Nature Shots with my new XT!!!

[Tyger]

Well I know i've been looking forward to this for a long time....
Keep in mind these pics are mostly Auto mode and the other modes, I still gotta learn how to use manual mode better. I took 120 shots:) but i'll only share a few.

Enjoy!!! I LUV THIS CAMERA!!!!!!


http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden17.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden18.jpg

[Tyger]

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden2.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden3.jpg


http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden4.jpg

[Tyger]

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden5.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden6.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden7.jpg

[Tyger]

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden8.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden9.jpg

[Tyger]

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden10.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden11.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden12.jpg

[Tyger]

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden13.jpg

http://www.monzoncreations.com/garden14.jpg

[Mynock]

awesome great color, I'll have to make sure I get a digital camera for my wedding

[Tyger]

yeah it's a great camera and i am very pleased with it.

Congrats on the wedding! when's the big day?

Any ideas on what kind of camera you want to get?

[Ulysses]

Tyger ... that camera really does seem like it could make anything look beautiful. Have you tried taking a picture of some underpants with it?

And how is your little son?

[Tyger]

hahhaha! not yet! maybe i can take some of the GDF ladies around here:)

My son is doing great! he's growing very well and is as handsome as dad....of course:)

[keith1]

Tyger, I think you can do better. Just kidding those are awesome!! Nice angles & interesting shots. Did you use the macro mode for the bee shot?

[Tyger]

you're right keith. It's a pretty good shot considering the lense the camera comes with is not the best. If I had a good macro lense it would've come out even better.

[steve-o]

did you shoot in Raw mode or jpg? If jpg, which parameter setting did you use?

[Tyger]

stevo,

since i was just testing out the camera and eager to try it, i just used the macro setting and the default is set to parameter 1. When i get the hang of the manual controls i'm sure i'll be able to produce even better results.

Got any tips for a newb?:)

[Tyger]

oh and it was .jpg at it's highest quality.

[steve-o]

Don't get too comfortable with the automatic settings. :)

When I got my Digital Rebel 300D, I swore to read the manual all the way through first and never use an automatic setting until I learned manual.

Are you familiar with aperture, shutterspeed, ISO, exposure, etc.?

[Tyger]

Well, after reading a few things and the manual i'm starting to understand how things work now, but it will take alot of trial and error to get the results i would like. It's alot to take in for being to to SLR cameras.

Of course my goal is to be able to shoot photos in manual mode or at least creative mode until i get better.

I guess one of the things i would like to learn first is the mindset of a photographer, to know how to approach a shot before i shoot. To be able to determine what settings to use under certain conditions.

[steve-o]

When I decide on a shot I consider three things (and believe me, I'm no pro):

1) composition - what is the most compelling way to present a shot? This is where I think having a graphic design background is such a help. When you look through the lens at a scene, is that how you'd design or draw it? The principles of design also apply to photography -- color, line, shape, etc.

2) lighting - obviously lighting is everything in photography. Angle, color, intensity, direction are all important.

3) exposure - the object you set the exposure to will determine the lighting effect of the image. For instance, if you want to shoot the silhoutte of a boat against a setting sun, then you would exposure for the sun/sky. This will make everything in the scene that is darker than the sun, almost black. If you want a picture of the ship, I'd expose for the ship, which will most likely over expose the sky.

When shooting people, always expose for the skin and if it's a group of people, I'd expose for the person with the fairest skin. If you focus on let's say a person's black sweater, then the skin will be way overexposed. If you focus on a purely white blouse, then it will be a bit underexposed. The white will look grayish. There is something they refer to as 18% gray. You can even buy gray cards to set exposure, but many photographers just use their hand.

Much to consider in very little time, unless you are in a completely controlled environment like a studio.

Any other questions, just ask (I and others will do our best).

[Tyger]

thanx for the tips stevo, much appreciated and of course i'll have lots of questions. Right now i've got a few links to check out and i'm trying to learn as much as i can.

But first, i need to understand how the camera works :)

[D-Frag]

A couple good books to help you out...

Scott Kelby's "Digital photographer" book is freaking awesome, its mostly technical stuff for bringing in the shot to PS, but it has some great techniques for when you are shooting too

National Geographic Hand Guide to photography is a good one too, very useful and teaches you all the nooks and cranny's of the camera and how to approach shots

And awesome photographs, you live in a very beautiful place, I can't remember the last time I even saw a butterfly. I hate living in the drab desert...bah.

[Tyger]

thanx d-frag, i'll be sure to look into those!

I was interested to see how good the resolution and quality was of the XT. So I went into Photoshop and opened up the original file, opened a new file to 800x600, cropped around the bee and moth and placed it into the 800x600 layout and I was quite impressed with the detail, even form the 18-55mm kit lense. Keep in mind i did not scale the images up. I know it's not true Macro but it's not bad for a basic mode.


http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7820/moth7sm.jpg
http://img283.imageshack.us/img283/7710/bee5wy.jpg

[Ulysses]

Damn, that is a good lense. But where are the underpants?

[keith1]

Wow, you sure that's not macro mode? I hope you zoomed in on that bee and didn't get that close. Well, maybe you're not afraid but Im ascared of bees.

[Tyger]

keith, it was set on macro mode, but what i meant to say was that the lense it comes with isn't a true macro lense. If i had one it would've been better quality. Still not a bad shot considering.

**smiling with glee**