I've mentioned before (though don't ask me to point out the post, given this is the first time I've looked at my blog in some 2 years) about how projects can help you keep your photography going. Be it something you like doing - a hobby or interest - or something that catches your eye - like the number of For Rent signs on a particular street or colour repitition somewhere - there's always something to focus your energies on. Sometimes it's not too hard where to put your talents.
This year being 2017, and if you know anything about Canadian history, you'll know this is Canada's 150th anniversary of officially being a country. (Side note, I'm Canadian.) As such, you can probably bank on there being a plethora of extra happenings going on in 2017 in celebration of this event. In addition to all the foodie things, concerts and various other festivals going on, the NCC planned a few extra things to celebrate this milestone.
Unfortunately, I can't attend all the events. I've already missed one bigger one (because of work): the Red Bull Crashed Ice competition that happened a few weeks ago. I do, however, plan on attending as many as I can. There will absolutely be multiple food festivals to celebrate... eating (?) I suppose: Poutinefest is soon, and it won't be long before Ribfest and Dessertfest come along. In addition, the Latin Block Party, Glow Fest, the Pride Parade, Canada Day celebrations and probably somewhere in the neighbourhood of 3 million other things to shoot will be around over the next months until the year ends.
My project for this year is to try to capture what Ottawa (and hopefully by extension, Canada) is all about. Today, the third day of Spring, sees a massive snowstorm outside. That, to me, is what being Canadian entails. I've already got a few photo sessions in already, and I'm obviously planning on getting a lot more in before the end of the year.
I'm hoping to update this blog as I get more photos in. Given Canada is celebrating its sesquicentennial, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that 150 proper pictures by the end of 2017 would make a good project. (Now, technically, the 150th would start July 1st, 2017 and end June 30th, 2018, but let's forget about that for now.) I'm imagine I'll end up posting more that 150 photos by the end of the year, but I'll cull the best and put them in an album to showcase the best.
As for now, I shall leave you, because I don't want this storm to end, and miss any shots of a cold, snowy, Canadian spring.
Friday, 24 March 2017
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Friday Night, April 10
Without getting into a long explanation that is extremely unimportant to this post, I was invited to someone's birthday party at a local pub a few Fridays ago, but I had prior plans. The plans didn't last as long as I expected and I ended up meeting the birthday group later that night.
The party isn't all that important, except for the fact that it made me walk around the Market for a good 40 minutes. (My buddy was tired, I left his place and got to the Market about 40 minutes before the party was to meet there.) I spent my time, of course, walking around taking photos.
I hadn't done that, at night, in the Market, for a long time. I am easily a creature of the night. I dislike mornings and seem to wake up when the sun goes down, especially if I'm already outside. I love walking around at night taking photos; I just don't get much opportunity to do so. I suppose I could easily go out and do it any night I choose, which is absolutely true, it's just rare I am outside at night waiting do to something with some time to kill.
I feel that the city during the day is functional, and not much more, especially during the week. People wake up, go to work, and come back home, occasionally going to some store or other to buy something. It's all very sterile and orderly. At night, especially getting closer to the weekend, the city comes alive with vibrancy and diversity. During the day, people have to dress appropriate to their jobs, and have to act appropriately; at night people wear the clothes they want so they can act like themselves and have fun the way they like to have fun.
With my trusty Canon S100 (though I don't know how long I'll be calling a Canon camera 'trusty'), I set out to wander the Market as soon as I got there, as I knew I would be waiting for people to get where they're supposed to go. The camera is small and discrete, but has good focusing and good low-light performance. I've never really been disappointed by this camera.
Walking around, I generally took shots of what I wanted to take shots of. I did miss one photo opportunity, though I'm not too disappointed I missed it. I did walk past it (which is bad), but got my thoughts together about the shot I wanted and did a 180 to go get the shot (which, I consider, for me, a good thing). It was somewhat chilly outside, and there was a girl in front of a club, waiting for friends, being very cold, in clothing that was more appropriate for inside the club. By the time I got back, the shot was gone, but I was proud of myself for trying. (Again, this come down to my goal for 2015.)
You'll see things at night that you probably won't see during the day. For example, as I rounded a corner, I saw this guy doing one-handed push-ups on a corner. I had to run to get a shot of the guy before he got up and collected money from the people he was performing for. At night, people are a lot more lubricated and a lot more likely to entertain this type of performance. Again, more life and diversity at night.
I hope I can do this many other times this year. I guess that's up to me, but I suppose that if I have a reason to be downtown, I'll feel a bit better. This can be another goal this year: be more active at night, which I like.
The party isn't all that important, except for the fact that it made me walk around the Market for a good 40 minutes. (My buddy was tired, I left his place and got to the Market about 40 minutes before the party was to meet there.) I spent my time, of course, walking around taking photos.
I hadn't done that, at night, in the Market, for a long time. I am easily a creature of the night. I dislike mornings and seem to wake up when the sun goes down, especially if I'm already outside. I love walking around at night taking photos; I just don't get much opportunity to do so. I suppose I could easily go out and do it any night I choose, which is absolutely true, it's just rare I am outside at night waiting do to something with some time to kill.
I feel that the city during the day is functional, and not much more, especially during the week. People wake up, go to work, and come back home, occasionally going to some store or other to buy something. It's all very sterile and orderly. At night, especially getting closer to the weekend, the city comes alive with vibrancy and diversity. During the day, people have to dress appropriate to their jobs, and have to act appropriately; at night people wear the clothes they want so they can act like themselves and have fun the way they like to have fun.
With my trusty Canon S100 (though I don't know how long I'll be calling a Canon camera 'trusty'), I set out to wander the Market as soon as I got there, as I knew I would be waiting for people to get where they're supposed to go. The camera is small and discrete, but has good focusing and good low-light performance. I've never really been disappointed by this camera.
Walking around, I generally took shots of what I wanted to take shots of. I did miss one photo opportunity, though I'm not too disappointed I missed it. I did walk past it (which is bad), but got my thoughts together about the shot I wanted and did a 180 to go get the shot (which, I consider, for me, a good thing). It was somewhat chilly outside, and there was a girl in front of a club, waiting for friends, being very cold, in clothing that was more appropriate for inside the club. By the time I got back, the shot was gone, but I was proud of myself for trying. (Again, this come down to my goal for 2015.)
You'll see things at night that you probably won't see during the day. For example, as I rounded a corner, I saw this guy doing one-handed push-ups on a corner. I had to run to get a shot of the guy before he got up and collected money from the people he was performing for. At night, people are a lot more lubricated and a lot more likely to entertain this type of performance. Again, more life and diversity at night.
I hope I can do this many other times this year. I guess that's up to me, but I suppose that if I have a reason to be downtown, I'll feel a bit better. This can be another goal this year: be more active at night, which I like.
Saturday, 18 April 2015
The First Day
Inevitably, in the same way that there is a last tolerable day where photography is able to be done, there comes a day where the cold temperatures break and it's again possible to walk outside and take photos without fear of your fingers falling off.
I remember a few years back (4, to be specific), I got so tired of not being able to take pictures, that I walked outside the first day it was relatively warm. As I remember it, I walked around for about two hours, in massive amounts of rain/sleet, in massive amounts of slush (as it was just over freezing). When I got back home, there was no piece of clothing that was dry and took a long, warm shower as soon as I could. As much as I dislike being uncomfortable when I take photos, I really enjoyed walking around that day. It was shooting in conditions I'd never shot in before (or, to be fair, since).
This year, the first actual nice day of shooting was April 3rd. I walked around for some 5 hours and got a sunburn on my face. It was a very nice day, being sunny and around 15 Celcius, and the Market was pretty busy. It was a bit strange getting back getting in the swing of things and trying to take pictures of random people. I've been in the Market a few times since then and I'm getting back into the groove of things. Getting back to my Leica is a bit weird, after not really touching while the weather was freezing.
