big_lassiter

Same here.

<p>I don't know about a professional grade mirrorless EVF camera, but I actually think we'll see a professional grade "translucent mirror" camera (which uses an EVF) within the next year or so. Of course, it will more than likely be a part of the Sony lineup, as they seem to be expanding this part of their lineup rather quickly. There are a few quirks (dpreview) that need to be overcome in the meantime, but I'm sure that Sony is hard at work to fix those.</p>

<p>Right now my biggest frustration is the lack of readily available scenery that I like (water and/or mountains). However it has turned me on to a new subject...flowers. They are in abundance where I am, and to me, they are quite challenging to shoot.</p>

<p>I wouldn't exactly call what I did switching. I originally had a Minolta film SLR. When I wanted to make the switch to digital, Minolta wasn't making dSLRs. I ended up buying the Canon Digital Rebel. Once Konica/Minolta began making dSLRs, I ended up getting the Maxxum 5D. Since then, I have purchased a Sony A300. I still use all 3 of them.</p>

<p>They are right. Use the widest aperture you can and get as close to the wire as possible. I've had success with this in the past. I believe it works best with a longer focal length lens. I used a 100-300 lens at f4.5 to shoot through a chain link fence and got good results.</p>

<p>2001...An Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom. It was on sale and I was tired of buying film and paying to have it developed. I figured I'd give digital a try and ended up liking digital. From there I went to a Sony F707, then a Canon Digital Rebel, then a Konica-Minolta 5D, and now to a Sony Alpha 300. I know I haven't progressed much from the entry-level DSLR, but they suit my needs just fine for now. By the way, I still own and use all of them, except for the Olympus...I sold it to help buy the F707.</p>

<p>That's interesting. I stumbled across Pie Town somewhere between 2001-2002. I had gone to see the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Very Large Array and after spending some time there, decided to see where else the road led. I ended up passing through Pie Town, which I thought was a rather strangely named place in the middle of nowhere. I wish I had taken the time to explore it a little more, now.</p>

<p>I must admit that I am guilty of using the Photoshop "Save for web" option. In the past I did post some exif information in the details section, but lately I've been too lazy to do it. As far as file size, I post pictures in a few different places on the web and one of them has limits of 1000 pixels on the longest side, so that is the format I use. I try to keep the file size under 160kb, but that is merely an arbitrary number for me.</p>

<p>I am not a professional, but I do not think you need to start off with film to learn the Art of Photography. I think that feedback is important when learning, and with digital the feedback is instantaneous. It is much easier (and less expensive) to experiment with digital. Film is important, but if she is 12, I think learning film for her would really just equate to a history lesson. Look at it this way...to learn the Art of Driving do you need to start out with a Model T?</p>

<p>I listen to all the advice that I receive. I do not always heed it, but I do listen. The type of advice depends on whether I look for a portfolio or not. If it's something simple like cropping, then a portfolio doesn't matter. If it gets into technical aspects, then I am more likely to look for a portfolio, although the lack of one does not necessarily negate the usefulness of the advice.</p>

<p>I have shot about 7,700 digital that I have kept. The actual number I shot is unknown. I shoot much more with digital than I ever did with film. I probably keep more than I should, but I am trying to work on that.</p>

<p>Thank you so much for the information. Having never received any formal training, I am quite interested to see what I have missed.</p>

<p>I do photography just for fun. It's a way for me to capture what I find interesting. With that said, I typically plan my locations, but not my shots. If I am going to a new city, I do some research on it before I get there, to see what the areas of interest are. Once there, I just walk around with my camera and shoot whatever catches my eye. When I'm in my own city, it's pretty much the same thing. I know what I am apt to find at various locations and chose my destination based on what I feel like shooting. There are times when I will pass a particular scene multiple times, each time vowing to come back to shoot it. Sometimes I make it back, sometimes I do not. I've never been disappointed when I did go back and shoot, but once again, it was a planned location, not a planned shot.</p>

<p>I generally disregard all the anonymous ratings. When a member directly rates my photos, I go to look at their portfolio. That tends to help me better understand the ratings that I receive from them if there is no constructive comment left. </p>

I hope that people do not stoop so low as to want revenge for a low rating. Of course, it is possible. I try to give honest ratings, and by that I mean how a particular photograph affects me. When I first started out with my ratings I was brutally honest. If I thought something deserved a 3/3 or lower, that's what I gave it. However, recently I've found myself only rating the photographs that I think are good. If I don't think it would rate at least a 4/4 then I do not rate it at all. I've even gone back and looked at photographs that I have posted and, in hindsight, thought I should not have posted them because if I were to rate them now they would get rated at a 3/3 or below. My photography is just for my enjoyment, but I know that if I subject it to criticism that it should only get better, which is my ultimate goal. If I receive ratings that are lower than I anticipated, I look at the photograph again to see if I can see how to improve on it. I guess it makes me look at my photographs more critically before posting the next one.

I'm a big fan of Ansel Adams, but I would not say he is my influence. I think my work is influenced by any photographers (amateur & pro) whose work I see. I do not try to duplicate any styles, but looking at other photographers' works give me ideas on composing images, and sometimes they help me to choose a subject to photograph.