Everyone is a photographer

[Tom]

Over the years, many of us have enjoyed viewing TomS (Seilerbird)'s fabulous photos. Tom was a full-time photographer of wildlife, specifically birds. Some of us also took Tom's comments and advice on cameras and glass.

Tom subsequently 'graduated' to an iphone, and his photos have been equally stunning.

I'm, at best, a point-and-shoot picture taker, discussed in multiple threads, and can only stare in amazement at Tom's photos.

My oldest grandson has a successful pro photography business in the UK, and sometimes chuckles at my picture-taking stories, but also offers help. If only I could remember this stuff.

Some years ago I attended 'traffic school', and our ex-cop teacher suggested we keep a "film camera" in the glove box (to record a scene). Technology has changed, and smartphone features are so far advanced.

 

[DonTom]

Tom subsequently 'graduated' to an iphone, and his photos have been equally stunning.

Guess who took the photo of my Avatar for here.

BTW, that place is for the birds. Large birds, such as Sandhill Cranes.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[tlmgcamp]

Interesting fact (or so I am told): "Audubon" is often associated with wildlife preservation. This was based upon the artistic gifts of wildlife given to us by John Audubon. However, again as I understand it, John was able to prepare such great artistic representation of wildlife, particularly birds, because he shot them first so he would have time to prepare the artwork.

 

[jymbee]

Over the years, many of us have enjoyed viewing TomS (Seilerbird)'s fabulous photos. Tom was a full-time photographer of wildlife, specifically birds. Some of us also took Tom's comments and advice on cameras and glass.

Tom subsequently 'graduated' to an iphone, and his photos have been equally stunning.

I'm, at best, a point-and-shoot picture taker, discussed in multiple threads, and can only stare in amazement at Tom's photos.

My oldest grandson has a successful pro photography business in the UK, and sometimes chuckles at my picture-taking stories, but also offers help. If only I could remember this stuff.

Some years ago I attended 'traffic school', and our ex-cop teacher suggested we keep a "film camera" in the glove box (to record a scene). Technology has changed, and smartphone features are so far advanced.

Yep, I remember when this Seilerbird fellow starting describing how he had transitioned to the iPhone and without any regrets left the ol' DSLR type rigs behind.

Reading that and looking over at my many thousands of $$$ in cameras & lenses, I at first was tempted to challenge that strategy. "But, but, but... ". The "but" being I saw and understood where he was coming from.

Being involved in photography for decades some of my best images go back to when state-of-the-art was what is now an ancient DSLR camera. Current smartphones have long since eclipsed much of that technology with respect to resolution and features. Indeed one does sacrifice some level of "tweaking" with today's phones but something like an iPhone in the hands of a skilled photographer will easily best anything a $10k camera outfit in the hands of a "less skilled" photographer can produce.

 

[SeilerBird]

Wow, I am stunned. Thank you for the nice words guys. When I was in college in the sixties I took photography courses that taught me composition. I had a marvelous teacher, Bob Hudson. I also set up a dark room at home which quickly teaches you the value of letting some one else do the dirty work.
Lately I have been marveling at the advances in photography in the last 25 years. The fact is I can take a photo and send it to anyone on the planet and they can view it less than a minute after the shot is taken It is just totally mind blowing. There is a long list of things a cell phone camera can do that a film camera could never do.
I remember some people thought I was nuts to give up DSLR and only use a phone, but I have never looked back. Yes there are things a phone can't do, like extreme telephoto shots, but every single camera ever invented has limitations. I spent 10 years hiking around National Parks with a huge telephoto lens. I got lots of great shots of distant birds, but I could not take a close up of an insect or any other tiny object I came across.
Once again, thanks for the kind words.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I read early in my photography journey the best camera is the one you have. So even with just a basic smartphone camera much less a featured one, you're more likely to have that in your pocket when an opportunity presents itself. Sometimes shoots are well planned and you can bring all the fancy hardware and capture it in the best way possible. Odds are those scenes happen when all you have is your phone, so don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough. Learn the features and settings and more often than not even an "OK" picture you get is better than the one you didn't. I've got a nice DLSR and some other featured cameras and I'll take them along, but more often than not they're left behind on hikes and trips because I just don't want to carry all that around. So most of the thousands of photos I take a year come out of my phone with a few getting some post-processing, and that's about it. When men were men and had purple fingers from stop bath it was a drawn out process to go from shutter to print. Nowadays most of those steps are not only eliminated but the ones that remain are vastly simplified or enhanced. Sometimes I get frustrated when the autofocus doesn't lock or I get a bit of blur in a dark scene but odds are these photos wouldn't even have been possible with a film camera. So all on board with the phone camera, I still use my DSLR once in a while but there's no way I'd buy another one.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Ex-Calif]

In an interview Neil DeGrass Tyson was asked if there are aliens who have visited us.

He said that today the population is taking about 1 BILLION hires images a day!

If we can't get a HiRes image of an alien spaceship then, statistically, they aren't here yet - LOL...

I started digital photography in about 1987. I have like 400gb of photos, all nicely sorted by year, month and event.

My kid owns and runs a videography and photography business. I can definitely tell the difference between his work and mine. But I will say that for all professional photography it is the post processing that makes the difference in many cases.

Everyone who is getting published photoshops...

 

[Larry N.]

Over the years, many of us have enjoyed viewing TomS (Seilerbird)'s fabulous photos.

