Can you take photos?

[ufkacbln]

Often it is luck...

I was on a Canal Boat, and saw the Heron, just grabbed and pointed. There is slight movement, but I quite like it.

 

[gbb]

Here's a funny thing...i used to like playing with, and reasonably understood the principle of using a SLR (Minolta XGM)...depth of field, aperture settings etc etc, and used to take some reasonable photos.
Now i have a DSLR (Nikon D40)...i just cant remember how...or figure how, or be bothered to learn it all.
So, i have a new camera....and use it for snapshots basically

 

[Norm]

I'm sure there are plenty of folk like me.... aren't there?

There certainly are.

I love photography. About 15 years ago, I went semi-pro. I did some pack shots (including a shoot for Microsoft), some annual reports (including Hitachi and a Ford dealer group), guide books and some magazine shoots. I've got my own studio lighting set up, 5 SLR bodies, Lord knows how many lenses... but I didn't go for it.

Then I turned to a "creative" and told him if he knew that much about photography and the image he wanted to create, then he should push the fecking shutter button. I guess I realised then that I didn't want to be someone else's pawn in photography, any more than in the rest of my life. I take images that I want to take to please me. If other people like them, then that's good but not critical for me.

Felt bloody good to have the front page on a national magazine, though. Even if it was only for a minority interest sport.

 

[Norm]

Oh, and getting back to the point (sorry, I get side-tracked when talking about me ), there are also times when the camera sits and gathers dust for months. If you don't want to take a pic, there's little point in taking one.

 

[yello]

Fair enough - if you don't enjoy - don't do it.

You miss the point. It's not a matter of not enjoying it, it's not even thinking to do it! For example, I can look across a vista and think that it's stunningly beautiful, I might even have my camera with me, I just don't think to take a photo.

gbb's got the drift.

 

[Aperitif]

Oh, and getting back to the point (sorry, I get side-tracked when talking about me ), there are also times when the camera sits and gathers dust for months. If you don't want to take a pic, there's little point in taking one.

Norm, you have just got to get yourself on Saturday's ride - 'Euston Expects' (oh - and bring the gear...you are now the antidote to 'The Mysterious Pavel' see FNRttCs passim!)

 

[Cubist]

Here's a funny thing...i used to like playing with, and reasonably understood the principle of using a SLR (Minolta XGM)...depth of field, aperture settings etc etc, and used to take some reasonable photos.
Now i have a DSLR (Nikon D40)...i just cant remember how...or figure how, or be bothered to learn it all.
So, i have a new camera....and use it for snapshots basically

With you on that to a point. Don't forget that photoshop et al will allow you to edit, change colour, balance, etc, but there's a lot to be said for trying to remember it all in terms of colour saturation, depth of field, and groovily with DSLRs, white balance and so on. Reading the manual can bring some stunning results. The shots below have not been edited. Don't think I'm likely to find these colours very often in a sunset:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v116/emilysdad/?action=view&current=DSC_0006-1.jpg

 

[rh100]

You miss the point. It's not a matter of not enjoying it, it's not even thinking to do it! For example, I can look across a vista and think that it's stunningly beautiful, I might even have my camera with me, I just don't think to take a photo.

gbb's got the drift.

Hmm - I think I get you. I go out regularly on the bike to some nice countryside, and my mind is full of other stuff that I just don't always think about it. No answer for that I suppose.

 

[rh100]

With you on that to a point. Don't forget that photoshop et al will allow you to edit, change colour, balance, etc, but there's a lot to be said for trying to remember it all in terms of colour saturation, depth of field, and groovily with DSLRs, white balance and so on. Reading the manual can bring some stunning results. The shots below have not been edited. Don't think I'm likely to find these colours very often in a sunset:

Nice pic's.

Don't forget, if you shoot in RAW mode, there's so much you can correct before producing the image.

 

[XmisterIS]

I enjoy taking ... errr ... "special" photos.

*ahem*

 

[Crankarm]

I enjoy taking ... errr ... "special" photos.

*ahem*

.....LoL

 

[johnnyh]

yep, there are some lovely colours in a morning/evening sky

 

[Crankarm]

With you on that to a point. Don't forget that photoshop et al will allow you to edit, change colour, balance, etc, but there's a lot to be said for trying to remember it all in terms of colour saturation, depth of field, and groovily with DSLRs, white balance and so on. Reading the manual can bring some stunning results. The shots below have not been edited. Don't think I'm likely to find these colours very often in a sunset:

Indeed with Photoshop it's so good I believe you don't actually ever have to take a picture ...............

Still shooting images on Auto setting on most point and shoot digital cameras and storing the images as JPEGs will give more than adequate results for most people. They are cabernet sauvignon if you like of data files for images. A little bit of Photoshop can really make them stand out. The nice images above could do with a bit of tweaking .

 

[rh100]

yep, there are some lovely colours in a morning/evening sky

Very nice

 

[johnnyh]

llandudno at about 6 in the morning... the places we find ourselves