OT: I didn't need No Stinkin' IS Lens Today!

[grandpawrichard]

My wife and I went back out with our cameras again today so that I could teach her a bit more about photography. I'll post her awesome photos after a little bit. I've edited them, but haven't uploaded them to the net.


Here are my poor attempts at photography:

and this feller gave me an awesome close up and personal air show:

he was so close that what you see is what I saw through my 400 mm. lens!


GPR

 

[AG51]

SWEET Grampa !!!!

 

[Lisa66]

"poor attempts" - hardly! I don't see how you can keep your cool and take photos like this when these birds are so close. I'd be too excited!

 

[plantlvr]

Oh just awesome pics GPR! I love birds of prey and you 'capture' them so well!! Thanks for posting them

 

[grandpawrichard]

Here are some of the photos that my wife Ellen took today:

Please keep in mind, she has only been using a DSLR camera and big lenses for 3 different outings, so she has a lot to learn. Personally, I think she is doing Great!

GPR

 

[Vchick]

How lucky to have such wonderful subjects nearby! Great pics!

 

[keyzygirl]

AMAZING! I love to see the pics you 2 take.Im always amazed. Beautiful shots.

 

[Sheriff420]

Those are really good. I think we need some lens specs and camera settings used for the pictures.

 

[grandpawrichard]

Thanks! I am blessed with all the Absolute Beauty that surrounds me every day. So, it is pretty easy for me to take the photos I do.

GPR

 

[grandpawrichard]

Sherriff,

The Camera this was taken with is a Canon 7D 18.1 megapixels. The ISO was set at 400, I was using a 400 mm. Canon L series lens. The shutter speed was 1/1000 of a second. And the lens setting was f/5.6.

All of my photos are taken with my 7D. My wife uses my older Canon 40D with a 70-200 mm. Canon L series lens and a 1.4X Canon L series extender. Her settings were ISO 400 with an f/5.6 lens opening and various shutter speeds.

GPR

 

[BEEFENHAUZER]

I absolutely love all the Bald eagle Pics...

 

[Nana2B]

Beautiful GPR & Ellen.....looks like we're going to have double the beauty to see. I for one am all for it!!

 

[grandpawrichard]

Thanks everyone! Ellen is doing amazingly well at learning photography. (of course she has an Awesome Teacher! )

Here's a photo of an old barn that she took the other day:

She has a lot to learn, but she is coming along quite nicely.

GPR



a close cropping of one of my photos:

 

[Sheriff420]

That barn one is really good too. Did you use one of the cameras automatic settings for that one?
My fiancee has a Canon EOS T3I and I've played with it enough to make me want one and enough to make her want to research when to use what settings like I have. She only has the 18-55mm kit lens, a 50mm lens and a 75-300mm lens with no image stabilizer. She recently got some of the tube extension deals that let you do macro on a budget and those make for some pretty cool pictures. I wish she could afford some L-series lenses but those things are insanely expensive for what they are.

 

[grandpawrichard]

That barn one is really good too. Did you use one of the cameras automatic settings for that one?
My fiancee has a Canon EOS T3I and I've played with it enough to make me want one and enough to make her want to research when to use what settings like I have. She only has the 18-55mm kit lens, a 50mm lens and a 75-300mm lens with no image stabilizer. She recently got some of the tube extension deals that let you do macro on a budget and those make for some pretty cool pictures. I wish she could afford some L-series lenses but those things are insanely expensive for what they are.

Sheriff,
We don't use the camera's automatic setting (The Green Box) because it can be fooled very easily. We set our cameras to the TV setting. Our lens setting on a grey day like this was f/4, the ISO was set at 400. You have Much More Creative Control over your camera in the TV, AV or Manual modes and a better chance to pull out better photos under trying circumstances. Your keeper rate will also go sky high.

The Canon T3i is a Great camera! So is the 18-55 lens, I know that lens quite well because I have one and my wife and I use it on my Canon 40D.

....

 

[Sheriff420]

By automatic settings I meant in the CA mode where you can set it to black and white, intense, sepia and like 6 others. The intense setting makes pictures come out about like the barn with really vibrant (not washed out) colors. Then again, if you bump the exposure compensation down to something like -3 or -4 and the ISO up a little it should have similar results, I think.

Have you ever used the macro extension tubes? Those are fun to play with. It took me a minute to realize that the 18-55mm lens needs to be about an inch away from the subject and you have to use the zoom to focus instead of the focusing ring. The reason I say fun to play with is because it makes for some cool shots but the area in focus is really small in the center of the picture. You also can't set the aperture because the electrical contacts on the lens aren't contacting the camera so the camera can't tell it to open or close. Saying that makes me think that I should set the aperture to F22 then try the extensions then go to the other end of the spectrum and set it to F5.6 or so and try the extensions again. Now I need her to get her back over here with her camera so I can play with it.

 

[kittypie]

Whoa! Those are AWESOME!!!

 

[grandpawrichard]

By automatic settings I meant in the CA mode where you can set it to black and white, intense, sepia and like 6 others. The intense setting makes pictures come out about like the barn with really vibrant (not washed out) colors. Then again, if you bump the exposure compensation down to something like -3 or -4 and the ISO up a little it should have similar results, I think.

Have you ever used the macro extension tubes? Those are fun to play with. It took me a minute to realize that the 18-55mm lens needs to be about an inch away from the subject and you have to use the zoom to focus instead of the focusing ring. The reason I say fun to play with is because it makes for some cool shots but the area in focus is really small in the center of the picture. You also can't set the aperture because the electrical contacts on the lens aren't contacting the camera so the camera can't tell it to open or close. Saying that makes me think that I should set the aperture to F22 then try the extensions then go to the other end of the spectrum and set it to F5.6 or so and try the extensions again. Now I need her to get her back over here with her camera so I can play with it.

I have yet to use the Creative Zone settings. For some reason my camera only gets set on TV, AV or Manual. I guess it's because I'm an old school photographer that likes to control as much of the camera functions that he can. I also shoot Only in RAW format, so when I go into my Adobe Lightroom software I have complete control over how the photo turns out. Sometimes I have to go back and Reset the exposure to start over, but I pretty much come up with my desired results.

I have a set of Extension Tubes, but they don't get used very often. I guess it's because I am more into Big critters than little ones.

GPR

 

[Sheriff420]

I still haven't shot in RAW. I tend to just take a couple test shots to get the settings right before I go for the shot that I want. I've been telling her that she should get photoshop essentials so she can shoot in RAW and manipulate the settings later but she hasn't gotten it yet.
What do you think about photoshop essentials compared to lightroom?

 

[krazie_Kid]

Grandpaw,

Your pictures and your wifes always make my day. They are so beautiful, and she is doing a GREAT job! I love the last pic she took of the eagle going into the tree, and the one you took flying out of the tree. I hope you keep up the good work, they are amazing.