I remember a few years back (4, to be specific), I got so tired of not being able to take pictures, that I walked outside the first day it was relatively warm. As I remember it, I walked around for about two hours, in massive amounts of rain/sleet, in massive amounts of slush (as it was just over freezing). When I got back home, there was no piece of clothing that was dry and took a long, warm shower as soon as I could. As much as I dislike being uncomfortable when I take photos, I really enjoyed walking around that day. It was shooting in conditions I'd never shot in before (or, to be fair, since).
This year, the first actual nice day of shooting was April 3rd. I walked around for some 5 hours and got a sunburn on my face. It was a very nice day, being sunny and around 15 Celcius, and the Market was pretty busy. It was a bit strange getting back getting in the swing of things and trying to take pictures of random people. I've been in the Market a few times since then and I'm getting back into the groove of things. Getting back to my Leica is a bit weird, after not really touching while the weather was freezing.
All the shots in this post today were taken on that day, and, like I said, a few were nice. My Flickr page has a few extra ones. I took a few shots I was happy with, but I have to get into my photography mindset. Already this year, there are a few shots I wish I'd taken. I am getting better at this, though. A few times after I walked past a nice shot and wished I'd taken a shot, I've walked back to try and get what I wanted. Unfortunately, in some instances I've missed the shots, but such is the case with such a transitory type of photography. I will definitely try to not think about repercussions and shoot before thinking about it this year.
That is my goal for 2015.
Monday, 9 March 2015
The Last Day
If you live in the southern parts of the US, or on coasts, or any number of other places that aren't where I live, then this probably doesn't apply to you: there comes a time where the weather tells you you should stop for a little while. Living in Ottawa (especially this winter) means there comes a time where going out to shoot some photographs becomes uncomfortable for your fingers (and possibly other parts of the anatomy, as well). With the nice snowfalls we've had, it has been exceptionally pretty, though somehow the weather decided to stay at a relatively chilly -20 degrees Celcius during these times (and, to be honest, others), which doesn't occur too often. (Precipitation usually means a warmer climate is in effect.)
I've heard this winter has been the coldest since 1979; this has literally been the coldest in my life. As much as I want to go outside and shoot, given how pretty it's been with the snow and sunshine, I care about my hands and my cameras. I can get gloves for my hands, yes, but I can't warm up my camera. Minus 20 degrees Celsius is still -20 degrees Celsius and, if possible, I'd prefer -20 degrees Celsius not pelting my camera sensor.
I've heard this winter has been the coldest since 1979; this has literally been the coldest in my life. As much as I want to go outside and shoot, given how pretty it's been with the snow and sunshine, I care about my hands and my cameras. I can get gloves for my hands, yes, but I can't warm up my camera. Minus 20 degrees Celsius is still -20 degrees Celsius and, if possible, I'd prefer -20 degrees Celsius not pelting my camera sensor.
Since the weather went ice-age levels of crispness, I've been out shooting once and the interaction with my colleague was more fun than the actual shooting. I did get some nice shots and I don't regret shooting, I just would prefer if it were warmer. On the plus side, it's now March and it's already warmed up, so I'm hoping to soon go outside without chance of frostbite, all the while confusing people as to why I'm taking pictures of them.
I suppose I can always move to a place with a few more degrees over the course of the year, but that requires planning and moving and I'm too happy sharing my bed with my cat at the moment.
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Projects
Many photographers advocate having projects. This makes sense: it focuses your work and makes your intentions clearer. A bunch of random shots will not have the same impact as some photos having the same elements, especially if the object is to show others something specific they may not notice otherwise. Having many shots of nice cars in front of dilapidated houses can show the discrepancy in priorities, for example. It might be much more difficult do show the same thing with a disparate group of shots without the same elements in each one.
I find projects a bit lofty in my own work. I group my photos in various albums because I find some things need pointing out. I mean, I started out this blog as an outlet for a 365 Project. A few albums in my Flickr account contain samey photos, and I suppose those can be considered projects, though I probably don't take them as seriously as more serious photographers would consider projects. I go out and shoot, and if I remember to take a shot of someone with a cell phone, or of a piece of clothing on something, then, I suppose, my project goes on. I sometimes forget to take shots of these things, given I don't take them too seriously.
I have no end goal with these albums, which is why I wouldn't consider them projects. Projects can last years, and so my idea is to add/take away shots whenever new ones come up. I don't think these albums with ever be 'done'. Maybe with time they'll develop a focus or more a meaning, but for now they're just for fun. I'm documenting a few things that catch my eye.
How should a project start? As you take photos of things you find interesting, or simply as you walk around and look at things (being a photographer, I assume looking at things interests you), you notice patterns. For example, my for clothes on things album, I simply noticed one day that there was a few pieces of clothing on various objects. I happen to photograph them because I thought the scene looked funny.
You have a certain interest: cars, beards, pretty people, cats, games, football, hockey, tattoos, whatever. That's a good starting point. Go out and shoot these things.
I've found some inexplicable things I enjoy shooting: front doors, with their addresses. I don't know why. I've just put up a new album on Flickr that is just that: address photography, I suppose. It's pretty strange, and, again, I can't really explain why I started shooting these things. As I've said before, you notice patterns in what you shoot after looking back at your photos.
Here's where you can find what I'm talking about.
I find projects a bit lofty in my own work. I group my photos in various albums because I find some things need pointing out. I mean, I started out this blog as an outlet for a 365 Project. A few albums in my Flickr account contain samey photos, and I suppose those can be considered projects, though I probably don't take them as seriously as more serious photographers would consider projects. I go out and shoot, and if I remember to take a shot of someone with a cell phone, or of a piece of clothing on something, then, I suppose, my project goes on. I sometimes forget to take shots of these things, given I don't take them too seriously.
I have no end goal with these albums, which is why I wouldn't consider them projects. Projects can last years, and so my idea is to add/take away shots whenever new ones come up. I don't think these albums with ever be 'done'. Maybe with time they'll develop a focus or more a meaning, but for now they're just for fun. I'm documenting a few things that catch my eye.
How should a project start? As you take photos of things you find interesting, or simply as you walk around and look at things (being a photographer, I assume looking at things interests you), you notice patterns. For example, my for clothes on things album, I simply noticed one day that there was a few pieces of clothing on various objects. I happen to photograph them because I thought the scene looked funny.
You have a certain interest: cars, beards, pretty people, cats, games, football, hockey, tattoos, whatever. That's a good starting point. Go out and shoot these things.
I've found some inexplicable things I enjoy shooting: front doors, with their addresses. I don't know why. I've just put up a new album on Flickr that is just that: address photography, I suppose. It's pretty strange, and, again, I can't really explain why I started shooting these things. As I've said before, you notice patterns in what you shoot after looking back at your photos.
Here's where you can find what I'm talking about.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Ribfest Street Photography
Ottawa, for photography (of any kind), is a great place: it's the country's capital, and so is filled with culture in the form museums, tours of various kinds and events and festivals of every kind. For example, the weekend that just passed saw the Busker Festival, most of which I unfortunately missed. There's always next year. There are also great landscapes (say, Gatineau Park) not too far from downtown. Music festivals abound, as well, with everything from Escapade to Bluesfest to the Chamber Music Festival.
