[komi0711]

Up for it

[Manitoulin]

1. The Pentax Q series, with an extreme crop factor, is an excellent choice for microscopy.
2. Unlike larger sensors that force you to crop, Qs do not have a circular field of view on a microscope!!!
3. To truly fill out your kit of lenses you can find a 2000x microscope, and proper adapters for your Q online for as little as 200-250.
4. This is a photo of gradations, each only 10 microns apart on a stage micrometer used to calibrate your measurements!
5. Get out there and find some spores to document.

[bobbotron]

Always carry a small beanbag in your camera bag. If you don't have your tripod along, but need to steady your camera, you can place the beanbag on a fence post, rock, sidewalk, hood of your car, etc., and rest your camera on top. The beanbag shapes itself to the rough, uneven, or angled surface, and protects your camera & lens as well.

This is quite brilliant, thanks for sharing that tip! :-)

[tonver]

Always check the results in your camera screen carefully you can waste an opportunity by for example taking a picture with a polarizing filter thru a window that is also polarized and will show color patterns not shown in the viewfinder. It happened to me in a trip to the middle east and ruined a series of pictures taken from a train.

[derickhopkins81]

I would use the term photographer loosely with myself. I don't have the technical or composition skills of others so my one piece of advice is just to get out and do it. The process of doing something you love is the reward, and if you happen to create that image that conveys everything you want it to at the end then the experience is just that much sweeter. For example I almost didn't go out the day I took the attached picture, then almost didn't take the camera. Glad I did because I love this photo. You can create photos if you don't go in the first place.

[jasonson]

Hi guys and gals,

I had a few extra pawn shop straps and turned them into wrist straps:

Pen1.jpg - Cut your old necky to about 18" and thread through the keeper (righty for me).

Pen2.jpg - Fused the fuzzy frays with a lighter

Pen3.jpg, Pen4.jpg, Pen5.jpg - Enjoy (hopefully) not dropping your camera as I would have done many times without my "custom' Pentax wrist strap

Thanks PF and members - it's been 13 months since I stumbled here, just about to buy a T5i, and I couldn't be more happy & proud of my cameras.

[Opethian]

Tried and true method of taking photos at the right moment is having something to take the moment with. Regardless of the camera, bring one.

So here's to Pentax collaborating again with Samsung in making a Pentax smartphone!

[Erictator]

One more tip:


Compile this thread by printing it to PDF, and saving it to your hard drive so you will have all these great tips locally in a searchable format.


Tool at top right of thread page to show all on one page.


Eric

[DeepThrob]

Some years ago I read a piece that opined photography was mostly capturing images colorful shapes. I scoffed, but some where along the way I realized that if my photograph was more than that, I was having a very, very good day

[Scarface666]

If you buy Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art or any similarly heavy lens, you may find it difficult to carry around for longer period. I have found this gadget on some ebay-like chinese site and I gave it a try and I don't regret it
Thanks to this gadget I could carry 1500g of K-50 + Sigma for hours when shooting kids during xmas party at work without any strain. I find it more practical than some neck/shoulder straps/belts I tried before.

[dkdivot28]

Under exposed rhododendron pictures.

[starrhunter]

If you're having trouble with autofocus and off-center objects: When taking a close up shot of something, if you have auto focus on, you can center the item in your screen, press (but don't press all the way) the shoot button to focus on the object, then switch to manual focus and you can put the object of interest anywhere in the frame (instead of just in the center) before you take the picture. This is a nice little trick that ensures good focus if you're not good at manual focus or just don't feel like it. I find this to be helpful when shooting outside when there are many objects in the FOV such as leaves and branches and flowers.

[Zephos]

Ok, guys, try this: mount the camera on a tripod, choose your frame and then take a photo of the model. Don't move the camera and tell the model to sit in another area of the frame, and then take another photo. Import the two images into Photoshop, so they form two layers and then use the rubber tool to erase the area of the frame (in the top layer) so you can also see the model in the second photo. Voila! You now have a photo with the model's "twin"!

Love it! I'm totally going to do this with a prop or something.

[mosoko]

This was taken on the saddle at Hamilton Mountain, overlooking Table Mountain in Skamania County, Washington.
Be safe when hiking in ice/snowy conditions, and keep your extra batteries warm or they may not function properly.

[repurban]

Make a macro studio from a plastic container. Cut two openings in the container. Use external flash in slave mode as shown in picture. Nice evenly spread light inside the container. Also shield from wind.