POW - June 7, 2009

<p>Doug - that's a really neat capture with the dew.</p>

<p>Steve and John - superb macro shots.</p>

<p>Justin - love the dog. Outstanding.</p>

<p>Morgan - great dogs.</p>

<p>Russel - good start with a great lens. Keep it on the camera for a while and shoot a wide variety of subjects in all different types of lighting until you get comfortable with it. The DA 21mm is ideal for landscape photography. I've been struggling with landscape for a while and here's some advice I was given last weekend by retired local newspaper photographer, Terry McDonald:<br>

Look for an interesting foreground and background. Use a tripod. Set the lens for the smallest F/stop. Place an interesting object or element within 4-6 ft. Focus 8-10 ft into the picture. I'm still working on it but I thought I pass on the advice. Have fun with your new prime.Cheers.</p>

<p>Haig - two terrific photos. I like the first best since I appreciate how difficult it can be to capture a bird shot like that, especially when there is usually very little time to compose it.</p>

<p>Scott - well done on the roses and the rings. Red is a tough color to capture well but you make it easy.</p>

<p>Markus - love the B/W historic roof tops - what a spectacular background!</p>

<p>Leo - creepy spider but great image. Nicely done.</p>

<p>Ben - Wow! That's an artistic still that you could print and sell. Kudos.</p>

<p>OShiva - great HDR capture on the castle. Nice work. The moody clouds are stunning.</p>

<p>Robert - your framing of the balloon is terrific. I like the way the landscape leads the balloon into the frame.</p>

<p>Bob - great shots as always.</p>

<p>John-Paul - where was that photo taken. The landscape is amazing.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's one more shot. I just happen to like this one a lot.</p><div></div>

<p>This weekend is the local annual soap box derby. It's hard to get good framing with the cars when they are moving around 40 kph and I'm standing so close. K10D, 50-135 DA* @ 1/50s, f/6.3</p><div></div>

<p>I may try again this afternoon. K10D, 50-135 DA* @ 1/50s, f/6.3.</p><div></div>

<p>More flowers & bugs, I'm afraid. </p><div></div>

<p>I found this guy (a juvenile grasshopper or cricket I think) on a spent peony. I guess every generation has a unique sense of style.</p><div></div>

<p>Toronto Canada, Sunny days.<br /> <a href="

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3443242061_bbb69f7ce6.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></p>

</a> K10D Super Takumar 28/3.5<br /> <a href="

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/3569532554_e6fe0a3615.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></p>

</a> K10D Super Takumar 28/3.5</p>

<p>Wow guys! Absolutely all the pix are amazing!!!!! I wish I had time to comment on everyone pix...<br>

This POW is really, but REALLY impressive!!! Congrats...<br>

Bad thing I have nothing to post this week...excepts shots from my last shootings.<br>

I just got a job in a corporate jet operator as a mechanic, so I'm going to miss my daily shooting for a while. I will still post things on the forum, and help wherever I can =)</p>

 

<p>Truly some great work this time as well.<br>

This first one I did some manual focus blending in CS2. At F/11, it was still impossible to get both flowers in focus, not to mention that they were on about a 20" stem with a slight breeze!<br>

"There seems to be a correlation between the shutter button and the wind."<br>

I'm now working on a yellow flower with a stem that looks about 3 feet long and a little bigger than a pencil lead!</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>With cooler temperatures, fall is in the air as well as the undergrowth. These bushes always turn orange about the first or second week of June.<br>

-Jon</p><div></div>

<p>I got back last week from six days in Puerto Rico. These are far from my best photographs but a fascinating subject in mid-day light. The three shot composite was needed for scale.<br /> <br /> The Arecibo Observatory is the worlds largest radio telescope. Finished in 1963 it weighs over 300 tons with 38,778 aluminum panels each adjusted to within 2mm precision to form a spherical curve.</p>

<p>All were shot with k20d at ISO 200 First two (note scientists in traveling car) Pentax DA 18-250 @ 142mm then 50mm. Third shot DA 21mm limited two image stitched panorama f/5.6 adjusted in Lightroom</p><div></div>

<p><strong>Justin,</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />I have to really apologize for not listing some details of my POW shots.<br />Actually, I haven't been computer bound the past few days and sorry, did NOT read the Guideline thread as I did something I have never done before. I had a week off from work and decided to be a <strong><em>'Trout Bum'</em></strong> for five straight days. Fishing, fishing, and more fishing.<br />Actually both of my shots were taken either on the way to fishing or on the way home from fishing.<br />The new guidelines are great, I do believe it <em>SHOULD</em> make me a better 'picture taker' as I don't consider myself a photograher like all of you, yet. Maybe someday. There is always hope.<br /><strong>Rte 73: </strong><em>Pentax K10D, 16-45mm lens, A 16mm @ f/8, 1/500s, ISO 100</em><br /><strong>Morning Sky: </strong><em>Pentax K10D, 16-45mm, A 45mm @ f/4, 1/8s, ISO 100</em><br />Both spectrums of the lens. Critique please anyone.</p>