One of these such events is Ribfest, which generally happens in mid-ish June. (This year, if you care, from the 18th to the 22nd.) Being a big fan of Digital Rev and Eric Kim, and admiring the videos of Street Hunters, I decided to do my own walk-around video. I was a bit nervous shooting this, but once I started shooting, my video shooting didn't seem to matter too much; people didn't seem to notice or care I was using two cameras at once and I was more preoccupied with shooting photos than worrying about my video. I basically walked down Sparks from beginning to end and back, snapping things I found interesting. Beware: lots of ribs in this video.
I gloss over a few things in the introduction of the video and I'll quickly go over these now. The video was shot with my Canon S100, which I was holding in my left hand and I was shooting with my Leica M in my right. I shot all the photos with a Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 lens (bought from Digital Rev, incidentally). The two main reasons for the lens choice are twofold: one, leading up to Ribfest, it just seemed like the best choice of the three lenses I own to get the mood and look I wanted to capture; and two, because I was shooting with one hand, I couldn't futz around with focusing, and at 15mm at f/5.6 or smaller aperture, pretty much everything was in focus.
Another thing about this lens, as Ken Rockwell points out, is it's not ideal on a digital sensor, as there's a lot of funny colours on the edges of the shots. This is absolutely true. I don't mind the purples on the edges, as I think it frames the shots nicely, and because everything was shot on the same lens, all the shots have somewhat uniform look.
I had a lot of fun doing this thing and when I find a friend, or if I can convince my cat to hold my S100, I may use my 50mm lens in a later endeavour. Let me know if I can improve on anything in the video, or if you even like this video. It's long at over half an hour, but I like this type of video, and so I hope you like my contribution.
Monday, 4 August 2014
Dreams
This year marks Leica's 165th anniversary, and the 60th anniversary of the M system. Leica gas also been my dream camera since I've known photography in any capacity. To celebrate these milestones, I decided to buy a Leica. (Well, that's not really why, but I'll go with that because it makes me seem more debonair and sophisticated than I really am.)
I may do a review of it later on, but because there are enough good reviews from other people already, I don't know if I have anything else to add. I may do a mini-review later, then - something simple to start off another post. Suffice to say that I am incredibly happy with this toy and if you have the opportunity to play with one, jump on the chance. It was a massive gamble on whether I'd actually like it or not (given I had never played with a rangefinder before), but I have zero regrets about the purchase.
In any case, one thing I didn't see is an unboxing video of this camera. So, the point of this short post, is to put up my unboxing video. It's short and awkward, and I had a beard back then. However, you get to see exactly what's in the box. I have a video of the Noctilux somewhere in my hard drives, so once I find it an upload it, I will probably post a link of that, as well.
For now, enjoy this video!
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Humble Beginnings
Everybody has to start somewhere; one wonders what Henri Cartier-Bresson's first ever photos looked like. (I do, at least.) My very first camera was a Polaroid my father gave me when I was 5 or 6 or so (and to be honest, at this point I'm only guessing given it's so long ago). I don't remember which model, but, as with everyone's first Polaroid if you grew up in the analog age, it was one of their instant cameras. At 13, I got a Pentax Espio 115, and it served me extremely well. If I was so inclined, I could put a battery in it right now and it would be perfectly functional, giving me great photos (though it needs to be cleaned slightly).
The first digital camera I had any relevant experience with was my ex-girlfriend's Sony something-or-other. It was a small pink camera (she was that kind of girl). The first digital camera I personally owned was a Canon EOS XSi/450D/Kiss X2. (I knew I was into photography by then.) For those actually interested, I bought it as a Boxing Day sale in December 2008 (the 28th, as I remember it).
Looking at all my photos taken with that camera, I can definitely see how I've evolved as a photographer. The first shots were mostly of my cat (Swarley was the best cat, ever), or of general city landscapes. Everything was experimental and new. I was trying to master all the different settings and how they interact with each other. Most of the results were standard fare; just generic photos of someone starting out. I don't look back and wish I could have taken any of them differently because at the time I was in a learning phase: taking photos of everything I could to figure out what type of photos I enjoyed taking.
Given that I now consider myself a street photographer more than anything else, I wanted to share my first street photos that I still remembered. The first shot I truly consider my first street photography photograph is the first one under here, of the lady walking down the street. Funny thing: I had the hardest time actually finding this particular shot amidst the 7200-or-so I took with the XSi, not because it was particular hard to find, but because I could have sworn it was black and white (and so I was scrolling through trying to find my black and white photographs). It turns out, I'd seen it a year or so back, and at the time re-imagined how I'd have edited it with a more mature photographic mind, and that's the picture I remembered taking in my head.
At the time I was taking RAW and JPG at the same time, not because I particularly edited my photos, but because I'd heard it was the best thing to do. As such, the photos here are presented unedited as they came out of the camera. I could tweak them and improve them a little bit, but that wouldn't be as authentic as presenting them as they actually are. I hope you enjoy these. It was fun scrolling through my first shots again. For those interested, these are very early shots out of my camera, numbered 236, 520 and 5160.
Again, I consider this shot my very first street shot. Oh, I'd taken shot of random people before, but it was at Winterlude, which is a festival, where people are plentiful. Besides, those shots are not as good as this one. I took this photo simply because I liked the way the lady looked walking down the street. She's tiny in here but it was a start. If I were to edit this photo again, I would definitely change it to black and white, and perhaps lower the highlights to lessen the whites of the snow. Overall, I consider this a good start.
This is perhaps simply a good shot because of the reflections on the ground. I also like this because I don't know if I'd trudge through the rain again to get some nice shots (though I probably should). There's nothing special about this shot, but the composition is good and the reflection add a nice touch. If I were to edit this shot, I might just play with the clarity and contrast, but not too much else.
I actually remember walking through the Market and hanging around while the blurry guy on the left was doing magic tricks for crowds of people. I remember sticking around for a while, grabbing shots here and there. There's one shot of the magician I have, where he looks intense and energetic and, oddly enough, a little desperate in my eyes, though that last thought may completely be a reflection of my own feelings at time. Looking back at the photos I took that night, I prefer this one. My outlook on life has changed, and the sense of wonder and happiness in this lady's fact seems more my style right now, which is why I chose this photo.
Because it was night, I have a lot of blurry shots from this night, either from bad focus or slow shutter speed. Even though this was shot 5160 I took with this camera (not including the photos I was taking with my 2 point and shoots at the time), I was still learning (why I took this photo at ISO 200 is beyond me right now, but c'est la vie). Taking this shot now, knowing what I know, even with the XSi and 50mm f/1.8 lens, I would definitely get better results. I'm still learning now, but I feel I've come a long way since then. I don't ridicule myself for not editing my photos back then, or shooting night scenes with ISO 200, but the fact that I see issues with my older photos means that I've moved on and I've learned new things. Hopefully my photos have gotten better, and hopefully as time goes on, I keep getting better. Maybe in another 6 years, I'll go through my 2014 shots and do a retrospective post like this one.
Monday, 7 July 2014
Rainy Day Start
It's raining like crazy outside today (though if you don't like the weather, and this being Ottawa, just wait 10 minutes), and it's my first day off in a long time I can't go walking around to take photos. As such, I figure it's a great time to post for the first time in an even longer time.
Housekeeping things: I haven't stopped taking photos, I've just stopped posting them. There's no particular reason for that, with the only exception of laziness. I've started posting on Flickr again thanks to a co-worker that wanted to see some of my newer photos. Another big deciding factor in starting to post again is I have a new toy.
I won't get into details now, but I'm now mainly shoot my street photography with a Leica M and 50mm Noctilux. I'll probably write/film a review later, but I'll say I love this camera in its entirety. Other than that, I still have my Canon 5D Mark 3, S100 and Fuji X10. I still shoot with all of them, though my 5D is mainly used for shooting and filming wedding this year. I don't think I've used it in any other way this year. I still love this camera, it's just a bit unwieldy for street.
