Calling all Photography nerds!

Ok so I have to brag a little. Last night was the opening ceremony at an art show I was entered in. This was an international juried show. My photo won Best of Show out of 167 pieces of a variety of artwork (photography, painting, etching, jewelry, etc.). The juror was a nationally awarded painter so having a juror select outside of their own medium is to me quite an honor as this doesn't seem to happen often.

 

I would recommend working more on shooting in manual mode. I use aperture priority in only specific cases where I need to worry about focus. Aperture mode is only used to "tell a story". You sue it to decide what you want the focus of your story to be. If you are shooting a landscape and want the entire landscape to be the focus of the story, then use your smaller apertures of f16 and up. If you want to focus of the story (and the photo, pun intended) to be of something more specific, like a flower, then use your larger apertures of f5.6 and smaller. Apertures of between f5.6 and f16 are what I call "Who cares" apertures. It doesn't really focus the viewer to any specific part of the photo.

To create blur or motion, then your best results will come from your shutter speed settings. See, when you use aperture priority, the camera will select the shutter speed based on what it sees will result in the most properly EXPOSED photo. It doesn't care what kind of story you are trying to tell. When shooting action shots like a helicopter in flight, I would suggest if the ambient light is favorable, use an f8-f16 setting, then adjust your shutter speed for proper exposure. In the majority of cases you will find that at f8-f16 shooting outdoors, a properly EXPOSED photo taken this was will result in good motion blur of the blades. I will be going to an air show here in a couple of weeks and I will take some shots with different settings and post them up for you to see what I mean.

 

Figured you guys might like this one. Took this back in June or July this year during the new moon up in Kennedy Meadows. By far the longest/bightest shooting star I've seen in person. It was truly amazing to see. My camera only caught the end of it.. Oh well.

 

Ive got a trip for work this weekend. Closing the shop tomorrow and driving from the 15/215 hwy all the way to state line on dirt roads and trails. Gonna be shooting photos and filming the whole trip. Was thinking that my 50mm f1.4 and 100-400 f4.5-5.6 would be my go to lenses for the trip to document all the rigs on the trail and scenic areas
Should I bring along the 16-35mm f4? Ill be shooting with a Mavic Pro also for as long as my 3 batteries last me...

Whats your guys thoughts? I want to keep the "pro" bokeh look to most of the photos. I wanted to buy the 70-200mm f2.8 but bought the mavic instead.

 

I generally like the look of longer focal lengths and nice bokeh, but sometimes you just need that wider angle.

Plus if you're shooting video that 16-35 might be very useful. I know shooting handheld with my 50mm things tend to get a little shakey.

 

I would definitely be bringing the 16-35 f4

 

Oh man, my RTT arrives today just in time for fall migration and rutting season- I just realized what an awesome photography blind this thing is going to be!!!! I can set up at at predawn and wait with my gear very comfortably up there. That truck better hurry up and get here with it, I’m going to test it out at our local WL refuge this weekend if possible.

 

Just ordered a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L Mk II. Add that to the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Mk II and I'll have 24-200mm covered in Canon's best glass. Excited.

 

I ended up only shooting with the 50mm 1.4 for a little and the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 almost the whole trip.. Really wish i would have gotten that 70-200 f2.8 but oh well. I ended up crashing the Mavic Pro i bought the night before the trip. Cracked the camera lens, destroyed one of the front facing sensors and the gimbal is kinda screwed. Second day into the trip i went to unfold the arms to fly it and an arm broke off.. Was really expecting these things to be a bit more stout but i guess not.. Got some pretty cool pics, but not nearly as much as I was expecting.. We had 18 Broncos on the trail so to keep us all moving and make it to camp on time I had to avoid getting out and stopping for photo spots.
I know its not a toyota, but heres a good action shot, didnt have time to put on an ND filter to slow my shutter for tire blur, but i think it looks cool.

 

Nice shot

 

Hope you don't mind, but easy fix. 90° motion blur on the tires in Photoshop

 

That is really cool how the cameras can pick up the sky like that. I need to try it soon. is there a particular setting to capture this? I was up in Cali near the redwoods a few months ago and got to see a lot of stars. It was amazing. here in Texas, there are some really good night skies to be seen near Enchanted Rock.

 

Canon EOS Rebel T6s 18mm-135mm

Petit Jean State Park - Arkansas

in a flurry with a dogwood in the background...

 

http://andrephotocafe.com/index.php?showimage=188#
My side hobby

 

I spend a lot of time up in the rafters at work running fiber. It's actually quite tranquil...

 

Where you at? I'm in CO as well. Work in IT so nicely laid out cables are always a nice sight

 

I live in Aurora but work down in Highlands Ranch just off Santa Fe & 470. Where are you?

 

I'm up in Broomfield.