[Plamadude30k]

Here’s a special case: Say I’ve brought somebody up to my big research telescope and we’re taking what I like to call ‘pretty pictures’ (usually I’m alone up there, but Rav visited once. It was cloudy, though so we got nothing). Given that the operation of the camera in this situation is a bit involved, I would probably have to be pressing all of the buttons, but somebody else could be directing me about composition, exposure, etc. If I then press the ‘Expose’ button, do I instantly become the photographer, even thought I’ve done only the job of a trained monkey? I’m leaning towards no. This is, in fact, what we have at a lot of the big observatories-dedicated operators directed by astronomers doing the actual research. The telescope operators aren’t called astronomers-they just press the buttons. To play devil’s avocado, though, it would be hard not to give credit to the operator. It’s a bit of a grey area, to be sure.

[Plamadude30k]

Also, if you’re shooting in raw, don’t you want to slightly under-expose?

No, not if you can help it (providing you can avoid blowing the highlights):

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml

Yeah, that’s absolutely true, but when the dynamic range of the scene exceeds the possibility of your sensor to capture, you do want to meter for the highlights and hope you can process out the really dark shadows (unless you WANT to blow the highlights out for some reason, which you might). One thing I learned long ago in my early music career was that the rules are there to be broken, but only if you understand why they’re there in the first place. That being said, my philosophy is to generally figure out what the mid-levels for the scene should be and meter for regions that are 2-3 eV higher just to avoid blowing them out. I’ve gotten really good at estimating the eV range for any given scene just by looking.

/sorry for the slight threadjack

[Plamadude30k]

I’ve taken 13617 photos in 2.33 years for an average of 15.95 photos per day. I guess I shoot slowly!

Really, though, my photography comes in bursts-mostly during the summers when I can get somewhere interesting to photograph. For example, between May and August of 2010, I took 5105 photos for an average of 45.17 photos per day, almost 3 times as many photos as my bulk rate. That’s still below your rate, Farktographer, which is approximately 66.67 photos per day (assuming 10000 photos over five 30 day months). That ain’t a bad thing-I’ve always thought I should take more photos. I am accelerating, however-in my first year with my camera, I took 3648 photos. In my second year, I took 7320, and this current year, I’m on track for about 8000, not taking into account any photography trips I do this summer (which will probably boost the total to well over 10000, especially if I get that d7000 I’ve been lusting after). Generally, I’ve also been taking more photos per outing these days on the idea that if my percentage of good photos stays constant, I’ll get more good photos by taking more photos total. The principle seems to work most of the time.

Also, if you’re shooting in raw, don’t you want to slightly under-expose? The digital zone system for metering suggests that kind of an approach. It’s exactly the opposite of film-you shoot for the highlights and process for the shadows, just because of what digital sensors can handle.

Also also, I have no idea about servicing. I just cleaned my sensor with some sensor swabs recently, and that seems to be all I’ve needed since I got my camera. I’m sure mileage will vary, though.

/I love the smell of data analysis in the…mid-afternoon.

[Plamadude30k]

Those are pretty incredible. I like the autumns especially.

[Plamadude30k]

Congrats! Now you can have the same sleep schedule as an observational astronomer: never.

Good Luck.

[Plamadude30k]

Yes, contrails work.

[Plamadude30k]

Hmm, I’d like to hear from the community at large about their thoughts on allowing panoramas. I know Orionid was against allowing them in ‘Fifteen Minutes’ because it has been used more frequently in recent contests, and I think panos would lend themselves much better to that contest to this, so I’m inclined to say no on those grounds. What do people think?

[Plamadude30k]

Yep, I’m going to have to join the agreement brigade here-the point of farktography isn’t prizes, it’s the honor of winning, like the original olympics.

[Plamadude30k]

Well, my first reaction was to allow it, but the more I thought about it, the less it seems like a cloud-the spirit of the theme was intended to be for actual clouds. HOWEVER! I have slept on it, and after a good night’s rest, I’m feeling more charitable. As long as the focus is on the sky and cloud-like phenomena in it, then I think it’ll work. Cloudscape photography is supposed to be just like landscape photography, only in the sky. There’s no rule in landscape photography that says we can’t photograph man-made things.

[Plamadude30k]

Huh, it’s interesting that this was the second lowest recorded vote total, because I think it’s also my second lowest personal vote total. Not a great week, I guess.

EDIT: Also, Cameraflage, I have several pictures of that exact same formation in monument valley-after I saw yours I went and looked up mine. I’m kicking myself for not thinking of it. Now that I think of it too, I could have done Cassiopeia for W as well. D’oh! I really did drop the ball this week.

[Plamadude30k]

I live with a cat now, so this theme will be a lot easier than when I’ve had to beg kitties from friends in the past.

[Plamadude30k]

I kinda like the four entries option-as long as it’s an option and not necessary. I’d like to do all four-I’ve got some ideas for each.

[Plamadude30k]

Chupa, you’re not alone. I can only speak for myself, but I just started talking photography seriously about a year ago at most. This forum is the best place I’ve found to learn about photography, and I’ve still got quite a ways to go.

[Plamadude30k]

good lord the geeks are going to get busy on this one… I just bought a new scanner/printer (all of $60), and as cheap as they are there’s a lot of room for maybe putting it in interesting situations….

MASSIVE FACEPALM

Until you said this, I was convinced that I had to go find a scanner to use. I’ve had a scanner/printer combo for the past five years. How could I not remember that? I see it multiple times every day! Well, at least this contest will be easier than I thought it would.

[Plamadude30k]

Since we’re talking about panos, how do people like to host them? If I use picasa as usual it would be hard even for people who clicked through to get anything much larger than gets posted to the thread. I really want to use this one: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pbvj4M-x7TyA93yvM8tB6wgoPNmLZef3e7s-RQjQBBY?feat=directlink
but it really needs to be viewed at larger sizes.

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