As always, I still plan on shooting, and I will make a effort on posting to my Flickr stream. I will also try to update this blog every now and then. For now, I will leave you with this album. No real reason for it, I just like it for some strange reason. Clothes on Stuff.
Oh, well look at that: it's now almost sunny outside.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
I Want Some More
First post in almost a year, but that doesn't mean I haven't taken any photos. First thing that happened is that I sold my Canon 7D and bought a Canon 5D Mark 3. I've also just been editing my photos and not really been doing anything with them. I may also go through my backlog of photos I haven't even retouched and do something with them. It may be laziness (probably, in fact, a chunk of it), but I've also been busy with other things. (Mostly laziness, though.)
In any case, it's getting warmer, which means I'll probably end up spending more time outside, and so more time photographing random things; indeed, in the past two weeks I've done much more of that than in the past two months. These six shots are just a small part of the photos I've edited, and an even smaller part of the photos I've taken and want to edit. I've posted more on my Flickr page, which you can go visit if you want to see other things I've posted that aren't on here.
I'm also still wondering what to do with this blog: whether it should be more instructional, informational, demonstrative or just random ranting. I'm sure it'll be a bit of everything, as it's been before. I've used a few cameras I'd like to recount and I'll definitely talk about my newest photographic acquisitions. I'm also being a videographer for a wedding in a couple of weeks, so that will be interesting to discuss, and definitely a different experience from photographing a wedding. I'll let you guys know how everything goes.
Here, then, are a few starter pictures.
I do take some shots in colour, but not this one. There's a lot of construction going on in downtown Ottawa, and these are just two guys doing their job.
This little kid seemed pretty excited with the cheese shop, though the parents seem less interested.
This was taken a little while ago, but I still like it. No comment on the picture itself - you guys can figure out what's going on.
Last one for now:
This is Jen. This was pretty much the first time I used the Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 in actual practise. It's a manual-only focus lens, which make focusing really annoying. Some of the shots were terrific, though, and it's a great lens. Regardless, this is probably the best shot of the evening, unless you like pet cats.
Another reason I'm deciding to add more to my blog is that I'm paying for my Flickr account, so I may as well make use of it in some way. No doubt I'll get bored in a few months time again and stop posting again for another little while, but until then, I hope you guys enjoy!
In any case, it's getting warmer, which means I'll probably end up spending more time outside, and so more time photographing random things; indeed, in the past two weeks I've done much more of that than in the past two months. These six shots are just a small part of the photos I've edited, and an even smaller part of the photos I've taken and want to edit. I've posted more on my Flickr page, which you can go visit if you want to see other things I've posted that aren't on here.
I'm also still wondering what to do with this blog: whether it should be more instructional, informational, demonstrative or just random ranting. I'm sure it'll be a bit of everything, as it's been before. I've used a few cameras I'd like to recount and I'll definitely talk about my newest photographic acquisitions. I'm also being a videographer for a wedding in a couple of weeks, so that will be interesting to discuss, and definitely a different experience from photographing a wedding. I'll let you guys know how everything goes.
Here, then, are a few starter pictures.
This is an employee from a fish market in, well, the Market, in Ottawa, on break. Incidentally, Wang's Noodle House is probably my favourite place in the Market.
This little kid seemed pretty excited with the cheese shop, though the parents seem less interested.
This was taken a little while ago, but I still like it. No comment on the picture itself - you guys can figure out what's going on.
Last one for now:
This is Jen. This was pretty much the first time I used the Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 in actual practise. It's a manual-only focus lens, which make focusing really annoying. Some of the shots were terrific, though, and it's a great lens. Regardless, this is probably the best shot of the evening, unless you like pet cats.
Another reason I'm deciding to add more to my blog is that I'm paying for my Flickr account, so I may as well make use of it in some way. No doubt I'll get bored in a few months time again and stop posting again for another little while, but until then, I hope you guys enjoy!
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Randomness from the Past Couple of Months
Like I mentioned a few days ago, I posted some 35 pictures on my Flickr page, but I decided to post only 10 here, the ones I consider the better ones of the bunch. There's nothing particularly special about any of them, they're just nice.
I will mention the 8th picture down, of the gentleman on the table looking like he has a headache. He did not like me taking a picture of him. He didn't say anything but he looked at me really funny. I'm actually surprised he saw me. I was in front of him, but he seemed in his own little world. In any case, it's probably my favorite picture of the past few months, so at least this guy can feel good about that.
Here goes:
I woke up one morning and just couldn't really see the parking lot 150 feet down. Maybe Tux had better luck.
For some reason I like these kinds of shots. It's been edited to look contrasty and somewhat sharper than it was, but I like the texture and feel of the shot.
I'm not sure what kind of story this shot tells you but it says something. I suppose, taking it again, I'd want to get something in the background because as is, it doesn't really situate the beer can anywhere.
Some people waiting for the bus in a dark, dark bus stop. One guy pulled out a fantasy book of some kind, the other just sat on the chair.
This picture is better if it's a bit smaller. Why are clubs so dark? I like the idea of some random guy looking at these two girls getting freaky on the dance floor. That stupid Rickard's sign blocks out some of the scene, but hopefully you get the idea of what's going on, anyway.
More waiting at a bus stop, this time at a different stop on a different day.
Wide-angle lenses are pretty nice. I took this with the Canon S100. I was actually walking on the sidewalk and managed to get these two people looking over the river, with the 24mm-ness (equivalent) wide-angle end of the lens.
Regardless of what this gentleman thought of me, I love this shot. I just like him looking the way he does, with the two birds going about their lives, not really paying attention to him.
I found it funny how people were using this building to advertise this movie. It's also interesting because, say it was a dictator's place, it would definitely be private property and you wouldn't be able to trespass on it.
Last of the bunch for today. I was walking around the Market and it was fairly dead, but I did catch a few shots, this being my favourite of them. Just a guy playing guitar, busking for money.
I hope you enjoyed these, and there's hopefully going to be more coming soon enough. I don't have much of a backlog, but I might go through my archives and post things I haven't touched in a while. We'll see.
I will mention the 8th picture down, of the gentleman on the table looking like he has a headache. He did not like me taking a picture of him. He didn't say anything but he looked at me really funny. I'm actually surprised he saw me. I was in front of him, but he seemed in his own little world. In any case, it's probably my favorite picture of the past few months, so at least this guy can feel good about that.
Here goes:
I woke up one morning and just couldn't really see the parking lot 150 feet down. Maybe Tux had better luck.
For some reason I like these kinds of shots. It's been edited to look contrasty and somewhat sharper than it was, but I like the texture and feel of the shot.
I'm not sure what kind of story this shot tells you but it says something. I suppose, taking it again, I'd want to get something in the background because as is, it doesn't really situate the beer can anywhere.
Some people waiting for the bus in a dark, dark bus stop. One guy pulled out a fantasy book of some kind, the other just sat on the chair.
This picture is better if it's a bit smaller. Why are clubs so dark? I like the idea of some random guy looking at these two girls getting freaky on the dance floor. That stupid Rickard's sign blocks out some of the scene, but hopefully you get the idea of what's going on, anyway.
More waiting at a bus stop, this time at a different stop on a different day.
Wide-angle lenses are pretty nice. I took this with the Canon S100. I was actually walking on the sidewalk and managed to get these two people looking over the river, with the 24mm-ness (equivalent) wide-angle end of the lens.
Regardless of what this gentleman thought of me, I love this shot. I just like him looking the way he does, with the two birds going about their lives, not really paying attention to him.
I found it funny how people were using this building to advertise this movie. It's also interesting because, say it was a dictator's place, it would definitely be private property and you wouldn't be able to trespass on it.
