NEW CAMERA AND A STEEP LEARNING CURVE

HI Steve I will put my Owl like on the block and say No3 (BUTTERMERE) based solely on the cloud density but it will be very interesting to know the correct image

 

Hi Nick, thanks for your remarks, Mate. I'm only able to post pics in what they call Jpeg format,[where the camera processes the pic to make it sharp and punchy in colour], with the new camera as I haven't yet got the software I need to shoot in RAW format which see's the scene as it actually is and you can brighten it etc with the software. But, knowing that you like stone work and architecture here's a couple of shots for you that I took when visiting the Estate Village of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. The village is called Edensor [pronounced Enzor!] and has some lovely stonework that would tempt you to bring a truck and drive off with some of it. I'll be posting other pics of it in another thread later. Regarding cameras, Nick, it doesn't matter how "fancy" the camera is because in the end it all comes down to the guy taking the shot............which leaves me up the Creek without a paddle!!

Taken with a 18-55mm lens







Hi Steve, thanks for your kind encouragement and advice. You're right about not throwing pics out too quickly, although I do get tempted. I do have a hard time trying to decide which similar scene looks the better, which needs cropping, etc in editing but I'm looking forward to learning more. I've also noticed that I've lost the skill, temporarily, of seeing what is the best composition, angle and approach to a shot that you can acquire with a DSLR. I'll get it back after practice and at least I'm aware of the fact that I need to think as well as shoot. Being a Gardener and an Angler my interest will be general Nature, macro, and landscape shots. Those pics you posted are of such a high standard that I'm envious I agree with you about HDR it does have a place in a photographers armoury and as you say used "correctly" can be brilliant, and also like you said there are some "rubbish" HDR processed photo's. I've just sent off for a set of extension rings and reversing rings to help me out on the macro side so they should arrive soon.

Everybody's comments are really appreciated and if anyone wants to pass on advice and their experience then they are more than welcome.

 

Good morning Armandll ,I also shoot in JPEG/RAW and process the RAW at a later date,I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 for processing,as the RAW files are larger than the JPEG files,it decrease's the amount of total images that you can take,as I found out to my cost when I initially started taking in the RAW format,I also see that the K5 has a great feature which is the RAW/FX button, to enable you to easily switch between file formats

 

You're right, Woo, the K5 does have the feature to swap between file formats and, like Kristen's camera, shoot simultaneously both Jpeg and RAW. As I said the more advice and information I get from everyone the better, and I'm not afraid to ask.
One of the reasons I do want to shoot in RAW is because as you said, Kristen, so much in Jpeg gets lost in the process to the finished image. Being able to use and understand the software I'll be using is just another challenge I'm looking forward to. I've been looking at the various items of software that I can use and I think Lightroom 4 will be about right for my needs. I've been looking at a lot of the photographic sites on the Net and the standard of just amateur photographers is just stunning, and it's not just because they have top notch cameras.
I understand the science of digital photography well enough, it's the application of it that I have to understand and hopefully achieve at a reasonable standard. So the more pics I take and the more advice I get the better!!!

Oh, and those were not kind words about your photo's, Kristen.....they were the truth.

 

Hi Jack, always good to hear from you. Yes, you're right I can use Silky pix for processing in the camera, and I know a lot of Professional people actually do. I think it's just a case of early days and getting my head around one thing at a time!!