John Bennett
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Only thing I’d add to what Labrati said, is that it strongly looks like its a case of your camera being unable to acquire focus as opposed to motion blur.
Too see what he said about contrast in action, try to focus on a star at night (almost no contrast) . Then swing the camera and acquire focus on the moon (high contrast). And yes all cameras will struggle in low light scenes like that, often depending on the subject matter forcing the photogrpaher to manually focus…talk about old school 🙂
The other thing to be aware of is motion blur. Even with whats known as a fast lens (f1.8) wide open, that above shot took 2.5 seconds to “expose”…Gather enough light to iluminate the facial features.
Tripods are a must.One thing you can try given the limit off PnSs being unable to manually focus and to overcome their weaker “AF assist” light is to use a flash light to acquire foucs. While your exposure reading will change once you turn it off, you will if you keep the button depressed maintain focus.
Im guessing not very Corey, atleast within limits.
To some degree I’m sure they can be. Is an image thats taken with a ND any less manipulated than an image where ND is applied in post?
If so, where is the line drawn?
Why is it ok to ramp up contrast and saturation to almost unnatural levels but not….ANyways thats a debate I dont think either camp can win.
Heres a wildlife shot thats I’ve “manipulated” via filters in post this evening. This is pretty cool stuff, Imhaving some fun wit it.
Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I can’t help but think LW had some feelings about the harvesting of Salmon in the context of protecting the strain.. Can’t be certain, I could be way off base. It would have been some obscure reference I read along time ago.
On the surface IW I think of as being a stuanch conservaltionist and while LW might be the forrunner for c&r, IW planted the seeds. Ive read lots of references to him and C&R. So id be surprised to find his name as arguing that C&R was immorral.
History was never a strong suit for me though 🙂
Can’t help at all on the writing aspect. Thats a realm I’ll never get to.
Imagery:
For me, it starts with an idea an grows from there.I have 2 or 3 “photo essays” I’m trying to compile. Most of which have started with an idea for an envisioned single shot or two. The rest just comes and falls into place. The real problem for me is limited opportunity.
A locale/destination (one of which Im trying to get shots of) is maybe the easiest and yet alot can conspire against. One such is a small river, it was that place and for that purpose I went to on the July long weekend.
No bugs
No fish
Even the light wasn’ t the greatest.Instead all I came home with were shots that I felt were forced and a bloody nose. I deleted all but two images and even they arent very good.
Fish in the rain
Oddly enough that is one that I’m trying to compile images on as well.
How many times will I get to fish in the rain this year?
The whole thing started with wanting some shots of guys standing in the rain. The actual idea started with wanting telephoto or macro shots shots of rain drops exploding on water thats glass.
Another as you know from our discussion elsewhere months ago, is trying to get images that “tell” the story, rather than “hero” shots. Everything, from guys catching a nap, to lunch breaks, to the “action” shots I strive for.
This is probably my favorite thus far this year.
For me I don’t know if “Photo Essays” are the right word, I prefer “series” and thats the centerpeice of my “steelheading” series. In one or a few photos it conveys the “essence” of Steelheading in April. From teh cold, to the comraderie to the thrill of a hook set.Sometimes I’m shooting for the sake of shooting and others with a purpose. The latter can often mean frustration as you dont get what your looking for, you force it, or some uncontrolable element like a lack of subject or bad weather/light mean no keepers and thus no further along.
Oh and btw.
fantastic Stones Will.Been playing with black and whites to :). Mostly with high/low contrast scenes. Still havent hit on anything I really like as yet.
NDs, yep plan to add one (graduated) , sometime later this year. Have a bunch of RRS hardware still to acquire first.
Problem Im having there is “envisioning” pre shot when its really going to help. Blown or washed skies are an obvious time to add one and then adj as needed for the lower tones/foreground. Also their pretty “cumbersome” having to add the rig before hand and were something to “present” itself your in no position to take advantage. Which has happened more than expected when using my CP.
But starting to play withI thought it was Wulff that came to argue against C&R??? Dont know why but thats the name that springs to mind.
What Zach said.
There’s not alot that can be done. I had a quick look at it last night before crashing. Results are on my desktop but the gist of it was.Some reduction to the flashed look including softening/removing “hot spots” created by the flash on his nose and cheekbones, the relector on his head lamp and some minor touch ups to the Brown, icluding making it look sharper. Also took a stab at correcting its eye with mixed results.
Anyways I could post it tonight but its not significantly different. With a full file the sharpening that was applied could probably be improved, but as is (if its in camera) its about maxed out and much more introduces some artifacts.
Nice Zach.
One of the coolest things about PS and ACR in CS3 is that there are usually a few ways to skin the cat. I do most of my global adjustments in ACR, even curves now. In time, I’ll probably learn something new and for a time use that process until something new comes along agan
🙂The area I havent motivaed myself to learn yet are layers, layer masks and more advanced adjustments. One theres just soo much to learn potentially and two I dont know how wise it is. Meaning how publishable more “creative” images are.