Last of the bunch for today. I was walking around the Market and it was fairly dead, but I did catch a few shots, this being my favourite of them. Just a guy playing guitar, busking for money.
I hope you enjoyed these, and there's hopefully going to be more coming soon enough. I don't have much of a backlog, but I might go through my archives and post things I haven't touched in a while. We'll see.
Monday, 21 May 2012
Mini-reviews: Canon Elph 320, Olympus TG-820 and Nikon P510
It's been forever since my last post, but because it's much nicer outside now I'll hopefully have more to post. I should have a few pictures up in the next few days, but here's something a little bit different: a few mini-reviews. I suppose I should call these mini-overviews, given I can't really talk about the picture or video quality; I played around with the cameras, but didn't really have the inclination to put in a memory card to see what the results would be. In any case, here are my impressions of these cameras.
Canon Elph 320
This is Canon's touchscreen camera model and, quite honestly, the touchscreen isn't very good. Sony does it much better with their T/TX series. Sony's screens are simply more responsive, which, what with the screen being touch sensitive and all, is the most important part. There are no issues with the layout and interface on the Elph 320, but the screen seems a bit stiff, especially compared to the Sony TX10 or T110.
The 320 has wifi capabilities, and these two features (touchscreen and wifi) are what distinguish this model from the Elph 110, because other than those, both cameras are exactly the same. They both have the same 16.1 MP sensor, Digic 5 processor and 5x optical zoom. The addition of wifi is nice, but the only interesting feature is being able to send pictures from camera to camera, though I'm questioning the practical use of this option. Standard options like emailing and sending pictures to Facebook and Twitter, videos to Youtube, are also included. Samsung seems to have better wifi integration, and allows you to control the camera through your smartphone (provided you've downloaded the iOS/Android app), whereas Canon only allows you transfer files and send them to various services. Samsung also allows you to send your photos to (among others) SkyDrive if you use that, whereas Canon only allows their Canon Image Gallery.
The camera comes with all the Canon bells and whistles offers, like a million different filters (B&W, sepia, vivid, super vivid, and the like), all the effects you can imagine (fisheye, miniature (still and video), colour accent, among others), as well as Super Slo-Mo video, shot at 240 frames per second. This comes standard with all the cameras boasting the Digic 5 processor. This mode is not very practical, but playing with it is definitely a lot of fun. Standard video shooting is 1080p, and Canon has enabled all 2012 models to zoom while shooting video, which is something they should have done a little while ago.
All these features are a nice inclusion and won't be of any surprise to any longtime Canon user. Also not a surprise is probably going to be the image and video quality, which I'm assuming are going to be great. Canon has always had great processing and the Digic 5 processor is very strong. The files out of my S100 are terrific and though shouldn't be compared directly with any Elph camera, they're a nice indication of what the Elph cameras should do.
Quite honestly, as far as a camera goes, the Elph 110 is a better deal. The wifi integration on the 320 is nice to have, but people wanting to send pictures and videos to whatever website they want will generally take pictures and videos with their smartphone instead, and not be limited by access points and such. The 320's touchscreen is its downfall, honestly. I like the UI, but, with Canon, I'd rather have buttons to use. If you can get past those, this seems like a nice little compact camera.
Olympus TG-820
Since last summer, I've only mentioned Olympus when talking about their scandal, but they've also been releasing cameras since then! The OM-D is well-reviewed and I'd love to be able to play with it. The TG-820 is now their mid-range tough camera (replacing their 6xx/x series), and I can say it's well-built. I find the TG-810 slightly more solid, but the 820 has the same specs when it comes to toughness ratings. Waterproof down to 10m, shockproof up to 2m, freezeproof to -10 celcius and crushproof up to 100 kg, this will definitely be able to withstand whatever you do with it. Indeed, I've dropped it and stepped on it a few times and not even a scratch.
What's new to this camera is a CMOS sensor and based on what the OM-D can do, I'm really curious at the low-light/underwater quality of this camera. The camera also has a 5x zoom, but has this intelligent digital zoom feature (also seen in Sony and Panasonic cameras) that allows you to zoom out to 10x, while still keeping full 12 MP resolution shots. In a pinch, it's a nice option to have, but because the camera has to interpolate pixels, I imagine the image isn't as sharp as an optical 10x zoom. Olympus isn't a leader in video, but I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the 1080p video quality.
Not only does the TG-820 have standard effects/filters (B&W, fisheye and the like), it also has some very interesting retouching features I've never seen inside a camera before. After taking a portrait, you can go in and tweak the smile, skin, eyes and facial features to improve that portrait. It's like having a mini-photoshop edition in your camera. The changes are not drastic, mind you, but the subtle changes can take a nice picture and make it just that much better. One nice filter they added is called 'Fragmented' and I like the look it has. It takes your picture and breaks it up in small, offset squares, giving, well, a fragmented look. I thought I'd mention this because I like it.
The one thing Olympus took out from last year's model is the GPS, which, for a tough camera designed for hiking and travel (and especially coming from Olympus), is pretty much a necessary inclusion at this point. Olympus's flagship tough camera, the TG-1, will have it, but they should have also included it in this model, as well. All in all, this seems like a respectable camera if you want a tough camera. It's well-built and has a very nice set of features.
Nikon P510
Just to get this out of the way first: yes, this has a 42x zoom, which is insane. Moving on. This zoom is going to be the main reason the general consumer would buy this camera. Most people don't seem to care all that much about many of the bells and whistle that companies cram in their bodies, so they'll look at the zoom, because most people want a quick, responsive camera that will perform well in the dark and that has nice zoom. I have no qualms about this camera's responsiveness, provided there's enough light, obviously, and, to be honest, though I trust the JPEG engine on the Canon SX40 a bit more, the P510 has many terrific features that the SX40 does not. The P510 comes with a 16.1 MP sensor, and, somewhat disappointingly, only an Expeed C2 processor, instead of Nikon's new Expeed 3 processor (or a variation thereof). (The Canon SX40 has a Digic 5 processor, the first camera along with the S100 released with this processor.)
The first feature I noticed was the intervelometer setting. This is actually the one feature I'm most excited about, though most people don't seem too keen to embrace. The ability to do time-lapse photography in-camera is relatively rare, especially on non-pro cameras. If I owned the P510, this is pretty much the only feature I'd use on it. Other than that, the SX40 also lacks GPS capability, which the P510 has. Again, for a nice travel camera, this inclusion is thoughtful. The camera also has the standard array of filters and effects, such as black and white, fisheye and miniature effect. However, the colour accent mode in the Canon cameras is a bit better thought out. In the P510, you have to choose from specific colours (ie. light blue, blue, light red, red, etc...), whereas in the Canon cameras, you have the freedom to choose any colour you can see through your screen. Having said that, the panorama mode in the P510 is a motion-type panorama, where you drag the camera across the scene and all the stitching is done in-camera. The Canon panorama mode is a lot more involved and pretty archaic.
A few cons on the P510 to finish off. The screen on the SX40 flips to the side, and rotates 270 degrees. This is a nice feature if you want to turn the camera on yourself, as you can see what you're shooting. The P510 screen tilts up and down and that's it. It adds a nice level of flexibility to shoot over and under things, but it's not as useful as the one on the Canon camera. The last thing I'll mention (and the first thing I noticed when turning on the camera) is that the menu system is a bit clunky. This isn't usually a problem, as Nikon menus are not too complex to begin with, but because the P510 has so many features, it may take a little while to figure out how all the buttons work with the menus and dials. This is a small gripe, but for most consumers that want an easy camera to use, it may be slightly irritating.
