GMTNation Photography thread (Camera Whore thread!)

Hypnotoad

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Dec 5, 2011
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Here's a graduation picture I did. I'm not a professional photographer by any means and I have never been paid to take pictures. I was pretty much begged to take these.

Before.

IMG_4139.JPG

After I played with it in Photoshop.

IMG_4139_2.jpg

I don't remember all I did to the image. I run all my images through a Portraiture filter, I played with the brightness levels, I touched up some facial blemishes. I made the eyes pop by darkening the outside edge.

Any tips on how to make this image better? I'm happy with how it turned out, but I don't think it's graduation picture quality.
 
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Capote

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Hypnotoad said:
Here's a graduation picture I did. I'm not a professional photographer by any means and I have never been paid to take pictures. I was pretty much begged to take these.

Before.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4139.JPG

After I played with it in Photoshop.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4139_2.jpg

I don't remember all I did to the image. I run all my images through a Portraiture filter, I played with the brightness levels, I touched up some facial blemishes. I made the eyes pop by darkening the outside edge.

Any tips on how to make this image better? I'm happy with how it turned out, but I don't think it's graduation picture quality.
Pretty good touch ups there man, only thing I can think of to make it better is somehow dull the white on his collar maybe? Seems real bright. Other than that I think it looks good
 

Hypnotoad

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Dec 5, 2011
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Capote said:
Pretty good touch ups there man, only thing I can think of to make it better is somehow dull the white on his collar maybe? Seems real bright. Other than that I think it looks good
Thanks, maybe I'm just my own worst critic.It just seems like it could be better.

What about this one? I tried and tried to get this one right, but I just couldn't get the picture to the level I wanted. Which is kind of funny because this was their favorite picture I took, and my least favorite.

Before.

IMG_4156.JPG

After.

IMG_4156_3s.jpg
 
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Capote

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Hypnotoad said:
Thanks, maybe I'm just my own worst critic.It just seems like it could be better.

What about this one? I tried and tried to get this one right, but I just couldn't get the picture to the level I wanted. Which is kind of funny because this was their favorite picture I took, and my least favorite.

Before.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4156.JPG

After.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4156_3s.jpg
No problem bud. Dude that one looks perfect. I wouldn't do anything to it, great as it sits :biggrin: :thumbsup:
 
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Capote

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:iagree:
 

Hypnotoad

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The thing I struggle with is knowing where to shoot pictures of people and how to have them pose. I'm also limited with my camera a lot of times. It's a Canon T3. It's a decent DSLR camera, but doesn't work real good in low light situations. It was the lowest priced DSLR at the time we bought it. You'll notice that most of my pictures have a lot of natural light for that reason.
 
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Capote

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Hypnotoad said:
The thing I struggle with is knowing where to shoot pictures of people and how to have them pose. I'm also limited with my camera a lot of times. It's a Canon T3. It's a decent DSLR camera, but doesn't work real good in low light situations. It was the lowest priced DSLR at the time we bought it. You'll notice that most of my pictures have a lot of natural light for that reason.
Ask Mcsteven his opinion on what kinda poses and such, he is "the camera guy" for a reason :biggrin:
 

mcsteven

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Apr 18, 2012
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Hypnotoad said:
Here's a graduation picture I did. I'm not a professional photographer by any means and I have never been paid to take pictures. I was pretty much begged to take these.

Before.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4139.JPG

After I played with it in Photoshop.

attachicon.gif
IMG_4139_2.jpg

I don't remember all I did to the image. I run all my images through a Portraiture filter, I played with the brightness levels, I touched up some facial blemishes. I made the eyes pop by darkening the outside edge.

Any tips on how to make this image better? I'm happy with how it turned out, but I don't think it's graduation picture quality.
You did pretty well. I don't like using compressed, sized, or any other altered files.

I set it to auto tone & auto contrast, altered curves to give it more contrast, and then but a blur filter to give him a smoother skin appearance. Since I don't know the gent's coloring it's hard to really do a proper job.



test2.jpg



Quick tip for anyone that had a FILM class: film is the opposite of digital for exposure. Where film you could over-expose, making sure you got the darks and adjust in the darkroom, digital over-exposure creates burns and too much bright areas. You can easily recover dark details digitally.
 
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mcsteven

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Lots of folks think night images are hard. I think, with a tripod, they are easier than daylight. Especially with digital.

50 MM lens at F22, 20 secs exposure. Some contrast and color corrections in PS.

palo-alto-pavement.jpg
 

Capote

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mcsteven said:
Lots of folks think night images are hard. I think, with a tripod, they are easier than daylight. Especially with digital.

