# Photography



## Bill.K (Mar 23, 2012)

I was wondering if there were any other users out there who are amateur photographers. I've got a cheap camera but I just love the beauty of nature and find myself taking photographs of clouds, trees, animals anything that inspires my inner artist. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share a favorite photo of nature or anything. I'll start, this is one I took a few months back just of a tree that I pass frequently.http://imgur.com/ebs4C What do you think?


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 23, 2012)

I love nature also.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to view the photo by clicking on that link, for some reason.  I just have an old Pentax Optio, 4 Megapixels, water resistant camera.  I suggest that if you'd like to let others enjoy your pictures, that you create a photo album on this forum.  I just added a Nature album with a few of my photos today, along with my other album.  Easy way to share your photos with other members here.  You can see the latest albums by clicking on the "Community" link at the top of the forum page, then click on "Albums".  Looking forward to seeing your pictures, and I'll add some more also, when I get a chance.


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## AlbertC (Mar 25, 2012)

Absolutely! I enjoy photography, currently using a canon 7D. By no means an expert with it, but, I've used it pretty successfully to make some nice images. I live in a beautiful town, very inspiring. 

Used film SLRs in the 70s as part of my job, and then left the hobby for about three decades, picked it up again when my son bought me a Rebel T1i. Upgraded to the 7D last year.


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## phughes (Mar 25, 2012)

I could see your photo, Bill. It's great! Love those stormy settings! I have not heard of imgur, I'm going to check it out. A lot of my friends want to share photos but aren't familiar with sites that are easy to use, and end up using Snapfish, etc., which are meant as retail sites, not really for sharing. Thanks for the tip!


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## AlbertC (Mar 25, 2012)

At the end of the day, I'd say Flickr is still the best place just to share photos. The site is simple to use while still having lots of very mature and useful features, and it has a *huge* community of artists.


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## bubble111 (Mar 29, 2012)

I love photography! I own a DSLR camera and use it frequently. I'm part of a group of friends that are really into the art and we love to share our works together. It's great fun.


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## phughes (Mar 29, 2012)

I went to a presentation last night of an organization named, "A Place Called Hope." The husband and wife who run it specialize in the rehabilitation of birds of prey (owls, hawks, vultures). Fascinating to see them up close. The shutterbugs in the audience had a field day. Apparently, this organization will accommodate camera clubs if they call ahead. You can take pictures of the birds up close. The barn owl we saw was just stunning. There aren't many of these types of organizations, but they do exist. The group's website, http://www.aplacecalledhoperaptors.com/, has a couple of nice videos, one's a raven playing in the snow!


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## ambs01 (Mar 29, 2012)

*photography*

in my opinion photography is like the lottery, it is a dream of wealth that can materialize from taking pictures.
for about 4 years i took pictures with my cell phone camera. my cell phone camera was low resolution, but after a while i began to capture some great images in my opinion. foolishly dreaming to get some sales, i placed my images on some art website that got me nothing. thou my dream of wealth through art is an illusion, i still take pride in the accomplishment i have achieved in photography because it is my biography of the things i accomplished and dreams i had. anyone interested in seeing my art website can visit it at 
http://www.artwanted.com/ambenjamin79
i also used my photograph in a series of e books i published call "Antonio the Explorer", 
my pdf story can be read at
http://ambenjamin79.tripod.com/00001-Explorer-01.pdf
i hope i am not over burdening anyone because there is a lot of pictures in each link.



Bill.K said:


> I was wondering if there were any other users out there who are amateur photographers. I've got a cheap camera but I just love the beauty of nature and find myself taking photographs of clouds, trees, animals anything that inspires my inner artist. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share a favorite photo of nature or anything. I'll start, this is one I took a few months back just of a tree that I pass frequently.http://imgur.com/ebs4C What do you think?


