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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 22, 2015 - 02:32pm PT
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__**THIS THREAD IS ABOUT CRITIQUE OF PHOTOGRAPHY (and videos, tho maybe we need a separate thread) AND SHARING INFORMATION AND LEARNING ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY-
IF YOU POST AN IMAGE HERE PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR MORE THAN JUST "I LIKE THAT IMAGE" Though that is good too.**__
Hi all,
I've recently turned the corner, for me personally, on trying to make better pictures. It's a pain in the ass, but is really rewarding when an image comes out right, surprisingly unique, or really matches what your eye sees.
To that end, I did a search for threads on photo/graphy critiques and I don't think we really have a thread that is centered around critique and improving our collective photographic experience. We have incredible climbing photographer talent on the forum. Hopefully we'll get to see more of it. Plus its another climbing content thread!
Mostly just try and post up your very best work. If you like something, reference the ST username and which image. Try to be positive in any critiques or suggestions.
Exif data is helpful, but not necessary.
I'll go first, and offer my own critique (as ill informed as it may be).
Shot from downtown Lone Pine looking West.
Aperture Priority mode
f/4.5
1/80sec
ISO-125
Focal length 55mm
Max Aperture 4.3
Post Prod - saturation to bring out the blue in the high part of the sky.
Critique - seems like the ridge line could be in better focus/more crisp. But I like the colors. The sky was really nice that night, but it could have been the beers. :)
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josam
Trad climber
canada
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Feb 22, 2015 - 02:35pm PT
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Looks like a beut man
Point and shoot camera ^
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2015 - 02:49pm PT
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josam,
good deal. thx for trying to keep the thread going!
like the action scene. Trying to capture the action of climbing seems to be the hardest part.
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10b4me
Social climber
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Feb 22, 2015 - 02:54pm PT
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I've recently turned the corner, for me personally, on trying to make better pictures. It's a pain in the ass, but is really rewarding when an image comes out right, surprisingly unique, or really matches what your eye sees.
agreed
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2015 - 03:21pm PT
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Like the end of day light. Lot of orange in there. I'm partial to that kind of shot, i.e. Minarets as a silhouetted sunset shot.
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10b4me
Social climber
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Feb 22, 2015 - 03:23pm PT
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thanks, a little to warm for me.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2015 - 03:42pm PT
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eKat, I do, but generally I try to avoid Post Prod. That is changing for me, especially if shoot a bunch and I want to post about a trip where most pics aren't that good. I'm leaning toward heavy cropping, etc.
I'll try that and see what it does to the rest of the image a little later...
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Feb 22, 2015 - 04:15pm PT
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We all know the golden hour to be awesome for getting the best light and night to be the time for cool night shots. But how about twilight...isn't it also a great time?! :)
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Myles Moser
climber
Lone Pine, Ca
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Feb 22, 2015 - 04:50pm PT
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Nice sends down there V!
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Feb 22, 2015 - 05:23pm PT
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Great idea for a thread munge.
There are some pros here that we can learn from, especially with the technical stuff.
I don't have many climbing shots with my new camera-
This is probably my favorite.
No specs on this but I think it was shot in intelligent auto(sorry) (-:
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Feb 22, 2015 - 05:24pm PT
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Critique #1 - Don't shoot sunsets!!! :)
Tip - while not always convenient, use a tripod (or a rock, stump etc) to support the camera. You will see an immediate increase in the sharpness of your images. Digital cameras (without a viewfinder) force you to hold the camera in a very unstable position, so you can see the screen.
Myles- the contrast is pretty high. I'd back it off and open up the mid tones. The image won't feel so heavy and you will have better detail in the cliffs.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Feb 22, 2015 - 05:35pm PT
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phone photo but it nicely conveyed The feel of being there
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NA_Kid
Big Wall climber
The Bear State
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Feb 22, 2015 - 06:01pm PT
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Good thread!
I was just thinking about the same thing and need to take better climbing photos.
Whats in your kit?
and what would be a good starting lens set-up for someone.
post up!
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Feb 22, 2015 - 06:13pm PT
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Critique - seems like the ridge line could be in better focus/more crisp. But I like the colors. The sky was really nice that night, but it could have been the beers. :)
Donc was right. If you want those mountains to pop, stop down to f8 or f11. You'll need a tripod so you can shoot it on a longer exposure and keep the iso down so it doesn't get all grainy. It's also a little "cold" or blue. I would crank the hue a little so it's warmer and reduce the tint a bit so it's not quite so purple. Just a tiny bit on both settings, get that snow to look a little whiter.
Otherwise, fantastic shot. I really like the framing. You could crop the branches and it would be a little cleaner.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Feb 22, 2015 - 06:19pm PT
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thanks, a little to warm for me.
Yeah Steve, but you can make it a little cooler real easy in post and add a little contrast so it's not so faded. The mountains are nice and sharp at f14!
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Feb 22, 2015 - 06:26pm PT
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V- your shot is cold. Make it a little hotter by adjusting the hue a little more yellow and it looks like the tint is a little purple. The goal is always to make your whites as white as possible .
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2015 - 06:29pm PT
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Thx Donc and Big Mike! That's the kind of feedback I'd like keep seeing on a per shot basis in this thread.
I'm partial to the purple and blue in the pic, but lots of commentary for me to take back and adjust with.
Interesting on the branches comments. I like the framing of an image, usually just one branch is what I'll play with. Not sure why. Feels less ethereal when its showing that I was on the ground when I took the shot, but perhaps that's a bias I have as remembering where I took the shot (i.e. in the middle of the street in the downtown).
Mike M, is that snow coming down by any chance? Recent?
Shooting in raw: I'm not in raw. Good call. Force of habit of P&S shooting.
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DonC
climber
CA
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Feb 22, 2015 - 06:57pm PT
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if this thread is about really taking a leap, and not just taking better snapshots, shoot in raw
There have been a few comments about sharpening the first image. Its hard to tell, but it could already be over sharpened - look at the right side of the skyline and you see halo's - a common artifact of over sharpening. And we can't talk about sharpening without being specific - is the comment about capture, creative, or output sharpening - those are the three typical steps in a sharpening workflow.
The difference between focus and sharpening is an entire topic, as all of these issues are. Let's keep it going. Great thread!
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SuperTopo on the Web
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with those kinds of clouds I would consider a longer exposure, 30 seconds or more. This will give the clouds a nice silky feeling.
Let us know!