This is a nice bridge camera. It's not my favorite type of camera. I don't like too much zoom, but the features are nice. It's a solidly-built body, and it's not a bad choice.
I might add more small reviews like these ones if I get the chance to do it. I might attempt to get sample shots and videos next time, but I don't know possible that is for various reasons that aren't really important to expand upon. In any case, I'll have new posts up soon!
Canon Elph 320
This is Canon's touchscreen camera model and, quite honestly, the touchscreen isn't very good. Sony does it much better with their T/TX series. Sony's screens are simply more responsive, which, what with the screen being touch sensitive and all, is the most important part. There are no issues with the layout and interface on the Elph 320, but the screen seems a bit stiff, especially compared to the Sony TX10 or T110.
The 320 has wifi capabilities, and these two features (touchscreen and wifi) are what distinguish this model from the Elph 110, because other than those, both cameras are exactly the same. They both have the same 16.1 MP sensor, Digic 5 processor and 5x optical zoom. The addition of wifi is nice, but the only interesting feature is being able to send pictures from camera to camera, though I'm questioning the practical use of this option. Standard options like emailing and sending pictures to Facebook and Twitter, videos to Youtube, are also included. Samsung seems to have better wifi integration, and allows you to control the camera through your smartphone (provided you've downloaded the iOS/Android app), whereas Canon only allows you transfer files and send them to various services. Samsung also allows you to send your photos to (among others) SkyDrive if you use that, whereas Canon only allows their Canon Image Gallery.
The camera comes with all the Canon bells and whistles offers, like a million different filters (B&W, sepia, vivid, super vivid, and the like), all the effects you can imagine (fisheye, miniature (still and video), colour accent, among others), as well as Super Slo-Mo video, shot at 240 frames per second. This comes standard with all the cameras boasting the Digic 5 processor. This mode is not very practical, but playing with it is definitely a lot of fun. Standard video shooting is 1080p, and Canon has enabled all 2012 models to zoom while shooting video, which is something they should have done a little while ago.
All these features are a nice inclusion and won't be of any surprise to any longtime Canon user. Also not a surprise is probably going to be the image and video quality, which I'm assuming are going to be great. Canon has always had great processing and the Digic 5 processor is very strong. The files out of my S100 are terrific and though shouldn't be compared directly with any Elph camera, they're a nice indication of what the Elph cameras should do.
Quite honestly, as far as a camera goes, the Elph 110 is a better deal. The wifi integration on the 320 is nice to have, but people wanting to send pictures and videos to whatever website they want will generally take pictures and videos with their smartphone instead, and not be limited by access points and such. The 320's touchscreen is its downfall, honestly. I like the UI, but, with Canon, I'd rather have buttons to use. If you can get past those, this seems like a nice little compact camera.
Olympus TG-820
Since last summer, I've only mentioned Olympus when talking about their scandal, but they've also been releasing cameras since then! The OM-D is well-reviewed and I'd love to be able to play with it. The TG-820 is now their mid-range tough camera (replacing their 6xx/x series), and I can say it's well-built. I find the TG-810 slightly more solid, but the 820 has the same specs when it comes to toughness ratings. Waterproof down to 10m, shockproof up to 2m, freezeproof to -10 celcius and crushproof up to 100 kg, this will definitely be able to withstand whatever you do with it. Indeed, I've dropped it and stepped on it a few times and not even a scratch.
What's new to this camera is a CMOS sensor and based on what the OM-D can do, I'm really curious at the low-light/underwater quality of this camera. The camera also has a 5x zoom, but has this intelligent digital zoom feature (also seen in Sony and Panasonic cameras) that allows you to zoom out to 10x, while still keeping full 12 MP resolution shots. In a pinch, it's a nice option to have, but because the camera has to interpolate pixels, I imagine the image isn't as sharp as an optical 10x zoom. Olympus isn't a leader in video, but I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the 1080p video quality.
Not only does the TG-820 have standard effects/filters (B&W, fisheye and the like), it also has some very interesting retouching features I've never seen inside a camera before. After taking a portrait, you can go in and tweak the smile, skin, eyes and facial features to improve that portrait. It's like having a mini-photoshop edition in your camera. The changes are not drastic, mind you, but the subtle changes can take a nice picture and make it just that much better. One nice filter they added is called 'Fragmented' and I like the look it has. It takes your picture and breaks it up in small, offset squares, giving, well, a fragmented look. I thought I'd mention this because I like it.
The one thing Olympus took out from last year's model is the GPS, which, for a tough camera designed for hiking and travel (and especially coming from Olympus), is pretty much a necessary inclusion at this point. Olympus's flagship tough camera, the TG-1, will have it, but they should have also included it in this model, as well. All in all, this seems like a respectable camera if you want a tough camera. It's well-built and has a very nice set of features.
Nikon P510
Just to get this out of the way first: yes, this has a 42x zoom, which is insane. Moving on. This zoom is going to be the main reason the general consumer would buy this camera. Most people don't seem to care all that much about many of the bells and whistle that companies cram in their bodies, so they'll look at the zoom, because most people want a quick, responsive camera that will perform well in the dark and that has nice zoom. I have no qualms about this camera's responsiveness, provided there's enough light, obviously, and, to be honest, though I trust the JPEG engine on the Canon SX40 a bit more, the P510 has many terrific features that the SX40 does not. The P510 comes with a 16.1 MP sensor, and, somewhat disappointingly, only an Expeed C2 processor, instead of Nikon's new Expeed 3 processor (or a variation thereof). (The Canon SX40 has a Digic 5 processor, the first camera along with the S100 released with this processor.)
The first feature I noticed was the intervelometer setting. This is actually the one feature I'm most excited about, though most people don't seem too keen to embrace. The ability to do time-lapse photography in-camera is relatively rare, especially on non-pro cameras. If I owned the P510, this is pretty much the only feature I'd use on it. Other than that, the SX40 also lacks GPS capability, which the P510 has. Again, for a nice travel camera, this inclusion is thoughtful. The camera also has the standard array of filters and effects, such as black and white, fisheye and miniature effect. However, the colour accent mode in the Canon cameras is a bit better thought out. In the P510, you have to choose from specific colours (ie. light blue, blue, light red, red, etc...), whereas in the Canon cameras, you have the freedom to choose any colour you can see through your screen. Having said that, the panorama mode in the P510 is a motion-type panorama, where you drag the camera across the scene and all the stitching is done in-camera. The Canon panorama mode is a lot more involved and pretty archaic.
A few cons on the P510 to finish off. The screen on the SX40 flips to the side, and rotates 270 degrees. This is a nice feature if you want to turn the camera on yourself, as you can see what you're shooting. The P510 screen tilts up and down and that's it. It adds a nice level of flexibility to shoot over and under things, but it's not as useful as the one on the Canon camera. The last thing I'll mention (and the first thing I noticed when turning on the camera) is that the menu system is a bit clunky. This isn't usually a problem, as Nikon menus are not too complex to begin with, but because the P510 has so many features, it may take a little while to figure out how all the buttons work with the menus and dials. This is a small gripe, but for most consumers that want an easy camera to use, it may be slightly irritating.
This is a nice bridge camera. It's not my favorite type of camera. I don't like too much zoom, but the features are nice. It's a solidly-built body, and it's not a bad choice.
I might add more small reviews like these ones if I get the chance to do it. I might attempt to get sample shots and videos next time, but I don't know possible that is for various reasons that aren't really important to expand upon. In any case, I'll have new posts up soon!
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Didn't make the cut.
Because I found them on my computer, here are six random pictures that didn't make the project. There are definitely more of this type of photos, but this is what I easily found. They were nice, but better ones were simply taken during that day.
Here's the first one.
