I just realized how good you guys really are

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

So yeah... I’ve always wanted to get into photography... for no reason at all and for at least a billion reasons... I just never did. I recently checkEd something off my bucket list by getting a fairly nice camera setup : )

And I swear to god, I thought, I got this. Imma kick everyone’s butt’s in the “photo of the month” contests. Cuz, you know... you just need a good camera... right?

OMG, did I step off in the deep end. No photography experience at all really and now I am trying to operate a very sophisticated ensemble of equipment while attempting to take pictures of things in “horrible” lighting and yeah... underwater.

Lesson learned??? You guys got skillz!!!

Copingwithpods · May 30, 2020

Lol as soon as I saw the first picture posted I knew I had no chance, they do got skillz

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
Lol as soon as I saw the first picture posted I knew I had no chance, they do got skillz

Yeah they do!

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
Lol as soon as I saw the first picture posted I knew I had no chance, they do got skillz

What did we used to call it when shooting pool? ... “poke and hope” ...yeah, that my skill level right now

kapnkush608 · May 30, 2020

Start here. There is a lot of great info in this series.

Your Guide to Aquarium Photography #1 - Getting the Basics

Tank photography has been and continues to be a challenging topic for many reefers. When I started my tank, I was using an SLR (a non-digital for the newer generation); yes, we used to shoot using film and wait for days to finish the roll and get it developed. I remember taking notes on how each...

www.reef2reef.com

GaryE · May 30, 2020

I used to shoot motorcycle racing, I loved when people would comment on my photos "you must have a really good camera"... Yeah, well, I did, but that's not all I had.... Or even the most important part..

kapnkush608 · May 30, 2020

GaryE said:
I used to shoot motorcycle racing, I loved when people would comment on my photos "you must have a really good camera"... Yeah, well, I did, but that's not all I had.... Or even the most important part..

Facts. All my photos are garbage before they hit Photoshop. Even on my phone.

Johniejumbo · May 30, 2020

Yeah I gave up on that competitive pic angle. I get an occasional nice pic imo. But NOTHING like the photography wizards on this forum. There are a lot of talented folks here. I am just happy to be here. iPhone no filter for me.

sawdonkey · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Facts. All my photos are garbage before they hit Photoshop. Even on my phone.

...and 99% can’t even be saved by photoshop. Numbers game.

Johniejumbo · May 30, 2020

GaryE said:
I used to shoot motorcycle racing, I loved when people would comment on my photos "you must have a really good camera"... Yeah, well, I did, but that's not all I had.... Or even the most important part..

So true. There is a skill involved.

GaryE · May 30, 2020

One of my favorite pics... Shot this in Daytona in 2015.

kapnkush608 · May 30, 2020

Same image with a quick edit in Photoshop express.

kapnkush608 · May 30, 2020

sawdonkey said:
...and 99% can’t even be saved by photoshop. Numbers game.

Gigs and gigs of unusable pictures. Every photo session. Take a thousand photos and get maybe 25-30 that really hit that professional look.

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

GaryE said:
One of my favorite pics... Shot this in Daytona in 2015.

How fast was he going?

Copingwithpods · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Gigs and gigs of unusable pictures. Every photo session. Take a thousand photos and get maybe 25-30 that really hit that professional look.

I was told the same thing by a professional when I complimented his photos, he said "you see what I want you to see, 90% of my job is deleting the garbage photos and enhancing the 10 or so that have potential"

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Start here. There is a lot of great info in this series.

Your Guide to Aquarium Photography #1 - Getting the Basics

Tank photography has been and continues to be a challenging topic for many reefers. When I started my tank, I was using an SLR (a non-digital for the newer generation); yes, we used to shoot using film and wait for days to finish the roll and get it developed. I remember taking notes on how each...

www.reef2reef.com

I will

GaryE · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Gigs and gigs of unusable pictures. Every photo session. Take a thousand photos and get maybe 25-30 that really hit that professional look.

I shot over 5000 one day in Springfield, Il and got maybe 20 really good ones.

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Facts. All my photos are garbage before they hit Photoshop. Even on my phone.

Come on... I have to learn this camera... and new software? Yeah... cheers! \_/! Lol

Shawn_epicurious · May 30, 2020

kapnkush608 said:
Same image with a quick edit in Photoshop express.

Wow... that kind of amazing!

GaryE · May 30, 2020

Shawn_epicurious said:
How fast was he going?

Not especially fast. It was a quarter mile short track. Straightaway speeds we're about 65-70.. coming out of the corner like that, maybe 45 mph or so....

I'll have to dig out the shot I got at the Springfield mile that I tried at least 500 frames before I got the one I wanted... 135mph and caught his front wheel on the finish line.