Some of my last photos taken in 2011 (Non Christmas)

[Robin Usagani]

If you want to capture a big scene, you must meter it right WITHOUT the flash. For example if you shot this without the flash with the same setting (except the first one), all you get is the lights from the vehicle and everything else is black. You want to have high enough ISO so that you can see what is going on over there, then turn the flash on.

 

[Dagwood56]

I've been following most of these threads and I have to say, that as far as telling\showing the story that is unfolding with a fire scene, the photos just don't do it -technically lacking or not. If these photos are being taken for later review of fire fighting efforts, rather than telling the story of the fire itself, they are not showing that either. These shots show the equipment only, no fire, no fire fighters. Past photos show a single fire fighter or a close-up of a section of fire.

The daughter of a friend of mine works with the local fire company [fire police] and she directs traffic around the fire or accident scene and also is their photographer. Her photos are snapshots, most small local fire companies are not lookng for photos that are necessarily technically correct and many of their photographers use point and shoot or bridge cameras, but the photos do show the rescue efforts, and your's do not. You need to take these photos with a more photo journalistic approach. Just my opinion.

 

[photo guy]

Thank You for the info on a DSLR, however, as I have explained before due to my financial situation at this time I can't afford to upgrade at this time from what I am using so I have to make due with what I have. Due to this, taking different shot like this at night with this camera and trying to improve that way is one of my goals I would like to accomplish.

 

[photo guy]

Thank you Dagwood56, I do have some of those types of photos also but didn't know if anyone would be interested in seeing those.

 

[thereyougo!3]

here's craigslist for northern Wisconsin: a complete 40D kit for $450

Canon EOS 40D w/ box/paperwork, 50mm lens, camera bag battery charger
the nifty 50mm 1.8 will serve you very well in your work - good low light performance and the fact that it is a fixed length will help you work on your composition.....

I'm sure there are more examples

here you go:

for $50 more Rebel T3 DSLR with 18 - 55 IS

Canon Rebel T3 DSLR w/ 18-55 Lens and Bag

If you want to improve you have to stop making excuses and start walking the walk rather than talking the talk. Both of these could get you GREAT low light well exposed shots.

Canon not your thing?

nikon D40 with 18 - 55 and 55-200 GREAT starter DSLR kit $500.

Nikon D40 6.1MP DSLR with 2 lenses

What are you waiting for. I found these with very little effort indeed and that was without checking ebay. That D40 would tempt me in your position - you don't need huge amounts of resolution, and there you have a 18 - 200mm range covered, with more capability than you have at the moment.

 

[photo guy]

Bills come first before camera gear. Until work picks up so my finances improve or I find a different job (Paying of course) which ever comes first, I can't upgrade yet. I keep getting told to get a new camera but I can't do it at this time. PLEASE EVERYONE, NO MORE POSTS TELLING ME TO GET A DIFFERENT CAMERA AT THIS TIME. Once I can affored one, I will get it and let everyone know, until then please halt with this. Thank You

 

[cgipson1]

cgipson1, I just went through the master photos (prior to the shrink to fit ones) and checked them. Only 2 are were taken while on Auto (#1 and #3). The other two were taken on Manual (#2) or Shutter Priority (#4). Furthermore, I thought you said you gave up and weren't going to follow my posts or even going to post anymore on my threads? To make it easier on me and everyone else on this thread please don't follow or post. Thank You

You are are correct.... On #2, it was shot in Manual... I apologize. But since you have one shot here in Manual, and one shot in Shutter Priority.. that merely confirms that it is not your camera holding you back (as Desi was concerned about). The camera is capable, you just need to learn to use it. What you have here are extremely bright lights in the frame, that are fooling your meter and causing massive underexposure on all of the subjects. It is a classic, well known issue that every new camera owner runs into (oh wait, sorry... you have been shooting for over 20 years.. right?). It is fairly easy to compensate for... even if you only read your Owners Manual for your camera. That is all that is needed. (see, I am still trying to help.. even though I suspect it is futile!)! happy new year!

 

[thereyougo!3]

Bills come first before camera gear. Until work picks up so my finances improve or I find a different job (Paying of course) which ever comes first, I can't upgrade yet. I keep getting told to get a new camera but I can't do it at this time. PLEASE EVERYONE, NO MORE POSTS TELLING ME TO GET A DIFFERENT CAMERA AT THIS TIME. Once I can affored one, I will get it and let everyone know, until then please halt with this. Thank You

I appreciate that. I'm not necessarily telling you to buy these NOW. Why not put aside say $10 a week. Have your own little camera fund. I'm very fortunate to not be struggling with money as my kit demonstrates, but I haven't always been in that position. If you want it enough, you will do whatever it takes. If that means saving up a few dollars a week and then seeing what is around for a few hundred dollars in say 6 months, then so be it. You will hit a wall with your photography until you do move up. In terms of night shots I believe that you have hit that wall and are still trying to keep going. I admire your determination but in the case of low light, you are flogging a dead horse. I bet if you looked hard enough you could find the 40D with a kit lens cheaper. I'm sure you have some kind of thrift store or buyback store in your town. As long as it is in reasonable condition I'm sure you could pick up a bargain IF YOU WANTED TO. Your fire service work with that last kit would move forward considerably as you could be a safe distance away and still get a great shot.

I came close to bankruptcy following another of my hobbies. Did I give up? Hell no! I found a way of putting the money aside and making sure I did what I could.

 

[cgipson1]

Hey Photo Guy, been reading your posts. Lots of drama, wish it weren't that way. Looks like you are trying and I certainly do appreciate that. I think your camera is really holding you back, especially for night-time shots. Maybe you should work more on composition and not worry too much about exposure and different camera settings for now. Your camera probably just doesn't have the capabilities to give you full control over your night-time shots. You need to use a tripod for these, but that is probably very difficult to do while working.

