digital:eloquence.photography

This post isn’t going to have anything in the way of pictures, really… however it will hopefully lead to much better pictures in the future!

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I’ve recently found a cool podcast called “DTOWN TV” that is put on by Scott Kelby (a pretty well known Nikon photographer). The first 30ish episodes are Nikon specific. Afterward, they start to open up to all DSLR cameras and equipment. It’s been a big eye opener for me yet many of the things they cover are basic.

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A couple new things I’ve learned just from watching DTOWN TV episodes:

1. Enabling the Grid Display in the Viewfinder – One of my bigger issues in photography is lining my shots up and balancing the image properly. Specifically, I tend to take slightly crooked pictures because I don’t think about composition alignment very well. One of the biggest things to master in photography that will give the best photos is composition (or so I’ve read). I’m hoping this will help me.
2. Time Lapse Photography - I always knew it was able to be done, I just never thought through it. It’s quite simple. Nikon camera’s also provide a way to assemble a stop motion video. I’ve found mine to do a low-resolution stop motion but I haven’t played with the settings.
3. RAW photo editing in Capture NX2 - The big thing here is that you have to be using Nikon’s Capture NX2 software. There are some REALLY sweet tips on how to develop RAW images to their full potential using Capture NX2. Now I’m a fan of lesser edited photography. I want to take amazing images without it touching a computer. I do, however, understand that sometimes a few computer things are necessary to fix up the aspects a photographer may have JUST missed.
4. Lense Reviews - Well, I really like my lenses. That said, I’ve learned a lot about lens lust. They have a 5 part series dealing with different lenses and different scenarios in which you would use certain lenses. Needless to say, my next 5 lenses are pre-mapped out for me. Now if only I could convince my wife!

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There are many more things I’ve learned that didn’t feel so monumental yet will improve my photography with time (hopefully). Well, I’ve learned a bunch and shared some with you. I highly recommend the podcast (look it up in itunes). Great for basics and some advanced stuff as well!

Wow, I really wish I didn’t have to work once my camera arrived! It’s so much fun to get a new toy, but a new camera is all the more exciting. I had researched this camera quite a bit and found the features/quality to price-point compelling! After purchasing the camera, I found this link…

D5000 vs. D300s Raw Image Quality Comparison

This camera has many new strengths that I hope to highlight in upcoming posts. The first of which (and one of the things that strongly compelled me to purchase it) is the ISO.

The following pictures is taken at a 1250 ISO. You’ll note very little noise for a non full-frame camera:

Compare this image (1250 ISO on my new D5000) to these images from my old D60 – starting at 800 ISO (picture of Matt) and ending with an evening shot of Will at ISO 800 as well. Of course, in all fairness, the evening shot does bring out the pixelation a bit more:

Finally, for the ISO comparison, check out this rather unexciting picture into a darker corner. The first image is at 1600 ISO and the second at 3200 ISO.

These next pictures were just me playing around… one includes the box (hey, I was excited, what can I say??) 200 ISO

My first DSLR is my current (and only) photography poison. I own (and shoot often) a Nikon D60 camera that I purchased in a kit. I’ve since replaced the kit lenses (18-55mm and 55-200mm) with a set of three that I use religiously.

My newest lens and my current favorite is my new Nikon f/1.8 35mm lens which was a very affordable way to enjoy a fast lens. At $200 I feel as if I got a steal! This is a great low-light lens and I love the photos I get when Focusing on an object up close at 1.8.

For any beginner, I recommend using a prime lens. As a beginning photographer myself, I’ve been amazed at how much I’ve learned about framing, proper focus, and general photography being stuck at a single focal distance. Yes zooming lenses provide a lot more versatility, however you tend to rely too much on that zoom and not enough on your own photography instinct. For focusing, I love the M/MA settings my f/1.8 lens has. I can go fully manual, or I can set it to MA and let the camera auto-focus first and then adjust it to perfection. With a lens providing a set focal distance, it’s really helpful in giving me the control I need but setting it to the camera’s recommendation of the get-go.

More to come!

Dan