The Photographers thread: Show us your stuff!!

[Matt]

More Happy Halloween:

I love your street photography. I love the un-posed spur-of-the-moment everyday people shots that you take. I've never done that type of photography. In my photographic world, people don't exist -- it's just animals and landscapes, though sometimes there's a silhouette or city skyline. So I have a good degree of appreciation for this kind of photography, and just capturing people as they are, forever preserved in that one moment.

I looked at the zoo map for your Central Park zoo, and you have some great animals there -- though your photography of the people at the zoo might be more interesting!

[Christopher]

Are you close, Christopher? I know you're in Ohio, but not sure what city. In any case, it's a great zoo -- and as adults, I think we can appreciate the zoo more than kids, if we allow our inner child to enjoy it.  I don't think kids would get how rare it is to see these animals in person when they're as young as they are. To them, the goat in the zoo's petting zoo is as novel as seeing the snow leopard. But as we get older, we appreciate that some of these animals are near extinction, and that we miss out on how gorgeous our planet is if we don't see them. There's this quote from Rocky, Christopher you may know it -- so I won't quote it yet -- where Rocky is going to take Adrian on their first date, and the local mob boss's bodyguard tells Rocky where to take her and why.  It's a funny quote, and it runs through my mind at least once when I go to the zoo. It's a laughable quote because it's ridiculous, but I think a lot of adults miss out on seeing these things because they're thought to be more for kids. The Cincy zoo has beer and wine sales. So, grab a camera, and go. It's a great day!

I'm a bit north of Dayton so Cincinnati isn't a bad drive--two hours maybe. I've been to the Columbus zoo a few times as an adult (I did go as a kid too). I also went to the Toledo zoo as a kid.

And I think I know the line from Rocky you're thinking about.

[KC]

If you're still having fun, how about this one? There's no scale included to see the size, but they are about 2.5 to 3 feet long.

I guess no one else is taking this one, so I will, though I partially cheated. I knew I had seen them in zoos myself, I had admired their rectangularity. But I couldn't remember their name, so I looked up "Rodents" in Wikipedia and got to it that way.

They are capybaras, "the largest living rodent in the world," according to Wiki. (And who would want to be confronted with the largest dead rodent?  )

[KC]

I love your street photography. I love the un-posed spur-of-the-moment everyday people shots that you take. I've never done that type of photography. In my photographic world, people don't exist -- it's just animals and landscapes, though sometimes there's a silhouette or city skyline. So I have a good degree of appreciation for this kind of photography, and just capturing people as they are, forever preserved in that one moment.

Thanks! I love street photography, but I'm too shy to do much of it. When I took the Halloween pictures, though, everyone was happy to have me do it, so maybe I'll be encouraged to do more in the future.

[Matt]

They are capybaras, "the largest living rodent in the world," according to Wiki. (And who would want to be confronted with the largest dead rodent?  )

Correct, of course. That link you posted had some interesting information. Apparently, capybara sightings are common in Florida (never saw one in all the years I lived there).  Another interesting factoid -- they're pictured on a Uruguayan coin, which has to make them the only rodent featured on currency.

[KC]

Correct, of course. That link you posted had some interesting information. Apparently, capybara sightings are common in Florida (never saw one in all the years I lived there).  Another interesting factoid -- they're pictured on a Uruguayan coin, which has to make them the only rodent featured on currency.

[Matt]

  Rats!

[Jed Cooper]

This is one of the best, most interesting off topic threads here on the CE Forum.  Lots of great images.
I haven’t been to Maine since August and stopped to take these in Windham.  The weather was nice, a little cold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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[Matt]

You live in a really picturesque area, so you're really lucky to have so much opportunity for great photography. I do like these pics a lot, but I notice that when you zoom in, you see more grain and they're a bit out of focus. Are these taken from the iPad, or your phone?  Maybe you could put a camera on your Christmas list. I'm not criticizing at all, or I hope it doesn't sound that way. But, a camera will really help you develop your eye and you'll get better results too.

[Jed Cooper]

Thanks, Matt.  No, man, no offense taken, none at all.  I use my iPhone so yeah, maybe I’ll try keeping my iPad handy going forward.  Thanks for the advice.  Glad you like the pics.


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[KC]

Does the iPad have a better camera than the iPhone? I suppose it would depend on the model for each.