I don't want to get involved in any drama, but I did want to wish you a happy new year. I hope 2012 brings you (and me) growth as a photographer. Keep posting.

oh, btw....#2 brings me a sense of tension. Could be framed better and exposed better, but it does give me an emotional response.

The above represents a noob opinion, please interpret with caution.

Desi

Desi.. this model of camera has all of the usual controls.. and many of the same capabilities of a DSLR. Even with that... I would say that it is probably a little more difficult to get TOP Quality photos out of it... but it is capable of far better photos than we have see. It will do nearly as well as any low end beginner DLSR with a cheap kit lens.

 

[MTVision]

Desi.. this model of camera has all of the usual controls.. and many of the same capabilities of a DSLR. Even with that... I would say that it is probably a little more difficult to get TOP Quality photos out of it... but it is capable of far better photos than we have see. It will do nearly as well as any low end beginner DLSR with a cheap kit lens.

Exactly what I've been saying. It's not that camera. Using modes other than auto aren't going to improve your photography if you are just choosing random settings. 1/60 seems to be the go to shutter speed when PG is shooting in shutter or manual. 1/60 isn't a good shutter speed for nighttime. Like I've said before, I can't get a shutter speed of 1/60 in my house at night (with lights turned on) unless my ISO is raised pretty high.

PG - I know your sick of hearing the same thing over and over again but if you did a google search for metering modes and figured out what modes your camera has and what metering is - it'd be beneficial to your photography. As well as doing some research on the exposure triangle. Look up aperture, shutter speed and ISO and learn how they work together. It won't take very long to read about it and it's actually fairly simple. You aren't going to improve unless you put an effort in. Even looking up exposure on this forum will provably lead you to some pretty helpful information. Posting random pictures for CC is not going to teach you anything of value which has already been shown.

I already gave you all the different compositional strategies and even and assignment to work on them. You can even shoot in complete auto for those. If you really want to learn wouldn't you take advantage of all the opportunities? Composition is huge, in case you haven't noticed!

 

[photo guy]

I have been doing photos for over 20 years yes, but not with digital. Digital only about 6. Mainly snapshots up until last year when I decided I want to improve beyond basic snapshots. Since I can't upgrade until things turn around financially, I would like to make due with what I have and learn with that first.

Lets try this approach. Here is the equipment that I have at this time:

Fuji FinePix S1500 10mp w/12x optical
Kodak EasyShare M530 12mp w/ 3x optical
Targus TGT-58TR 23"-58" tripod
Targus TG-42TT 9"-42" tripod
Targus TG-GP3010 6" Gryton tripod (bendable)
Kalimar K-486 Monopod

Hope this helps as this is what I have to make due with at the time and would like to advance with these until I can afford to upgrade in the future. Thank You

 

[photo guy]

Thank you MTVision (Megan). I am getting out my books tonight and going to reread them.

 

[thereyougo!3]

Desi.. this model of camera has all of the usual controls.. and many of the same capabilities of a DSLR. Even with that... I would say that it is probably a little more difficult to get TOP Quality photos out of it... but it is capable of far better photos than we have see. It will do nearly as well as any low end beginner DLSR with a cheap kit lens.

Exactly what I've been saying. It's not that camera. Using modes other than auto aren't going to improve your photography if you are just choosing random settings. 1/60 seems to be the go to shutter speed when PG is shooting in shutter or manual. 1/60 isn't a good shutter speed for nighttime. Like I've said before, I can't get a shutter speed of 1/60 in my house at night (with lights turned on) unless my ISO is raised pretty high.

PG - I know your sick of hearing the same thing over and over again but if you did a google search for metering modes and figured out what modes your camera has and what metering is - it'd be beneficial to your photography. As well as doing some research on the exposure triangle. Look up aperture, shutter speed and ISO and learn how they work together. It won't take very long to read about it and it's actually fairly simple. You aren't going to improve unless you put an effort in. Even looking up exposure on this forum will provably lead you to some pretty helpful information. Posting random pictures for CC is not going to teach you anything of value which has already been shown.

I already gave you all the different compositional strategies and even and assignment to work on them. You can even shoot in complete auto for those. If you really want to learn wouldn't you take advantage of all the opportunities? Composition is huge, in case you haven't noticed!

As usual Megan, you're the voice of reason - not just a pretty face !

PG - As normal Megan is really putting herself out for you. Megan does this for many people and I think that the best way of showing appreciation would be to do as she suggests. If I were Megan I would be mighty pi$$ed off if I had gone to all that trouble and then you decided to ignore it. It's time to put up or shut up to use a common phrase used here in the UK. You are getting SO much help here. Saying thank you isn't enough. You have to demonstrate your gratitude. To paraphrase scripture: By your actions will you be judged.

 

[bazooka]

Heck, you can make $40 a week donating plasma. *Remember's college*

Anyway, I say don't sweat it. Do the best with what you have if you can't upgrade.

 

[RebeccaAPhotography]

Thanks blackrose89. I have a ton of day shots from the last 2 years of all different things that I can post if that would help.

Ive been avoiding your threads like white on rice, primarily to stay out of the drama. Now I'm not trying to come off rude but these photos you had taken in the past 2 yrs DID YOU properly expose them, worry about composition, your white balance? I really don't think it would help to show these photos. I really really really really (did I mention really)Think you need to study! Practice practice and practice! Take photos for a week practicing exposure THEN and only THEN post these new photos. Pick the best of the bunch. When you do post describe how you think you did? What you tried to do how you tried to do it. I'm not trying to sound mean but these are snapshots and most of the stuff you have posted are snapshots that have poor exposure and composition.