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## littlegreyfox (Apr 3, 2012)

I live in the Yorkshire Dales and i always have my camera out at the great sights.. I love nature and love photography so the two go hand in hand


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## Planxty (Apr 27, 2013)

Im a keen amateur photographer myself, got started by digiscoping. Using a compact camera on my birding scope. Found it a frustrating experience as the shutterlag often meant all i got was empty water or grass, and useless for moving objects. Gradually got better kit, and got a few keepers.


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## R. Zimm (Apr 27, 2013)

These days the cameras in our cell phones are better than average, both for stills and video. For $150 you can get a very nice portable camera that even balances the image for you.

I think photography is a great hobby and you could even turn it into a side business.


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## Planxty (Apr 27, 2013)

R. Zimm said:


> These days the cameras in our cell phones are better than average, both for stills and video. For $150 you can get a very nice portable camera that even balances the image for you.
> 
> I think photography is a great hobby and you could even turn it into a side business.



So true, whatever you buy is soon out of date, i never buy anything new now, it will soon come down in price. Haven`t sold any of my stuff, but have allowed a couple to be used by some organizations for lectures.


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## That Guy (Apr 27, 2013)

Great photo, Bill.  You've got "the eye".

Uncle Sam decided I could best serve our country as a photojournalist during the Vietnam War.  Remember Full Metal Jacket?  You get the idea...

Dare I say so, myself, I was pretty damned good.  Made the front page of quite a few publications and had photos displayed at The Pentagon.

Anyway, thought I would pursue cinematography upon coming home . . .   But, the road twisted and turned in a different direction.  Can't say I've really lost the taste for photography but have picked up and put away different cameras over time and now just enjoy seeing good shots in my mind's eye.


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## SifuPhil (Apr 27, 2013)

Back in my mid-twenties I used to mess around with making portfolios of my fellow college actors. It was really just an excuse to shoot some cheesecake, but I found I had some slight ability at it. About that time I found myself in need of a part-time job. I answered an ad for a wedding photographer's assistant and wow, did my perception of the business side of photography change.

I was dealing with highly-emotional people and having to catch that once-in-a-lifetime shot perfectly - a LOT of pressure. Not to mention running around with thousands of dollars of equipment that had to be protected from both the elements and drunken wedding party attendees. 

I spent a small fortune myself on equipment and did the freelance thing for a while, weddings, local papers, magazine submissions, etc. as a side-business to teaching, but it never developed into (see what I did there?) a full-time gig. Just too much competition, and THAT was before the digital age. I still had my own B&W and color darkrooms, did all my own contact sheets, etc. 

Old school, but I enjoyed it immensely. 

Now I just have a crappy little Canon compact, 12 MP, that out-shoots almost anything from back in the seventies. Like someone else here said, even the camera on my $25 LG cell phone is better than ones I paid $500 for (used) back in NYC.


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## Anne (Apr 27, 2013)

Goodness, I'm chuckling here.....speaking of cameras....does anyone remember a Fotron camera which they sold door-to-door, back in the 60's???   Well, we did fall for it (having just had our first child, and just bought our first home)....   Guess they checked birth records, etc., finding who might be open to having a new, state of the art (not)!!  camera.

They sold quite a few of those things....which didn't do much of what it was supposed to do; and was complicated to operate.....complaints to the company fell on deaf ears.

There was a lawsuit, and I know we got some of our money back; don't recall now how much.  Wasn't funny then, but it is when we look back.


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## SifuPhil (Apr 27, 2013)

Anne said:


> Goodness, I'm chuckling here.....speaking of cameras....does anyone remember a Fotron camera which they sold door-to-door, back in the 60's???   Well, we did fall for it (having just had our first child, and just bought our first home)....   Guess they checked birth records, etc., finding who might be open to having a new, state of the art (not)!!  camera.
> 
> They sold quite a few of those things....which didn't do much of what it was supposed to do; and was complicated to operate.....complaints to the company fell on deaf ears.
> 
> There was a lawsuit, and I know we got some of our money back; don't recall now how much.  Wasn't funny then, but it is when we look back.



