Colorful Sunset

My Photo of the Week

 

 

 

 

 

The 10 Freeway at the West Boulevard Overpass, Los Angeles, CA

The Galleries

Just a reminder to remember to keep checking the galleries for updated/added photos and new galleries of photo shoots I go on, especially the Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D gallery as there will be tons of photos added in the next coming days and/or weeks.  If you notice that the other galleries are not being updated as often or not at all, don’t worry.  It’s only because I am either not using those cameras as much, or I haven’t gotten around to uploading the photos, or I don’t have the camera anymore, in which case it either got sold, given away or I gave it to my daughter.  But keep checking back, and I really appreciate all of you who are visiting and following my blog regularly.  You are appreciated in every way.

Cheers.

Ready for a New Photo Book

Some of you may know that I’ve been toying around with the idea of publishing my first photo book.  I think over the years I’ve taken some really good pictures.  I mean, for someone who is merely an amateur in the field, I’ve managed to get some shots that have worthy of high compliments.  Like some of the sunsets and sunrise shots I’ve taken, I have had people literally ask me if they could buy them.  To me that speaks volumes.  So, after my most recent experiences behind the camera, I’ve decided to go ahead and finish the photo book I started and set it off for publication.  The title?  I’ve toyed around with a few titles, but like I said after my most recent experiences behind the camera, the one title that just keeps sticking out in my mind is “From Behind the Lens.”

It’s shots like this that really make me want to show case my “raw” talent for photography, show just how serious I am about this hobby that is growing in epic proportions, and just dive in and learn all that I can about it.

As I am in my 40′s I believe I have one last shot to make this work.  Build this to where I can actually become known for some of the photos that I take.  Not necessarily saying I want this to be something that I do professionally, but I would like to have that professional background so that if I was ever asked to  do a photo shoot, it would be something that I could do comfortably.

So, “From Behind the Lens” is currently being put together.  Some of the photos are being tweaked for a more sharper look, and I am just excited this time around.  The very first photo book I did, well, it didn’t really go anywhere.  I guess I didn’t market it to the right audience or that it just didn’t have that feel of being a well put together book.  I think this time around “From Behind the Lens” will go in a positive direction.  And proceeds from the sale of the book will solely go towards funding other photographic projects and the purchase of camera equipment to build me a small, but nice studio for expanding in photography.

With that said, keep your eyes open for “From Behind the Lens.”  If you’re interested in buying the book and seeing all what’s inside, you can email me and I’ll put you on the list.  The cost of the book will be $35, just in case anyone asks.

Anyway, I’m off to see what more I can get into with my camera.  Happy photographing to all my friends and family.

What’s Next on the Canon Horizon

As I am finally growing into my Canon, I think it’s time to start thinking about expanding in my photographic endeavors, become more daring in my shots, and fully settle into mindset of focusing on the not so much as getting the best shot, but what goes in to getting the good shot.

I never pursued photography as an avenue I wanted to venture into, but as I get older, and the more I have a camera in my hands, the more I want to do with it and take it beyond just being a hobby.

Although I’m loving my XS/1000D, I am exploring other cameras that are on the market, Canons, of course.  So far what is catching my eye are the T3i and the 7D.  Now the 7D offers the following:

And, the EOS 7D takes video recording to a whole new level, recording footage in Full HD resolution and offering an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting. Plus, the camera is encased in a durable magnesium body that stands up to dust and inclement weather, meaning you can shoot without limits. From Canon.

• Includes EOS 7D body; 28-135mm lens; battery; charger; A/V, USB cables; eye cup; neck strap; two booklets
• 18 megapixels
• High-sensitivity/resolution, large single-plate CMOS sensor
• Canon EF lens mount
• Dust deletion
• 3″ diagonal TFT color LCD monitor
• Intelligent eye-level pentaprism viewfinder, 100% field of view, wide viewing angle, high magnification, overlaid LCD display
• Live View modes
• Dual DiGIC 4 processors
• 3:2 aspect ratio
• RGB primary color filters
• 19-point, all cross-type AF system
• AF subject tracking, area selection modes
• iFCL metering, 63 zone dual-layer metering sensor with selectable modes
• ISO up to 6400/expandable to 12,800
• 8fps continuous shoot
• Retractable, auto pop-up flash
• Advanced movie mode; manual exposure control, selectable frame rates
• Dust-, weather-resistant magnesium body
• Up to 150,000 shutter cycles
• PictBridge-, DPOF-compatible
• CF I/II card slot
• USB 2.0, HDMI mini ports
• Video out
• Measures approximately 5-3/4″ x 4-3/8″ x 2-7/8″

