4 pics from Saturday and Today

[xrtoronto]

On Saturday I walked around the UofT grounds. On Kings College Circle is Knox College; I thought Seagoon would appreciate this one!



Queens Park from College Street on Saturday after leaving UofT.



Walking around the neighbourhood today. Still overcast for the most part (did have one moment of sunshine, but it's been a rare this past month)





Hopefully there is some improvement. I increased the ISO to 400 (up from 100) and that is about the only difference I have made so far. I wouldn't call these photos 'creative' as I'm still in the early stages of learning the basics. Once I have more experience, I will proceed into something that involves a more creative compostion (which is my goal)

Many of you have been interested and others have been very helpful. I appreciate the interest and am grateful for the assistance.

I am hopeful you agree that the colour and contrast is better in these most recent pics. Becoming familiar with Photoshop is a study all on its own; All I can do is buckle down and get on with it each day.

As always, questions and criticism is welcomed.

[straffo]

You should not have changed the iso as there was enought light .

Please read on page 90 of your user manual how to use Auto Exposure Bracketting

Using AEB you camera will take 3 picts with <> exposure settings for each picture ,and of the 3 you will notice how it change.

I think the 2nd one will be the best looking

[xrtoronto]

Thanks Straffo!

On your suggestion, I've re-set the ISO to 100.

I have re-read page 90 and set the camera to AEB at 1 ... 0 ... 1

It would be a good idea to post a full size photo. I don't know if many people realize how big these pictures are. Quite impressive really; Great detail too. But they are big files, usually around 6-9 meg each (at 3456 x 2304) Anyone know a host I can link to for those who are interested?

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by xrtoronto
It would be a good idea to post a full size photo. I don't know if many people realize how big these pictures are. Quite impressive really; Great detail too. But they are big files, usually around 6-9 meg each (at 3456 x 2304) Anyone know a host I can link to for those who are interested?

This might be helpful to you xrtoronto. optimum resolution for specific sized photos are listed below (I know this because I sell my photos, so its kind of important... )  This helps you determine what  res you  should shoot in depending on what you are going to do with the photo.

512x384 Wallets (2.1"x3.1")
800x600 3.5”x 5”
1024x768 4”x 6”
1152x864 5”x 7”
1536x1024 8”x 10”
1600x1200 8”x 12”
1712x1368 11”x 14”
2048x1536 16”x 20”
2400x1800 20”x 30”
2880x1920 24”x 36”
3200x2400 30”x 40”
4000x3200 40”x 50”
4800x3200 40”x 60”

Nikon decided to be "different" from the competitor (it really only has one competitor it takes seriously, Canon) with its D50/D70 line, it shoots in 2240x1703 for its mid-range size. I use the mid-range size because posters are not a big seller for me, in fact I offer a small poster size (24x36) and have not sold that size yet.

[Nilsen]

Straffo is spot on... go down on your iso to 100. On a sunny day 50 is enough i belive because thats what my camera selects on auto and they get good.

There is one thing that is rather important if taking photos is something you want to do for a hobby. Get youserlf a good monitor if you dont have it already. Secondly make sure its calibrated properly. If its not then you will end up tweaking pics wrong and you will learn how to take pics wrong. To calibrate it properly you should get a hardware/software package that does this. There are plenty around. You could calibrate it manually but that is not as easy as it may sound.

If you dont have the calibration right then photos that end up looking good on your monitor can be rubish in prints and on other peoples monitors.

[Ripsnort]

So I should get rid of this monochrome green screen then Nilsen?

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
So I should get rid of this monochrome green screen then Nilsen?

Nah.. they are awesome!

May turn you into a funky photo artist even if you didnt mean too

I have taken and seen alot of photos taken by camera phones that are incredible. They look like something a real artist would make but not by design. Wiggle the phonecams abit when you pull the trigger and have low ligh condtion and you can get some realy funky pictures!

I have framed two of them and some that have seen them think ive done it on purpose with pro equipment. The fact is that i have no clue how to make that kind of pics if i wanted them. Im guessing id have to set real slow shutterspeed, lowering the resolution, switch off auto-focus and setting ISO to minimum.

