Random PICTURES!

[Fuse]

New lens. Visit to DC. Good times...










Classy...


I call this last one TBone using his force-x-ray vision.

[NoCry]

nice photographs Fuse; the (lone) flag one is especially good.

[Enoch]

Great photos Fuse. What camera do you have again? Also, what lenses? My buddy just got a 7D, gonna take it out for a spin later this week. Maybe rent some Zeiss prime lenses. Will post if I get some cool shots.

[Fuse]

I shoot with a Canon T2i with battery grip, hand strap, and generic shotgun mic when shooting video. (Cell pic) I've seen a lot of people say it's very similar to a 7D with the APS-C sized sensor instead. So nearly as good images, and about equal quality video - obviously depending on what lens you use.

As far as glass...I own four lenses:

Canon 18-55mm IS 3.5-5.6
-T2i Kit lens
-Decent on quality. Good kit lens, but I just upgraded.
Unedited Examples:


http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/Shooting/MP/
Video Through This Lens - Bad quality, high ISO, barely any light in the indoor range, and not setup properly-but I need SOME way to show off my shooting.

Canon 75-300 4-5.6 USM III
-Not all that great
-Was a present
-I will never buy a lens from a Best Buy store.
-It's ok to use when I really need to reach out, but otherwise it stays in my bag.
Unedited Examples:
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/Shooting/2010-Illinois-IDPA/
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/Airshow-July10/

Canon 50mm 1.8 Prime
-Best quality images I've taken are with this lens.
-The cheapest lens Canon (or anyone else) makes at just $100 NEW!
-Amazing DOF and sharpness.



Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 SP XR Di II VC
-Great lens
-Not as loud as most of the reviews I read
-Fast focus when not in live-view.
-Cheaper than the 24-70 2.8L I wanted
-Replaces my kit lens.



Any of my really good images have really come off the 50mm or the Tamron.

The Canon 50mm 1.8 is an AMAZING lens for ONLY $100! If I'm in a situation I know I won't need a zoom (portraits for instance) or I'm in low-light, this has been the go-to. If you own a Canon, you absolutely need to own this lens.
Unedited Examples:


http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs401.snc4/46420_10150241723060103_652045102_14618366_5572846_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs384.snc4/44715_1528472499015_1450794887_1415618_428142_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs434.snc4/47733_1528472819023_1450794887_1415624_8109392_n.jpg
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/Friends-and-Family/Richards/CaraBD/IMG1934/916997119_yM2C3-X3.jpg
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/Friends-and-Family/Richards/Starved-Rock/IMG4009/947348791_ZsWwU-X3-2.jpg
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/Friends-and-Family/Richards/Lizs-10th-BDay/IMG4075/955481931_siNom-X3-1.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs540.snc3/30589_10150182055550103_652045102_12818848_6962306_n.jpg

 

The Tamron was kind of an impulse buy. I was actually looking for one of Sigma's wide angle zooms in 2.8. They didn't have one, but had this. I had read reviews of it quite a bit and decided to pull the trigger. I mainly wanted it right then because the next day I was attending the Restoring Honor rally in DC and wanted to get some good pictures without having to rely solely on my prime. I am not a professional photographer, so this lens is perfect for me so far. They had an 18-200 which would have been a great pickup as well, but I know the image quality suffers on that lens compared to this one. I bought the VC version because I also plan to take movies with this. It's no L series, but it is a great walk around lens at least %50 the cost.
Unedited Examples:





http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs383.snc4/44616_1528643103280_1450794887_1416181_4431551_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs387.snc4/45070_1528473139031_1450794887_1415632_6637564_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs414.snc4/47733_1528472899025_1450794887_1415626_3298862_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs369.snc4/45198_1528473379037_1450794887_1415634_5096998_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs406.snc4/46931_1528642903275_1450794887_1416178_6656431_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs182.ash2/44542_1528642663269_1450794887_1416175_3217580_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs425.snc4/46829_10150241723535103_652045102_14618373_8245628_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs405.snc4/46829_10150241723540103_652045102_14618374_2578466_n.jpg

[Enoch]

I just totally geeked out reading that post Fuse, thanks for that.