I saw a used one once in NYC at B&H Photo where I bought a lot of my gear. It was an ugly, heavy beast, just like they say* in this article*.


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## Anne (Apr 27, 2013)

Yup...that's it.    I still have some pics taken with it, if I can locate them.  The color wasn't bad, but you did get the red eye effect...and it was bulky, but then again, not something we could compare to the equipment avaliable now.  
Thinking back, I don't see how we bought something for that kind of money...we sure didn't have any extra to throw around.


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## Happyflowerlady (Jun 6, 2013)

View attachment 836When I was a girl, everything we did as a family, (4th of July picnic, parades, Easter outfit), my mom was out there with her camera taking those pictures. The early ones were taken with her old black-and-white box camera, and came back in long strips which we could separate into single pictures. 
Later, she had a Kodak that took color pictures, and all the family events were now in full color. 
I guess that all that picture taking rubbed off on me, and even though I have never had anything but a cheap little camera, I always enjoyed taking the pictures, and appreciate them more for the family memories, than for the photographic quality of the pictures.
I loved taking pictures of our puppies, and my Chipper has become a total ham. All he has to do is see me with a camera, and he starts posing, even if he is not the intended subject of the picture. Of course, then I learned how to change the backgrounds, and enhance the pictures with my Digital Image, and a great little online program called Picnik (which sadly, no longer exists), and I had even more fun with my photos.
So, even though it has not been anything but a fun hobby for me, it is something that I totally love doing.
This is my Chipper looking cute for St. Patrick's Day.


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## vinylted (Jul 25, 2013)

I became interested in photography as a teenager and 60+ years later still enjoy it. I used SLR's and slides for most photos between the early 60's until
2000 when I bit the bullet and went digital. Can't afford the real good stuff, but do fairly well with my Lumix FZ200. Mostly I just enjoy it.


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## Reen (Jul 26, 2013)

I have only ever had a little Canon point and shoot and haven't a clue what all the settings are for but am happy with most of the photos that come out of it.
It is set at Auto Mode most of the time.


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

What a fabulous pastime/hobby...something we can all do no matter how old we are...as for digital, it's changed the way we think about photography as well as making it more affordable.
I remember some years ago (pre digital) it used to cost me a small fortune to do a motor sport event...several rolls of film and then the processing, etc. Now I take around 1000 pics over a 2 day event (sometimes more) and it costs me nothing and there are far less throw aways as well. So easy to send my pics OS and interstate as well as whip up a slideshow, etc.
I do all kinds of photography but my favourite is nature, mainly birds and animals. I have also done some studio work (portraits) with models but don't really like it, I'd rather be out in the fresh air and sunshine.
Over recent years I've had quite a bit of success with varioius competitions I've entered but once again, I don't take them too seriously, I just wanted to see what others thought of my work...my latest win was a comp run by the Sigma Corporation (lens manufacturers) "The Eye Of The Photographer"...I won a Sigma 150mm Macro lens valued at around $1200AUD.
I also teach  in the Australian Retired Persons Association and started up the photography group there. We have field trips at least once a month.


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

This is the pic for the Sigma comp...


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Bill.K said:


> I was wondering if there were any other users out there who are amateur photographers. I've got a cheap camera but I just love the beauty of nature and find myself taking photographs of clouds, trees, animals anything that inspires my inner artist. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share a favorite photo of nature or anything. I'll start, this is one I took a few months back just of a tree that I pass frequently.http://imgur.com/ebs4C What do you think?



Hi Bill, great pic Mate but why not post the pic here rather than the link...?
I think if we keep them to 600 pixels on the long side they will show up as a pic rather than a thumbnail...


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Emu, shot this guy up at the Cleland Wildlife Park here in South Australia..
"Bad Hair Day" 

View attachment 1598


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## Anne (Jul 26, 2013)

Archer said:


> Emu, shot this guy up at the Cleland Wildlife Park here in South Australia..
> "Bad Hair Day"
> 
> View attachment 1598



I'm getting "invalid link"....


