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02/03/2003 08:56:29 PM · #1 |
You know what I have learned...focus...even if purposely eliminated....will kill ya in the evaluations....no more creative focusing for me...straight shots from now on!
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02/03/2003 09:09:10 PM · #2 |
| i see tons of great shots get shot down by people who just dont understand the photo. |
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02/03/2003 09:16:17 PM · #3 |
I was at the exhibit of post-impressionist work here in Victoria this weekend, and a quote from Cezanne struck me:
"Taste is the best judge. It is rare. Art only addresses itself to an excessively small number of individuals."
I thought of this site. I find the statement to be more than a little pretentious, but there's a nugget of truth there. I fear this website is sinking my creative urges. I'm skipping the highly subjective challenges for now and only entering the ones which allow a bit more scope for interpretation. |
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02/03/2003 09:21:48 PM · #4 |
I will admit that my statement is not only pretentious but also selfish in a sense. The truth is that I feel extraordinarily frustrated by what I perceive to be a lack of openmindedness by some folks...but then again...as stated by Anthony Robbins...the communication you intend is the communication understood. Thanks folks for hearing me out!
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02/03/2003 09:30:22 PM · #5 |
| I meant that Cezanne's statement was pretentious... |
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02/03/2003 09:31:44 PM · #6 |
thanks Jimmy....i appreciate the helpful ear!
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02/03/2003 09:44:00 PM · #7 |
| No problem...from the sounds of it, even someone as talented as Paul Cezanne was frustrated by similar issues. |
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02/03/2003 09:45:36 PM · #8 |
Do you have any examples of photos with creative focusing?
I like shots with shallow depth of field when it is used to help the viewer focus on the main subject. I hate seeing shots where an object is only half in focus, for no apprent reason. That just looks like bad technique.
I personally like shots that are sharp and crisp. However I can also appreciate playing with the depth of field to achieve different effects. I saw a cool shot in a magazine (National Georgraphic?) where we were looking down a line of soldiers with machine guns at a shooting range. There were approx. 10 shooters but only one gun (maybe the third) was in focus. That was neat, and very creative.
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02/04/2003 01:12:17 AM · #9 |
hardway, I think that you should continue to do what you have been doing. As you can easily tell my photos are always in the bottom of the bunch. I don't produce photos for others I produce them for myself. I am grateful to have a place to give me subject ideas and feedback. Be true to yourself and don't change to please others...I don't believe that a ribbon is worth compromising my style.
pictures that everyone hates at //www.pbase.com/wheeler1992/wheeler1992 |
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02/04/2003 09:41:59 AM · #10 |
Sadly, a lot of my recent photos have lost marks because of focus issues. My current photo in "Before and After" uses shallow DOF on purpose, but even the part that's in focus suffered a little bit from camera shake. I was using my tripod, but I couldn't find a way to frame the main subject in the centre of the photo and crop it to look the way I wanted, so I had to end up using focus lock, holding the shutter half down, then swiveling the camera on the tripod and pressing all the way. I tried this again and again and again, and every time there was a tiny bit of shake. I thought the one I submitted was sharp enough, but I'm getting comments on it, on top of the already low score I'd normally get for having 2/3 of the photo out of focus due to my INTENTIONAL shallow DOF. Sigh.
But a lot of the time I have focus problems because I either a) shoot something outdoors without a tripod because I just don't like carrying a tripod around or b) couldn't see that the focus wasn't quite right in the LCD screen but just didn't have time to reshoot or take another photo. Everything I've done with my new camera has scored over 5 so far, and that's cool. Obviously upgrading helped me a lot. But what I'm finding is that I'll never score really high consistently unless I put a lot more time into photography, to the point that I can achieve perfection rather than settle for the best I could do in the time I had. I don't see that happening soon. |
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02/04/2003 10:28:14 AM · #11 |
lisae - I have experienced the same type of problems as you, with the same technique you are describing. Does your camera have a self-timer? I use that quite a lot when using my tripod or other surface to place the camera. I have also noticed that when the settings on the camera are not quite right, this can result in shots that look out of focus. Shutter speed, aperture, exposure, ISO, the scene's lighting - if these criteria don't jive just right with each ofther can result in shots that look soft in focus even when using a tripod. That's been my experience anyway - getting clean sharp focus is something I have to work really hard on. I think lighting is the biggest contributing factor. Does that help?
Message edited by author 2003-02-04 10:28:42.
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02/04/2003 10:37:31 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by Jacko:
Do you have any examples of photos with creative focusing? |
Here is one where the focus isn't dead on, but I think it works. Adds movement while still being very expressive... to me. Of course I think it's funny too. :D
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02/04/2003 10:40:01 AM · #13 |
That is funny picture. Gave me the chuckles. I think it would have more impact if the dog was in focus, or at least his head, and the rest blurred out ... essentially a pan shot.
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02/04/2003 10:52:06 AM · #14 |
I really like the picture, although I'll bet it was Photoshopped. To me, what sells this shot is the absense on features in the face... the eyes, the mouth, the ears drawn back for improved aerodynamics. The dogs not looking at the owner, he's just there for the ride! Haha! I really like the colors too, pretty balanced.
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02/04/2003 10:53:47 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by mcrael:
lisae - I have experienced the same type of problems as you, with the same technique you are describing. Does your camera have a self-timer? I use that quite a lot when using my tripod or other surface to place the camera. I have also noticed that when the settings on the camera are not quite right, this can result in shots that look out of focus. Shutter speed, aperture, exposure, ISO, the scene's lighting - if these criteria don't jive just right with each ofther can result in shots that look soft in focus even when using a tripod. That's been my experience anyway - getting clean sharp focus is something I have to work really hard on. I think lighting is the biggest contributing factor. Does that help? |
Thanks, but I do understand all the fundamentals of photography. On shots like my "Cafe (Soy) Latte" when the setup is straightforward, I can use my tripod with no problems, and I have time to play around with different exposures, I can get exactly the effects I want. The DOF I got on that shot was VERY satisfying. I really wanted to try some more shots to get a better turbulence effect of the 2 liquids mixing in the glass, but 3 photo shoots with about 6 shots of coffee each time was my limit!
The self timer isn't going to help when you have to hold the button down to get focus lock. The SLR camera I used to have with full manual focus was soooooo much better. One day, when I have the money, I'll get myself a digital camera that doesn't fight me! |
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02/04/2003 10:59:40 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by lisae:
The self timer isn't going to help when you have to hold the button down to get focus lock. |
Really? I set the timer first, then focus my shot as you described. The timer is activated when you press the shutter button down all the way.
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02/04/2003 11:15:48 AM · #17 |
I'm getting deja vu all over again :) Didn't we have this discussion a couple of weeks ago ? I can't find it though - maybe someone could post a link. Oh for a search feature.
Message edited by author 2003-02-04 11:18:02. |
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02/04/2003 11:18:29 AM · #18 |
Originally posted by mcrael:
Originally posted by lisae:
The self timer isn't going to help when you have to hold the button down to get focus lock. |
Really? I set the timer first, then focus my shot as you described. The timer is activated when you press the shutter button down all the way. |
LOL! It works!
As I said, I've never had a camera with focus lock before :P. I should read manuals. |
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02/04/2003 01:10:22 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by lisae:
As I said, I've never had a camera with focus lock before :P. I should read manuals. |
Read them? You should try writing them! (it's what I do for a living.....) :-)
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