Photography

[phantome]

okay, so my newest hobby is photography. Can anyone share some tips on taking good/interesting photos or suggest any websites? (or anything of that sort)
Also, what are some good semi-professional cameras?
Thanks

 

[Ashenstar]

Oh I love photography! As soon as I have a dark room, I shall be pursuing it further.

Are you wanting to work with digital or actual film. I, personally, am a film girl.

I bought a Canon Rebel TI nearly 10 years ago. It is a wonderful camera. I'm guessing the updated versions are fantastic.

As far as taking good/interesting photos. Well.. that is rather difficult to explain since that is going to be a matter of opinion. You may just need to find something that you enjoy fixating on and then perfecting it. '

Some photographers really love working angles and enjoy using angles to tweak perspective. Personally, I love texture and love taking very detailed close up pictures of things like rough tree bark so that the texture of the tree bark is the whole picture.

 

[phantome]

To be honest, I don't know much about working with film...so i guess i'll have to go with digital- however, now that you've mentioned it, I'll be sure to try
I've been taking photos for about a month, and I love to work with angles-but i try to incorporate texture into those photos as well. (for whatever reason landscapes just don't work for me x] )
thanks for the response

 

[Kuu]

Decent tips can be found here, ocassionally. Though if you really want to learn I recommend taking a course.

Easy tips of the top of my head: Get CLOSER. Go lower. Go higher. Use your feet, not the zoom. Interesting... well everything can be interesting, in the right light and angle. Just shoot what you like.

There are some old photography threads around here. Like that one I orphaned, a long time ago...

Personally, I love texture and love taking very detailed close up pictures of things like rough tree bark so that the texture of the tree bark is the whole picture.

I do this too. I have a bunch of "texture shots". I like to use them for my desktop backgrounds. Tiles, concrete, grass, water, bricks, dirt, rocks.

*UPDATED.. fix'd links*

 

[Kidege]

Um... I haven't taken pics in ages, but I liked film better, made me feel like I had more control.
The printing process was so... quaint?

The only tip I have is that the horizon line is not supposed to be in the middle of a pic.

Personally I suck at textures. I prefer rhythm.

 

[phantome]

@ kidege- then where should it be?
@tekton- nice advice, thanks

 

[Beat Mango]

Speaking of photography, what's with your avatar photo?? You look, I don't know, happy - we expect better from an INTP!

 

[Kidege]

Higher or lower, makes for a interesting pic. A horizontal line in the middle seems to say "go away". At least that's my interpretation...

I should probably shut up, too. I'm just an adequate photographer, not a good one.

 

[Ashenstar]

*nods*

I do this too. I have a bunch of "texture shots". I like to use them for my desktop backgrounds. Tiles, concrete, grass, water, bricks, dirt, rocks.

That's my favorite thing to photograph. I also did an orange for photography class and played with a light source and the development of the actual photo to get the best gradient texture.. hard to explain.

I love water being photographed. When you can see it not in motion. Magick.

 

[phantome]

Speaking of photography, what's with your avatar photo?? You look, I don't know, happy - we expect better from an INTP!

lulz x]
I seem to have a much more positive outlook on life lately 0.0
maybe I'm just a messed up INTP =P

 

[phantome]

Higher or lower, makes for a interesting pic. A horizontal line in the middle seems to say "go away". At least that's my interpretation...

I should probably shut up, too. I'm just an adequate photographer, not a good one.

That's a very interesting perspective. I'll use try to use that technique next time I'm shooting a horizon thanks =]

 

[Kuu]

Speaking of photography, what's with your avatar photo?? You look, I don't know, happy - we expect better from an INTP!

Specially considering the contrast with your previous avatar, all gloomy and dark... and now, happy colorful joy!

I like what you did with the colored lights though. If you're into lighting you'll probably like this

 

[del]

My general advice is to take TONS of photos -- and when you aren't taking photos, think about how you might take pictures of whatever situation you're in and how they might look.

Photography is all about geometry, texture, weight, and subject. Eventually, you'll think about this stuff all the time in everyday life.

You could take a course (feedback is always a help) but you really just need be taking pictures or thinking about taking pictures all the time.

Also, some specific advice: actually learn the mechanics of your camera. I see lots of amateur photographers who have good pictures, but whose stuff would otherwise be 1000x better if they just understood how changing the aperture/shutter speed effected their photo. Along with this, you'll need a tripod for low speeds, and a good tripod is worth it -- as a general rule it should be heavier than the camera (I have some horror stories of $4000 cameras on flimsy tripods, lol).

 

[phantome]

tekton- 2 words- mood change :P (besides, i think that was just a way of incorporating the awesome smiley into your post )
oh and great link, definitely something that is useful to know
del- thanks a lot the constantly thinking about photography is something i do now, thought i should probably start exploring my camera's functions a bit more. A tripod isn't a necessity at first though, correct?

 

[del]

Nah, not at first. You'll be wanting to take pictures with slow shutter speeds though (for instance, that's how they make running water look all nice and blurred/ribbony), and the human hand just isn't steady enough to do that sort of thing.

http://www.whiteonricecouple.com/photography-tips/shutter-speed-photography/

 

[phantome]

oh! wow.
awesome link thanks i've always tried to figure out how they did that x]
thanks a lot! that seriously helps. I'll consider getting a tripod in the near future then.