I would've liked having a wider-angle camera, but the S100 wasn't out then. It's a nice shot, but I think the reason I didn't post this one is because it looked too much like others I'd taken before.
Next two.
I passed on these two in favour a blurry shot of my cat looking inside a cereal box. I don't know if I would have made the same decision now, but at least now you can all see these shots, as well.
Next up is from Winterlude.
I believe the reason I didn't pick this shot is because it's not as crisp as I wanted it to be. It does, however, look pretty nice in a smaller size.
Next up is a shot from Valentin's Day, but doesn't really have any romantic appeal, really. Just a frozen river.
I took a shot of the Peace Tower in Ottawa for the project, but that's only because I've taken too many of this river.
The last one of my favorite of the bunch.
I found it strange there was a baseball cap in the middle of the street and wanted to focus on it. The sensor in the X10 also allows for a blurrier background than normal compacts, so it gives the shot a, well, blurry feel, except the baseball cap.
In nay case, here are a few shots that may or may show my choosing process. I'll have new shots as soon as it's not too cold to walk around without gloves on.
Here's the first one.
I would've liked having a wider-angle camera, but the S100 wasn't out then. It's a nice shot, but I think the reason I didn't post this one is because it looked too much like others I'd taken before.
Next two.
I passed on these two in favour a blurry shot of my cat looking inside a cereal box. I don't know if I would have made the same decision now, but at least now you can all see these shots, as well.
Next up is from Winterlude.
I believe the reason I didn't pick this shot is because it's not as crisp as I wanted it to be. It does, however, look pretty nice in a smaller size.
Next up is a shot from Valentin's Day, but doesn't really have any romantic appeal, really. Just a frozen river.
I took a shot of the Peace Tower in Ottawa for the project, but that's only because I've taken too many of this river.
The last one of my favorite of the bunch.
I found it strange there was a baseball cap in the middle of the street and wanted to focus on it. The sensor in the X10 also allows for a blurrier background than normal compacts, so it gives the shot a, well, blurry feel, except the baseball cap.
In nay case, here are a few shots that may or may show my choosing process. I'll have new shots as soon as it's not too cold to walk around without gloves on.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
First post, post February. High ISO Comparison.
Most people think I'm crazy for owning more than one camera. I generally have either 2 or 3. This hobby gets kind of pricey, so I don't usually get too many cameras. I usually buy cameras only if I can get something out of it (big surprise, I know).
In any case, my constant conflict between having many cameras and having useful cameras means a couple of things: I wish I had access to more cameras than I do, and also, I'm able to compare anything that comes across my apartment. A few weeks ago before getting rid of my Canon 7D, I compared high ISO performance between the Canon 7D (with dual Dig!c 4 processors, released Q3 2009 (somewhat important)), the Canon S100 (with single Dig!c 5 processor, released Q3 2011) and the Fujifilm X10 (with single EXR processor, released Q4 2011).
Now, this is only an ISO test. It's not supposed to determine the best camera, which is very easy to figure out just by looking at the price tags. Given the sensor size differences, these are three very different cameras with very different purposes. I just thought it might be interesting to see how these cameras handle noise. It might be slightly unfair to test out these 3 cameras together, but I had them in my apartment, and I was actually curious to see how a tiny 1/1.7" sensor would hold up to a much bigger APS-C sensor.
All three photos were shot at 35-ish mm (given how tricky it was to pick an exact length, though I did my best to have equivalent focal lengths on all cameras), at ISO 3200 (the highest the X10 can shoot without compromising resolution), at F/4 (the aperture of the 7D's kit lens at the focal length) with a shutter speed of 1/60 of a second. I took the RAW files out of each camera and synchronised the white balance on all three files (3100K in case you care about this stuff at all), and exported the files as is. The white balance adjustment is the only editing I did, in order to get the most accurate colour and noise representation possible.
Before showing the pictures, a few interesting facts (well, interesting for me, anyway): all three cameras use CMOS sensors, and all three cameras were the first to use those particular sensors. The 7D was the first Canon SLR to use the APS-C 18MP sensor later found in the T2i, T3i and 60D; the S100 is the first to use the 1/1.7" 12MP sensor (and the way things are going, it'll be the only camera to use that particular sensor given the new G1X uses something slightly on the more massive side); and the X10 uses a newly-designed 2/3" 12MP sensor later found on the Fujifilm X-S1.
So, finally, the 7D shot:
It looks pretty good. To be as fair as possible, I used the EF-S 18-135mm kit lens. Given you can't change the lenses on the compact cameras, I thought it only fair not to use my L lens here.
Next, the S100.
Also looks good.
Finally, the X10 shot.
Unsurprisingly, also looks nice. What I find really strange is that the 7D and S100 files are 8MB and 7MB, respectively, while the X10's file size is only 4MB. I'm not sure how this happens because it seem to have pretty much the same colour and range as the, say, the S100.
In any case, at this size, the files all look more or less the same. So, let's crop.
The 7D.
Good.
The S100.
A bit grungy-looking.
The X10.
A bit grungy-looking, as well.
So, even at 2 1/2 years old, the 7D easily has the best ISO performance of the bunch. I really wish I'd taken shots at ISO 6400 and 12,800 to compare, but I didn't have that foresight for some reason. The 7D has much bigger sensor, with a pixel size of 4.3 micrometers (whereas the S100 has a 1.86 micrometer pixel size, and X10 has, I think, 2.09 micrometer pixel size). Not only that, the dual Dig!c 4 processors are able to handle anything captured by the sensor very easily. The 7D has the best dynamic range and clearest ISO performance.
The tougher decision is whether the X10 or the S100 has the better ISO performance. The X10 seems to have a bigger noise pattern than the S100, which, in cleaner areas, like the white part of the Blu-ray cover, gives the pictures a neater look, though makes the busier areas, like the battery and coins, look a bit blurrier. Looking at the speaker part, though, on the bottom right, the X10 definitely has better dynamic range, with deeper blacks and more detail in the shadow areas.
It's a tough call, and maybe my shot isn't the most representative. In terms of practical use, though, the X10 can go to higher ISO 6400 and 12,800, though only at reduced resolutions (6 and 3MP, respectively), while the S100 can have full 12MP shots at ISO 6400 and be quite usable. I think pushing these cameras more would be pointless, as nobody really pushes these cameras to their limit except idiots like me.
It's a tough call. What do you guys think?
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
"Everyone will take one great picture, I’ve done better because I’ve taken two." - 365 Project, Day 366
So this project has officially come to an end (as official as it can be, considering I'm running this myself). Here are a few statistics, as I promised in my last post.
Obviously these numbers change daily, but as of today, of course, in the past year:
- this blog has seen 4053 page views, which turns out to being roughly 11 views per day.
- this post from November 11th has seen the most traffic, with 35 views.
- this blog has gained 2 followers, but one or two others (or possibly more) visited regularly.
- there have been 1088 photos uploaded to Flickr, and about a dozen more uploaded to blogger itself (don't ask why I uploaded to two different places, it makes sense to me).
- our pictures have been viewed a combined total of 15 751 times.
- this shot has been viewed the most times, at 410 views (it was picked up by a French online magazine).
- 55 photos have had no views, which means that 1033 photos have been seen by at least one person, 6 of which have had more than 100 views.
- that I know of, about twenty pictures have been taken by various blogs, online magazines and shops for publication.
- 20 photos have been favorited by random viewers.
- the picture that has received the most attention is by far this one. It doesn't have the most views specifically, but I assure you it has easily been seen by the most people, as it was the duchess's Wikipedia picture for a long time.
- the most pictures I've taken in a day would be roughly 860, for a wedding I helped shoot. The most pictures I've taken in a day not shooting a wedding is about 350.
