Take a picture once a day, whether you need to or not

[Bunk]

Very much so. Generally, I just try to be really casual, put the subjects at ease, and ideally get em laughing. Of course it gets exponentially harder the more people in the picture.

 If it's a family picture of more than five people, you are guaranteed to get one person with a creepy molester expression in every single shot. Last wedding pictures I did, the Grandma looked stoned in all but one group shot. Of course she was the only one not blinking in that shot. Finally just decided to shop her head in to another shot.

[PalmTrees]

I got my first digital camera this past Christmas. Had a film camera ages ago in high school. Mainly wanted to take pics of the birds that like to roost in the branches of this dead tree behind my house. Kinda hard to take pics of them. Have to zoom in and that makes for shaky aiming, also the view screen suffers from heavy glare when it's bright outside. I put my trust in auto focus and click. So here's some of my first attempts:

[Merusk]

Not bad! Get a tripod and you'll be even happier.  Keep practicing and you'll learn to account for the glare. The bird's what you want, so don't be afraid to blow-out the sky.

[MisterNoisy]

Cross post, but it's the most interesting pic I've taken all month, to be sure:

[RhyssaFireheart]

Yikes! 

[Khaldun]

Yeah, wow.

[Viin]

Reminds me of Boulder not that long ago.

[Sky]

Climbed up Bald Mt yesterday. Just a perfect day and got some decent pics though I have little clue on manual modes, still. I understand the basics, but it's such a pain in the ass I'd rather put it on auto and enjoy the hike rather than dick around with the camera all day. I liked this one:



I did use the zoom to reduce the focal plane, so I think that part turned out cool. There was an 8 yr old or so girl down taking pictures of flowers so I got down and started taking some, too. Her mother was cracking up.

[apocrypha]

Been meaning to have a go at photographing the bats that fly round and round just outside our front door when it's warm, finally got round to having a go yesterday. Damn they're tricky little buggers! After about 30 minutes of completely black frames this was the only shot I got. Totally having another go at this soon though.



Zoomed in:

[Lantyssa]

Have someone throw up a tennis ball when they're flying around.  Bats will chase them for a few feet, giving you something to focus on.

[apocrypha]

Even if that doesn't work it'll be funny. 

[Engels]

bat's knees are too sharp.

[Khaldun]

I had a similar experience trying to get a macro shot of a bumblebee. But a bat seems even harder.

[Strazos]

There be photos here, if anyone cares:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76281093@N02/

[Engels]

verah nas. Some captions would rule too tho.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Very nice indeed.  And Ill second the captions or at least an explanation on where these were taken (besides "Japan").

[proudft]

It's San Francisco: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Tea_Garden_(San_Francisco,_California)

The shots of the bayfront and Alcatraz gave it away but I also recognize that bridge from attempting to climb over it headfirst both directions when I was about 4 or so.   

[Samwise]

edit: nm, Japanese tea garden identified.

The big church is Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill, the sea lions are at Pier 39, the WWII ship is the Jeremiah O'Brien at Pier 45, and the curvy street is Lombard Street.  I don't recognize Paul Bunyan so I assume that's from somewhere alongside Hwy 1 further down (or up?) the coast.

[Teleku]

The pictures seem to start from most recent to furthest past, as that looks like the alps lower down, followed beautiful Benin.   

So somewhere up the coast  in Northern California or Oregon.

Glad you got to see SF man.  No matter how much I travel, it still remains my most favorite city in the world (the whole Bay Area really).  Would have loved to take you bar crawling if I was still around.  Try to draft some other f13'er into it!

[Strazos]

Yeah, sorry about the lack of captions - I was rushed to get them uploaded via the hotel computer before leaving Carmel this morning, and the workstation's configuration forced me to load each picture individually into Flickr. Thankfully, the natives had me covered.

I also have some videos that I'll try to get up at some point - driving down through the redwoods from Oregon, and up to Fort Bragg as well.

[Khaldun]

Some California shots of my own from a recent trip:

[Samwise]

That middle one is great wallpaper material.

[MisterNoisy]

That middle one is great wallpaper material.

No kidding.  That's a fantastic image.

EDIT:  Figured I'd add something, even if it's a bit silly.  Played horseshoes on the fourth at a friend's place and this happened:



We scored it as two leaners, but aren't sure if that's correct.  :P

[IainC]

Went to the Temple of Debod today to try out HDR techniques. Got this shot as the sun was setting (the sky really was that colour)

Temple of Debod by Iain Compton, on Flickr

[Khaldun]

Great light and reflection.

[satael]

I liked this picture for some reason though it was a bit off center.

[Khaldun]

Contemplative looking duck.

Trying to practice my focus stacking this week. I think I may end up needing a focusing rail if I want to do it really seriously, especially in some studio shots. I keep missing one focal plane that I ought to have when I go manual. Can't be a bit of wind either.

[Ingmar]

A bit late but that giant Paul Bunyan is up in Crescent City or thereabouts IIRC.

[IainC]

Caught this guy nomming sunflowers at the Real Jardins Botanico in Madrid at the weekend.


Real Jardin Botanico, Madrid by Iain Compton, on Flickr

[DraconianOne]

Rooting through a box of family history records that used to belong to my late aunt when I found a little curio - an original program from a performance of Romeo and Juliet in 1882 at the Lyceum Theatre in London. What drew my attention in particular though  was the name of the Acting Manager on the back.

[Pennilenko]

That is pretty awesome.

[slog]

The photographer that comes to our Rallycrosses took this one of my car.

[Mosesandstick]

Some snaps from my summer holiday. First time seriously using my mirrorless.

[Lantyssa]

Gorgeous shots.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Agreed, those are some beautiful shots there, Moses.