Poll of the Day > Anyone know anything about pro photography?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I got a high(ish) end camera, but I don't know what half the buttons do.

I mean, I know ISO and exposure and metering and stuff, but, like, ... I don't know what Fn1, Fn2, BKR, how to use the weighted auto-focus and stuff

my pictures look like this!!!

https://i.imgur.com/fv5vVEW.jpg

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Fn1 and 2 are customisable/programmable buttons that mean function.

Put that picture in an art gallery and you could make thousands if it sells.

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Remember a few guys said some posters named snoopy was.

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Anyways, my current setup is a Nikon D500 with a AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED lens (non VR version).

The AF-P feature is hella cool, you can hear the little gears/cogs/whatever whirring when it locks on to something


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Today's nature walk: some pics may be duplicates due to the way I cropped them

https://i.imgur.com/uRds6bQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hDNwMcP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/eraRJx3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9LXsYyY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QCTrkrI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MlfDArf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/W1aTGJQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0iw9SPK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/poE8GEJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/J9fEHDT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/j51Zdbz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EAc85Bt.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lpETzjB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/tRen1wb.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/y7k07OT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ub4YIyj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VMSdwgz.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0Pia7ru.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/HDuHenj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/OLeV4Qj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/LkDUCpE.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6L6tHgD.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gzvW60I.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Gdu465j.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sP7nvWe.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/jXPmkW1.jpg

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umm, anyone know how to put those pics into an album?

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I'm a pro who does weddings or I did before covid happened

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Some recommendations from me

1. Learn to shoot full manual mode. It's tough at first but you'll get such a greater understanding of your camera and how it works and take such better pictures

2. Shoot in RAW

3. Use a program like Lightroom to change the various values and help make your images look how they truely should. Jpeg out of camera are terrible compare to what they could be

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Oh Also learn how to use focus points for autofocus instead of letting the camera choose

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CarefreeDude posted...

Some recommendations from me

1. Learn to shoot full manual mode. It's tough at first but you'll get such a greater understanding of your camera and how it works and take such better pictures

2. Shoot in RAW

3. Use a program like Lightroom to change the various values and help make your images look how they truely should. Jpeg out of camera are terrible compare to what they could be

1. I been trying different random settings, so far Shutter Priority with an ISO of 2200 or less seems to be good, but I also notice that I don't really need 1/8000 shutter, 1/550 is good enough, especially with a little bit of extra exposure.
2. I have been shooting in dual-jpg which takes a RAW and a JPG at the same time
3. IDK how to even

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In regards to your lens, you'll get a sharper image if you use a higher Iso and faster shutter speed. Images will be a little grainy but Lightroom can fix that.

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Lokarin posted...

1. I been trying different random settings, so far Shutter Priority with an ISO of 2200 or less seems to be good, but I also notice that I don't really need 1/8000 shutter, 1/550 is good enough, especially with a little bit of extra exposure.
2. I have been shooting in dual-jpg which takes a RAW and a JPG at the same time
3. IDK how to even

Watch a quick Lightroom tutorial it's pretty easy. Try messing with some of your RAW images. Lightroom even has an auto setting that gets pretty close. If you're going to have a fancy dslr make sure you learn to use it or else it's no better than a cell phone

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CarefreeDude posted...

In regards to your lens, you'll get a sharper image if you use a higher Iso and faster shutter speed. Images will be a little grainy but Lightroom can fix that.

How high? I found anything over 2200 ish is just terrible looking, but the camera supports all the way up to 512000 (virtual h/4)

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For the cameras I use I try to avoid exceeding 1600 except in special cases. I also use high level lenses though. You could probably go up to 3200 and use Lightroom to correct

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CarefreeDude posted...

For the cameras I use I try to avoid exceeding 1600 except in special cases. I also use high level lenses though. You could probably go up to 3200 and use Lightroom to correct

For how expensive my camera is, I'm using a pretty basic lens... do you have any recommendations?

I tend to take pics of nature/wildlife from about 200m (500ish feet?) away

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FrndNhbrHdCEman posted...

Remember a few guys said some posters named snoopy was.

Fuck I haven't seen Snoopy in like 10 years.

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Honestly if you want to excel at that sort of photography you're going to need a high end telephoto lens. I'd consider a 70-200 2.8 a bare minimum and even that is lacking. Here are pics I took with my 70-200 2.8 with a telephoto extender.

https://imgur.com/a/uVnmQ

Ultimately if you do save up for a pro wildlife lens go for the 100-400 though the 70-200 has a ton more utility

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https://m.imgur.com/LWJTUT2
https://m.imgur.com/6cqI0VE

Telephoto are fun

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YouTube it

fucking boomer


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and i just actually looked at that thing you call a picture

my fucking Yorkie would take better pictures than u. (she plays uke)


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give. ur. camera. to. me

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This would be the ideal wildlife lens for your camera imo

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOZ1Y46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eXtgFbDZE0M26

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CarefreeDude posted...

This would be the ideal wildlife lens for your camera imo

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BOZ1Y46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eXtgFbDZE0M26

that's funny 'cuz mine is very similar, https://en.nikon.ca/nikon-products/product/camera-lenses/af-p-dx-nikkor-70-300mm-f%252f4.5-6.3g-ed.html

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See you'd think it's very similar but the image quality between these two lenses is crazy, not to mention the much more open aperature and vibration reduction. It would be like comparing a true carpenters tools to the plastic little tyke ones


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Anyway I'm not saying you can't take a good picture with the lens you have. What I'm saying is once you learn what you're doing and truely know how to take a good picture you'll realize the limitations of what you have. There will also be so many pictures you could "see" but not actually take due to these limitations or realise image quality isn't as good as it could have been

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Oh and this here is an absolutely magic lens, though it's not as good at wildlife photography

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4L36RJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GfugFbKFB5PXH

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CarefreeDude posted...