Yes, Tom is a superb photographer, and we've been privileged to view so very many of the great pix he's taken and shared with us online. He also is a major contributor to the sticky at the top of this section called "Photographic knowledge and tips for beginners," which is a great resource for folks wanting to improve their photo work, regardless of camera type, since good photography is mostly due to the person operating the camera, not the type of camera.

 

[SeilerBird]

In an interview Neil DeGrass Tyson was asked if there are aliens who have visited us.

He said that today the population is taking about 1 BILLION hires images a day!

If we can't get a HiRes image of an alien spaceship then, statistically, they aren't here yet - LOL...

Of course they are not here yet. It is totally impossible for aliens to visit us either in the past, right now or in the future. Physics will not allow it unless you can repeal the laws of physics. The nearest star to
Earth is Alpha Centauri which is 4.35 light years from us. Aliens have to live somewhere in the solar system and that is the closest to us. First they would have to figure out that there is life on Earth which is impossible from that distance. Then they would need a reason to come here and then they would have to spend about so many years flying here. People watch Star Trek and Star Wars and start believing in warp speed, beaming up and down and other fantasies. Seti has been sweeping the skies for over 30 years and they have not found one serious blip. They send messages that never get answered.

Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to Earth, is just 4 light-years away. However, while the star system is remarkably close by cosmic standard, 4 light-years is actually quite far away and, according to some estimates, would take roughly 6,300 years to get there with existing technology.

 

[SeilerBird]

Yes, Tom is a superb photographer, and we've been privileged to view so very many of the great pix he's taken and shared with us online. He also is a major contributor to the sticky at the top of this section called "Photographic knowledge and tips for beginners," which is a great resource for folks wanting to improve their photo work, regardless of camera type, since good photography is mostly due to the person operating the camera, not the type of camera.

Thank you very much Larry for those kind words.

 

[msw3113]

Available technology aside, a huge factor in achieving quality photos is the "eye" of the photographer. There are two people in our social circle who regularly find perspectives that the rest of us overlook, resulting in some arresting photos. I'm unaware that either has had training, their talent is innate.
I've taken courses, tried to learn from pros, and the best result is that my composition sometimes avoids visual errors, like horribly mis-exposed shots or trees growing out of subjects' heads.

 

[Tom]

I've taken courses, tried to learn from pros, and the best result is that my composition sometimes avoids visual errors, like horribly mis-exposed shots or trees growing out of subjects' heads.

I resemble those comments.

 

[LarsMac]

I once thought that I would be a photographer, and once in a while, I capture an image that I am proud of, but, I've never quite reached the status of "Photographer"
I do love how the technology has changed.
My Pixel 4 captures some remarkable images. I almost never dig out my SLR, anymore.

 

[boatbuilder]

Tom's photos of the California Condors are simply breathtaking. The detail he captured blew me away.

 

[jackiemac]

I'm always impressed at how close he can get. Pictures are all fantastic.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Tom's photos of the California Condors are simply breathtaking. The detail he captured blew me away.

I agree - the test of a photographer vs. a snap-shotter (like me) is in how they capture wildlife and nature photos.

Lots of us are able to look at a sunset and capture a decent shot. Not many of us are patient enough and capable enough to photograph birds, for example. Steadiness patience and longer lenses are the key and that's still what a good DSLR does better than a phone.

 

[jymbee]

But I will say that for all professional photography it is the post processing that makes the difference in many cases.

Everyone who is getting published photoshops...

Don't really agree with that. The ol' "lipstick on a pig" analogy comes to mind.
You can do many things w/ Photoshop but you can't turn a poor or fair photo into a great one.

 

[Skookum]

I have an appreciation for photography and have enjoyed many of the pictures posted here. IMO there is still "art" in photography, despite newer iPhones and the like taking stunningly-professional pictures just by tapping a screen. But there is so much more to photography than just that...including the adventure.

 

[SeilerBird]

Whether photography is an "art" or "science" has been debated since the first photo was ever taken. I feel it is a combination of both. The art is finding a subject, framing the subject in a meaningful way and then the science of pushing the shutter and processing the image is both art and science. To me I don't care what you call it, I love taking and looking at beautiful photos.

 

[SeilerBird]

I'm always impressed at how close he can get. Pictures are all fantastic.

Thank you for those kind words. I could write a book on how to get close to wild animals and not get eaten. But the most important thing is not to look the subject in the eye. That is a red flag to most any animal and will usually result in the animal fleeing. Snakes are especially hard because you have to get down on the ground and shoot them at their eye level. Shooting down on any subject is a very bad idea, especially if it is a women. Shooting down gives a photo a very poor perspective.

I agree - the test of a photographer vs. a snap-shotter (like me) is in how they capture wildlife and nature photos.

Lots of us are able to look at a sunset and capture a decent shot. Not many of us are patient enough and capable enough to photograph birds, for example. Steadiness patience and longer lenses are the key and that's still what a good DSLR does better than a phone.

A good DSLR will get better results than a phone right now, but not for long. Phones are quickly catching up since that is the only advantage DSLRs have. Sunsets are the easiest of all subjects because the camera settings become meaningless. If your photo is too dark it just looks like you shot later in the day and if it is really light it looks like you shot earlier in the day.

Tom's photos of the California Condors are simply breathtaking. The detail he captured blew me away.

Thank you. Details come from lots of megapixels.