DFW'ers photographic challenge - use those £££ cameras!

Contemplates

Patman, I know how annoying it can be messing about. I've been using this site, which, one photos r uploaded, gives you direct links to cut and paste as you like?

http://atpicDOTcom/

Might b worth a try?(just change the word to a . )

diable

I roll with a Nikon D300 and various Nikon and Sigma lenses, have a couple of flashes and light boxes and my trusty Manfrotto.

A couple of photos of mine and they may be duplicates on other posts on here but any constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Pippilongstocking

Great photos from all!!

Loving the photos of animals - I can't do that at all - must try harder! Got dash - more later

Well done everyone - EH - good whip cracking!!


xxx *later*

MrsMoo2U

Thanks all for the lovely comments. Seeing the ones above though I think I might get my coat now
I have to admit that I resized mine on photobucket because when I first posted them they looked too big. I am using a Canon G11 which was a gift for my birthday last year. I have no lenses etc. I also have a Canon 500 SLR with extra lenses and I did have a tripod but I lent it out and never got it back. These photos have been taken on my works Canon Ixus as it is small and I seem to have worked out how to use it more. Hence the wanting to join this as I really need to learn how to use the camera. I have always loved taking photos but I have never really worked on it.
Here is the original photo. It is the best from about 50 that I snapped. Good reason to use digital. As you can see it is quite large, sorry. I save them into iphoto and I have no photoshop or anything like that. I have never used any kind of software for photos. (another one on my to learn list I guess)

This is one of my favourite pictures of Moo which I took last summer. He does actually pose for the camera now

EssexHebridean

Cheri that is a totally fantastic shot of Moo! What a handsome boy, and that shot just shows the fact so well - if that one isn't framed and up your wall I want to know why?!!! Lovely sky - and brilliant use of it as a "clean" background, and excellent use of the bridge to lead the eye to the shot.

There is a "photography rule" called the Rule of Thirds which people might find interesting to learn about. Basically it plays to the way that people view and process pictures in their minds - and a very quick summary of it would be that for good composition, try to make sure that there are "points of interest" at set points in your picture as this means it will have the greatest impact. Try this - take a sheet of A4 paper, and fold it into three lengthways. Then open out and fold again into three widthways. Where the lines are/meet is where you should aim to have your "focal point" or points of interest. Cheri's phot of Moo is a great example of this as his head, and the left hand side of the bridge both fall pretty much spot on these lines. A good experiemtn to try so you can see the effects of this. Choose a landscape or seascape view, and then while looking through the viewfinder play about with where the horizon falls in the image - so if it's a lovely sunny day with a fabulous sky you might want to show more sky than land, if however it is a bit overcast try just making the top third of the shot sky, with the emphasis on the foreground.

Welcome Diable - you'll find the list of challenges on the first page of the thread - there aren't many yet as we've only just got started! Thanks for posting up your pics - thoughts as follows:

Love the first - it's The Blades isn't it? Seen them a few times over the past few years at airshows and they are always excellent That's a nice atmospheric shot.
The second is such a pretty scene! For me the railings in the foreground slightly detract as they sort of "cut across" the shot if you know what I mean? I'd be curious to see a closer crop omitting those, and that big tree to the left of the shot.
The honeybee is just lovely - I especially like the fact that can see the blur of the moving wings - really nice shot and the vibrant clours of the flowers just set it off perfectly.
The next one I think needs straightening a little as you have a slightly squiffy tower at the moment? I always feel that wide angle shots are a nightmare to straighten as however you do it "something" leans doesn't it. I usually go for a straight centreline and let the two sides do what they will!
The Lion just made me roar (sorry - bad pun!) with laughter - you can almost picture the conversation going on between the lionesses in the background "Who was meant to be looking after dinner then?!" Fantastically well spotted and shot.
The purple flower is also beautifully shot - lovely and sharp, and I suspect you're going to have our Pippi Oohing and ahhing over that one!
And finally the tower - something very restful about this - the low saturation of the foreground really works with the gentle stone colours in the tower. I think I'd like to see the tower slightly further to the right of the frame so the trail of people walking up to it really leads you to it IYKWIM? All told, a nice set - shall I add you to our list of participants?!

EssexHebridean

Right then - next theme, and maybe one to entice Diable in and shake the rest of us from our comfort zones looking at what we've posted so far......I suspect we'll get to see something of Pippi's nearest town as well, or maybe not?!

Let's have a play with:

"Something Architectural"

Have fun girls and boys - and remember - photos taken from anytime, starting......NOW!

diable

Add me to the list EssexHebridean.

The night shot of Florence was hand held and difficult the one of the Town Hall in Gdansk funnily enough was from my iPhone, the flower was photoshopped and a dark background added so it would stand out, the Tower and if you know Broadway in the Cotswolds then that is the Tower was photoshopped so the tower was in colour and everything else B+W. I may have a play around and crop the edge thanks for the constructive advice/criticism ;o))))

Hmmmm architecture I may dig out an old one as I am busy until the weekend........

But I may take my camera to work as I now work opposite the London Eye. I am also thinking of buying this as a carry around as it also can be used for video with a zoom available.....http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz38-digital-camera-03635613-pdt.html

Iron Floor Grill Kew Gardens

diable

!!!!!!, dbl post,

EssexHebridean

The Lumix cameras are extremely highly rated Diable so if you think you would be more likely to carry it about then it may prove a worthwhile purchase. As for this weeks challenge - if you work near the Eye you definately have no excuse for not producing an on-theme photo for the week - the London Eye is one of my absolute favourite subjects - I always try to get something "different" of it each time I'm anywhere near it but unfortunately that doesn't happen that often. Plenty of "Architectural" options in the area though! I'm going to have to wrack my brains a bit on this one although we will be out and about in Birmingham on Saturday night so I might try and get something there with either the compact or the iPhone.

diable

I fancy the Lumix to replace my Fuji Finepix as it doubles up as a 720p video camera with a zoom whilst filming.



Right, I had better dust of the camera for the challenge...............