This is everything I’m looking for in a camera.  It also has an 18 megapixel CMOS sensor that combines with two DiGIC 4 image processors to render can’t-miss moments simply stunning–and so true-to-life.  Are you kidding me?  This is a new photographer’s dream!  And get this, it has snap shots at speeds of up to 8fps, and captures the subtle nuance of every scene.  A state-of-the-art 19-point, all cross-type AF system ensures sharp focus in every situation.   The camera is designed to boost it’s full advanced range of photography.

What I am looking for in a camera is range of settings, image stability and quality and an advanced range of features.  And this camera offers that.  The T3i also offers HD features and a video feature that is what the XS/1000D does not have.   The T3i is an 18MP CMOS Digital SLR.  The camera offers its cutting-edge 1080p Full HD movie mode gives you greater creative freedom with Movie Digital zoom and Video Snapshot features for enhanced movie shooting options. From Canon:    

 

• Includes Rebel T3i body, EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS lens, eyecup, wide strap, battery pack, battery charger, USB cable, A/V cable, EOS Digital Solution disc, and manual
• 18 megapixels
• High-sensitivity, high-resolution, large, single-plate CMOS sensor
• 3″ diagonal TFT color LCD monitor, seven-level brightness control
• Live View function
• Eye-level pentamirror viewfinder
• Dust deletion feature
• DiGIC IV image processor
• 3:2 aspect ratio
• 3.7 fps continuous shooting
• RGB primary color filter
• Nine-point TTL-CT-SIR auto focus
• Five focus modes
• AF assist beam
• Program AE
• 10 exposure control settings
• 63-zone TTL full-aperture metering
• ISO sensitivity to 6400
• Color temperature control
• Eight picture style modes
• 11 custom modes with 34 settings
• Built-in flash
• Multiple self-timers
• 1080p Full HD video mode
• PictBridge-enabled
• SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot
• USB 2.0 interface
• Measures approximately 5″L x 4″W x 3″H

So in comparison, I think these two camera present a greater opportunity for me to advance in taking enhanced photos on a professional level.  This would be another good investment, but it’s still some time off before I can even think about making a major purchase on this capacity, especially with my daughter getting ready to go to the 12th grade.  I still have plenty of time to get the full use out of my XS/1000D.  I just thought I’d let you all in on what my long-term goals are in terms of photography.

The Water Shots

After spending the past couple of years trying to figure out how photographers get those great water shots, I finally managed to find out what they do to achieve those shots and all it took was for me finally make up my mind to buy the book that provides tons of information on how to set my Canon to specific settings using the right lens to get the “money” shot.

The name of the book I ordered is “Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D Digital Field Guide” by Charlotte K. Lowrie.  I read part of chapter 9 online.  The chapter provides detailed information on shooting images in low light and shooting night shots.  The information was enough for me to order the book.

To be honest, this should have been the first book I bought instead of “David Busch’s Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D Guide to Digital SLR Photography” by David D. Busch, which I currently have now.  It’s good for understanding and becoming familiar with the camera, lenses, and various functions of the camera, but it’s too technical and doesn’t provide too much information on settings usage, which is what I needed and probably why it’s taken me this long to learn how to use manual settings.

So, in the short time I’ve had the new book, this was my first water shot using a 18-55mm lens.  But rather than have the f-stop set at f/2.8 (because of the lens), I had the setting on f/4.0, the lowest the lens would go.  Just trying it out to see if I could achieve a good enough water shot and get an overall feel for how it’s done.

Just last week I read on the internet how setting the camera on certain settings and using a specific lens like 100mm, can give it a smooth silky appearance.  I think I printed out that information to use for future reference for when I get the 100mm lens.

