First shots uploaded.... - DPChallenge Forums

12/09/2006 02:00:12 AM · #1

I had a old photo uploaded before from a different camera just to see how the upload thing worked. It's been removed now and I added a couple from my new camera.

A lot of new things going on for me here.

New and first ever DSLR.
Just got the 50mm 1.7 Manual focus lens this afternoon.
First time using a manual focus lens.
First time trying to take any type of kids sports shots with a DSLR.

I really liked using the 50mm 1.7 inside the gym tonight.
I was able to take photo's without a flash. I used the kit lens to take photos inside another gym last week for a school program and the flash was a must. I found the manual focus lens hard to focus fast, but hope that changes with practice or my 50mm 1.4 AF gets here soon. :)

Everyone seemed to notice me when I was flashing away in the gym at the school program the other night, lol...
Tonight the kids or anyone else in the gym did not seem to pay any attention to me sitting on the gym floor snapping away without any flash, loved it...

So anyway I will keep these photos in my portfolio hoping that some day I can look back at them and see how much I have improved.

Feel free to let me know what I could do to improve on the ones I have uploaded tonight.

Thanks..

12/09/2006 08:13:58 PM · #2

Thank you

Pixl Mastr WannaB for the comments.
Noise reduction software sounds like a great idea and I am going to see what I can do to learn how to use it, thanks!

Message edited by author 2006-12-09 20:14:27.

jaxsond

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

12/09/2006 08:42:10 PM · #3

Congrats on your new equipment..I'm sure you're super excited to have it. Sounds like you're interested in sports photography so you should definitely check out Sports Shooter. Professionals and very serious amateurs there exhanging really great info in the message boards. Great place for inspiration too.

As far as the photo's you uploaded tonight I think you're off to a really good start. Shooting with a manual focus lens will help you tremendously later on when you start to use autofocus gear. If I were to offer one bit of info it would be to watch your backgrounds. Shooting wide open with a 50 you're not going to blur them too much unless you can get really close to your subject, so try looking for a different vantage point to shoot from until you get a fast tele. Getting up high and shooting down works....shooting against shaded trees in the distance works great, ... crop tight as posible with the camera then crop some more when you edit you photos. When shooting try to avoid things in your background like grandmothers (unless she's dunking), cars, pets, postmen, etc.... as they compete for attention.

Good luck.

Message edited by author 2006-12-09 21:51:14.

12/09/2006 09:26:13 PM · #4

Sport Shooter looks like a great site, thanks!

If I were to offer one bit of info it would be to watch your backgrounds.

That sounds great. That is something that really bugged me the more I looked at my photos. Great advice and I will be trying to pay more attention to the backgrounds now.

Some really good pointers, thanks!!

Shooting with a manual focus lens will help you tremendously later on when you start to use autofocus gear.

How would that be?
I must have took 60 photos or so and I would say 90% were out of focus or not focused on the right player, lol...
I think the whole time I had the lens on f/1.7 too so I could get the fastest shutter speed. Maybe if I went to f/2.0 it would help a bit on getting things in focus faster?

I kept thinking man I can't wait to get the AF 50mm 1.4 lens.

Now that you say it will help tremendously later on I am really interested in why.

Thanks so much for the help..

jaxsond

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

12/09/2006 09:49:16 PM · #5

Originally posted by lakota:

Shooting with a manual focus lens will help you tremendously later on when you start to use autofocus gear.

How would that be?
I must have took 60 photos or so and I would say 90% were out of focus or not focused on the right player, lol...
I think the whole time I had the lens on f/1.7 too so I could get the fastest shutter speed. Maybe if I went to f/2.0 it would help a bit on getting things in focus faster?

I kept thinking man I can't wait to get the AF 50mm 1.4 lens.

Now that you say it will help tremendously later on I am really interested in why.

Thanks so much for the help..

Developing the muscle memory to manually focus your lens on a moving subject will allow you great freedom as you won't have to rely on autofocus. Working with a manual focus lens will give you a skill set many photographers don't have (ie. being able to track an eractically moving subject and keep it in sharp focus.) There are many situations, particularly in sports, that are tricky for autofocus so being able to rely on yourself instead of your gear is a big plus.

I left you a message on one of your outdoor football pics.