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01-21-2016, 12:19 PM - 2 Likes   #496
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When shooting with a macro lens, try increasing the f-stop to f/11 - f/22. This is probably the simplest tip for macro shots, allows the subject to be more in-focus depending how close, how far, and lighting conditions.

f/16, 100m, iso 3200, 1/15s w. tripod.


01-21-2016, 02:04 PM   #497
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QuoteOriginally posted by Saltwater Images Quote
Eliminate shutter lag and shoot sports and/or action with Pentax!!!

I always struggled with shooting action. The lag between obtaining accurate autofocus and fully releasing the shutter often resulted in more missed shots than good ones. There are a couple of things you want to do:
1) Choose your fastest AF lens (I like the HD DA 70 for football to shoot from the sidelines when coaching).
2) Go into your camera menu, under camera settings go to button customization.
3) Enable the AF button. Disable shutter half-press for AF.
3) If you have a K-5II ensure the AF switch is on AFC.
4) Use your thumb to hold the AF button while panning on a moving target.
5) Squeeze the shutter to capture your moving target - in focus!

Using method I only miss AF on 1 in 4 shots!
So you recommend the 70mm f2.4 for action shots?
01-21-2016, 02:13 PM - 1 Like   #498
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Be comfortable, be safe and be aware of your environment and your situation.
Know the limits of your equipment - especially your camera and especially yourself.
The less you have to think about where you are and what you're doing - the more time you have to compose and take photographs.
Make sure you keep two copies of everything you take - particularly if it's important. This includes batteries and memory cards as well as the photos!
Relax and have fun.
01-21-2016, 03:49 PM - 1 Like   #499
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  • In my opinion when taking pictures that are used for stiching it is important to set the White Balance manually, otherwise the colors might not match.
  • If the lighting situations allow it I prefer M mode and use the same settings for all pictures but stitching softwares (such as Hugin) usually do a good job at matching slightly different exposures.
  • When you have the sun in your panorama make sure it is as far away from the overlapping image sections as possible or you get major troubles with the starburst.




Last edited by othar; 01-21-2016 at 05:53 PM.
01-21-2016, 04:37 PM - 1 Like   #500
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35mm

If you do not know well to take pictures so you should try to shoot the film. The film is flexible and photos of the film looks amazing.
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01-21-2016, 04:39 PM - 1 Like   #501
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Capture moving subject as if it's standing still

Recently I was in the Santa Barbara area and was on a whale watching boat tour. Seagulls were following the boat. Since the relative speed of the boat and the seagulls was about the same it was like the flying bird was standing still and posing while in flight. Trying to capture the fight of birds can be tricky but when you are both going in the same direction and at the same speed, the end result can be quite interesting and settings become less of an issue and the actual picture content becomes the focal point.
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Last edited by MRCDH; 01-21-2016 at 04:57 PM.
01-21-2016, 05:30 PM   #502
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Not award-winning (or lens-winning in this case) advice here, but if you're playing around with portraits and find yourself wanting to make your photos stand out, I would highly recommend a 5-in-1 reflector. Undoubtedly the best $20 that I have spent on lighting solutions, or even photography in general.

01-21-2016, 10:05 PM   #503
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QuoteOriginally posted by hoosierdome Quote
Got to get up and get out for the shots
Amen to that! My biggest problem is that I'm stuck in a metropolis surrounded by beautiful mountains that I just can't seem to find the time to explore.
01-21-2016, 10:21 PM - 4 Likes   #504
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Go Oldschool

I recommend to every photographer to at least once in their life try developing their pictures by hand themselves. Get a camera (mine is a Chinon which I found for 30€ on ebay including a Pentax 50mm lens), get film and experience shooting on film, I kept looking on the camera being so used to see the picture I snapped from digital cameras. The go to a dark room an develop the film, oh it is very exciting to get it out in complete darkness and roll it onto a coil. After your film has dried you can try and see if any of the 36 pictures are good. Mix the fluids and then comes the photo editing part. so after the picture finished developing you can see if you messed any of the steps up and if not be rewarded with the hard work your did with your own hands.
I spent 10h in darkness and red light and I would do it again in a heartbeat, these shots are special to me and to be honest some of the best I've taken.

So do yourself the favour if you have the opportunity and develop your own pictures.

am I allowed to give more tips? How does this work?
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01-21-2016, 10:24 PM   #505
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I think people who look for advice on photography are beginners. I bought my first DSLR (K30) 3 Years ago and I've been shooting much as I can, mostly my dog at home lol. If I could tell a beginner one thing to help them would be to forget about gear and subject matter. Just shoot everything and anything in manual mode when ever you can. Because eventually you will run into a moment you want to capture and you will know exactly what to do.
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01-22-2016, 12:59 AM   #506
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I echo Marko's comments. Using bird calls to attract birds is unethical, possibly harmful to the birds and it gives the rest of us a bad name.
01-22-2016, 06:16 AM - 1 Like   #507
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Buy a trip instead of new equipment. Nothing will give you more inspiration.
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01-22-2016, 06:45 AM - 2 Likes   #508
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Love the Pentax RAW files

Most of you will already know this tip but for me its a recent ah-ha moment. I use cameras since a long time but I recently (less than 2 years ago) discovered how much more I can get out of Pentax RAW files rather than JPEGs. Prior to that I was scared of the larger files and slower post-processing but with today's technology and software there is really no reason to avoid it any longer. Plus we have a choice between PEF and DNG formats for those who care.

And post-processing software isn't always expensive. I've used Corel Aftershot Pro 2 and Photo Director 5 on Windows but now I'm fully sold to Darktable (Linux for me, maybe Mac for others). A very powerful beast but pretty fast and by using a few "styles" that I tweaked I can post-process many photos in one go.

Last edited by Luc More; 01-22-2016 at 06:56 AM. Reason: add a picture
01-22-2016, 07:16 AM   #509
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Look for good lights and strong compositions. Exclude everything not important. So you should be at the right place (exactly at that inch) at the right time (that exact second) if you haven't got a studio.
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01-22-2016, 10:32 AM - 1 Like   #510
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Photographing the moon, use uv-filter.
It may sound like an overkill at night, but it's the other way around.
Uv-rays from the sun are reflected on the moon, and the shorter the wavelength, the more it tends to diffuse.
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