New here.

[arktos88]

Hello all, just thought I'd drop in here to say hello to the community. I'm generally interested in photography but also too broke to get a good camera of my own (i'm eyeing a 450D kit next year), so I'm using a very basic point and shoot camera model. The Samsung i8. Veeeeery basic, but somehow it manages to suprise me sometimes with it's results, although I'd prefer more control over what happens.

That said, I'm still very much an infant in the photography world. Would hope to learn alot more stuff here, already learnt a bit heh. I do have a flickr account at

www.flickr.com/photos/arkky

Although the below image is very over-exposed at the railing area (with a bit of lens flare too), I think it's my best shot. Well, can't really call it mine since the camera was set at full-auto. 6 sec exposure. I think the windblast from the train shook the camera a bit, the lights on one of the buildings got uh.. blur lines? Don't know what to call it.



Friend said I could touch up a bit, but I don't know how to touch up photos. Any pointers to get me started? I have CS2.

Oh yeah. More about myself.

I'm just a sai-kang warrior serving his 'term' in the cage we call NS. Heh. Decided to post here, as I'm on orderly duty and I have nothing to do right now, other than prepare to go to sleep.

Heh.

 

[night86mare]

one thing you learn fast in photography -

exposure is important, overdo it, blownout highlights cannot be recovered
underdo it, underexposed shadow details can be recovered easier than blown highlights but still end up introducing a lot of grain to the picture

nothing much you can do here - except to reshoot it. you can perhaps do some snazzy effects to improve the picture, i won't deny that.. but this isn't a "once in a lifetime" shot and definitely can be replicated with a better exposure result.. so.. do it again!

 

[arktos88]

Thanks for the advise! What kind of effects do you mean?

This camera, cannot expect much bah, not much manual functions. only got WB, ISO.. those two are the only things i can remember. No av/tv.

I agree with your statement though, i will try this shot again when I go pick up my rental 450D, that's if I manage to rent it lah hehe.

Good night, time for sleep!

 

[forward83]

I'm new here too...
I think the best is to shoot more and practise more...
Night86mare advice is good to try and replicate and improve but like you said, you don't have much control with your camera settings so :think:
why include the railing? I find it quite a distraction and don't appreciate the effect it brings...enlighten me?

 

[arktos88]

Was trying to get the camera to use a faster shutter speed, and 6s was the fastest it would give me. If not the camera put 8s, lagi worse lol.

 

[calebk]

Was trying to get the camera to use a faster shutter speed, and 6s was the fastest it would give me. If not the camera put 8s, lagi worse lol.

You mean..slower shutter speed right?

 

[gymak90]

Why would 8s be worse? Unless you weren't using a tripod? Because you 'compensate' it with a smaller aperture.

I think it would be better if the railings are not in the picture. I would also prefer to see part of the train head, rather than just streaks of light. That can be done with precise timing or rear sync flash.

 

[arktos88]

No tripod, I used some railing as support. My camera function very limited, flash only got red eye, normal flash. I will do a better shot of this when I can get my hands on a better camera. MeanwhileI'll just lurk around and pick up tips from all the pros here.

 

[arktos88]

My camera no rear-sync flash, haha. I wonder if it's okay to take a flash photo of the train head, might blind the driver or something =/

Anyway I've been going out more taking photographs, and here are a few that I think are okay. I still have a lot to learn and advise is greatly appreciated. Again, using my point and shoot. Sorry, alot of images.







Couldn't get a shot of the flag in full view as the wind was not in my favor.










Took a lot more, but not posted here. on my flickr album. Did some pp also, mainly adjust saturation higher and turn it black and white..

 

[John E]

Great shot. All the technicalities aside, you have captured the raw emotion of speed and anxiety of close proximity. You recalled academy award was also won by grainy and shaky shots, capturing the raw and honest emotion of the subject. This is better than a lot of shots I seen, of shots just on mundance carpark with hugh debate on WB,ISO,sharpness etc. The artistic talent part cannot be gain much from all these technical analysis. It comes from inside, and I think you got potential for it. Keep it up.

Cheers,
John

 

[John E]

Hi Arktos88,

To analyse further, again, I think it is a great shot. The fast moving train on the right and the the peaceful housing block in the background on the left, creating a great contrast of static peace and dynamic speed, accentuated by the segregation by the railing in between. The emotion of raw speed was translated to you as the railing in front in the foreground, bounded you in the boundary of the speeding trains, capturing all the emotion of raw speed and anxiety.

That is just my humble interpretation.

Great shot again!!

 

[aselley]

Like you I am new here and find "stalking" the forums a good way to get both compositional inspiration and the technical "know how" for replication. Everyone here seems to just advise "shoot more" and I guess its good advice, but I think one needs also to think a little more before the finger goes crazy.

I also think that before you get your 450D learning to milk everything you can from your P&S is a great idea to get a grip on what makes a good photo, instead of relying on simple equipment, especially since the one thing I seem to find here is the amount of post production that is being done on the photos is a little over the top, almost to the point that Photoshop skills makes up for average photography skills. So I would recommend focusing on getting the photo with the camera rather than with the computer at home.

I really like the two black and white photos of the Fullerton they evoke a very film Noir look reminiscent of a Humphrey Bogart movie and you can almost picture a set that includes men in long overcoats and women being pursued by lurking shadows. So well done and thanks for giving me some inspiration for a possible future set.