See you'd think it's very similar but the image quality between these two lenses is crazy, not to mention the much more open aperature and vibration reduction. It would be like comparing a true carpenters tools to the plastic little tyke ones

cool

CarefreeDude posted...

Anyway I'm not saying you can't take a good picture with the lens you have.

of course, I trying to learn

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I mean, my lens is a $300 lens and your recommendations are both $2000 - so there's a stark price difference

Other than the price itself, how would I know the difference in capabilities?

I mean, lenses aren't advertised as "150x magnification" which would be helpful... ... well, ok, 150x is insane, I just mean that if I know my target is about 150 feet away I could focus as though it were 1 foot away (scale as needed)

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if pictures are taken at that long a distance, do you use a tripod or something to keep the camera stable? (probably "yes, obviously", but I don't know)

I guess it might depend on the shutter speed/exposure time. but if you have super fast shutter speeds, do you have problems with images that are too dark?

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booooooomer

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pics itt

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Zareth posted...

Fuck I haven't seen Snoopy in like 10 years.

Guys here under another name. Cant remember for the life of me though. Just remember the topic were he returned to yall.

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Lokarin posted...

I got a high(ish) end camera, but I don't know what half the buttons do.

I mean, I know ISO and exposure and metering and stuff, but, like, ... I don't know what Fn1, Fn2, BKR, how to use the weighted auto-focus and stuff

my pictures look like this!!!

https://i.imgur.com/fv5vVEW.jpg

Your shutter speed is way too slow for that picture. Most people can hold a camera still with a 50mm prime lens (or equivalent) down to 1/60s or even 1/30 if you have very steady hands. Image stabilization can add a stop or two, down to as little as 1/15. You need to use a tripod if you have to go any slower, and perhaps a remote shutter release if you're using a telephoto lens. If you can't do that, bump up the ISO and widen the aperture. Most high end cameras can set a minimum shutter speed; mine can even adjust it based on the focal length.

Make sure you're using the viewfinder if you have one. I found I can hold the camera much more steady with it mashed up against my face than trying to hold it out in front of me. Of course, with a tripod, the screen is usually the better choice unless the sun is shining on it.

I usually set my camera to spot metering mode. I then aim the camera at the main subject and partially press and hold the shutter button. This focuses the camera and locks the exposure on the subject. Then while continuing the hold the shutter button partway, I compose the shot. Then I fully depress the shutter button. This lets me take a picture with the subject off-center (e.g. rule of thirds). If I want to take multiple shots of the same subject, I can use the AEL and/or AF ON buttons to lock those settings. (Your camera may or may not have these buttons, but the shutter button trick works on virtually all cameras).

If you're not familiar with the Rule of Thirds, learn it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds And turn on the guides, most cameras offer them.

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I would recommend to only focus and learn how to take photographs in manual mode and completely ignore the rest of the dial modes, waste of time. I did that as beginner and I never needed to know about the other modes for any of my pictures.

Try many different settings while taking a picture and you'll see what works the best and over some time you'll remember and will be pretty fast and accurate in selecting the best setting for any scenery.

No need for science either, no need of advance techniques to make great pictures. Tho some techniques are necessary. I'm not saying to not learn and take some classes . Of course that is good for progress. I just mean that you can start pictures as soon as you can without waiting. Experience will take you to your goal faster than someone's favorite technique. And most pro photographers just talk in pro terms to make it look like some kind of high end job , but it's not, it's art, the expression is the real thing.

Big tip is that if you plan to enter competitions ,study what is considered a winning setup , rule of thirds , distracting background etc... Most likely a winning picture will not be a favorite picture. But don't forget to take pictures you consider unique and great because most chances are you'll be right and it will make your website or portfolio bloom way better than making a picture by the book and rules. Rule of thirds is said to be the most important rule in photography , however no , it's just key component for professional exhibition. Don't get headache because of it, learn it when you will be completely done with the important things.

The biggest help I had were books ( better than websites ) , magazines ( usually provide camera settings used in the images in the magazine and it's also a good source of inspiration and knowledge of what competitions require ) and online study ( will fill the gaps, answer common questions ,etc ), common sense ( your own ideas will sure be your best work ).

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Sahuagin posted...

if pictures are taken at that long a distance, do you use a tripod or something to keep the camera stable? (probably "yes, obviously", but I don't know)

I know a pod helps, but I don't have one - I burned my whole budget insofar on the camera and current lens. So the nature pics were braced by the bracket mounts at the lake (similar stabilty to a monopod, and if I had a tiny monopod it'd be functionally a bipod)

Sahuagin posted...

I guess it might depend on the shutter speed/exposure time. but if you have super fast shutter speeds, do you have problems with images that are too dark?

The first wave of pics were too dark, but I corrected it by the 2nd time around.

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captpackrat posted...

If you're not familiar with the Rule of Thirds, learn it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds And turn on the guides, most cameras offer them.

The pictures I took so far were much larger RAW (nef?), but I cropped them down for visual appeal - which is why they're all different sizes.

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discovered a neat feature called bracketing (BKT)

Ya see, i was manually changing settings every shot to see what I like... but with bracketing it can do that for me based on the bracketing mode.

IE: I can take a series of pictures from one snap at -1/-.6/-.3/0/+.3/+.6/+1 EVs to see what I like best without having to look away.

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AAARRRRGGG

I'm soooo itchy!!!!!!!!

Nature is full of mosquitos!!!!!!

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I tried different settings with much better results...

Still don't really know how to album things, so let me know if you can see the pictures

https://imgur.com/a/zbM7Pjd

EDIT: Deleted previous album, try new one

I think this is my fav of the day

https://imgur.com/SdTjXth

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