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 26, 2013)

Archer said:


> What a fabulous pastime/hobby...something we can all do no matter how old we are...as for digital, it's changed the way we think about photography as well as making it more affordable.
> I remember some years ago (pre digital) it used to cost me a small fortune to do a motor sport event...several rolls of film and then the processing, etc. Now I take around 1000 pics over a 2 day event (sometimes more) and it costs me nothing and there are far less throw aways as well. So easy to send my pics OS and interstate as well as whip up a slideshow, etc.
> I do all kinds of photography but my favourite is nature, mainly birds and animals. I have also done some studio work (portraits) with models but don't really like it, I'd rather be out in the fresh air and sunshine.
> Over recent years I've had quite a bit of success with varioius competitions I've entered but once again, I don't take them too seriously, I just wanted to see what others thought of my work...my latest win was a comp run by the Sigma Corporation (lens manufacturers) "The Eye Of The Photographer"...I won a Sigma 150mm Macro lens valued at around $1200AUD.
> I also teach  in the Australian Retired Persons Association and started up the photography group there. We have field trips at least once a month.



Congratulations Archer for all your accomplishments, you are a very talented photographer to be sure!  It's very kind of you to teach in the retired persons association, and start a photography group for them.  I'm sure they enjoy the field trips...wonderful!  I feel so happy and relaxed just looking at beautiful nature photos, and I thank you for bringing so many lovely ones to the forum for our viewing pleasure. :thanks:

I've owned good quality cameras in the past, 35mm, with telephoto and regular lenses.  Honestly, I was never able to get comfortable using them, and I lost many a good photo fumbling around with the camera. And like you say, after paying to have them developed, many ended up in the trash. 

 When we were in the Canada on a camping trip when we were young, a beautiful brown bear crossed the dirt road right in front of us, heading into the woods again.  I was so upset, because not only did I not capture it with the camera, but I missed out on soaking in the beauty of that huge muscular bear with the lovely golden shadings on his fur.  My husband told me to just enjoy the animal, and don't worry about the camera anymore.


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Anne said:


> I'm getting "invalid link"....



_*This site has problems with posting pics*_...when I first uploaded it, it showed as a decent sized one in the body of the post (suitable for viewing)...now for some unexplainable reason it has turned into some weird link...????
I used the "Insert Link" option in the above menu and also resized it to 600 pixels on the long side and reduced the file size to 163kb...why it has changed is beyond me...!!!
Funnily, when I clicked on the link it opened it in another window...???
I stopped posting pics soon after I joined the Forum but thought it was sorted out...obviously not.
I have no idea what the problem is...??
I'll try posting the same pic again...


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Well, same as before, it's showing as a decent sized pic..we'll have to see what happens now...
Even Bill's lovely pic I reposted has turned into a thumbnail...all very weird...?


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

From my Album...
Lets see if this works...


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Well, so far so good but uploading pics will soon fill so many Albums, I guess we'll just have to keep deleting used ones to make room...


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## Matrix (Jul 26, 2013)

Archer said:


> Well, so far so good but uploading pics will soon fill so many Albums, I guess we'll just have to keep deleting used ones to make room...


No, please don't delete pictures only for space. Don't worry, our hard disk is big enough. Unlike those raw pictures in your computer, most uploaded pictures are less than 200K, 1000 pictures will only use 200MB.


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## Archer (Jul 26, 2013)

Never use RAW Matrix...I find JPEGs are plenty good enough if taken properly in the first place...
I always resize my pics for posting to around 800 pixels (long side) and reduce the file size to around 150-300kb...I find this size is plenty big enough for Forum use.
If anyone wants to see them bigger, just hold down the Ctrl key and scroll the mouse wheel...won't improve the quality but will make the image and text larger...


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