The "soft" lessons we learn while learning

[Sean Hearder]

Have a look at Johann's comments from Sunday where he says that he ONLY takes ONE lense on a shoot, and he forces himself to make do.

Careful planning to know which lense to select?

I can see where that came into play! I took the 50500 to "play" with it as i haven't used it as much as i could have/should have. So when the birds were around - i made do LOL - had no choice. BUT it is a good rule - though i am sure in some circumstances you REALLY wish you could have a longer or shorter lense hahaha

[Karin Leibbrandt]

It could also be a case of owning too many lenses, which I am sure is confusing. I rather think it would be to your personal advantage to pass one of those extra lenses to me. See how helpful I am?

[Peter Veitch]

Ask...

.. and test the answer in a non-challenging fashion. This helps you understand and learn.

Ideally understand light and best time of day to be in a certain location but go even if this is not so. Example, the game reserves where gates open at specific times and location may be a two or more hour drive away. Why loose opportunities just simply becase light is not actually right .. you may capture an action shot which has merits in it's own right (I have a few of these in the KTP where midday light is extremely harsh.

Never assume that camra setting are you last left them or expect them to be. Check every time you move location, change shooting circumstances, etc. Canon's have a great self change mechanism under the following circumstances:
- bouncing around on the back seat of the bakkie in the bush
- Emerging the next morning after a dusk shoot the previous day
- between lens changes

oh BTW, it's the camera gremlin, not me!

[Sean Hearder]

It could also be a case of owning too many lenses, which I am sure is confusing. I rather think it would be to your personal advantage to pass one of those extra lenses to me. See how helpful I am?

HAHAHA yeah I am sure but ALSO learning to actually USE the lenses to the best they can be used seems to be an art in itself! I was reading or saw (can't remember - maybe age creeping in) that on the 600D it has different lenses "loaded" but i am not sure where i find that and how i can "add" lenses as the 800mm is not shown or showing so i need to know how i add it - not sure if that is even possible...

Actually want to shoot a bit with the 800 tonight of i can.

[Sean Hearder]

.. and test the answer in a non-challenging fashion. This helps you understand and learn.

SO true. I am a specialist in many things but NOT photography and THAT is why i am speding SO much time here hahaha i need to learn!! I have posted pics in the beginners gallery for feedback and i will practise the tips i have been given. It is AT LEAST what i would expect someone asking me about my area of expertise. "I know because i have DONE"...

[Karin Leibbrandt]

. It is AT LEAST what i would expect someone asking me about my area of expertise. "I know because i have DONE"...

..... my area of expertise is:
Gaining weight
Losing weight
Gaining weight
ducking cameras...

[Chris F]

It could also be a case of owning too many lenses, which I am sure is confusing. I rather think it would be to your personal advantage to pass one of those extra lenses to me. See how helpful I am?

I was just about to agree with you ... then I saw your "plan" ......


when we go out for a day of photography all my lenses are in the vehicle. But on location I normally choose one camera and one lens ..... I often regret not having dragged more equipment with me, but it forces me to THINK about what I want to shoot and what would work best for it. and if all else fails I have walked back to the vehicle to get some other equipment.

[Karin Leibbrandt]

I often regret not having dragged more equipment with me, but it forces me to THINK about what I want to shoot and what would work best for it. and if all else fails I have walked back to the vehicle to get some other equipment.

I am modifying a scuba term to say: Plan the shoot, and shoot the plan, or totally start all over?

[Karin Leibbrandt]

- Our first visit to the park/dam/flower/worm may not be successful. Don't be discouraged. Return, and re-shoot.

- Don't keep any photograph that is unsuccessful. Learn from it, then delete. We don't need it any more, so why remind ourselves? I learned from my teacher that he sometimes/often used to return from a shoot and deleted everything he did. Be ruthless. It is either a winner, or a loser. Why keep the "maybe's"?

[bomtek]

- Our first visit to the park/dam/flower/worm may not be successful. Don't be discouraged. Return, and re-shoot.

- Don't keep any photograph that is unsuccessful. Learn from it, then delete. We don't need it any more, so why remind ourselves? I learned from my teacher that he sometimes/often used to return from a shoot and deleted everything he did. Be ruthless. It is either a winner, or a loser. Why keep the "maybe's"?

I dont agree entirely with that. I have pics from quite some time ago that didnt quite make my grade that Im now able to, with my increased experience in post editing, do something with.

Yes there are times when I have deleted everything as well but Im not about to delete everything I took in Canada, New Zealand, Eastern Europe etc because I cant re-shoot tomorrow or the next day.

