, wide-ish for the city lights and the streaming traffic (before the moon), the other was shot with a 200mm, fast exposure 15 minutes later when the moon was up. Mated in Lightroom.
Guess I will add a couple. These all link to my photo bucket if any want to peek. We love photography also. Sony a77 with many lenses and a Canon HS60 that is amazing. I have a Nikon p900 being delivered tomorrow too. We have 70,000 pics on our I mac.[/URL[/URL[/URL[/URL