My December photos

[TheLorax]

Yes Sage! That is the exact camera I have. How did you know?

Yes Natives Tim, I saw your photos. They're beautiful. I have the manual and haven't grasped what to do with the camera after I take it off automatic. I did find a special setting for snow though. I will have to try to find it again. What exactly does a gray card do? I can't seem to find any place on the camera to insert any more chips.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by TheLorax

Yes Sage! That is the exact camera I have. How did you know?

I checked the "properties" for the info!

[TheLorax]

How do you do that? This would be a good thing for me to know how to do. I'd like to know what cameras people are using.

[Natives Tim]

Originally Posted by TheLorax

Yes Natives Tim, I saw your photos. They're beautiful. I have the manual and haven't grasped what to do with the camera after I take it off automatic. I did find a special setting for snow though. I will have to try to find it again. What exactly does a gray card do? I can't seem to find any place on the camera to insert any more chips.

Okay, photo lesson mode <ON>. From the early years of photography, a standard was established to base exposures onto film. Experts determined that the average scene if all mixed together in black and white (there was no color film then) averaged out to be 18% gray. All camera meters try to achieve a scene of 18% gray. If the camera "sees" a scene that has a lot of white snow, it adjusts the camera's exposure (lens opening and shutter speed) to make the scene 18% gray. It does this by closing the lens opening (iris) or making the shutter go faster.

To get pure white you have to override the meter and set the exposure manually. For white snow, you first take a meter reading of the scene. To do this, just look at the scene through the camera and make note of the exposure. For example, it may be f/16 at 1/250 sec. (lens opening and shutter speed). Set the camera to manual exposure and adjust the exposure to F/8 or f/5.6 at 1/250 sec., or f/8 at 1/125 sec. Take the picture and you will have white snow.

It is the same thing with very dark scenes but the opposite. If you try to take a photo of a black cat against a black background, you would end up with a dark gray cat.

Many of "point and shoot" cameras do not allow you to take the camera off automatic to shoot manually. but you might have an adjustment that lets you increase or decrease exposure, such as you snow setting.

What is a gray card? It is just anh 8 x 10 inch piece of cardboard that is printed with a calibrated 18% gray ink. You put the card into the scene, move your camera in to fill up the frame with the card, and make note of the meter readings. Then set the camera manually to that reading. The average black and white classified section of a newspaper is a fair subsitute for a gray card. In the summer, green lawn is 18% gray.

By the way, if you use a digital editing software such as PhotoShop Elements, you can adjust your photos to get a better exposure but you are ALWAYS better off to get the exposure right when you take the picture.

What do I shoot with?
I am using a Nikon D50 digital single lens reflex. (I wish I had the D700.) I used to teach basic photograhpy and was a professional photographer. I still make part of my income from photography.
Photo lesson mode </OFF>

[joepyeweed]

How do you know how much to charge for pictures?

I've had a few people ask to use my pics for a couple publications. Basically, I just let them have them at no charge, even though they offered money. Not being a professional I felt odd charging money for something that I enjoy and I wasn't even sure what would be appropriate...

I signed a standard form that said I held the copyright, but they had permission to use it for that publication.

I guess the more pictures that I start taking I should learn more about copyrights and fees etc.

[Natives Tim]

Originally Posted by joepyeweed

How do you know how much to charge for pictures?

I've had a few people ask to use my pics for a couple publications. Basically, I just let them have them at no charge, even though they offered money. Not being a professional I felt odd charging money for something that I enjoy and I wasn't even sure what would be appropriate...

I signed a standard form that said I held the copyright, but they had permission to use it for that publication.

I guess the more pictures that I start taking I should learn more about copyrights and fees etc.

I know what the market will bear. The photos that I make $$ from are product photos for my clients. I have an hourly rate that I charge (don't ask me what it is). If I were to submit a photo to a publication, I ask what their standard payment is. It is often published somewhere. However, most non-profit groups will not pay and you have to be happy that they want your photo. Ask for a photo credit and make note that you hold the copyright.

This discussion is off topic. I'll answer questions related to wildlife gardening photos but no more on the above discussion. Thanks for your understanding.

[doccat5]

Guys, these photos are just absolutely stunning! Thanks for joining the site and sharing these lovely treasures with us

[Victor]

Hi all,

Joined a couple of weeks back. Here are a few from this month - in at the 11th hour! Two from the frozen pond, a frozen crape myrtle seed head, my blue spruce and a setting sun. Happy New Year!

Victor

[Staff]

Incredible how many really good photographers are amongst our ranks.