Thursday, August 12, 2010

Entry 02: More on the Past

Ok, the past. I began my Canon experience with the A60. Did I mention that I’m a bit hard-headed about reading the manual? You too? I speak from experience – read it. I’ll get back to that later. So I got my first Canon, the PowerShot A60, in December of 2003. I didn’t get my second PowerShot, the A540, until August 2007. Something happened after Christmas 2006 and my A60 just wasn’t doing the do (it probably had something to do with me starting a t-shirt business). And I don’t remember exactly what the issue was but later I got the A540. I still have the A60 but haven’t used that camera since then. Now, I took a lot of pictures with that A60 (is there really a fundament difference between “pictures” and “photographs”?) and I have them all – isn’t digital great. But, man, I have eclipsed that with my A540. I have worked those two A series PowerShot cameras to the bone. I have never cut those things any slack. I take care of them but I “work ‘em” like the machines that they are.

I use to try stuff that wouldn’t try with film because it’s digital. Who cares, shoot away! Well, I use to be like that before I took Photography I. I’m a lot more focused on getting the shot now more than ever. The shot – not shots. Even with “drive by” photography.

But this is a photography blog so I should put up some photography nerd info. Besides, I like knowing this stuff too. Ok, in no particular order, here are some shots I like:

This shot is of my grandma and my youngest sitting on the swing having one of their discussions. I took this photo when I had begun my photography class so I was really into the black and white stuff. This is in Keller, TX.
File Name: Baby and Grandma_025.JPG; Camera: Canon PowerShot S5 IS; Shooting Date/Time: 9/26/2009 6:43:29 PM; Shooting Mode: Manual; My Colors Mode: Black & White; Tv (Shutter Speed): 1/30; Av (Aperture Value): 3.5; Light Metering: Evaluative; ISO Speed: 200; Lens: 6.0 - 72.0 mm; Focal Length: 16.8 mm; IS Mode: On; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

Here again my youngest, the aspiring model (or at least she was on this day). This was a studio shot with a light set up behind the paper back drop. I used to other studio lights with reflectors on both sides of her and no flash on the camera. I love this picture but I think I should have used my Speedlite 430EX (yep, got one of them too) flash on this shot. I think it would have come out a lot better. I have also noticed something about myself; outside of “studio” shots, I tend to take my focal length to the max or minimum. Hmm… The real crime was not checking the ISO Speed. Obviously, it should have been 200 or 400.
File Name: Baby's Next Shoot_006.JPG; Camera: Canon PowerShot S5 IS; Shooting Date/Time: 12/30/2009 5:37:46 PM; Shooting Mode: Aperture-Priority AE; My Colors Mode: Vivid; Tv (Shutter Speed): 0.3; Av (Aperture Value): 8.0; Light Metering: Center Weighted Avg.; ISO Speed: 80; Lens: 6.0 - 72.0 mm; Focal Length: 9.3 mm; IS Mode: On; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

It’s like an abstract art piece. I shot this 4 times but this is the one I like the best – the first of four. Again, no flash. I used the DSLR for this because I just love the aperture settings. The DSLR gives me the range I can’t get from my PowerShots – even the S5 IS. But this is a real cool photograph, I love it.
File Name: Back Yard Shots_001.JPG; Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS; Shooting Date/Time: 7/20/2010 4:00:35 PM; Shooting Mode: Program AE; Tv(Shutter Speed): 1/250; Av(Aperture Value): 10.0; Metering Mode: Evaluative Metering; ISO Speed: 200; Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS; Focal Length: 18.0 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 4x6.

This shot and the next one are simply comparison shots. Look at this one then the next. I shot this one with the EF-S18-55mm lens and the next photo with the EF75-300mm lens. It’s interesting. I know, you could learn all this and more in a class or book but doing it is really an eye opener. Shutter speed and focal length are key differences.
File Name: Back Yard Shots_011.JPG; Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS; Shooting Date/Time: 7/20/2010 4:03:56 PM; Shooting Mode: Aperture-Priority AE; Tv(Shutter Speed): 1/80; Av(Aperture Value): 5.6; Metering Mode: Evaluative Metering; ISO Speed: 200; Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS; Focal Length: 55.0 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 4x6.

And I had to use my tripod for this shot because my EF75-300mm is not “image stabilized”. Of course that changes things too like the obvious – the angle. The real test would be duplicating the conditions completely (like tripod on both shots and focal length as close to the same as possible). I’ll do that the next time but the pictures are still cool. I like the first one best.
File Name: Back Yard Shots_027.JPG; Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS; Shooting Date/Time: 7/20/2010 4:13:11 PM; Shooting Mode: Aperture-Priority AE; Tv(Shutter Speed): 1/320; Av(Aperture Value): 5.6; Metering Mode: Evaluative Metering; ISO Speed: 800; Lens: EF75-300mm f/4-5.6; Focal Length: 300.0 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 4x6.

This is an old one from the early days with my PowerShot A60. I just thought it said something about being a soldier. That’s my platoon leader walking up to the lead vehicle in our convoy that was heading back down to Kuwait from Baghdad. But that photo could fit many imaginative thoughts. It brings back memories.
File Name: Iraq, The Offical End 0159.JPG; Camera: Canon PowerShot A60; Shooting Date/Time: 1/22/2004 1:52:39 PM; Shooting Mode: Fast Shutter; Tv (Shutter Speed): 1/1000; Av (Aperture Value): 4.8; Light Metering: Evaluative; ISO Speed: Auto; Lens: 5.4 - 16.2 mm; Focal Length: 16.2 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

This shot is not with a Canon camera. It’s my phone. I was just capturing a creative moment – a meeting of “three pigs” regarding our Helium Project. It’s a long story and it’s not done yet.
File Name: IMG00046-20100308-2146.jpg; Camera: BlackBerry 9000; Shooting Date/Time: 3/8/2010 9:46:20 PM; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

And another shot with my phone – the old phone. Here is Pirate #2 trying to look at me through the camera.
File Name: 06-01-08_1846.jpg; Camera: RAZRV3xx; Shooting Date/Time: 6/1/2008 6:46:11 PM; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

Ok, back to my Canons. Here behind my TEAM TEN Tops & Tees booth (the last both I did) at last year’s Bedford Blues and BBQ Festival. A really cool event. And the chairs – I just saw some artistry in the shot. I like it.
File Name: Bedford Blues and BBQ Fest_078.JPG; Camera: Canon PowerShot A540; Shooting Date/Time: 9/6/2009 1:37:44 PM; Shooting Mode: Foliage; My Colors Mode: Off; Tv (Shutter Speed): 1/100; Av (Aperture Value): 4.0; Light Metering: Evaluative; ISO Speed: Auto; Lens: 5.8 - 23.2 mm; Focal Length: 5.8 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

Forever working my PowerShot A540, here I captured a satisfied TEAM TEN Tops & Tees’ customer wearing her new purchase. I designed the print on the t-shirt too. It’s hard to see the print in this shot but I just wanted to capture the lady wearing the shirt more than advertise the top.
File Name: Bedford Blues and BBQ Fest_079.JPG; Camera: Canon PowerShot A540; Shooting Date/Time: 1/1/1980 12:00:11 AM; Shooting Mode: Foliage; My Colors Mode: Off; Tv (Shutter Speed): 1/800; Av (Aperture Value): 4.0; Light Metering: Evaluative; ISO Speed: Auto; Lens: 5.8 - 23.2 mm; Focal Length: 9.8 mm; Flash: Off; Aspect ratio is 3x4.

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