Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Not a very good pic because I had to snap it quickly. It's unusual though, I've never seen a goldfinch attack a robin before.

Click to see full-size image.

[david3103]

12 x zoom hand held is pretty tricky and there's no horrible camera shake going on there, did you have the image stabilisation on? If you can get away without it then you have more scope to push the ISO higher and still keep the same quality of image.

Yes. hand held with stabilisation on. Didn't realise that I could increase ISO without it. Why is that?

It's not an either/or thing, but both image stabilisation and pushing the ISO setting up lead to some loss of quality in the image - better to only lose from one source and to my mind image stabilisation is more easily dispensed with. (it must, to some small extent, also slow the responsivity of the camera I think.

From a critical viewpoint, I'd say that the sharpness of the picture is where you should focus your attention. Play around with the camera and see if you can find the facility to focus on a spot and hold it while you compose the final shot. Hard to know what you're focussing on though when you're viewing through the viewfinder I'd think. (I'm really fighting hard against recommending a change of camera here btw)

I'll be in DTD in a while, I'll say hello and try to explain some of this face to face if the chance arises.


PS - the shot of the goldfinch v the robin is a tribute to your observation and reactions

[RED-DOG]

Click to see full-size image.

[smashedagain]

Now thats a quality pic sir

[RED-DOG]

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Now thats a quality pic sir

Cheers Jase.

[Karabiner]

You look as though you're getting the hang of this photography malarky, the last few are really sharp.

[RED-DOG]

You look as though you're getting the hang of this photography malarky, the last few are really sharp.

Cheers Ralph. You should have seen the ones that got away.

I'm fiddling about with various settings. It's very interesting, especially when you can see the results straight away and make adjustments. How much harder it must have been pre-digital.

The feedback and advice from the proper photographers is a great help too. It's like PHA for photographs.

[Laxie]

Soooo... what happened after the oil light went on last night?

[Kev B]

Great pics there Tom.

[RED-DOG]

Soooo... what happened after the oil light went on last night?

I should link it Dawn. It makes no sense otherwise.
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56645.msg1502973#msg1502973



The engine sounded great, none of the rattles or knocks that would signal hot dry bearings. I was so tempted to just drive on, but I knew if I did, it would be gg crankshaft.

I put on a coat and hat and reluctantly left the warmth of the van and set out in search of oil.

I managed to spot a farmhouse with a light on after walking just a few hundred yards. It was such lucky break, I couldn't believe it. I almost expected the farmer to say that the weather was too bad to continue my journey,  insist that I stay the night, and hope that I didn't mind sharing a room with his two beautiful daughters.

Well that didn't happen, but, hero that he was, he did take me into a shed and pump a pint of from a 45 gallon drum into my old pop bottle.

I thanked him profusely while cleverly concealing my disappointment at his lack of daughters, and was on my way again within 30 minutes.

The rest of my trip was uneventful save for the fact that I progressed at a speed of 20mph and below. Is a strange way, it was a beautiful journey.

The dark silhouettes of naked trees stretched boney fingers skyward, like frail old men beseeching some unseen deity, and the snow reflected the moonlight, making the freezing night almost as bright as day. Big snowflakes fell in mesmerising swirls through the yellow glow of my headlights to settle momentarily on my windscreen before being swished aside by the wipers. Nature was putting on a fabulous show. I felt like I was the only person in the world.

A feeling of warmth swept over me, and it wasn't all coming from the van heater.





  

[RED-DOG]

So while we're talking about photographs....

I have literally fazands of photographs scattered all over my hard-drive. They are in folders because every now and then when they start to clutter up the place, I gather up all the loose ones and put them in a folder, but there is no sort of order at all. Family snaps, occasions, holidays, landscapes, architecture, cultural stuff, arty farty stuff, all mixed together.

How do I begin to sort them out, and how do I categorise them, and how do I store them?

TIA.

[Woodsey]

Going forward, if you have the ability on your cam you should set it so the pics are numbered continuously. ie if last time you took pics the last pics number was say 203, you could wipe your memory card and when you start shooting again the number of the next pic will be 204 and so on a so forth. Otherwise the numbering starts at zero every time you wipe your card.

This makes it much easier for sorting later on as your computer automatically puts them in a more sensible order. Your camera's manual should tell you how to do it if it has the facility.

Re: you current problem, dunno really but I would suggest starting by going through deleting the not very good ones so you have less to sort out.

[Geo the Sarge]

So while we're talking about photographs....

I have literally fazands of photographs scattered all over my hard-drive. They are in folders because every now and then when they start to clutter up the place, I gather up all the loose ones and put them in a folder, but there is no sort of order at all. Family snaps, occasions, holidays, landscapes, architecture, cultural stuff, arty farty stuff, all mixed together.

How do I begin to sort them out, and how do I categorise them, and how do I store them?

TIA.

Why clutter up your hard drive. There are a few free photy album hosting sites. I use http://photobucket.com/ to store them all there. And it makes for easier attaching to posts on forums.

Am sure Rod will be along shortly to guide you best on how to sort.

BTW: re your folders read Geo's army suitcase and shoeboxes. I have been slowly scanning these on. I am off most of next week so hope to get a few more done.

Geo

[RED-DOG]

Going forward, if you have the ability on your cam you should set it so the pics are numbered continuously. ie if last time you took pics the last pics number was say 203, you could wipe your memory card and when you start shooting again the number of the next pic will be 204 and so on a so forth. Otherwise the numbering starts at zero every time you wipe your card.

This makes it much easier so sorting later on and your computer automatically puts them in a more sensible order. Your camera's manual should tell you how to do it if it has the facility.

Re: you current problem, dunno really but I would suggest starting by going through deleting the not very good ones so you have less to sort out.

My pictures have numbers like  P1020149  What does that mean?