Beginner here!! Pictures of Mt. Rainier

[swarzakguy40]

Tear 'em up.. I want to get good at this. Let me know what to change ect.
I shot these with a Kodak Z712 IS

[Anbesol]

Bring out shadow detail - you are working with very harsh lighting conditions - the trees have very low tones and the snow gives off very light tones. For the snow mountain, I would shoot that in a 5 burst bracketed drive mode with at least a 0.5EV +/- comp value per bracketing (7 burst of 0.3ev), then stitch the exposures together so you keep all detail in both the trees and the snow without blowing out any highlights or crushing any shadow detail. If you don't know what that is or how to do it, it should explain how to do it in your cameras manual. Notice how most of the snow on the mountain is actually solid white? This is an undesired exposure, you want it to be on the very edge of being solid white without actually being solid white (like your first one).

The first shot the subject isn't really demonstrated very well - it looks like you've zoomed too far in - get a wider angle and capture the surrounding terrain, much like you did in the next shots. Even in the next shots though, Id go out a bit wider and approach at a different angle (if you can) its a great subject but the framing is not doing it any favors.

Finally - I think whats missing from these shots more than anything else are clouds. Go back there on a cloudy day, near dusk or dawn where the sun is illuminating the clouds with the early/late vibrant colorful rays. You've definitely picked a great landscape and subject, definitely go back on a cloudy day.

Is this nearby to where you live? You are so lucky! LoL I am starving for mountains down here in Kansas.

[swarzakguy40]

Thanks.. I don't know if my camera allows me to do all the stuff you said. It is just a Kodak Z712 IS. I will try and go back when there are some clouds. The only thing is that when there are clouds, they hang around the mountain, then you can't see the mountain.

Yes, this is 10 miles up the road from me. I know I am lucky. haha

[swarzakguy40]

I had someone tell me he thinks the colors look off, and that I should change the settings... what do you guys think?

[racedraper]

a good polarizer filer would be great with this. if you can put one onbuy one , put you camera on a tripod and hold the filter in front of the lens

[swarzakguy40]

a good polarizer filer would be great with this. if you can put one onbuy one , put you camera on a tripod and hold the filter in front of the lens

I am not familiar with what this is. Could someone please help me locate one on the internet? Thanks a lot guys!

[JETA]

I am not familiar with what this is. Could someone please help me locate one on the internet? Thanks a lot guys!

I posted pics of Mt. Rainier and ended up buying a polarizer from the feedback I got.

I bought mine at B&H. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

[swarzakguy40]

I posted pics of Mt. Rainier and ended up buying a polarizer from the feedback I got.

I bought mine at B&H. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

Nice! I would like to see those.

Any polarizer will work with any camera right?

[Frog]

I know where you took these within a hundred feet or so. Up the Mowich road.
We need to get together. I'm in Wilkeson.
You have some basically good shots but to make them outstanding you need better light either am or pm and some clouds would help too.

I see now that you are using a p&s. Any polarizer will do but you'll probably have to hold it in front of the lens as I don't think you can put filters on your camera. Always get the best polarizer you can afford...Hoya, B+H, others make high quality ones but they are expensive.
You can also use a cokin polarizer. They come in squares. And in a pinch you can hold your polarized sunglasses in front of the lens.
If you want to see what a polarizer does, look at the sky, mountain, clouds without your polarized sunglasses and then with them. Same effect with your camera.

[swarzakguy40]

I know where you took these within a hundred feet or so. Up the Mowich road.
We need to get together. I'm in Wilkeson.
You have some basically good shots but to make them outstanding you need better light either am or pm and some clouds would help too.

HA! I live in Carbonado. Nice. Mowich road is a nice drive.. but I had to clean my car when I got back.. haha.

[Anbesol]

Thanks.. I don't know if my camera allows me to do all the stuff you said. It is just a Kodak Z712 IS. I will try and go back when there are some clouds. The only thing is that when there are clouds, they hang around the mountain, then you can't see the mountain.

