g_silver3

I am glad to see the introduction of new gear. It's to bad that someone in the know could not make interesting or informational comments about the new equipment. The term "Press relief" is valid. Pointing out possible spelling issues should be taken to a spelling bee group if there is one.

For a rude guy you sure are touchy. I have to admit those blues are a hoot.

There are no secret spots. People are all over the coast and island every day. Nice photoshop blue on that picture. Did you just crank up the blue saturation.

Thomas, you are right about one thing. "Avoidency" My plan is to avoid you at all costs. Good luck and please seek help... Think "Seroquel" and there will be a new possible future for you..

Like I said previous, I was not responding to your post. I was responding to the original post and the post's of others in a global sense. It is easy to see that you feel that everyone out there that is male should focus on your babbling commentary.

 

"Wishing you well with what ever world you choose to live in"

 

I have a feeling your world is one of loneliness. I'm sorry for you.

"""I'm not writing about the likes of some dood who decided to open up a portrait shop or do weddings. I'm writing about "notables."

 

I'm sorry, I wasn't making any reference to anything you wrote. Isn't the topic set by Dan Lovell. Dan dedicated an entire paragraph to a wedding photographer..The wedding photographer would be "some dood" whatever that is..

 

I wonder if it is a requirement to be a "Lad"

I would agree with Daniel..While I have never researched mental illness by occupation I believe that all occupations and walks of life have their sadness and difficulties..I do come into contact with people who suffer depression (not regularly) and have never noticed any occupational similarities. I have noticed that a high percentage suffer from substance abuse problems..I don't know any artist but I do know a few successful photographers (artist's if you wish them to be that) and all of them are functional normal folks. Of course my limited exposure to artists and photographers would not make a very good sampling..

OK, I guess I just got carried away......Geri

""""Understanding the zone system and grey cards wasn't my question. I wanted to know how people meter with this particular camera. Sounds like it's more or less point and shoot"""".

 

That's how I meter! I place my subject in a zone and adjust the meter to that..Toast Zone IV, 1 stop under, Caucasian portraint Zone VI or 1 stop over. The camera can be a point and shoot except for focusing. Just set the f-stop at f8/use A-mode and push the button. You will get some keepers that way..Put a flash on it for low light...

No, it is not semi spot, however it is a good enough meter to achieve properly exposed images. A center weighted meter attempts to adjust your exposure to give you the luminance of an 18% grey card. It will help you make bright white subjects to dark and black subjects to light. It will also help you to underexpose your subject with backlighting. In other words you have to think about your exposure in order to achieve the shot you visualized.

For a portrait type shot you could move in close or zoom in and meter off the face and then increase exposure 1 stop (average caucasian skin). Lets say you do that fine in aperture priority with a back lighted subject, and then you reframe your subject so they are off to the side of your frame. Your camera will immediately readjust 1 to 3 stops underexposed becasue now your center weighted meter is measureing the backlighting..What you should have done is either shoot in manual to hold the exposure or use your nifty exposure lock which I found works perfectly if using my right hand ring finger. Once your exposure is locked then re-frame and say cheese...There are a million tutorials on exposure..Ansels Adams the greatest of all time (my opinion) invented the zone system so that a photographer could easily determine proper exposure..Remember the meter likes an 18% reflectance so your caucasian skin tone will be 1 top under exposed. So you would open up to zone VI (36% reflectance). Toast lives in Zone IV and angels live in zone VIII(3 stops over and Ansels own words). Anyway you get the point. A modern digital shooter using matrix metering will get more keepers than the FE2 when shooting without thinking..However the more sophisticated the camera the less the average photographer thinks. It's a spray and pray type shooting.