[ChickenHawk]

Your pictures are getting better.  If you’re looking for some good information on photography, these two sites have a lot of good stuff.

A photography forum where you can post and view pictures and discuss.  A lot of professionals frequent here.
http://www.photocamel.com/

This one is geared toward landscape photography but the wealth of information can be used for all types.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/

[xrtoronto]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
This might be helpful to you xrtoronto. optimum resolution for specific sized photos are listed below (I know this because I sell my photos, so its kind of important... )  This helps you determine what  res you  should shoot in depending on what you are going to do with the photo.

512x384 Wallets (2.1"x3.1")
800x600 3.5”x 5”
1024x768 4”x 6”
1152x864 5”x 7”
1536x1024 8”x 10”
1600x1200 8”x 12”
1712x1368 11”x 14”
2048x1536 16”x 20”
2400x1800 20”x 30”
2880x1920 24”x 36”
3200x2400 30”x 40”
4000x3200 40”x 50”
4800x3200 40”x 60”

Thanks Rip. I was thinking the large pic size, when reduced to 'fit on screen', may contribute to the problem of increasing contrast somehow? It seems that when I view these big files, they are ok, but if I shrink them by 75% to fit on desktop they don't look as good.

I will change the resolution for my next outing.

[xrtoronto]

Originally posted by Nilsen
Get youserlf a good monitor if you dont have it already. Secondly make sure its calibrated properly.

Done and Done.

I have a SONY monitor and it is calibrated. (I have no excuse

-------------------------------------------------

Also, ChickenHawk, thanks for the urls. I will be spending some time on those sites.

[Seagoon]

Thanks for thinking of me, definitely one of the more impressive Christian institutional facades on this side of the Atlantic.

Sadly, the only knowledge I have of Knox College is that way back in the 19th century it was the school were one of Canada's most famous missionaries, Jonathan Goforth studied. Until now Knox College has just been a name in a book, so it's nice to be able to put an image to it.  Thank you also of reminding me of Goforth. I have used a few of Goforth's illustrations over the years, such as his famous "Wooddonut story" below and wish I had more of his  deep humility, absolute dependence upon Christ, and unswerving desire to be a light in the darkness.

While the Goforths were attending a summer conference, south of Chicago, it was announced that a "brilliant speaker" was to come on a certain day for just one address. A very large expectant audience awaited him. The chairman introduced the speaker with such fulsome praise there seemed no room for the glory of God in what was to follow. The stranger had been sitting with bowed head and face hidden. As he stepped forward he stood a moment as if in prayer, then said:

    "Friends, when I listen to such words as we have just been hearing I have to remind myself of the wooddonut story: A certain wooddonut flew up to the top of a high pine tree and gave three hard pecks on the side of the tree as wooddonuts are wont to do. At that instant a bolt of lightening struck the tree leaving it on the ground, a heep of splinters. The wooddonut had flown to a tree near by where it clung in terror and amazement at what had taken place. There it hung expecting more to follow, but as all remained quiet it began to chuckle to itself saying, 'Well, well, well! who would have imagined that just three pecks of my beak could have such power as that!'"

    When the laughter this story caused ceased, the speaker went on, "Yes, friends, I too laughed when I first heard this story. But remember, if you or I take glory to ourselves which belongs only to Almighty God, we are not only as foolish as this wooddonut, but we commit a very grievious sin for the LORD hath said, 'My glory will I not give to another.'"

Many times Jonathan Goforth on returning from a meeting would greet his wife with, "Well, I've had to remind myself of the wooddonut tonight," or, "I've needed half a dozen wooddonuts to keep me in place." Early in life he chose for his motto, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD" (Zech. 4:6).

I know exactly what he means, and have had to remind myself of the same thing.

Charles G. Trumbull said of him, "He was an electric, radiant personality, flooding his immediate environment with sunlight that was deep in his heart and shone on his face. And God used him in mighty revivals." It was as true of Goforth as of Robert M. M'Cheyne that all who knew him "felt the breathing of the hidden life of God." He knew the folly of self-reliance. He knew whence power came and to whom the praise belonged. So as a young man he chose Zechariah 4:6 as his life's motto.

[ChickenHawk]

Good story Seagoon.  Thank you.