Lights, camera, bud pic.

[FA$TCA$H]

very nice NV, i would guess digital camera.

 

[2Dog]

nxthis I dont think your buds need any special effects they looks great to me..I love the black background!

 

[nvthis]

nxthis I dont think your buds need any special effects they looks great to me..I love the black background!

Thanks 2dog I don't necessarily consider this to be special effects so much. More like getting out of the normalcy trap. Really, there is always better light to be had and, after a while, pics taken under HPS that come out like yellow snowcones just doesn't fire off my imagination anymore... For instance.. When I look at the BPOTM entry I did this month, it looks like the bud is practically falling out of my computer screen. That can't be bad

 

[meds4me]

With the Eyeclops its all about using something ( in my case an old desk lamp arm<?>..) for stabilization. I got mine from the salvation army store...lol
Even sitting with my kief box on my lap and taking snap shots staying steady is def a key. Lastly up-grade the stupid 5 pic usb memory card to a stand 2 gig otherwise you'll only waste alot of time up-loading pics 5 at a time... ~

 

[nvthis]

With the Eyeclops its all about using something ( in my case an old desk lamp arm<?>..) for stabilization. I got mine from the salvation army store...lol
Even sitting with my kief box on my lap and taking snap shots staying steady is def a key. Lastly up-grade the stupid 5 pic usb memory card to a stand 2 gig otherwise you'll only waste alot of time up-loading pics 5 at a time... ~

Perfect Meds! Thanks.


Macro setting on my camera..

Welcome to the trichome jungle baby

 

[Qman]

Glad you pointed me here nv.

Rule of thirds is you compose your subject 1/3 anywhere in the picture instead of right in the middle, not the law, but some things look much more interesting composed like that. Like I said it's not really a "rule" just a technique, I use it on certain things.

Tripods are a must.! Period. If you want to get clear shots of your trichs there is no way you can hold the camera still enough, no way. Your camera will pick up your breathing and give you a blurry image and bad image quality (IQ). If you have to shoot without a tripod then hold your breath when you press the shutter release to take the pic, it works, OR prop the camera/your body on a solid surface. My camera is on a tripod most the time, but that's me...

I have been taking a college course on professional photography for the past year (but, have always loved photography and had a good understanding of a camera)and I just recently upgraded my equipment (wish I had this set-up for my BPOTM pic) So here is what I run - nv saw a little part of it...

Nikon D90
Nikon 18-105 lens (my 'walkaround' lens)
Nikon 35mm f/1.8 Prime lens (great for portraits, landscapes some close ups. Love this lens)
Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens (This is the lens I use for trich shots, I can take pictures at 6" away from the subject)
Nikon SB600 remote flash - my next purchase will be a ring flash (BEST for trich shots, hands down)
Tripod, backpack, etc....
I also use a remote to trigger my shutter so I don't have to touch the camera at all, just compose the picture and hit the remote control to take the pic.

There is a couple more pieces of glass (lenses are called glass) that I want but I'm good for now

I also have a studio lighting set-up that I just got, that I'm learning how to use too....

That "Eyeclops" is a toy (at least the one I have seen) hxxp://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Eyeclops-Bionic-Eye-SE-TV-Plug-in-Microscope-toy_W0QQitemZ330389807086QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cecc45fee

Though it looks cool....

I have nothing in flower right now BUT I will look in my library for some shots I was taking with my Macro lens when I got it...

Ask whatever questions you like......

 

[Qman]

Perfect Meds! Thanks.


Macro setting on my camera..

Welcome to the trichome jungle baby

That's a good pic nv, though underexposed

 

[Qman]

Most of all, they are your pictures so have fun! There is no rules here :hubba:

 

[tcbud]

I think SM is talking about ....stoner moment here.....form and space. I dont know the rule, but in Art, you try to mirror the size of dark shapes to light shapes. If you dont, you get a lopsided feel in a picture, the same applys to photography.....

Lets look at the below picture, PIC 1. I took this as the sun was way down. I am trying to show dark/light example.
1. the first thing you should note is the dark to light. half (lets not get real picky here, about half) of the pic is in dark, it balances the light.
2. the water is semi framed in the tree and bank, drawing your eye to the center or the water.
This translates to taking pics of bud as, REMEMBER the light/dark or foreground/background ratios.

Applying that to taking a pic of the bud (Pic 2).......look at your background as you take the photo. Look behind your subject the bud. Make sure the subject is the subject, not the background competeing with the subject. Your Background can draw your eye to the subject..the bud. I just spent 15 minutes looking for a pic, I think I am still stoned from last night. This second pic, I dont know if I posted in my last journal, but note the background just makes eye draw to the background, tho the it is a pretty good shot of the bud (even tho focus and placement is right on). Therefore, not a great pic.

