A nice long list of photography related questions

[mormarv]

I am new to Photoforum and can';t quite figure out the step by step for uploading my photos for critique
Would appreciate any help or direction

 

[Derrel]

find out where your photo is actually "hosted"....copy the URL....then, create a new thread and write the following:

so, before the URL, use a bracket and IMG within it, as in

 

[LarryD]

Lot's of interesting answers...

I'll only add a couple of tips.......

. If you need to shoot in a hurry, or your idea of Manual is just spinning the dials until the needle is centered... Use Aperture priority... Pick the best f-stop for your lens and what you might pre-set for conditions and let the camera choose the speed, or if you have action, choose the speed to stop the action and let the camera pick the aperture in shutter priority.... It is a very common practice.........


. For cropping, the basic size for a standard 35mm format is a ratio of 3:2, and that is also the initial basis for the "Golden Triangle" aspect ratio in art and photography and so it is a base on which to build ... Unless I have something specific in mind, I always have my crop set to 36x24 for the file........

 

[maris]

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
100% of the time. I have not hand-held a camera since 1977.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
A flawless normal lens; Fujinon-W 300/5.6 for me.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
Books and direct personal experiment, testing, and practicing with all the technology. Musicians practice incessantly, so should photographers.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
About 5 years. I quit professional photography about twenty years ago so I could upgrade my equipment and lavish more time, effort, and money on making better photographs.

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
The tripod removes all such concerns. If you have enough light to see by you have enough to photograph by.


How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
The light on planet earth works the same as it always has. If you keep notes and connect your camera settings with what results you get you will soon be able to set your camera without bothering with light meters.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Don't be lazy and don't make excuses. Most people take pictures for fun and don't think very much, or try very hard, or care a lot as long as the picture is recognizable. Excellence will only come if you have a devouring passion for it.


When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
I never crop. I am 100% responsible for the style and content of my photographs. I want my viewers to feel confident about putting one of my pictures through their mind because they know it went through my mind first.

 

[Petraio Prime]

Ok so as I am trying to learn as much as I can and I keep posting random questions about simple things, I thought I would try and think of all my nooby questions and list them.

I hope by asking these it will help others too, Ill also link to this thread from the FAQ thread.

If one question has been answered but you wasn't to add your 2 cents, please do so

Ok so here goes.

How often do you use your tripod, and what do you use it for?
e.g 50% of the time when shooting portraits, never, only land scapes, always....

Rarely. It inhibits spontaneity. I use it only when using my longest lens (560mm) for stationary subject matter. Too many photographers use a tripod too often.

What do you think is the most important piece of kit to own and why.
e.g for portraits maybe you could never be without your flash, or bird photographers without your tripod...

Depends on what you are doing.

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

Failure.

How long did it take you to become a 'pro'?
(defined by having a real photography business and earning money from it (part time or full time)

Why on earth would you want to become a pro?

What when using a lens what is the recommended shutter speeds in relation to length?
I read some where that if you have a lens of 300mm then you should shoot 1/300 is that correct Post a link if you have one...

Depends on your skill level. I have successfully hand-held my 560mm at 1/30 sec often.

How do some people manage to set thier camera settings so fast?
Assuming they are not on Auto or P, is it because when you take pictures for a long time you look at whats in front of you and you just know what settings you should be using? I seem to be so much slower than other people around me.

Practice. I recommend putting your camera behind your back and learning your settings by touch.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I may add more questions, as I am sure I had more, but now as I come to write them down I cant remember all of them.

Use Kodachrome and Leica.

When you crop in your editing programs do you always use photo proportions?
I have a friend who takes film pictues and she loves long and thin pictures,some pictures look outstanding with unusual crops but is it really practcal as frames would be expensive and hard to come by.

N/A

 

[Josh66]

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

Failure.

True though. I would have said trial & error, but I think failure is more accurate.

 

[Petraio Prime]

What has been your best resource for learning ?
(apart from this forum of course)

Failure.

True though. I would have said trial & error, but I think failure is more accurate.

I remember back in the 70s looking at a box of slides when a customer saw them and commented that they were all perfectly exposed and focussed. He asked me how I was able to do that, as he had never been able to, he said. I told him I had made more mistakes than he had.

 

[nancilee]

I am such a dinosaur. When you transfer photos from the camera to the computer are you downloading or uploading? I followed directions or so I thought. The 1st time I thought my photos were on my computer because I saw them on the monitor. Erased the card to soon lost all my photos. Next time I transfered photos I went through 2 processes, it took about 1/2 hour and now I have 4 copies of each photo and little folders in between I can't open. Help.... Thank you in advance.