50 MM lens at F22, 20 secs exposure.

palo-alto-pavement.jpg
I love night photos that have the light streaks, it's awesome
 
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mcsteven

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Thanks Batman
 

Capote

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No prob Camera Nut :thumbsup: :cool:
 
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HARDTRAILZ

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Nov 18, 2011
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I got to get a real camera...
 

mcsteven

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HARDTRAILZ said:
I got to get a real camera...
what do you take pictures with now? And what do you have available that, maybe, you're not taking pictures with now?
 

HARDTRAILZ

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Nov 18, 2011
49,665
My phone is all I use. Might have an old point and shoot camera in a drawer but the phone took better pics so I stuck with it, but it seems I may be lacking compared to some of the shots I see.
 

mcsteven

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Apr 18, 2012
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What do you have for a phone, and do you have software that you use with images,

If you're thinking about a DSLR, the prices are pretty low and because of that the prices of pretty decent used pieces are also pretty low. There are a couple of good websites, adorama.com or bhphoto.com, that sell quality, inspected, guaranteed used equipment. If you know what you're looking at or want to trust some people there are also plenty of cameras on craigslist for sale. Something a lot of folks over look: they go for megapixels versus quality lens. A good lens does much more for the image Also twice the megapixels is not twice the size. To double the size of a digital image it's four times the megapixels. With a quality camera, and quality lens, I can print, easily, a 20" x 30" photo from a 6.1 megapixel file. If most of your images will be saved online or printed no bigger than a 8" x 10", say, I would look for a camera that does between six and 12 megapixels. Craigslist or the stores that I mentioned above would have a Nikon D – 70, with a lens, for about $200 or so. It's a workhorse camera and it should last quite a long time. I have two of them, one about 10 years. Just have it cleaned and inspected by a factory authorized repair shop every 1 to two years. If you buy from one of the websites and they offer a Mack warranty grab that warrantee. Mack is a top-notch repair company in my opinion.
 
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HARDTRAILZ

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Nov 18, 2011
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Droid Razr Maxx....I dont really edit unless its something simple like instagram or photobucket. I have no actual software.

I would like decent 8x10s but nothing bigger so I will look into your suggestions. Thanks
 

Decado

Member
Sep 16, 2013
88
There is a whole lot of talk and not a lot of pictures in here, for this being a photography thread!

Here are a few shots I took out at the farm. Zero post production on these, just downloaded, compressed from RAW to JPG and uploaded. Nothing too great but it will get some more actual photos up in here!

IMG_2102.jpg


IMG_0080.jpg


IMG_0091.jpg


IMG_0062.jpg


IMG_0057.jpg


IMG_0055.jpg


IMG_0005.jpg



There was a tiny bit of touch up on this one...
IMG_0093.jpg



A fun photo of my cat and I, napping, that my wife took:
IMG_0346.jpg
 

mcsteven

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Apr 18, 2012
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6.1 mp file, 50mm lens, F4, 3 secs, ISO 200. Post processing in PS: color correction, boost red channel.

blackampwhite-bridges.jpg
 

STLtrailbSS

Member
Dec 4, 2011
1,617
Not sure how I missed this one. Love the idea of this. So I will throw some up periodically.
All my touch up is done in Lightroom 7 nothing to indepth just a run through the "basic" toolset.

This first one is when I had my "wow" moment it was about a week or two after purchasing my first DSLR. Drove around with some friends and shot for a couple hours. This was the one that really fired my love for this.
NIKON D3100/ ISO:100/Shutter: 25
The Train by

This was my first jump into something other then a kit lens.
NIKON D3100 w/NIKKOR 50mm 1.8 ISO:1600 S:1/60
13933369538_238545de12_k.jpg
Macy by

I was trying not to include the SS but sorry had to. Let me know what you think on this one, in my eyes this is my most put together picture foreground/depth in my own hipster way this was with my newer D5200 with the 50mm
ISO:100 S:1/1250

13933389278_0a2bb6c1a8_k.jpg
South Landing Industrial by

Not much to say about this "that typical fountain shot"
Nikon D3100 ISO:1600 S:1/13
15152372566_9431482519_k.jpg
DSC_0130 by https://www.flickr.com/people/123645982@N08/]

Another one from that night of the train shot, love how the sign just looks out of place and fake with the exposure set.
Nikon D3100 ISO:100 S:8
https://flic.kr/p/p7ZULn]
15175403525_ecb17d2331_k.jpg
https://flic.kr/p/p7ZULn]DSC_0071 by brettkoelling2013, on Flickr

Forest Park St.Louis location of the 1904 Worlds Fair Great Spot.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/nvseae]
Muny Roudabout by brettkoelling2013, on Flickr
DSC_0094 by NoIdeaWhatImDoing, on Flickr



Thats what I got so far, like said earlier I embrace night photography 100% props to you daytime shooters I suck at it. KEEP THIS THREAD GOING GUYS!
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
One of my favorite human achievements.

