random shots

[Dylan8i]

So here's a few random shots from the past few weeks, nothing spectacular, but i haven't been out taking pictures much, and wanted to contribute :-D also i was playing around with PSelements7 (trial version) and wanted to see how these turned out.

first two are from a walk with my dad at a local state park.




same state park, just a week or so later, after a cold spell.







and the oldest photo, these ice formations where in our yard. apparently there was water in the ground ( dirt patch) that froze and was pushed skyward out of the ground. these were an inch or two high. and i have a bunch more but this was my favorite.

[A.M.D.A.]

All nice, but I really like that first one!

Great color/contrast on my monitor, and beautiful DOF effect. Composition's good too.

[AgingEyes]

Based on what I see on my monitor and that you have the PS Elements now, I think you could try playing with the contrast, sharpening, and cropping to see if you like the results.

I'm guessing you were shooting them hand-held ?

[Dylan8i]

Thanks alex, thats the kind of shot i have the most practice with.

AE, i always could change those ( i had another program to do it, but lost it when i had to wipe my computer). these are what i came up with, playing with all the controls ( all be it only for a day so far).

what do you think needs done to them?

and yes they were all hand held,photos 1,2,6 shot with 60mm macro, 3,4 with 18-135mm, 5 with 70-200mm.

[Ron Kruger]

Macro is a lot of fun, but it is tricky because the DOF is so narrow. I usually try to flood my subjects with light somehow (often with just a common flashlight, or by holding a mirror off to the side so it reflects light directly and slectively onto the subject) to get a better appature and thereby a wider DOF.

[Dylan8i]

i usually have my camera set to apature priority with as small of an f stop as i can (2.8 cameras but at different focal lengths they change) because i like playing with the small DOF range.

[WildlifeNate]

Great pictures! I, too, like the DOF on the first one. Cool effect. I've seen ice like in the last picture, too. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me at the time to capture it.

[AgingEyes]

i usually have my camera set to apature priority with as small of an f stop as i can (2.8 cameras but at different focal lengths they change) because i like playing with the small DOF range.

Problem is though, when you're shooting very close to the subject with a large aperture, the DOF is very shallow. As a result, your photos don't look sharp. In fact, if the DOF is really very shallow, the photos could look 99.9% out of focus. If the camera is also not in a steady position and you're shooting with a slow shutter speed, it simply make things worse.

That said, it could all be the result of your artistic decision to shoot the way you shoot.

[Dylan8i]

i usually have my camera set to apature priority with as small of an f stop as i can (2.8 cameras but at different focal lengths they change) because i like playing with the small DOF range.

Problem is though, when you're shooting very close to the subject with a large aperture, the DOF is very shallow. As a result, your photos don't look sharp. In fact, if the DOF is really very shallow, the photos are mostly out of focus. If the camera is also not in a steady position and you're shooting with a slow shutter speed, it simply make things worse.

That said, it could all be the result of your artistic decision to shoot the way you shoot.

i realize the DOF is very narrow ( no where close to as narrow as using tubes). but thats what i like experimenting with. like i said these wern't anything major, just some random shots while i was out hiking a few times. and yeah in retrospect: in the mushroom pic maybe a bit more focus on the back side of the shroom would be better, and def more focus on the grass shot.

the thorns and bottom ice photo came out just how i wanted them to. the two icicle shots i was trying to get them to "glow" and never quite got the effect.

[Dylan8i]

Great pictures! I, too, like the DOF on the first one. Cool effect. I've seen ice like in the last picture, too. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me at the time to capture it.

thanks Nate. they were interesting, but very hard to capture, and i couldn't figure out a way to get the scale in the photo either to show how big they where.

[AgingEyes]

the two icicle shots i was trying to get them to "glow" and never quite got the effect.

Try adjusting with Levels and see if you like the results.

[scott-devon]

Beautiful shots, that last bit of ice on the ground looks like a bird with it's wings spread.

[Loupey]

Very nice, Dylan. I especially like the first 2.

Thanks for sharing.