Aaron, don’t get discouraged. There is an awful lot to lexplore and learn. I’ve been pushing myself hard sponging, learning everything I can and pushing just as hard to get out and get images of stuff on weekends, for a few years now and I still have a long ways to go.
(my wife calls it obsessing)
It comes with time. Compare images you take this week or next to images you took this time last year.
I’m no wizard at Post. You probably cleaned that better than I could 🙂
Looking closely at them, both have their merits, while I personally do like the air bubbles in #2, thats probably a matter of personal taste.
As for the nose bleed…lol no. My daughter was with me, I probably should have had her squeeze a few off had I been thinking. Once I
As you know it’s similiar in nature to the project I’m working on.
My efforts have been stymied by a) lighting and stalled by b) collecting samples. Really having no luck lately getting specimens.I spent half a day on the Upper Credit Tues and the only thing I came away other than 1 Golden stone was a gushing nose bleed, courtesy of a slip in the water and putting my camera’s well being ahead of my face
🙂Two things that I like about my setup and you touched on it.
Air bubble’s and detritus really lend themselves to making the image appear natural. The other would be to visit your nearest aquarium retail outlet and pick up some substrate thats as natural as possible.
Too large and the nymphs will bury themselves, too small and you dont get air pockets and it looks more like a beach rather than stream bed.Wish you lived in Ont. Would be great to get out together for this stuff.
I’m not as up on the D300 as I ought to be, I’d have to (and likely will read the specs for each) but imo it currently represents what I think might be the best “Pro-sumer” or “Mid grade” bodyon the market. T the Canon 40D might represent best value for the buck at $1,200. Less money, but less camera.
On noise.
To me, that is one of the top 3 considerations when I think about buying a new body. Granted I do a ton of low light shooting and worse, compound that by typically looking to capture movement which requires higher SSs so obviously I’m predisposed to a fair amount of biasm.While I’ve heard a fair number of Nikon shooters “gripe” that the D300s noise control is virtually the same as the D200s, the same can not be said of the D3.
It is to die for.
Test that ive seen at ISO 1600/3200 put it and the 1DMKIII neck and neck. Where its absolutely remarkable is at ISO 6400 with the ability to go to 25000…thats just insane.
According to the release the D700 will have the same technology.
One facet where I can really see that paying dividends, even if your not a low light or action shooter is with Macro Photography.I typically shoot Mayflies at ISO 400, f25, 1/200th and let the flash compensate.
this was iso 400 at F32
Probably the main reason I’m saving money right now is to buy the new 5DmkII or a used 5D once the new comes out. One so I can have a second body which allows for two different lens/body combos ready to go but more so to have a Full Frame for macro photography.
Your right about weight issues Zach.
Much as I love my ID it’s a beast to lug around. Add a few lenses and accessories and in no time my pack surpasses 20pds, often I’m pushing 40 to 50pds.I’ll have a closer read on the specs but Im pretty sure there will be some other features that warrant the extra cost.
Does the D300 have the 14bit AD conversion?
Thats a shame Scott. If the pin receptacles are damaged such that neither your card reader, or body will recognise it I don’t have the foggiest as to what you can do. I would suggest trying the card manufactorer, maybe they are aware of something.
J
Nikon it seems to me has done a better job at placing bodies at different points along the price line. Give or take a little variance as I’m not completely up to speed.
prices are Canadian for Body only
Their entry bodies like Canons chime in around $900.00Nikon
D300: Prosumer for $1,700.00
D700: Full Frame Prosumer: $3,000.00 usd probably 3,500 cad
D3: Pro body $5,400.00As you can see, theres virtually something for everyone, and nicely spaced out.
Canon
40D: Prosumer $1,200
5D: Full Frame Prosumer $2,500
Pro Body: 1DMKIII $4,500The 5D will likely be replaced soon, so I don’t know how suitable it is for comparison. Yes Nikons D700 offers a couple features the 5D doesn’t but the 5D is 3 yrs old which for a DSLR in todays world is very long in the tooth. It’s like comparing a 40D to Nikons D40
Id wouldnt be at all surprised when Canon releases the 5D successor to see it priced somewhere just north of $3,000.00 as well. As for the feature set only time will tell but I would suspect its alot more than the current 5D given advancements over the last 3 years.
What Canon is missing is a “cop sensor prosumer” thats current and priced around 2,000.00, making it a real “pro-sumer” vs a scaled back 40D.
******Is 3G “too” much for full frame “prosumer” grade Bodies? You can’t compare to Pro Bodies which offer alot of features you simply wont find in pro-sumer bodies. Which start at enhanced and better AF systems and extends to little things like ISO options, metering modes, better batteries,
Like I said Aaron, to me it’s a catch 22.