D200 18-35mm Nikkor @ 28mm, f/8, 1.6sec, ISO 100


CA2_0905_zps56d6726c.jpg





Ferry ride over to Alexandria.

D200 28-105 Nikkor @ 28mm, f/7.1, 1/100sec, ISO 320


CA2_7689_zps86148596.jpg




Kids with sparklers during 4th of July.

D200, 28-105 Nikkor @ 35mm, f/5.6, 7.1sec, ISO 400


CA2_8045_zps2c8cf048.jpg




Playset

D200, 55-200 VR Nikkor @ 180mm, f/6.3, 1/1000sec, ISO 250


CA2_7142_zpseca739e5.jpg





At the beach

D70, 70-210D Nikkor @ 70mm, f/5, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200


DSC_70100001_zps99cedf2d.jpg



My son relaxing in the sun, 8 months old

D70, 28-105 Nikkor @ 105mm, f7.1, 1/1250 sec, ISO 200


DSC_67400001_zps88241a05.jpg
 

Capote

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Had an awesome photo opportunity today, couldn't pass it up. Definitely one of those times I wish I had a sweet ass camera to get amazing detail, i'll try to edit them to make a bit more appealing to the eye. I really like the two I took at an angle. What do you guys think?

IMG_20140908_170859.jpgIMG_20140908_171304.jpgIMG_20140908_171656.jpgIMG_20140908_171740.jpg
 

HARDTRAILZ

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First one and last two are my favs
 

Capote

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HARDTRAILZ said:
First one and last two are my favs
I agree; wish the camera on my phone didn't suck though during low light situations :worried:
 

HARDTRAILZ

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I think they came out real well for a phone
 
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HARDTRAILZ said:
I think they came out real well for a phone
Thanks, maybe i'll invest in some sort of decent camera and try to do a similar photo set in the future :thumbsup:
 

HARDTRAILZ

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Do it!
 
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HARDTRAILZ said:
Maybe i'll try to get one next month, money real tight now
 

STLtrailbSS

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Dec 4, 2011
1,617
Good looking stuff. That is a good photo op for sure! If you get on the cars level you can get some real good stuff too sometimes all it takes is lowering the shot. My 2 cents. Love this damn thread good stuff


Standing
DSC_0015_zpsa7b1840d.jpg

Lowering the shot
DSC_0021_zps4f94a42a.jpg

Just an example how a picture takes a different feel just with elevation change
 

Capote

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STLtrailbSS said:
Good looking stuff. That is a good photo op for sure! If you get on the cars level you can get some real good stuff too sometimes all it takes is lowering the shot. My 2 cents. Love this damn thread good stuff
Standing
DSC_0015_zpsa7b1840d.jpg

Lowering the shot
DSC_0021_zps4f94a42a.jpg
When I was taking those pictures, I had ideas exactly like what you did there in those two photos. Your SS looks sick as hell in those photos. That's why I need to get a decent camera to capture stuff of that quality :thumbsup:
 

STLtrailbSS

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Dec 4, 2011
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DSLRs man worth every penny so happy I pulled that trigger my first time. Hopefully this thread turns GMTnation into a photography powerhouse lol could make photo contests verrrrrrryyy interesting

If anyone is looking to get into DSLR use this to find your perfect camera for your needs GREAT SITE!They also cover point and shoots.
http://snapsort.com/
 
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Capote

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STLtrailbSS said:
DSLRs man worth every penny so happy I pulled that trigger my first time. Hopefully this thread turns GMTnation into a photography powerhouse lol could make photo contests verrrrrrryyy interesting

If anyone is looking to get into DSLR use this to find your perfect camera for your needs GREAT SITE!They also cover point and shoots.
http://snapsort.com/
That does look like a good site, i'll explore it a bit :yes:
 

mcsteven

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Apr 18, 2012
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Capote said:
... What do you guys think?
I like the 2nd shot best. As mentioned, try lowering the camera. Try a few heights. For that second shot, I think it would look fantastic if the camera had been about the height of the top of the wheel or the center of the wheel. Either way, what do I think? I think I'm jealous of your truck.
 
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Capote

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mcsteven said:
I like the 2nd shot best. As mentioned, try lowering the camera. Try a few heights. For that second shot, I think it would look fantastic if the camera had been about the height of the top of the wheel or the center of the wheel. Either way, what do I think? I think I'm jealous of your truck.
Will for sure try to get a lower shot next time like you and SLT suggested :biggrin:
Jealous of my truck? Hmm, usually i'm jealous of everyone else's TB's, good to hear someone likes my TB that much though :tongue:
 
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Capote

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Desaturated, sharpen, and blue Chevy bowtie isolated
IMG_20140908_171656.png
 
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