Digital Photography talk thread, noobz welcome (questions & answers)

[and...]

so now with my .NEF files, what do i do with them? i can't open them in cs4, as far as i can tell i need to convert them to jpeg?!

[Leland Palmer]

I use .nef files in cs4. I think you just need to download an update for camera raw that supports your particular camera. Just search photoshop cs4 .nef and your camera and I'm sure the info will come up.

[Mercer]

I also use .NEF files in Photoshop, they have to be opened in the camera raw plug-in first.

Camera Raw, even though it is a plug-in, has plug-ins for each raw format including NEF.

 

If you're running a stolen version of photoshop and can't update you can still get it working.

I'd suggest googling .NEF camera raw plug-in, even if you have a bootleg version of photoshop you can add that plug-in after finding a place to download it.

find a tutorial to show you how to drop it to the right folder then baaaaam..... you're raw doggin it.

[and...]

i have a portable cs5, a portable version.

so i should find Camera Raw plug-in for cs5?

[Vulcan]

this will work, is cheap, and is basically the most versatile prime lens you could have

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12142-GREY/Canon_2514A002_Normal_EF_50mm_f_1_8.html

 

thank you all

 

i actually ordered this without even checking back on this thread :lol:

[and...]

could not complete request. not right kind of file.

[Guest Ginger Bread Man]

you will first need to download the raw plugin support for your camera.

 

supported raw files

 

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html

 

i would update directly from ps and then restart ps so that the plugin becomes available.

 

the raw plug in comes in the update and if for whatever reason you still cannot open the file search for the latest raw plug in off the link i provided.

 

once installed i suggest you right click and choose open with ps and you will have a raw plugin window pop up. from this point you can save as a jpeg-tiff-dng file as well as edit your image.

[fatlaces]

Hi guys looking at making my first forays into digital photography with an SLR and have been doing a bit of looking around and a lot of people recommend the Pentax K-X for beginners. Another oprion is the Nikon D3000 which has been replaced by the D3100 so is going fairly cheap. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with these particular cameras and if it OK for a beginner to school thmselves up on. Also any help on a lens would be appreciated sort wanting to take street portraits/scens, chillin' with the crew type shots etc. What sort of things shoul i be looking for in a lens? Any advice much appreciated.

[COSMOGRAMMA]

anyone know of any free CR2 converter sights/software that doesnt put a watermark on the photo?

 

im tired of using facebook as my converter haha

[MayorMeanBeans]

isnt cr2 the raw format of canon? get some adobe software...

[Mercer]

^^^Exactly

 

Finding a bootleg version of Adobe Photoshop really isn't that hard, if you're trying to do things the right way.

I'm almost 100% sure no one here uses a website to reformat, and close to 100% of the people on here stole Photoshop or Adobe creative suite.

[COSMOGRAMMA]

yeah okay thanks ill just search a little harder

[Mercer]

Suit yourself I guess, but you could always search for photoshop instead, it would be easier to find.

Or you could just put a lot more effort into finding a temporary fix to do things the wrong way.

[SMdoubleXL]

 

her school is hosting a few days in December which reps from colleges will come out, interview the kids that are interested, take resumes and headshots. It is very much dance/drama/musical theatre related. She wants to head east...

 

UPDATE:

 

we played around a bit, but soon after this, the photography students at the school had the assignment of doing the shots for the 'potentials'. full body shots, in a certain ballet position. She used a picture from them.

 

Last Saturday was the auditons. 6 colleges came to her school she was 'called back' to interview with 4 of them.

 

AMDA.

Columbia College of Chicago.

UNLV.

Southern utah University.

 

I understand it is nothing that is set in stone, but I am very pround for her to do alot of this by self motivation. ...and wanted to share the update.

[wafflecakee]

glad to hear it

[siks6siks]

anyone have a good link to a panoramic program torrent?

[mn1_fuckos]

columbia college of Chicago is a pretty dope school one of the best in chicago as a matter of fact

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

just got this.

 

thought it'd be a good start to fool around with shooting skateboarding.

either i'm retarded and should've consulted a homie who's been doing it

for a while or i'm sorely mistaken on my level of knowledge when it comes to

photography. played with it, with a flash(430) for a while. not one decent photo.

tips?

[Freshysnapper]

What problems are you having with the pics?

[Mercer]

just got this.

 

thought it'd be a good start to fool around with shooting skateboarding.

either i'm retarded and should've consulted a homie who's been doing it

for a while or i'm sorely mistaken on my level of knowledge when it comes to

photography. played with it, with a flash(430) for a while. not one decent photo.

tips?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most good skate photographs are based on composition.