I fervently beleive in conservation. So much so that I wouldn’t mind at all if the little stream behind my place were “closed” to all fishing due to the Atlantic Salmon restoration project under way. Best estimates are 10 to 15 years to really get a sense on whether its working or not. As is, there are no special regs ( no kill, single barbless, artifical etc)
I’m not convinced it is Jeff.
Most anglers who respect the resources would I think be carefull about and around “sensitive” systems. So in part I agree with you. If its *that* sensitive maybe we shouldn’t be fishing it either.
But heres the rub, to me anyways.
Not everyone cares that much.
By way of example, a fair number of our streams get pretty hot starting around this time of year….Dangerously hot. Most people that I know don’t fish those streams July and Aug.For every angler that appreciates how stressed the trout are, theres probably another that doesn’t realise the dangers, or may not even care.
The stream that runs behind my house couldnt handle the pressure that would come as a result of an article highlighting the Brookies in its head waters. Again, its not increased pressue from “respectful” anglers, its the pressure from anglers who either dont care and would be more happy to take their limits or who don’t know about how sensitive some systems are.
There are probably thousands of anglers around the GTA (home to millions) who would be more than happy to discover Brookies so close to home that dont have the foggiest notion about water temps, stress, lactic acid and god knows what ever else.
Right now on the website I call home for Southern Ontario Fly fishing theres a post asking about “Summer Time Trout” and where to go around the GTA and there are always people looking for that info.
So while the system could handle increased presure.A few dozen more careful anglers….sure…but on top of them, a few dozen limit taking, redd destroying, dont know, dont care anglers……nope
Phil.
I cant think of any article being directly linked to an increase in pressure but I can think of a number of suitable examples.On the Great Lakes Tribs all it takes is a “fishing report” posted on one of the many fishing websites with a few pics illustrating that the runs are on (peaking) and sure as death and taxes that particluar Trib is going to get nailed the next weekend.
But then again I’m talking about rivers right in the heart of a rather large Megalopolis. So its probably all relative to who/what/where.
Not many years ago Center pinning on the Great Lakes Tribs was virtually unheard of, as was the knowledge that many tirbs got great runs. A few select fishing shows changed that fore ever in the late 80s, early 90s. Today its combat fishing during the runs.
Catch 22 imo.
No matter the location, every inch of water is someones honeyhole.
Joel, have you considered the probablity that your taking clients to someone else’s “honey hole”? Might the clients go there themselves again, or tell their closest friends about it? I wonder how those who consider the stretch their “honey hole” they feel about that?
Lando I completely agree with.
If you take or share with someone a little fished gem who then “uses” that information to profit from it without making ithe intention to write about it upfront…..They then should be nuetered 🙂
*********I enjoy to an extent reading about them. The reality is I may only get the chance to fish a few of them in my life. Most of us probably do enjoy them. From my pov I’m reading about a place I’ll never get fish.
Funny though, how we get worked up when its our “gem” and our “backyard” that gets highlighted.
The Grand River and Credit River in Ontario are perfect examples. We in Southern Ontario love to fish them and consider them “our gems”. Both the well known area’s and not so well known. We enjoy reading “Canadian Fly Fisher” and all the articles about systems in the West, East and Great White North.
Not long ago, they highlighted the Grand ( and are still with a series). The reaction from some people was not so kind..
The publishers are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Lastly (atleast here) alot of these places are in need of constant or more Conservation efforts. Well if they don’t get the publicity (including the naming of places and access points) thats going to be harder to generate.
Pretty hard to save or conserve “fragile” systems if only a few know about them.
**********The “paranoia” surrounding the Grand and Credit by some, is such that posting pictures of big Browns or Brookies with recognisable backgrounds is asking for villification.
Browns tend to hang out in the same pools, runs. The logic being post an image of a 25inch Brown where the Pool ( most are named) is recognisable and everyone who reads the net will be there shortly POs alot of people (including Guides).
I took a little “flak” for this image
because anyone who knows the River, would recognise the BG and now knows there was a 27 inch Brown there.
************As in all things, a little care should be taken.
I know some good Brookie streams, spots that are “fragile”. Would I ever write a detailed report? Nope. Not because I fear what respectful anglers would do with the information, but because I fear what the idiots would do.Would I name the river? Talk about the river, the conservation efforts, the Atlantic Salmon stocking, how great a gem it is
Sure why not.Now go do your homework to figure out where the Brookies are.
Welcome Ben
But for the grace of god there go I”
It’s an adage often used when contemplating someone elses misfortune. When I see people who arent as fortunate as myself I often think of that phrase. One thing we cant control in life is under what circumstances were born into. Some people through lifestyle choices end up on the street or in poverty, whatever you want to label it.. Some, it just happens to. Whether through birth and not knowing any better, or having the means to escape, or just plain old bad misfortune.