I personally think you will know when to delete and when not to. Also remember that when starting out in photography you learn in leaps and bounds which inevitably slows as the years creep by. If after 2-3 years you dont think you can do anything with the pics from a while back, by all means delete them. After all DVD's are cheap

[Johann van Staden]

- Our first visit to the park/dam/flower/worm may not be successful. Don't be discouraged. Return, and re-shoot.

Karin, that's a very important point. I've discussed that one photo I took on the other side of the canal of the little stream (one of my two favourites of the day) with a few people, and decided that I should be able to do better. Originally I did portrait format, now the thinking is landscape. It was taken from a high position, it should probably be better from a low perspective. It was done with 22mm ; thinking now is that it should be better at 10 - 14 mm. So there, a new challenge. Lots of thinking about it, which in its own right must have value. I still like the original photo - for me it remains a keeper, and I don't think another radically (?) different photo will make it a not-keeper. And I think going through this process has significant intrinsic learning value. What do you think ?

[Hannes Thirion]

a Few weekends ago I went to Pilanesberg for the weekend. I arrived 5 minutes before the gate open at Bakubung. I get my camera out, mount the lens and switch on. 'No card'. Looked for CF cards all over - NO CF CARDS AT ALL! What now? Get the notebook out, connect the inverter to the second battery, (in the back of the vehicle for the fridge) connect the notebook to the inverter, connect the camera via USB cable to the notebook on the left front seat. Problem solved!. Yes it was something to look at the images on a 15" screen immediately after you took them but the USB cable between camera and notebook restrict movement a bit. But I did get my photos.
Lesson to be learned - check everything after a shoot and check everything before a shoot.
I filled up all my CF cards on the previous trip and took them out to download the images and forget them at the pc.
Old age is not for sissies!

[Karin Leibbrandt]

Karin, that's a very important point. I've discussed that one photo I took on the other side of the canal of the little stream (one of my two favourites of the day) with a few people, and decided that I should be able to do better. Originally I did portrait format, now the thinking is landscape. It was taken from a high position, it should probably be better from a low perspective. It was done with 22mm ; thinking now is that it should be better at 10 - 14 mm. So there, a new challenge. Lots of thinking about it, which in its own right must have value. I still like the original photo - for me it remains a keeper, and I don't think another radically (?) different photo will make it a not-keeper. And I think going through this process has significant intrinsic learning value. What do you think ?

I see Saturday past as just a "practice run". Are we going again this Saturday! (Please!)

[Big W]

When I go to Rietvlei I take the wife along to drive, leaving me with 2 free hands to click away!

[Johann van Staden]

I see Saturday past as just a "practice run". Are we going again this Saturday! (Please!)

Would like to, but unfortunately not possible for me. My birthday weekend, and the family decided that we should go camping, so I'm off to the Dinokeng Reserve with the caravan... (and camera bag...) But perhaps there's other interest ; I saw some other people showed interested in last week's outing. Why don't you post an event in the Pretoria Photographers group ; I'm sure you will find some partners...

Also, why don't you try for a sunset golden hour event ? Not guaranteed, but sometimes the sun plays a great game in the late afternoon...

[Sean Hearder]

..... my area of expertise is:
Gaining weight
Losing weight
Gaining weight

AH we studied at the same university!! In fact my metabolism is SO bad if i went on a hunger strike i would die of old age!!

[Karin Leibbrandt]

ah we studied at the same university!! In fact my metabolism is so bad if i went on a hunger strike i would die of old age!!

:d:d

[Karin Leibbrandt]

I dont agree entirely with that. I have pics from quite some time ago that didnt quite make my grade that Im now able to, with my increased experience in post editing, do something with.

Yes there are times when I have deleted everything as well but Im not about to delete everything I took in Canada, New Zealand, Eastern Europe etc because I cant re-shoot tomorrow or the next day.

I personally think you will know when to delete and when not to. Also remember that when starting out in photography you learn in leaps and bounds which inevitably slows as the years creep by. If after 2-3 years you dont think you can do anything with the pics from a while back, by all means delete them. After all DVD's are cheap

You are right, of course Terry!!

I sort of had in mind the photo-shoot outings, or the game reserve visits, or the still life set-ups at home.

I also keep many blurred pics of trips and so forth. It is generally only I who will be seeing them and remembering the wonderful time!

[Anonymous]

Don't keep any photograph that is unsuccessful. Learn from it, then delete. We don't need it any more, so why remind ourselves? I learned from my teacher that he sometimes/often used to return from a shoot and deleted everything he did. Be ruthless. It is either a winner, or a loser. Why keep the "maybe's"?

I never delete. Storage is cheap and I've often gone back and used a texture, sky, or other attribute of a dud.

[Karin Leibbrandt]

That is interesting! I have never learned the art of copying over - I just sometimes find a gazillion copies of the same photo, which was anyway a dud.