Category Archives: Discussion Starter

Post to start discussion on all sorts of topics.

Film scanning and imperfections.

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It is about 2:30am. I have watched an Aussie win a F1 Grand Prix for the 1st time since Fred Flinstone drove a Ferrari around Fuji. The Tour de France riders have finished their pedal over the Pyrenées and are having a rest tonight. I am now watching the Australian cricket captain throw away a potential test match win. Oh, and I have just scanned in some 120 film out of the Yashica 635. Looking at it in Photoshop, I am wondering if I should clone out some of the imperfections. Well, should I?

the 3 stages of a gull

Click on that photo to see it at a higher resolution, which will give you an idea just how rough the scan came out.

So, after looking at that, do you think I should have spent the time ironing (cloning) out all the little and big imperfections? I actually like it looking rough and ready like that, makes it feel more real to me. But I am interested to hear what others think.

Twitterview, possible?

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So there I am, out on my nightly (read, every 4 nights) run with the dog in tow (read, me following madly running dog) when I had an idea. And, for the first time in god only knows how long, I could remember it when I got home! The fish oil tablet I ate 6 months ago has kicked in, whoohoooo. So, the big idea. Could I possibly so an interview, via Twitter? Questions and answers less than 140 characters. What a concept. I reckon I could do it. Now I just have to find a willing participant.

Bullshit!

Volunteers?

®iLightmeter

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I am wondering, is there an iPhone app that acts as a rudementry light meter? Surely it wouldn’t be that hard to do. The phone already has a camera. People are writing apps like it is going out of style. Surely some smart geek could come up with an app that could be used as a light meter? Come on geeks of the world, get to it. And I want my cut of iStore profits!

iPhone iWant

Note: I dont actually own an iPhone yet, but if anyone wants to give me one of the new iPhone 3GS phones, I would be more than happy to test drive it. 🙂

Phone camera/Camera phone, who uses it?

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Given the previous blog post talks about mobile (cell for the US audience) phone cameras, I thought I would ask the question. Anyone actually use their mobile phone camera? I know I do, but I have heard plenty of people scoff at the thought of it. Well it sure beats trying to get a 5D in my pocket. And it is handy for a quick shot of something you see in your travels.

24042008013

Without the phone camera I wouldn’t have got this shot.


Granted, the cameras is mobile phones aren’t exactly the best cameras around (especially ones that are 12MP) but they are more than sufficient in grabbing a moment in time. Seeing all the people using their phones on Twitter is exactly what I mean.

So, who uses their mobile phone camera?

The camera genie appears out of no where…

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… and says to you “You can have any camera in the world, just tell me what one you want.” What camera do you pick, and why?

I would be hard pressed going past the Canon 5DmkII, purely because I have a range on Canon lenses. There are Leica film cameras that would also be high on the list, and an Olympus Pen F, but I am pretty sure the 5D2 would top the list.

What about you?

5DmkII

The 52 week project for charity.

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Do you ever lose your Phojo? Phojo, for the people scratching their heads, is photographic mojo. Do you ever wonder where the next photo is coming from? I see it all the time on photographic forums and Flickr. People pleading for inspiration. They feel they have lost their phojo and fear it may never come back. I admit, it has happened to me on many occasions.

So often, when people bare their souls on the interwebs, they get such a varied range of advice, it must be hard to know where to start. But, in one of those cyber oddities that are all to rare these days, when people claim to have lost their phojo, I hear the same piece of advice. “Have you tried the 365/52 projects?” Again, if you are wondering, they are projects on Flickr. The 365 group and the 52 weeks group are both based around a similar premise. Take a self portrait either every day for a year, or every week for a year. Easy. Well, not so easy it turns out.

Not Ireland!

Imagine, every day, you have to take a photo of yourself. That’s, every single day for a year! This from dictionary.com. Narcissism describes the trait of excessive self-love, based on self-image or ego. Now I am not saying that the thousands of people who are involved in the 365 project are in love with themselves, but I bet their aren’t too many emos doing it either. I really don’t think I have the head for the 365 project. So, how about the 52 week project. Surely, even I can manage one self portrait per week for a year. Or can I? Do I want 52 photos of me through out the year? I doubt even my darling wife would! But, I need a challenge, so, as of July 1, I am into it. The 365 project is just too damned daunting for me, but I reckon I can manage the 52 week project.

To spice things up even more, I am going to try and make it a charity event. I am not 100% sure how I can manage this at the moment, but I will give it some thought over the next fortnight and keep people advised. I will look into some childrens charities and see what would be the best one to support.

Watch this space!

Spouses, partners and others.

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Do you have a supportive partner or spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend? And when I say supportive, I mean supportive of your photographic endeavours?

I ask after reading on a photo forum a while back about a bloke who was continually frustrated by his partner complaining about him always being out taking photos. This went on for a year or two until someone suggested he buy her a camera. So her bought her a low end digital SLR, which he says now, saved his marriage. Now the only arguements they have is over who is using what lens!

Now I am one lucky fellow. The bride is very supportive of me and my photography. But having a photography tragic in the family has one small negative. We have very few photos of us together.

A_Onz_Todd

A rare photo of the bride (Andree) and I together.

I am not all that keen on having my photo taken (probably because the camera lens adds 10 kilograms to the extra 20 I am already carrying) and when I do, I like to take it. Which creates a bit of a problem. I have to hand over the camera to someone else to get a shot of the two of us. Now that shot isn’t going to be a shot that I took, it isn’t really my photo. Also, it will usually be on auto focus and a I try and set the camera up to be as easy to use as possible which will probably result in a photo slightly different to what I would like. In the end, it isn’t my photo. Maybe it is time to get the tripod out and get some shots of us together. Or grab one of my photography buddies and drag them along.

Suggestions or comments welcome.

Printing your photos.

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How often do you print out your photos? And if you do, what size do you print them? I have about 20 6×4″ shots of mine up in my work area, and a few printed and framed at home, but not many.

Prints certainly look different to what you see of the computer screen. Not being back lit being the obvous difference. If you get a large print made, it is surprising just how much detail you can see in the print. Of course it is there on the computer screen, but how often do you zoom right in on your photos?

So, do you print?