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True. But any word, schnee, on an FSM fix for the latest contests and stats? I don’t think anyone here has forgotten what you’ve done for the community, and I for one would like to see it continue.

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Yeah, example #1 closeup–I’m there. I need better lenses. Fine for online posting in moderate sizes, but closeups? Fugetaboutit.

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I also agree that the hitting the water for the first time shot would likely get the most votes.

a-yep.

But I came here to say that this is one of those themes that will give me fits, fits I say, trying to pick three photos. Evidently, I do a lot of my photography from shore.

I’m in the opposite quandary. Part of my problem is I live in a desert–which can be overcome–I have lots of pics from the water’s edge. The main problem is I’ve become far more critical of my earlier photos; much of my early DSLR experience–which involved a lot of shots at Fossil Springs (as in ‘fossilspringsaz.com’)–just isn’t up to my snuff level anymore. And I haven’t been back in a good long while to retake anything.

So I’m looking at a few from last week, all shot from the same location, the Salt River bed. Which kind of look like they’re all part of a series. Which leads right back to yrkddn‘s original question, and my opinion based on experience.

But it is what it is. Back to culling the archives, looking for something I previously overlooked…can we change this theme to four-leaf clovers? 😆

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Orionid can probably build one from a toilet paper tube and some tin foil. 😆

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Nice shots, Plama.

While I was down in Cochise County this weekend, I went for some astro pics (in part), but the cloud cover was too much to overcome (seems to be a theme when I go to dark-skied areas). Not that I’m unhappy with the lightning I captured–but those teasers of galactic views were just that: teasers. Enough to remind me of the shots I didn’t get. 🙁

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Hey! Over here! Umm, yes, my question is this…have there been in the past, three closely related photos, sort of a photojournalistic entry, and if so, how well was this approach received?
Thanks for your consideration.

There have indeed. Speaking only from my personal experience of doing so, I’ve not fared well. There’s two difficulties I *think* are going on in. The first is getting the three shots posted together; seems no matter when you post, that’s exactly when someone else will post their’s, so it’s difficult to get the three grouped in consecutive posts, which I believe would help in telling the ‘story’.

But on the other hand, the second difficulty is voters *seem* to view such trios and vote for the *one* they like best, rather than all three on their own merits–so two get short-changed votey-wise. Not sure why that is.

However, YMMV in this regard. You may very well compose, execute, and decide upon three separate, but related images better than I have.

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I do have a light meter–an old one, one of the estate sale finds. I noticed when using it last time that it gave me readings that came out too dark–but then, if the lenses are dirty, or the shutter is sticky…there’s some learning curves I’ll need to toy with.

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That’s too bad, caradoc. But lightning happens every summer. Kids are only newbies once. 🙂

On my way to Tombstone I did better than I ever have with lightning. Past Casa Grande, at the “Red Rock” exit, I caught several. This time, I learned to forego noise reduction; far easier to remove hot pixels than miss the shot while the camera takes a ‘dark’ frame. I shot at 100 ISO, in RAW, so not much noise to speak of.

30 second exposures, 18-55mm @ 55, f/5.6 (one at f/5, huh?–but that’s what the exif says). Very happy with them.

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Wow, I figured you’d have some good advise, but I think you could write a book on the subject now. What’s the sunny 16 rule (f/16?)

I’m fortunate to have a real camera shop in town, I can ezplane, dey will git it.

Thanks! 😀

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While packing for my trip to Cochise county (I leave in about 2 hours), I happened outside, saw the cell, and grabbed the camera and tripod (fortunately still set up for the other night’s less-than-successful storms). I got exactly *one* nice shot. It’s not perfect; it was the first picture. And I have such a damned difficult time with lightning. But I like it–a lot (I’m a simple fool, after all). 😀

Here’s hoping somewhere between here and Tombstone, I have even better opportunities!! I do love night travel…especially this time of the year!

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Non-moving escalators?

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The Bahtinov Mask: I made one, but haven’t yet really got to employ it sufficiently. The one opportunity I had was with Plama, and dang if the sky didn’t cloud up ruining any chance to make use of it with the scope. The moon demarkation ensures I do well enough with my Tamron at 300mm, but then, I can’t get any exposure of decent length w/o a polar mount. I do better with the 50mm f/1.8, using any ol’ thing far enough out to focus on.

I’ll be down Tombstone way beginning Sunday; I’ll probably mark the 50mm like I did the 300 during daylight hours (or using the moon, which should be overhead at sundown. Unfortunately, on a 3-day photo excursion, I’m not up to bringing the scope, as I won’t have a place to keep it while I go wandering about (it fills the entire passenger seat, and the tripod has to go in the truck bed–that’s not a good feeling when I’m more than 20 fet away from the vehicle.) I’d never thought I wish I bought a smaller telescope but sometimes, I do.

Size does matter, and sometimes, big is too big. 🙁

Oh, and Orionid; I found that there is indeed a *real* graveyard with *real* old graves and nice gravestones, etc., down there, so I’ll be making use of that opportunity, as well.

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Farktographer I’m sure I’ll wind up missing one some day, maybe when I’m giving birth or something else.

😯

Anything you’re not telling us? An orionite to go with the carodite, perhaps? 😀

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It’s a good start! One of my tricks is shooting on nights when the moon is low in the western horizon early on, which I use to get the focus. Then, after it sets, you’re already focused for stars, as well (just remember to turn off auto focus before taking that next picture!) I believe the moon’s at 1st quarter right now; it would set about midnight and IIRC, you’re something of a night owl? For pics of the moon itself, I start with ISO 200 and 1/200th seconds exposure (you won’t get stars), and adjust from there (tonight, for example, the exposure would be a tad longer as the moon isn’t full.)

And I don’t know how you feel about marking up your lens, but I demarkated one of mine in increments near infinity, took several shots at each, noting which mark I used, and once I saw which images were clearest, lengthened that mark out so I could find it again in the future. Helped a good deal, as my Tamron 70-300mm’s exact-as-I-could-get-it infinity focus is a bit off from where it’s marked on the lens.

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Those are fantastic. I wonder how my scanner would do with them (it’s got phenomenal resolution, but I don’t know about clarity)? [Unfortunately, I don’t have any beach sands available; and I’m pretty sure the garden variety desert stuff wouldn’t nearly compare.]

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