[ddk632]

Thanks Dave!

And great advice as always to @Konig.

[Itsed65]

November vines by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Konig]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Konig, congrats on the new camera. You're off to a good start.

For that shot you posted, I'd suggest stopping down to f/8.0 or f/11.0 to get more Depth of Field. A shutter speed below 1/100-sec. would have been fine for a still car.

Try a few more shots, from lower angles and higher focal length, etc. to take advantage of your new equipment. Now that you own the digital equipment, multiple shots of the same thing are close to free. Still think about what you're doing, but experiment with different perspective, different focal lengths, etc. You'll learn by doing. Shoot a lot, but be critical on yourself and you'll get better and better.

Take twenty shots of the same thing, but all different. Pick the best two and shit-can the rest. Be hard on yourself and you'll learn the things that work.

Dave

Thanks for the advice! I was shooting in straight no-flash auto, I will start diving into the different parameters in the future.

Sadly it's so dark in the evenings this time of the year, I can't shoot after work... I'll see what I can get up to this weekend.

If you didn't already, please feel free to cruise through the rest of that flickr album and provide pointers as needed.

*edit* regarding the slower shutter speed, is that still going to come out okay when I'm shooting by hand? Tripod is on the Christmas list.

[ddk632]

Dave is the master of slow shutter handheld shots!

Other creative options: sit the camera on an object or the ground for some longer exposures; increase ISO to lower shutter speed; or, use your elbow as a prop against something for extra stability.

Ed, nice shot up there!

[Itsed65]

Farallons islands from Point Reyes California

Farallons by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

So far, the tree is still standing

Carl under the Tree by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

Spent the day at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Winter Home by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

There is no mistaking the call of a red-tailed hawk. Despite what Hollywood would have most people think, it is unique to this raptor.

Kee-eee-arrrrrr! by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Weebl]

and the humm of an Allens hummingbird
Nice shot angle and movement.

[Konig]

Here's one from yesterday, went to a local car meet and tried my hand. Played with shutter speeds and aperture settings. Wasn't particularly thrilled with any of the photos but I guess this is my pick of the batch! In retrospect I think I went a bit low on the aperture but I'll know better next time!

[Icy J]

RWB. by - Icy J -, on Flickr

[dcstep]

White-tail yearling jumps for joy before sunrise:

Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy! by dcstep, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

Wonderful shot Dave.

I wish I could be that happy before sunrise!

[Itsed65]

Another shot of my screeching hawk from yesterday. 7D with the 500mm. The shot is a hare underexposed, but I was trying not to blow out the clouds in the background.

Hawk and Clouds by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

There is no mistaking the call of a red-tailed hawk. Despite what Hollywood would have most people think, it is unique to this raptor.

Kee-eee-arrrrrr! by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Absolutely stunning, Ed.

[ddk632]

^^
Yes, it absolutely is.

[Itsed65]

Thanks guys! I was in the right place at the right time. There was a territory dispute going on, with lots of screeching and flying.

[Icy J]

woke up early today, nothing to do


Morning by - Icy J -, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

Last one of the series...I like the 3D look of this one.

The Wild Blue Yonder by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Konig

Here's one from yesterday, went to a local car meet and tried my hand. Played with shutter speeds and aperture settings. Wasn't particularly thrilled with any of the photos but I guess this is my pick of the batch! In retrospect I think I went a bit low on the aperture but I'll know better next time!

Nice colors, but, yes, you needed a smaller aperture when you in tight like this on a large subject, like a car. I would have used f/11 and gone to f/16, if it wasn't sharp for the full length.

Like you, I like tight perspectives, but do it with a relatively long lens, like my 70-200mm f/4L IS. You can get some distance from the subject and still be tight. Here I'm at f/8 with my 70-200mm and the firewall is purposely OOF, but actually standing relatively far away. Longer lenses give you great perspectives, but you have to be even more careful about your DOF.

Hot rod Chevy by dcstep, on Flickr

Don't copy that high ISO I used. I'd generally recommend shooting at ISO 200 in good light like this, then going up to 400 and reserving 800 for interiors in less than perfect light. Because I shoot Raw, don't underexpose and a couple of other things, I don't worry about shooting at ISO 800, but I wouldn't recommend it for this kind of shooting. (Of course, high shutter speed does trump a boat load of sins).

[dcstep]

My sunset last night:

Sunset Over Cherry Creek Reservoir by dcstep, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Last one of the series...I like the 3D look of this one.

I like the eye contact and light on the eye.