Photography Thread

briantrumpet

Not the sunset I was hoping for, but a calm Exe gave other opportunities:

pblakeney

A hit and miss day weatherise so had to compromise.
The sun came out once I got home. Naturally. 🤬

bikeit65

Light banishes darkness.
Blackrock Co Louth

masjer

Ooh, I really like those. The top one has got a great atmosphere. Just shows you don't always need a bright, colourful sunset.

masjer

masjer said:

Ooh, I really like those. The top one has got a great atmosphere. Just shows you don't always need a bright, colourful sunset.

But it doesn't hurt when you do.

pinno

bikeit65 said:

Light banishes darkness.
Blackrock Co Louth

Are you Sean Mcgrath?

masjer

I could get used to these blue skies.

briantrumpet

masjer said:

I could get used to these blue skies.

Maybe, by the end of the week, you might.

Anyway, in a similar vein, here's my hand-held-while-riding shot from today. Glad it's only a £200 camera... I didn't drop it, but dealing with gloves, case, and settings while on the move does create a certain frisson.

pinno

Almost a scene right out of Flanders.

pinno

...at a quarter of the pace

Ben6899

@briantrumpet @Wheelspinner hopefully getting some backpay in next week's wage, so I have been looking at the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ100.

Held one in John Lewis, the other night and really like the chunky wheel for function selection and the same for changing aperture/shutter - a nice balance between small body and buttons that feel like an SLR.

pblakeney

I've had various Panasonics with Leica lenses in the past. Very good.
Unfortunately not as good as a DSLR and not as portable as a phone, which I carry anyway. A good solution if you can't be bothered with a DSLR and want better than a phone.
PS - It all depends on what you are viewing the shots on. For small screens you may as well use a phone. Bigger screens at high resolution show up phone's limitations.

Ben6899

Yeh I want a camera to carry on the bike - tried with the DSLR when I was in Germany and it was too much - uncomfortable. My phone is fine, but it's just point and click and only deals with demanding light conditions to a limited point.

At the same time, I can't justify spending £1k upwards on a hobby item at the moment.

Yes, the Leica lens is a particular selling point for me as well.

Wheelspinner

I've not used that model. They are well reviewed though, and like @pblakeney my experience with others in their range has been good. I had the Leica branded versions of a couple of them for a while and really liked them. Should have kept the D Lux 6, was a perfect pocket camera. Also used their Type 109 for a year, equivalent to the LX100 and it was a beauty.

Ben6899

Thanks for sharing, @Wheelspinner

Munsford0

Ben6899 said:

@briantrumpet @Wheelspinner hopefully getting some backpay in next week's wage, so I have been looking at the Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ100.

Held one in John Lewis, the other night and really like the chunky wheel for function selection and the same for changing aperture/shutter - a nice balance between small body and buttons that feel like an SLR.

That's what I went for as a holiday camera. Brilliant zoom which helps with composition, as does the viewfinder which is a godsend in bright sunlight. And exactly what you said about the controls; feels very nice in the hand. With a soft case it's perfectly pocket sized too

Pross

Some urban shots for a change taken on my walk from the station this morning. A couple of RJS's favourite building and channelling my inner Ben with an attempt at a moody B&W shot!

Ben6899

Lovely. Some nice reflections in there!

pblakeney

B&W works better for these IMO.
Does anyone like brown water?

Ben6899

Went to Bournemouth at the weekend. I'm not a fan of the sea, but my mates are...

Pross

Ben6899 said:

Lovely. Some nice reflections in there!

Yep, the reflections caught my eye this morning for some reason which was why I took the photos. Not sure why that was as the sky was grey.

Pross

pblakeney said:

B&W works better for these IMO.
Does anyone like brown water?

I tried a few filters and couldn't decide to be honest. Agree on the water but quite liked the brightness of the red brick against the drab background

Ben6899

A little less exposure and a landscape crop on the bottom one and that'd be a beaut, IMO.

Ben6899

Had a mess about, but the sky's blown out...

pblakeney

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

B&W works better for these IMO.
Does anyone like brown water?

I tried a few filters and couldn't decide to be honest. Agree on the water but quite liked the brightness of the red brick against the drab background

I can see what you were going for.
I have a simple thought process. Personal you understand, not a dig.

Are the colours critical for the photo?
Yes. Focus on them.
No. Convert to B&W.

In B&W.
Is there an interesting composition or texture?
Yes. Focus on that.
No. Delete.

Pross

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

B&W works better for these IMO.
Does anyone like brown water?

I tried a few filters and couldn't decide to be honest. Agree on the water but quite liked the brightness of the red brick against the drab background

I can see what you were going for.
I have a simple thought process. Personal you understand, not a dig.

Are the colours critical for the photo?
Yes. Focus on them.
No. Convert to B&W.

In B&W.
Is there an interesting composition or texture?
Yes. Focus on that.
No. Delete.

Wasn't taken as a dig. I've only recently started making effort to think about the photos I'm taking rather than 'ooh I like that' and a quick snap but still only using my phone. The comments on here on my own and others photos is a big help to that process as is taking inspiration from what others do.

Just wish I could find my wife's DSLR to take on hikes as I find the biggest limiting factor with a phone I'd getting depth to landscapes especially when zooming into a distant subject.

briantrumpet

pblakeney said:

Pross said:

pblakeney said:

B&W works better for these IMO.
Does anyone like brown water?

I tried a few filters and couldn't decide to be honest. Agree on the water but quite liked the brightness of the red brick against the drab background

I can see what you were going for.
I have a simple thought process. Personal you understand, not a dig.

Are the colours critical for the photo?
Yes. Focus on them.
No. Convert to B&W.

In B&W.
Is there an interesting composition or texture?
Yes. Focus on that.
No. Delete.

I'm rarely satisfied with my B&W conversions, mostly as I think my composition isn't strong enough, and if I do things like up the contrast to make it 'grainier' or give it more impact, what's left won't take the treatment.

I suspect the photos I take in France with mountains and things would probably be more likely to take a B&W angle. Devon seems to be in colour too much, though Dartmoor can work in B&W well, with the right eye.

pblakeney

Your reflection shots above show composition and colour so no need for B&W.
What I am trying (failing) to say is that a bland shot with good composition can work with a conversion. If it doesn't convert well then it is simply a bland shot. IMO.

TheBigBean

Here's a bland shot on a terrible phone camera. Just so you lot know what a beach looks like in these parts.

pblakeney

I had a quick play just for fun. Too small a file to do much with though.