Perfect timing for the trick + where they're landing + the obstacle they're on or over.

Fisheye is better for video, not so much for still shots unless you're really, really, really good.

 

If you're shooting with a 28mm you're pretty much limited to being within a couple feet from the rider.

So if you want to use a flash with one it's better to use a remote flash instead of on camera.

A flash being that close to the subject looks like shit if you have to capture the rider and the terrain.

If you're far enough back to light up both the terrain and the rider with on camera flash the rider will be too small.

 

I'd suggest a longer focal length like 50mm minimum for on camera flash or just shooting in well lit conditions.

[wafflecakee]

i don't know what you're shooting but chances are you've got a cropped sensor so the focal length is multiplied by 1.6 or so.

 

whats the lowest f stop

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

2.8. i knew i shoulda went with the 50mm.

[da1lyoperations]

28mm isn't a bad choice for skate photography, I've shot alot of stuff with a 35mm, a bit wider isn't a bad thing. You generally want a bit more in the frame anyway, relatively fast lens too so you shouldn't have too much trouble.

 

The 50mm is a great portrait lens and general street/runaround focal length but it's pretty limited for skate stuff. Try shooting some stuff with good natural light and leave the flash out for a bit, see how you go with that and then bring the flash in, angle it so it hits just behind the skater and they pop out more, or get some wireless triggers. Skate stuff can be a bit tricky

[Freshysnapper]

Show us a pic and we'll try and help you out. One thing you'll have to realize is you don't get the sharpest images with your lens at it's lowest aperture. Also tracking moving subjects isn't always the easiest at low apertures. Toss up a pic with exif data

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

will do. just got a new external so i'm fucking around with that. i'll upload some shit

asap for feedback.

[NightmareOnElmStreet]

so heres two shitty flicks out of about 40. clearly. hopefully you can see

i was just fucking around. sitting a good few feet away on a big block.

[da1lyoperations]

Half asleep so I'll do a quick summary. For skating it's best to set the shot up first. Make sure you can get the whole skater in, take a few test shots to make sure you've got the shutter speed right, bump up the ISO a bit if you need to for the shutter. If you're using an external flash in your cameras hotshoe, direct it at the skater, it'll freeze them and the trick and bring them out more. Maybe turn down the power a bit. Try to focus on a spot manually before the trick, trying to auto focus mid trick is hard and you'll often blur the photo while worrying about getting it focused. Step back a bit, wider shots are always good, and you can always crop later.

 

I shot this one focusing manually, with an external flash in the hotshoe, just guessed where he would be ahead.

 

Keep at it and playing around with the flash to freeze action, shutter speeds, etc.. Once you get them in focus and not as blurry it'll be easy to do some crop jobs and a bit of editing and come out with some good shots

[Freshysnapper]

In both skate shots you just missed the focus. The first one you have focused past the skater towards the fence. If you are going to shoot with that slow of a shutter speed pan with the skater to keep him from being blurred. There is two ways I focus on skaters/snowboarders.

 

Set your camera to AI SERVO... Use the center focal point and keep it on the skater with the shutter button half pressed down, then fire when ready.

 

Set your camera to ONE SHOT focus... Press the shutter halfways down and focus on the spot where you want the skater to be when you take the picture. Compose your shot and press the shutter the rest of the way the moment they hit your spot.

 

Flash is tricky and hard to master. I would try shooting with good light at first to get everything down.

[mn1_fuckos]

nightmare you kind of have to wait on the perfect shot to happen and being that its day time i think you dont really need flash

 

try multi shot this will help you catch things as they happen.

 

 

heres a couple i shot without a flash and multi shot

 

 

 

[DEE38]

Hi guys! Some advice, pls :(.

 

I am teethering between the Canon Rebel T2i vs. the Canon 60D. I am swaying more towards the 60D because I am a very.. enthusiastic begginner in hopes of growing and learning more about photography, and I keep upgrading my shit every year. My very first camera that I loved was the Canon Powershot S2 is, which was recommended to me by a fellow 12oz'er yeeaaaaaaaaars ago, and from there I got new cameras... upgrading here and there.. and now I feel like I'm ready to mess with a digital SLR. (exciting!)

 

I've heard that the Canon Rebel T2i is a good starter camera, but how about starting out with the Canon 60D? My last camera was the Canon g12 that I got for Christmas, and it's a great point and shoot, but I want more control, and want to invest in things like lens and a nice flash.

 

Any help/opinion would be rad, and appreciated!