Overall I took about thirty shots (if not more) to get really good ones, but these were probably the best three, and basically that’s what I generally do — take tons of photos just to get one or two good ones.

Quickly, I remember my daughter and I were having a conversation (which we have many) and this particular time I was reading something where I said I was not an artist, but then as we were reading through some papers she said, “but mom, you’re a poet and you take really good pictures…that sort of makes you an artist.”  But to be frank I never looked at it like that before. I just like writing aspiring to be a great author, and I enjoy taking pictures and hope to become a really good photographer and publish my own photo books someday.

Ok, back to the water shots.  So, I switched over to use my 50mm lens, the 75-300mm couldn’t do the shots I wanted.  I set the f-stop down to f/2.8 and came up with this dynamite shot.  My ISO is set on 100 and I set the speed to 1/200 second, according to what the book stated for obtaining the best shot.

I cropped both pictures you see here to try to bring up the clarity and depth of the water images.  My white balance was set to flash, but I probably should have left it on tungsten — the shot might have been much lighter, but I like it all the same.  Hopefully you can see the detail as I tried to define it in this shot by cropping it.  But let me tell you, pouring water with one hand and shooting with the other is not an easy thing to do, especially in the position I was standing.

Here’s another shot I took that I really like.  It may seem a little too dark, but I like it all the same…has that look of being at a lake just as it got dark.  Know what I mean?

I h-a-d to crop this shot because I managed to get the drops just where I wanted them.

If you noticed, in my first water shot I was using a white bowl.  Well, I have stainless steel sinks and thought to get a black and white affect I should use my stainless steel bowl (or no bowl at all) in the sink.  To me, it worked to perfection.  And believe it or not I had my flash on, and was on continuous shooting as the water was falling from the faucet; I was shooting until I could get the right shot I was looking for.

I actually like this shot, too, because it seems like it has a smooth silky look to it.  Yes, I cropped this one down, too, because I wanted to draw attention to the detail of the water and the blurred background at the same time.

I am still playing around with capturing good water images and other photos in general, and various settings on my camera, so you can expect there to be more photos on this blog as time goes by and I become more comfortable and familiar with using manual settings as opposed to full auto focus.  Keep checking this blog for updated galleries and new posts relating to the Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D.

The new book is a really good and detailed resource for me to really learn how to unleash the power within my Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D.  In 2012 or 2013 I plan to upgrade to a more advanced model.  Until then, I’m going to get the most out of my camera.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Exposure Data:
ISO:  100
Aperture: f/2.8
Speed:  1/200 second

Shooting the Moon

Surprisingly I’m not the only one on a quest for the perfect shot of the moon.  One will have to admit that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, on a clear and crisp night, the moon can be an amazing view beyond being worthy of being photographed .  

I made several attempts to get a rather decent shot of the moon.  It’s been my goal every since I purchased my DSLR three years ago.  This time I used the internet as my resourceful tool to find workable settings as well as to get used to using manual settings on my Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D and not rely so much on auto settings.  

For this shot I used a tripod for a steady shot and a 75-300mm f/5.6 lens.  For my settings I used a focal length of 300, set my ISO at 100, used the f/5.6, and set my speed at 1/200.  I used a weighted metering, cropped it to bring it closer and I have shot my best moon ever.  Of course these settings were for the T1i, they seemed to give me a little more than what I’ve been getting.

Not bad for using a 75-300mm f/5.6 lens.  But I think I could have gotten an even better shot using a 500mm lens or a 650-1300mm lens, understanding that the overall settings would be a little different given the extended focal length.

When I shot the super moon in March 2011 my camera was set on auto using automatic outdoor settings.  This was the first time I used the camera and the lens to that extent.  It took me over 35 shots to get at least one or two good shots.  Fortunately weather conditions made for clear skies which made shooting the moon  a spectacular event for me.

My first shot of the moon was taken a few years ago early in the evening before the sun went down.  I used a Kodak z712 IS.  I just purchased a new lens with an adapter.  I zoomed the lens out, used automatic outdoor settings, a little touching up and the finishing product of the shot left me feeling good.

I have discovered a wealth of information for finding good settings and very useful tips and suggestions for getting good shots of the moon.