Photography can be art but most of the time it's snapshots...It's up to you to decide what is art or not..I think that if your work is being displayed in a gallery then that is a good bet that your photography may be considered art by someone..I do not have any rules that makes it clear cut in my mind..But generally I think of photography as being less than serious art..Computer generated pictures like I do is pretty far from art. Maybe it's computer art or maybe it's anything you want it to be..I was in a book store today and I was looking over a Michelangelo book. Now that guy spent his entire life learning shapes, forms, colors, techniques, skills etc, etc. He was an artist and passionate. My next door neighbor could possible get a digital camera for Christmas and by the end of the month have a pretty darn good shot all framed up. Is my neighbor an artist, maybe they are because they have a picture in a frame..Well enough rambling. Is Photography a form of Art, "Yes", Is it expressed throught the Camera, "Yes", or the PC "Yes". Also photography can be expressed the old fashioned way like Ansel Adams did with a dark room. Photography is also expressed through the camera snapper.

There are all sorts of camera's out there and each has it's following. I have a Mamiya 645 PRO TL and I like it. IT has shutter speeds to 1/1000th of a second, metered prism, aperture priority, manual operation, mirror lock up. Flash sync at 1/60th of a sec. It's useful on or off the tripod. Lenses are inexpensive. I frequently make prints from 4x6 to 16x20 and everything in between. It's a fun camera to shoot. It takes a easy to find battery. 15 shots to a roll. With your drum scanner access you could easily make larger prints. I am happy with this camera. Another one to look at is the Pentax 645.

I feel you should look to the film size first then start looking at the different camera's that shoot that particular size. Consider a large format camera also. That would be a lot of fun to have. Great image detail. You have to be prepared however because when you shoot it people will be curious and are going to see what it is all about. So get ready for a little chit chat...

I am not familiar with Seattle but any WallMart would carry Kodak400UC which is a great general purpose film. Fuji Superia or Kodak at any store or market is fine for vacation type snap shots. Fuji Reala will give you some fine low grain negatives for enlargements. The Reala would have to be purchased at a camera store such as the one mentioned. There are lot's of nice films.

It's a great time to enjoy photography. It's a great time to enjoy film. The camera's and gear are affordable. Medium Format is finally affordable to me. And we have the wonders of digital imaging. Just pick out something and go for it. Every format is capable of great images, just go and find your shot..

Digital imaging and film have a different look. A lot of it is the grain. When you scan a negative you also scan the grain and whatever other qualities that are there regardless if they are good or bad. Each film has a different quality such as Velvia which looks very different then Astia which looks very different than Neopan. Those qualities do not disappear just because the negative is scanned. To me it makes since to use film and digital depending on the shot you are trying to make. And don't forget medium format.

I agree with the other two posts. Depends if you want a prime or zoom, but the 50mm ($100.00) and/or the 28-105($249.00) is the best buy for high quality and low price.

I agree, don't buy it. I also agree that KEH.com is the best place to shop for used lenses.

Ken, nice shot and a beautiful family. It's a keeper.

I have met many homeless people in my work and they are a very diverse group. Mentally challenged to very intelligent. My thought is if you want to photograph someone then ask their permission. If they give it then you are in good shape and can proceed with your picture. If they are mentally challenged in some manner then just leave them alone. But everyone is different and I just think it's ok to be respectful and professional in your photography goals.

I am not much help with color to B/W in photoshop. One way is just to desaturate the picture but that is one of the worst ways I have heard. There is a free download from Picassa 2 and it has a number of options. Also if you go to "Luminous Landscape" I am sure you can find a tutorial on the subject. Even though I use photoshop a lot I have never explored that area because I shoot B/W film since I have a 120 format camera. I love Neopan 400 not that it matters.

Lance: Many images are enhanced with photoshop. It is easy to use and can bring life to a picture. Digital or scanned film can be enhanced or manipulated easily in photoshop. It has become very common. Before photoshop and digital camera's skilled photographers were producing very beautiful colors and images. However photoshop is a good investment and easy to learn. Color enhancement, cropping, sharpening, contrast adjustment are easily learned. The colors can be saturated individually or all together. It's neat.