A Few New Photos...

[Ouchy]

The end of the day, the average person looking at the photo won't know or care if you use AF or MF, just how appealing it is to them.

 

ATM, just work on perfecting the basics, such as lighting, composition, etc. I'm not telling you not to use MF at all, but don't make it your priority.

[Sy_Accursed]

I never said MF was superior in my shots and you are totally right when done right MF and AF should look the same; but still I wanna learn MF and I do feel it gives more creative freedom and enjoyment to the whole process.

I could very well go away and learn just using AF, but then when I suddenly get a shot that absolutely needs MF i'm gonna be screwed again; I see it as far more productive to work on getting all aspects of it right. especially as through personal preference I would rather use MF where possible.

 

Anyway my tripod jsut arrived,still waiting on the macro lens thts due today.

Did give the tripod a try out briefly but jsut in my room pointed at random crap. I got better focus on mf than af oddly; but it dont really count because I forgot the floorboards in my room r like rubbish n springy; when everytime i pressed the button to shoot the whole tripod sorta "bounced" fractionally giving epic motion blurs.

 

Note to self: in this house must not use tripod on the dodgey floors

 

Edit: talk about timing the doorbell went jsut as i hit post and its my lense, just gotta wait on the rmote thingy ma wotsit now

[obfuscator]

It's one thing to accept constructive criticism with grace (as many people have been posting criticism which is constructive) but when your "c/c" is basically just insults and rude comments I don't think anyone is obligated to take that seriously.

 

I'm no expert in photography but when I did take pictures AF was the way I usually went for many situations...

 

Interested to see the next ones :)

[Sam]

 

Did give the tripod a try out briefly but jsut in my room pointed at random crap. I got better focus on mf than af oddly; but it dont really count because I forgot the floorboards in my room r like rubbish n springy; when everytime i pressed the button to shoot the whole tripod sorta "bounced" fractionally giving epic motion blurs.

 

Note to self: in this house must not use tripod on the dodgey floors

 

Edit: talk about timing the doorbell went jsut as i hit post and its my lense, just gotta wait on the rmote thingy ma wotsit now

 

Most writers of tutorials on many sites (for example, Phototuts+) reccommend using a remote trigger for tripod work anyway, it's just a heck of a lot easier than holding your breath for a few seconds. In the mean time, have you tried weighing the tripod down with anything? Weighing it down might dampen/stop the bounce from your dodgy floorboards.

[Sy_Accursed]

Well the remote is due to arrive tomorrow in the post and I won't have time til thursday at the earliest (most likely the weekend thou) to do any more shots properly so shouldn't be an issue.

 

Then its macro practice time; we have soooo many mugs and empty bottles and all sorts about tht culd make some interesting macro shots, or at the very least good practice shots for composing etc.

[Sam]

Have you got any houseplants, or anything along those lines? If so, try spraying some water on (with a Lucozade bottle or something), get up close and see what you can do macro wise.

[Sy_Accursed]

Nah uni student we don't have plants.

 

Though having said that I do have some potatoes tht should of been bined months ago tht are getting rather plantish lol

[Sam]

Uni is a bit of a crap place for photos, isn't it? :P

 

Seeing as you live in Nottingham, have you tried photographing any landmarks, like the Royal Theatre? There is some nice architecture in Nottingham, have a look around.

[Sy_Accursed]

I haven't happened upon any of the nice buildings yet and I dont know my way well enough to wander too far; nor do I have the time. My house and campus are both outside the city so other than night life I don't get in there that often and tbh buildings, for the most part, don't strike me for photographic purposes they seem a bit too square and boring or if they aren't they are sort of sooooooooooo over used its like meh. I'm more of a fan of fairly abstract type photography with a nice helping of rurality and nature.

[Sam]

Take a look at perspective and lines. Look at reflections. It's worth getting out and about, Nottingham is a nice city.

[Sy_Accursed]

Its all about time really.

I have 8 hours a week of directly taught lectures to attend.

But my actually work time for the week is still 35 - 45 hours once you factor in all the reading writing and research I have to do.

Plus I then have all my assignment work to do extra.

And writing of my own free will/getting draft ideas ready for next year.

And keeping fit, shopping ,c leaning, laundry etc etc.

 

With all tht like 20 min bus journey into city to wander around aimlessly looking for shots vs tv/rs/games consoles just doesn't win lol.

I just don't have time to explore all that much; though exploring is good I like to do it back home in Norwich/rural area around it when I get time in hols.

 

edit: having said that there is 1 city shot I really wanna try and get The upstairs windows in our house are literally dead central to the end of a road thats like lined with nice houses n trees and at night it looks pretty cool.

 

Would be ideal from the attic room, but thts locked since the girl mvoed out; but can get just about the same shot from bathroom window. Might try that 1 night when I'm alone hopefully catch them cool blurs you get from moving car lights on a low shutter speed.

[Shiny]

If you want a good shot, you have to be prepared to make the effort.

[Sy_Accursed]

Woop got the remote today

 

and did an utterly random test shot (using tripod, remote and macro lens):

 

Quite pleased overall, probably my best photo so far on all fronts (focus, composition, no motion blurs etc.) and the new bits n bobs all seem good.

I think perhaps composition wise it would be a better shot if I'd of dropped the focus a smidge more so the foreground blurred a smidge more but you got the guys arm in focus as well as his head/body. Not sure thou.

[Ouchy]

The only thing I dislike in this photo is the the focal point is in the centre.

[Shiny]

Feels boringly placed, the background is extremely distracting, and the photo generally un-interesting. See my critique last post.

[Sy_Accursed]

Feels boringly placed, the background is extremely distracting, and the photo generally un-interesting. See my critique last post.

 

All fair points, though it was literally oo stuff is here set it up, stick mug in front of it take a test shot so it wasn't exactly highly composed and they are points i sort of expected to get feedback wise on this one.

[Sam]

You've got the focus here, but apart from that, the shot is bland.