<p>#1 Oak Leaf</p><div></div>

<p>#2 Old Track</p><div></div>

<p>Smiling kids nice kick-off, Duane ;~) <br /> Very nice, Doug! I tried something like that a while back and failed so I Know it's surprisingly hard to get a good photo of a wet web.<br /> You like your flowers by the <em>bushel</em> , don't you Justin? Wonderful shot (and very cool border, too) I'll be presumptuous and say think I'd have chosen a wider aspect ratio and trimmed some of the top.<br /> Winners, both Haig! Not surprisingly I especially like the koo... (oh, never mind--I'm working on my new netbook here) you know: the bird. <br /> Love the hqppy dogs, Morgan.<br /> The lilies are splendid Markus! I've gotten some good shots with that lens but haven't used it for a while--you've inspired me to dust it off.<br /> Very impressive stuff, Leo--the spider especially!<br /> The unfinished castle is very cool, dorus! There was a building with a similar tale in Montauk, NY. I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised if it had been rescued at the height of the recent bubble.<br /> That first shot brings back memories of Vermont Bob--trout country for sure.<br /> Actually, I can much the same about your Tyrolean shot, John-Paul (ecxept the Vermont part). There's a haunting quality to that photo which really like. <br /> Very nice compositions, Prasanth! I'm ambivalent about the color--but that's a good thing.<br /> Oh dear--another good photographer (Arkadiy) lost to employment?! Is nourishment and shelter really <em>that</em> important ?<br /> Bravo, Jon! I faced a similar situation this week with wild onions. I pulled it off only to find that shot was ruined by a dog hair stuck to subject ;~(<br /> I think those Arecibo shots are very effective, Roger.<br /> Ta-DA!--I've done it--POW comments on a netbook! Really gave all ten thumbs a work out ;~)</p>

<p> </p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/9305434-md.jpg" alt="" width="679" height="455" /><br>

K2000 with DA 18 - 55 f/8</p>

<blockquote>

<p>You like your flowers by the <em>bushel</em> , don't you Justin? Wonderful shot (and very cool border, too) I'll be presumptuous and say think I'd have chosen a wider aspect ratio and trimmed some of the top.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Considered it, and haven't ruled it out. Although I'm torn, I like the flowers, but also the greater aspect of the forest. Plus, framing wide perpective shots is a pain, just did a quick check and 16:9 looked horrible to me, and 2:3 didn't really take much off to make a difference.</p>

<p>Tough call though to get the shot I wanted, I was already at ground level with the tripod, and forced to go wide for the DOF since I was already at f/16 to get the DOF I wanted. I guess a tilt lens would have been useful here. But I think it is going to look great as a full size print (20in+ on the long side) since there is a lot of detail that doesn't downsize well.</p>

<p>Ben, That is a winner! and very appropriate for a kitchen. The subject matter is well arranged, and your post processing was dead on..<br>

Dorus, nicely toned and pp with the castle<br>

Robert, I like both shots.. more so because they are in b/w. suits them well..<br>

Bob, your rte 73 is really nice.. see if you can lighten up the barn just a little,, would be good to get a bit more detail there..<br>

Ronny! All we get is the rear end of a pink elephant? lol<br>

John Paul, Tyrolean landscapes are pretty.. and the cloud cover actually adds a certain 'je ne sais quoi' to the shot. I would have lightened it just a touch to emphasize the sunny areas.<br>

Patrick, I think you did awesome considering your constraints. Those look pretty good to me!<br>

Dave, I like your rose.. would have cropped a bit more of the old one out.. I think it detracts from the one in the middle. And that juvenile bug is just precious he looks so funny :-) Nice shot!<br>

Prasanth, nice shots of downtown Toronto.. used to live there :-) I like your pp..<br>

Jon, Both shots are very nice.. well executed and very pleasing. For me that's always something I look for in a shot.<br>

Roger, that observatory is impressive! Nice shots<br>

Mark, your oak leaves are too dark .. at least on my screen. The old track on the other hand is a winner!<br>

Heather, nice capture with the kit lens!</p>

<p>Just one, another flower.</p><div></div>

<p>Haig, Thanks for the suggestion about the crop--I'l play with it. I apologize for the resizing error, btw--I hate it when I can't see the whole image at once! And isn't that little bug a trip?! I can hear his momma grumbling about "the way the young folks get them selves up these days!"</p>

<p>I've kept my Auto-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 stuck to my K10D. It took me a while to figure out the MAN/AUTO switch. I kept it on AUTO and wondered why my two Takumar lenses looked soft. On the K10D, it needs to stay on MAN to use the aperture...otherwise it stays wide open no matter what you have it set on.</p>

<p>Anyway, these Taks are great, great lenses if you can get over manual focus.</p><div></div>

<p>The water drops are an assignment from The Strobist web page. One flash off the camera, pointed at a colored reflector or a gel on the flash.</p><div></div>

<p>Well - here's one w/ a back story... and that's the info on the picture, too.<br>

We decided to try something new to us for the reception because we finally had a good location/circumstances to do this. Matt set up our studio strobes with gels (don't remember both colors, but apparently blue was one of em!!) in front of the dance floor.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, we learned we can NOT have the AF540s AND a radio slave on the camera at the same time. Therefore, we had to rely on the extremely unreliable optical slave being put on the large strobes (pooh!). It didn't take long for me to learn to just stand immediately in front of the strobe & it's slave, Fong sphere OFF, lens focused about to infinity, and just aim, shoot & pray. (ALL lights were off except the DJs very distant flashing lights w/ gels).</p>

<p>K10D, ISO 1600, DA*16-50, f5.6, 1/8 sec. I gotta get us some Pocket Wizards.</p><div></div>

<p>This one was just taken today. Trying to decide color or b&w when I turn over proofs. I'm kind of extra proud... because we shot mommy & daddy's wedding 2 years ago & feel more like we made friends than clients.</p>

<p>This one is slightly new to us - we decided to shoot with the video light box (4 CFL bulbs in a soft box) instead of our strobes. I wish we had a little more light, for lower ISO - but Matt was planning on converting all to b&w anyway. Expect to see more from this sitting (Matt shot over 100 frames himself) I've got 2 more i just LOVE out of the bunch.<br>

K10D again (duh!), FA 100mm macro, ISO800, f3.5, 1/30th</p><div></div>

<p>Oh, Maria--<em>wonderful<strong>! </strong> </em></p>