The Photography Thread

[VR46]

Dan that last fairground pic is a real Hannibal/Anthony Hopkins classic pose, which ride was it off ?

[funkydan]

Funkydan, really like them shots, they all have a great atmosphere. They look...edgey, like a still from a horror film. What kind of settings were you using? I've never done well with night photography.

Thanks Pete, I'm really glad you like them and yeah, they are pretty scary (I like you - you say my shots are edgy )! As for my settings, which I was just about to try to remember, they will be on my flickr account here - that link is to the settings of the carousel shot and I think the other settings were similar if not the same. I used a high ISO (800) which gave the shots a nice texture and added more spooky/tacky effects!

Dan that last fairground pic is a real Hannibal/Anthony Hopkins classic pose, which ride was it off ?

David, I'll have to take a look at my other shots to see which ride that was but it had a central column, with several arms coming off of it, with sort of bumper car 2 seated open-topped capsules at the end. I think when it was moving, the arms would spin round and move up and down as well. Can't for the life of me remember the name of it right now though! Well check it tonight. Unless your 'carny' knowledge prevails in the meantime

Thanks for your nice comments guys

[PeteJ]

Enjoy, both are very nice! (well the 580EX mk II is, assume the Mk1 is too!)

Do you still have the 430? As it might still work as a slave unit off the 580.

It's the Mark2 I'm going for, a colleague got his today and I'm surprised how much bigger it is over the 430. Much more solid too.

I still have the 430 so plan on using it as a slave.

I notice it comes with ?35 cashback (as does the lens) - how do you get this?

[Ginger Tosser]

Visit the canon website and you'll find a form to fill in. You'll have to cut the barcode off the box and send it to canon's promotion company (In Ireland). Both times i've done it the cheque has taken a month or so to arrive.

Aye the 580mk2 is a monster. The 430 seems to be a fair bit smaller than my old 380EX. Though both decent, just the 580 gives that bit more.

[MonkeySteve]

Love those fairground pics funkydan, so atmospheric!

Fiddled around with the B&W conversion of this pic and am much happier with it now, so thanks Alastair



Been going through a few older shots recently, all seem to be very marine related!









And finally, a leaf from the other day

[JB@XL]

Looking for some opinions on a pentax k100d.

I currently use a fuji 304 and have always contemplated getting a digital SLR to take photography a step further.The pentax was/is available for ?230 including a lens (18-55mm) and a Pentax bag from Asda and the reviews i have seen on the net seem to be positive.Hopefully i can still find one at a store nearby.

Anyone got any points about this camera.

[Ginger Tosser]

Most people seem to be very happy with the Pentax. It's excellent value for £230

[funkydan]

Love those fairground pics funkydan, so atmospheric!

Thanks dude, I'm lovin' 'em too!



totally cute dude!

[funkydan]

Some shots I took of a band called Sevenscore this weekend at a local big firework display. There was a bit of smoke machine overkill but I was quite pleased with the results:







That light really was coming out of his head

[Alastair]

Very nice Dan, I'd suggest limiting what you upload/show a bit though to really give the wow factor a bump. For example, 1 & 2 are stunning, 3's OK (but poorly framed I think) and the one with the light shining from his forehead is worth a look for interest but the other 2 don't add anything and maybe even detract from the impact of the 'set'.

It's interesting how we all like different things too, I haven't seen them on my decent monitor at home but the fairground ones didn't really do anything for me where as everyone else seems to love them

[funkydan]

Thanks Al, I've trimmed it down a bit (to keep the page more manageable) - I know the bass player and drummer ones weren't that exciting but I didn't want to leave out half the band! I really like the first two shots as well, but as for the keyboard one - you say poorly framed, but I couldn't bring myself to crop it - it just didn't seem right when I tried it. It seemed to need that whole frame (I wanted to keep the smoke behind him in the shot). As you say though, we all like different things, and that's what I love about photography. But I do appreciate your always very constructive and well-worded pearls of wisdom and criticism, so thank you for that (that sounded really patronising but it so wasn't meant to be! )

[Alastair]

I wasn't worried about the page Dan but more about the need for flickr users to just dump everything online. It's just my personal view but I try to only upload what I feel is 'good' rather than just everything that came out of the camera OK.

I was thinking about the framing on the keyboard player and basically all you could have done is go round to your left a bit more to get rid of the pillar and dead space but it doesn't always work out like that does it. A smile or some sort of expression would have helped too, worth waiting for if you can.

Bass players are boring, no-one ever takes their pictures - MASSIVE
Except the red hot chili peppers guy that is!

EDIT - Monkey Steve, like the BW more now, glad you found the advice useful. That eel shot is so sharp and bright, looked at flickr, 1/8 second. Please tell me that was on the tripod?

My (somewhat condescending sounding) tip for the day is: Try to get away from framing things dead centre, don't rely on the central AF point all the time, it'll help get a bit more interest into shots. The Penguin one is ripe for a bit of rocky/watery loveliness had the Penguin been located off to the right or left a bit.

[funkydan]

I actually took about 170 shots of that band at the weekend and wittled out the bad'un's down to just under 40 shots. The band REALLY like them so I'm not too fussed and I put them up there for them to take a look. If people see something they like on there, they'll comment and they generally don't bother if it's not amazing so I'm not particularly fussed. I like those shots personally I guess we have different views on the purpose of Flickr but that's ok.

I see what you mean about the keyboard shot though and may give that a try.

As for bass players being boring, you've obviously never seen me play bass live! I give Flea a run for his money ya cheeky get! Just ask Mr Rodmell - go on ask him, say: "Charles, is Funkydan an exciting bass player or is he a dullard like 90% of bass players" (there's a clue in my name). And of course I realise that you're not calling me a boring bass player, but you are saying they're all boring apart from Flea, and I say to you:

Bootsy:



Les Claypool:



Stanley Clarke:



Robert Bell (a.k.a. Kool from Kool and the gang!):



Boring?! PAH!!

[Alastair]

I knew that'd rile you, well defended though. Allegation withdrawn

Gave me a good laugh too with the Charles comment

[funkydan]

Sweet! And glad to have given you a giggle too