[Matt]

Quality probably isn't going to be much different between iPad and iPhone. What I meant to say to Jed Cooper is that since you like photography, and you live in such a beautiful area, get a camera... not one connected to a phone or tablet. Not only will it help you develop your eye just by looking through the lens, but you'll get better results. If you go with a DSLR, you'll be able to get extra creative with your camera. But, even just a point-and-shoot camera will give better results.

[Matt]

On my way back from Alaska, I had a few hours layover in Seattle. I only had a few hours, and there wasn't much time to explore the area, but I knew the spots I wanted to hit, so stuck with those. Seattle was beautiful, and I'm convinced that I was there on the most beautiful day Seattle ever had, and the most beautiful sunset anyone there has ever seen. It was pure luck, and it will go down as one of my favorite photography days ever.


This is from Kerry Park, the best vantage point to view two iconic figures in one shot: one man-made, the other not:



The only thing I could have wished for on this little layover was that the crane ruining my shot wasn't there that day. But, oh well...

This view was from the highway where there was a traffic jam. With traffic completely stopped, I had time to get a few shots of the Great Wheel.



Mt. Rainier from Seacrest Park:



I'll save a few for another post. I'm running low on photos to share. 

[KC]

No, no, the crane in that first shot is great! It provides a pure horizontal to contrast with all the verticals, and helps organize the composition between the natural (trees in left lower foreground, mountain in right middle background) and the man-made (the cityscape proper). It's a great photo.

[Matt]

No, no, the crane in that first shot is great! It provides a pure horizontal to contrast with all the verticals, and helps organize the composition between the natural (trees in left lower foreground, mountain in right middle background) and the man-made (the cityscape proper). It's a great photo.

   Thanks for your unique viewpoint and your artistic and intelligent way of looking at this shot (a great combination). You've helped me like it a little better.

This is the same park (Seacrest Park) as the last photo in the post above. I had these two spots in mind for photographing the skyline and wanted to shoot both spots in day and night lighitng. So after getting Kerry Park in daylight, I came back to Seacrest Park for day shots, and stayed until the city lights came on. As I wrote above, I saw the most beautiful sunset I believe Seattle has ever had.









A couple more shots still to come...

[KC]

That was a gorgeous sunset! And the silhouetted guy with the pipe in the next to last shot makes it really special.

One more thing about the shot with the crane in it: It ties that view to a specific moment in time. Nowadays practically any photograph of a recognizable scene is like thousands of others that thousands of other people with cameras have shot over a period of months or years or decades ... in the case of natural features and the world's great man-made monuments, centuries even. Well, no more than a century and a half or so, if we're talking photographs, but you get the idea. That view of Mount Rainier from Kerry Park, for instance ... without half trying, I found these:

View of Mt Rainier from Kerry Park

But that crane was lying athwart that view only for a brief moment of the historical record. And you captured it.

[Jed Cooper]

Naples, Maine.  Earlier today.  First time using my iPad to take photos.  Not sure how much space these would take up, I chose the smallest size when posting.  This is where my dad spent his last days and I’m in the process of selling. 


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[Matt]

 

I think this is your best shot yet. Nice composition. You have an interesting subject (the cabin) and good focus. Nice framing with the snow flocked trees.

[Jed Cooper]

Thank you. 🙂


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[Matt]

I think it's more of a matter of needing dark skies to see them ... The sky is too light in the far north in the summer months. But auroras can occur year-round.

https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/the-science-of-the-northern-lights/the-best-time-to-see-the-northern-lights

I've had thoughts of taking a journey to northern Scandinavia in the winter just to try to see them, but then ... you can never be sure if they're going to show up, and then the sky has to be clear, as well.

KC! I've got great news for you!

From an email I got today:

Winter Norway - Northern Lights Promise:  Winter is a special time to explore Norway's pristine, wild landscapes. The ground is covered in pure-white snow and the air is fresh, crisp, and pure. Clusters of cozy houses glow on the shores like embers. In winter you’ll also get the Northern Lights Promise: For 12-day Classic Roundtrip voyages from November through February, Hurtigruten is so confident that the Northern Lights will make an appearance that if they don't appear during your cruise, they will give you a 6- or 7- Classic Voyage free of charge for the following winter season.

More info here:

https://www.cruisenorway.com/explore/12-day-round-trip-coastal-norway-from-hurtigruten?utm_source=cc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cc-email-cnsolotraveler120218

Exactly what is needed:   A guarantee! Do it!