Comfort......feel comfortable with the pic. If dosent Feel/Look right...it prolly isnt. I am trying to say.....your eye should automaticly be drawn to the subject, not compete with background.

Also, what NV said was very true........
Take HUNDREDS of PICS. I love taking pictures, with the advent of digital cameras and computers.....I am in heaven, I take my camera into the garden almost every time I go in there. I take my camera in the truck with me, almost everytime I go somewhere. By the end of harvest, I have to take alcohol to my camera to get all the stickiness off from all the trichs.

Picture 3, this is the kind of pic I put up here as an example of how your eye is drawn. Your eye is drawn to the stake. The color of the stake is in HIGH contrast to it's surroundings. You may look at the plants, you may look at the background, but your eye is drawn to the stake. Your mind says....What the heck was she taking a pic of the stake for? I dont remember, I was stoned will be my excuse. I think I was taking the pic of the "tied" up Flo.

This would lead us into the subject of "The Subject", more on that later.

Thank you NV for inviting me to look in on this thread and post here. I hope some of what I typed made some sense. More later.

 

[nvthis]

Rule of thirds is you compose your subject 1/3 anywhere in the picture instead of right in the middle, not the law, but some things look much more interesting composed like that. Like I said it's not really a "rule" just a technique, I use it on certain things.

Tripods are a must!. Period. If you want to get clear shots of your trichs there is no way you can hold the camera still enough, no way. Your camera will pick up your breathing and give you a blurry image. If you have to shoot without a tripod then hold your breath when you press the shutter button. My camera is always on a tripod

Nikon D90
Nikon 18-105 lens (my 'walkaround' lens)
Nikon 35mm f/1.8 Prime lens (great for portraits, landscapes some close ups. Love this lens)
Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens (This is the lens I use for trich shots, I can take pictures at 6" away from the subject)
Nikon SB600 remote flash - my next purchase will be a ring flash (BEST for trich shots, hands down)
Tripod, backpack, etc....

There is a couple more pieces of glass (lenses are called glass) that I want but I'm good for now

I also have a studio lighting set-up that I just got, that I'm learning how to use too....Ask whatever questions you like......

Glad you made it Q. And thanks for keeping everything in simple English!

A few questions I have are... Can you go into a little more detail on how you like to shoot trichomes? Not necessarily in macro, but (like your BPOTM) on buds in general. What white balance settings do you like under various light conditions? And what ISO settings do you use?


TIP: If a tripod seems like a grand purchase of a luxury item, you are half right. Like Q said, it's a must. I bought mine at Walmart. It's a 4 (5??) footer with liquid level and all the whistles. I think I barely made it out of there for, like, $16. Remember that next time you bring home Micky Dees for dinner!

 

[Locked]

I didn't know tripods were that cheap...I will hve to pick one up soon...

 

[nvthis]

Tc, thanks for your input on your outdoor techniques. I am very much looking forward to hearing more on 'the subject'.

Do you use a tripod? Or just wing it on the go? Also, when shooting outdoors in lower light conditions, do you use the manual settings? Or is the auto better? (I am almost inclined to think auto as the light changes so quickly that time of day I don't think I would want to spend all my picture taking time fooling with adjustments.. But IDK)

 

[Qman]

I didn't know tripods were that cheap...I will hve to pick one up soon...

They range from 15 - 1500+ :huh:. You can find deals on eBay too..

 

[Locked]

Found this while looking on walmart website for tripods...I didn't know they made them this small....

 

[Qman]

Or is the auto better

Personally; I never use auto. If I where you I would play in the "P" (Program mode, I go here a lot too, specially if I want the camera to do most the work), "A" (Aperture mode, where I'm usually at) or "S" (Shutter mode, I go here to 'stop' action OR to add cool effects)

Learn your camera

When I have more time I will post more about ISO & WB....

And I will post some pics with Depth of Field (DoF) techniques...

 

[SmokinMom]

Hahahaha hammy. Would that even support the weight of a big DSLR?

Speaking of which, I need to learn how to operate mine.

 

[Qman]

Found this while looking on walmart website for tripods...I didn't know they made them this small....View attachment 144955

They are cute but kinda usless

 

[Locked]

Very cool info guys and gals....I will be the first one to say I pretty much know nothing about using my camera beyond the basics...thanks for the info

 

[Qman]

I will have fun with this thread and try to keep everything in simple English for all us stoners...

 

[nvthis]

Very cool info guys and gals....I will be the first one to say I pretty much know nothing about using my camera beyond the basics...thanks for the info

Hey, a thousand thanks Qman!

Hammy, hold on to your hat bro, 'cause if this thread does as it was intended, we'll all be much better off!