- I've taken roughly 7300 photographs (it's only an estimation because exact numbers are virtually impossible to figure out), which is probably less than what most people will take in their lifetime.
I started the project with the Canon S95 and the Canon 7D, with the kit lens and the EF 50mm f/1.8. I now own the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L lens and have neither of these cameras, owning the Canon S100 and Fujifilm X10, with the intention of buying the Canon 5D Mark II replacement, whenever that goes on sale.
As has been going on in the past year, here is my picture for the day.
Whatever happens, I know I'll always be taking pictures. Maybe more than I have in the past year, maybe less, but I'll keep taking shots of whatever I find interesting. This spot, in case you don't recognise it, was the exact spot where I shot my first photo of the 365 project, from March 1, 2011.
Again, thank you to Frank, Mandy and Shannon who joined me for this project, and stay tuned to see what I'll do next on this blog.
That's been my photographic life in the past year, as far as I can remember. I hope you've enjoyed it, and it's not even close to being over. I have a lot more pictures to take!
Obviously these numbers change daily, but as of today, of course, in the past year:
- this blog has seen 4053 page views, which turns out to being roughly 11 views per day.
- this post from November 11th has seen the most traffic, with 35 views.
- this blog has gained 2 followers, but one or two others (or possibly more) visited regularly.
- there have been 1088 photos uploaded to Flickr, and about a dozen more uploaded to blogger itself (don't ask why I uploaded to two different places, it makes sense to me).
- our pictures have been viewed a combined total of 15 751 times.
- this shot has been viewed the most times, at 410 views (it was picked up by a French online magazine).
- 55 photos have had no views, which means that 1033 photos have been seen by at least one person, 6 of which have had more than 100 views.
- that I know of, about twenty pictures have been taken by various blogs, online magazines and shops for publication.
- 20 photos have been favorited by random viewers.
- the picture that has received the most attention is by far this one. It doesn't have the most views specifically, but I assure you it has easily been seen by the most people, as it was the duchess's Wikipedia picture for a long time.
- the most pictures I've taken in a day would be roughly 860, for a wedding I helped shoot. The most pictures I've taken in a day not shooting a wedding is about 350.
- I've taken roughly 7300 photographs (it's only an estimation because exact numbers are virtually impossible to figure out), which is probably less than what most people will take in their lifetime.
I started the project with the Canon S95 and the Canon 7D, with the kit lens and the EF 50mm f/1.8. I now own the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L lens and have neither of these cameras, owning the Canon S100 and Fujifilm X10, with the intention of buying the Canon 5D Mark II replacement, whenever that goes on sale.
As has been going on in the past year, here is my picture for the day.
Whatever happens, I know I'll always be taking pictures. Maybe more than I have in the past year, maybe less, but I'll keep taking shots of whatever I find interesting. This spot, in case you don't recognise it, was the exact spot where I shot my first photo of the 365 project, from March 1, 2011.
Again, thank you to Frank, Mandy and Shannon who joined me for this project, and stay tuned to see what I'll do next on this blog.
That's been my photographic life in the past year, as far as I can remember. I hope you've enjoyed it, and it's not even close to being over. I have a lot more pictures to take!
"A snap shot is a two-dimensional piece of paper. A photograph is a three-dimensional work of art." - 365 Project, Day 365
Technically, today is the last day of the project, given it's the 365th day, but there is one more day to February, being a leap year.
It's been a great year, trying out new things and taking tons of pictures. I'll have all the weird stats tomorrow, but for today, it's more an impression of the project as a whole.
It was nice to have a few people try it out with me, though we lost a couple in the process. I half-expected this, but seeing the support and creativity come out, even if it was only for a short time, was a very educational experience.
It was also nice to see everybody trying out new types of photography and going out of their general comfort zone. Everybody tried landscapes, like sunrises and sunsets, but everybody tried macro-ish stuff, and even candid and street photography. There was also studio-type stuff, with placed elements here and there.
I've really enjoyed doing this, and not only because I can say I did it, but also because, for the most part, I did learn a lot and I feel I have grown a little bit about being a photographer. I do edit my shots more, and I do pretty only only shoot in RAW right now.
Thank you, Frank, Mandy and Shannon for joining me in this endeavour, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Here are our non-last shots for this project.
Frank
His note: Car wash curtain.
My shot
I just liked the colours in this kind-of sunset going on. I've also tried to take a shot with a reflection in the building, but I'll settle with the colour reflecting on the side.
Onto tomorrow!
It's been a great year, trying out new things and taking tons of pictures. I'll have all the weird stats tomorrow, but for today, it's more an impression of the project as a whole.
It was nice to have a few people try it out with me, though we lost a couple in the process. I half-expected this, but seeing the support and creativity come out, even if it was only for a short time, was a very educational experience.
It was also nice to see everybody trying out new types of photography and going out of their general comfort zone. Everybody tried landscapes, like sunrises and sunsets, but everybody tried macro-ish stuff, and even candid and street photography. There was also studio-type stuff, with placed elements here and there.
I've really enjoyed doing this, and not only because I can say I did it, but also because, for the most part, I did learn a lot and I feel I have grown a little bit about being a photographer. I do edit my shots more, and I do pretty only only shoot in RAW right now.
Thank you, Frank, Mandy and Shannon for joining me in this endeavour, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Here are our non-last shots for this project.
Frank
His note: Car wash curtain.
My shot
I just liked the colours in this kind-of sunset going on. I've also tried to take a shot with a reflection in the building, but I'll settle with the colour reflecting on the side.
Onto tomorrow!
"Maybe, the greatest art discovery within hundred years from now, would be our grandparents' photo albums!" - 365 Project, Day 364
I'm sure family albums have a lot of generic, boring pictures, but I'm sure a few shots are pretty nice and different, as well. Vacation shots are by and large nothing special. How many times has the Eiffel Tower been shot with someone standing in front of it? However, I'm sure there are some really different and creative shots out there, also.
It just takes a bit of thought, and and interesting angle, and you have a nice shot.
Here's what we have today.
Frank
His note: My very first car, 1973 SuperBeetle!
My shot
Just another generic street shot, a few people walking home in the snow. There's nothing special about this shot, but then again, there was nothing special about this day, either.
What's tomorrow? It's day 365!
It just takes a bit of thought, and and interesting angle, and you have a nice shot.
Here's what we have today.
Frank
His note: My very first car, 1973 SuperBeetle!
My shot
Just another generic street shot, a few people walking home in the snow. There's nothing special about this shot, but then again, there was nothing special about this day, either.
What's tomorrow? It's day 365!
"My artistic eye is black and white. I’m used to seeing and visualizing in black and white and have only one way of taking pictures." - 365 Project, Day 363
Shooting in colour takes a certain eye, but by the same token, shooting in black and white, or shooting for HDR, takes a certain mindset. The tones and highlights are different in all these types of photography, making you look differently at the same scene.
It's not that tough to train your eye to look at a scene for a specific type of shot, it just takes a certain amount of practice.
Here are our scenes.
Frank
His note: Don't ask I have no idea what this is either.
Myself
Yes, this is a shot of my cat. As much as I wanted to go out side, it was cold and windy. Tux was sleeping and looked at me strangely when I took a shot of him. I don't think he cared much about what was happening.
Onto the ending, coming very soon.
It's not that tough to train your eye to look at a scene for a specific type of shot, it just takes a certain amount of practice.
Here are our scenes.
Frank
His note: Don't ask I have no idea what this is either.
Myself
Yes, this is a shot of my cat. As much as I wanted to go out side, it was cold and windy. Tux was sleeping and looked at me strangely when I took a shot of him. I don't think he cared much about what was happening.
Onto the ending, coming very soon.
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