Yes, this is 10 miles up the road from me. I know I am lucky. haha

I would be surprised if your camera didn't do it, but that could be the case. Also - yes, clouds will be there around the mountain - but depending on the clouds - you may be able to park a chair at your spot where the angle is, sit and watch the clouds and wait for the right formation...

[Frog]

Looked up your camera. There's a conversion lens adaptor for 29 dollars.
It allows you to put on 55mm filters.

[AgingEyes]

... For the snow mountain, I would shoot that in a 5 burst bracketed drive mode with at least a 0.5EV +/- comp value per bracketing (7 burst of 0.3ev)...

Yeah, I don't know what "5 burst bracket drive mode..." is, too. Could you elaborate? Do I need a camera that can shoot 5 or higher fps to do that?

[swarzakguy40]

So if I bought this-
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tube-Adapter-for...QQcmdZViewItem

Then I bought this-
http://cgi.ebay.com/58mm-Color-Filte...QQcmdZViewItem

Would that work for my camera? Also, what exactly will these filter do to my pictures if I am taking pictures of mountains, sunsets, trees, rivers, waterfalls, ect?

You guys have been awesome in helping me get going in this hobby! Thanks.

[Addies Granddaddy]

Not bad for a first attempt, though. Buy that filter, and the difference will startle you.
John

[Frog]

Don't buy that filter set. There are only two filters a digital camera needs,(learned that here). A circular polarizer and a neutral density.
The filters you are looking at are cheap and no telling what they will do to your pics.
Don't worry about a neutral density right now and get the circular polarizer. A "good" one will cost you probably 50 to 100 dollars. I know its a shock but why put a piece of cheap plastic or glass in front of a good lens. Get a good one. Something multi-coated.

Here's a pretty good deal for your purposes http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Hoya-HMC-Coa...QQcmdZViewItem

I will say that I'm also not sure about the tube adaptor. Because tubes extend from the front of your lens, you'll either lose some wide angle capabilities or get some heavy vignetting. I'd get the kodak one as I don't think it extends out.

[Anbesol]

Frog - what about spot, diffusion, and uv filters? ;)

aging - no you don't need a camera that shoots 5fps, you just need a camera that does a bracketed mode. Its where the camera takes the same picture at -0.7, -0.3, 0, +0.3, +0.7 ev for example... Come to think of it, I said a 5 or 7 burst but probably just better off setting a wide bracket like a -1, then doing 3. Meter it off the snow and set the bracket to -1, -0.5... Yeah thats a better idea than my first one lol :-\

[swarzakguy40]

Don't buy that filter set. There are only two filters a digital camera needs,(learned that here). A circular polarizer and a neutral density.
The filters you are looking at are cheap and no telling what they will do to your pics.
Don't worry about a neutral density right now and get the circular polarizer. A "good" one will cost you probably 50 to 100 dollars. I know its a shock but why put a piece of cheap plastic or glass in front of a good lens. Get a good one. Something multi-coated.

Here's a pretty good deal for your purposes http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Hoya-HMC-Coa...QQcmdZViewItem

I will say that I'm also not sure about the tube adaptor. Because tubes extend from the front of your lens, you'll either lose some wide angle capabilities or get some heavy vignetting. I'd get the kodak one as I don't think it extends out.

Awesome.. I will buy that and an adaptor. I don't know exactly what it will do, but it sounds like it will help a lot. Thanks guys!

[starriderrick]

Gorgeous location! Great thread. Keep a skylight filter on the camera always.This will protect the lense, will add warmth or clarity?...I forget.Sunpack makes some rather good quality,inexpensive filters(ebay) Down the road ,When you have a D-SLR I recommend HOYA.
I use some 81A, 81B filters sometime...not much :O) In my opinion, when you are starting out, experimenting with filters...it's good to have them all... Can't live without the CPOL, or the skylight filter though.

Welcome to PR

Rick