I'm really going to look into that 50mm. It's no surprise that you think that one gives you your best images. It's your fastest lens and at 50mm, it's the closest approximation to the human eye. When I'm shooting a scene that's not stylized, I always start with a 50mm and decide if I need to go to up to an 85 or down to a 35 or 28 depending on if I think the shot calls for it. I've only been shooting video with primes for the last year and a half, but optics is quickly becoming one of the things that fascinate me. I should look for some footage I've shot in that time and show you guys.

[Fuse]

I tried using a reversed 50mm prime against my 17-50mm for macro shots... turned out ok, but I can tell I need some more practice and need to play with settings.

Reference:


FA Coin:





Watch:



Ring:



To see the full sized images, go here: http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/MacroTests/13626324_C9pom#994317387_khk7J

[Fuse]

Update:
Opened the aperture up and that fixed the focusing issue-duh.

FA Coin:





Ring:



Watch:



I love how you can see the exposure time with the watch pics. 6sec on the first, about 2 on the other two.


Also, earlier today I did some correction and editing on most of the images from my DC trip.
http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/DC-Trip-826-901

[Fuse]

ok, last set of macro. Used a different main lens and got better results I think...

[Fuse]

I really digged the macro stuff, but the reversed 50mm on my tamron didn't come out so well. So I bought a couple extension tubes. $20 off ebay got me two sets. Sucks that they're not powered, so manual control of everything is needed, but I've had some really good first tests.

Watch:




Ring:


Pen:


Quarter:



Luggage Lock:

[Fuse]

Tried my hand at HDR imaging today... Damn I need some work.

Gallery: http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/HDRTests/

One of three original images: http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/HDRTests/IMG0039/1032520213_p6bmv-XL.jpg
Attempt #1: http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/HDRTests/HDR1/1032518594_phFW3-XL.jpg
HDR1 with a specialized filter: http://bjsmith.smugmug.com/LLHost/HDRTests/HDR2/1032518915_r43WK-XL.jpg

Finally that last image with some additional manual masking and HSL tweaks.

[Fuse]

Sure is quiet in here... Come on Manic!

This weekend I was hoping to do some shooting - so took a drive to clear my head of some stress and passed this. I threw the car in reverse and snapped a pic.


On the drive I also snapped these two as well.

[Fuse]

I think this is one of my all-time favorites. At %100 you can see my reflection taking the shot and a good view of the garbage cans, buildings, and people behind me. This was a three layer approach. Background with a bleached filter, the car with some sat and lum adjustments, and the bumper from the original shot. The mapping lines weren't as clean as I should have made them, but they're hard to notice unless you're looking for them.

[Fuse]

I'm doing a shoot today and tomorrow and needed a good portrait lens so I rented one of (if not THE) best available: Canon 85mm 1.2L II

I only got a couple I'm pleased with so far - but should have more after the shoots by next week. This is the first L series I've really had a chance to shoot with and the fastest I've had in my hands. The DOF is amazing, but is taking a bit to get use to. I'm also finding it more difficult to handhold as well, even though I'm use to my moderately heafty Tamron.











I also realize I'm the only one who posts in here. New members, step up!

[Manic Velocity]

Took some family photos out at the Great Salt Lake a few weeks back. I'll post some of my better shots this weekend.

[Manic Velocity]

I'm insanely jealous of that lens you're renting, Fuse.  

Here are some family shots I did for my cousin.  If you ever want a crash course in proper lighting, take some portrait shots at sunset.  One trick I picked up was to have everyone face me with their backs to the sun, and then turn up the brightness on my flash.  This provided perfect facial lighting, while the sun gave a nice "glow" around them, and it kept everyone from having to squint or shield their eyes.

















There was another photographer out there who was using this old leather chair as a prop with some of the models he had with him.  It reminded me of the chair Morpheus sat in during the "Desert of the Real" scene with Neo.  I asked if I could take a shot of it against the barren salty shore of the lake, and he was gracious enough to let me.  Did some quick editing and came up with this:



And this is a Great Salt Lake sunset.  It looks beautiful, but with the amount of salt combined with a lot of rotting seagull carcasses, it stank pretty bad.