550d Amateur - c&c welcome :)  

Best time to take pics is at night time

6th September 2012 - 05:12 AM  Reply  Quote

Yeh I love getting out at night!!!! But it's also pays double time so I can afford this wedding/secret camera upgrade haha

6th September 2012 - 02:13 PM  Reply  Quote

Hey guys,

Was out at Powercruise yesterday, unfortunately not for long as the diff went on my mates car

Here's a few pics I got, missed all the evos so i'm a little upset about that

Also, It's actually quite hard to take good pics of cars!!!

Heres my attempt at a couple :/



Powercruise-5 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


Powercruise-4 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


Powercruise-3 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


Powercruise-2 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


Powercruise by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

7th September 2012 - 02:32 PM  Reply  Quote

HEY Folks,

Here's some more pictures...Kangaroo Point...AGAIN!!! haha, only place I can get out to lately but tried to get out earlier this time..

Also 2 from the lightshow

And also, I may be getting the 17-40 f/4L soon!! exciting, figured I cant really afford the 5d body quite yet

Anyways, enjoy(hopefully)


Kpoint by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


CityofLights-4 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


CityofLights-3 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


CityofLights-2 by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


CityofLights by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


CityAged by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

9th September 2012 - 06:52 PM  Reply  Quote

OK so here goes,

This is an attempt to blend exposures, now I only had the one shot, So I made two more just through playing with the exposure manually..

I really like the shot, but I haven't reduced the noise before blending and it seems to have added together to form "super noise" (ISO 400 on original pic) but I dont mind as It's one of my first "real" attempts at it. And trial and error I guess..Learn from mistakes

I also have realised I dont offer too much foreground interest into my city shots so I will try do that!!

**** and I have a 17-40L on its way so I can finally get rid of that stupid 18-55 kit lens ****

Dont be too harsh



SouthBankCouple by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

11th September 2012 - 08:47 PM  Reply  Quote

epic shots man... City ones are coming up great

The milky way shot with the digger in it is brilliant

11th September 2012 - 09:20 PM  Reply  Quote

where do you live?

I get into the city a bit for photos trying to find diferent vantage points to shoot from. You want to meet up and shoot some frames?

11th September 2012 - 10:41 PM  Reply  Quote

I usually like to head in right on sunrise or sunset depending which side of the city i am on. When there's no clouds you need to catch that magic moment so you can get it in one frame. If you want to make a pano, makes it heaps easier to stitch up when the lights just right..

12th September 2012 - 01:14 AM  Reply  Quote

Can't read where he mentioned the bit about level haha, I think what he means is at "mix light" where you can grab one exposure and don't need to blend or pseudo-HDR, which is what I think you're trying to do (I posted stuff in your other thread). Are you shooting RAW? I am going with yes with the lateral movement you've got to blend your current exposures.

Tip to help noise: Pick a way to expose, expose to the left or right (left being exposing for shadows and right being exposing for highlights like in a histogram). Once you pick your style there, the rest will lock in to place easier. Helps with noise too because you have your own base to work from (I.e. starting from two stops under your metered exposure or over it etc..).

Pano's are great too, I like them. Haven't done a few in a while but I've gone as big as "Brenizers" which are more like a checker board of exposures to make one really big one with massive DOF but usually can nail 4-6 shot wide or high with ease. Starts with remembering to frame at least 20% overlap in each shot and then either using a good tool like Hugin or Photoshops Photomerge to stitch them up. With pseudo-HDR's I will HDR them up from the RAW's first THEN stitch and have a final jig after that.

12th September 2012 - 02:14 AM  Reply  Quote

When shooting a pano, you need to level your tripod head pretty well zero so that when you pan it doesnt go off on the piss. I can do a pretty good job by eye, just takes a bit of practice and I usually do 8-9 shot panos

the actual trick is to shoot portrait instead of landscape to give you more head room when you edit... and I'll show you how to use the histo (as long as you shoot Canon, if Nikon, bring the manual)

look me up on face book man.... Chez Watts.

12th September 2012 - 10:57 AM  Reply  Quote

heres a sample of a "blend"....not super good

I cant seem to find a "feather" in elements for my brush? just hardness, flow etc

Fisrt time with clouds and they seem pretty hard...

So yeh I made different exposures from the one picture? multple layers(different opacity) seemed to allow more control....but the smoothness of the blend isn't that good..took probably 10mins...i know, could take longer but I think you can see the kind of effect im going for??

just need to practise A LOT more haha

HELP!!!

12th September 2012 - 07:18 PM  Reply  Quote

SO yeh the first pic is what I had to work with, forgot to add that...and imageshack doesn't seem to post the picture up big enough?? please click and view

12th September 2012 - 07:19 PM  Reply  Quote

Hey guys,

Me again...

So i'm trying to add more foreground interest to my shots, as city and water gets a little boring.

Found this cool little thing and snapped a couple shots

Do you think it worked very well???


City by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

I really like this one below


Citypier by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

13th September 2012 - 02:43 AM  Reply  Quote

the blend looks fine to me... came out well, looks pretty even in the image shown

13th September 2012 - 11:12 AM  Reply  Quote

^ what he said

13th September 2012 - 03:34 PM  Reply  Quote

I've only recently discovered blending myself. Behind the times i know, but i rarely get time to fiddle with images these days since its not 100% my focus anymore

But the way i've been doing it just exposing to each item then in photoshop, edit that exposure to what ever looks good in Raw and open each image as its own. Select a background layer. Normally i use the subject and the sky is the blend. I then paste the sky over the top of the background layer. I then select back onto the exposed layer and hit the "Layer masks" button. I then just use the rubber tool to rub out the the exposed layer, showing the exposed sky behind. I then change the opacity of the rubber so it blends more evenly or it sometimes looks rather harsh.

Its probably not the "right" way of doing things, but its been working for me.

13th September 2012 - 04:11 PM  Reply  Quote

Here's another one guys...Like they say,

"practise makes perfect"

and

"shove it in their faces till they like it"


Cityfence by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

14th September 2012 - 12:13 AM  Reply  Quote

Hey folk,

So long story short, my gf needed sOme "professional" shots for a gig @ the gold coast 600 through her promo agency.

So she tells me when she has finished work we are gng out to take some pics. Oh righteo.

So I do all I can to read up about lighting etc

By the time she has finished and done makeup it's like 4.30pm, overcast as and I freaked and I still didnt know where to go.

Jumped in the car, pretty much zero gas, rush hours traffic and light diminishing quickly. So we shot down to the local park 'minnipippi park' in Carindale.

Now I have a 50mm 1.8 and the kit lenses. Mostly using the nifty fifty for the aperture range.

End result is she's happy and we sent a few pics off.

Was real fun but as I know nothing about posing/lighting etc results aren't as good as should but hey, first time I'm stoked.

Just curious, iv got about 4 outv 60shots I'm happy with....you guys wanna see??

17th September 2012 - 04:50 AM  Reply  Quote

post em

17th September 2012 - 04:27 PM  Reply  Quote

OK then, here they are..I'm quite happy with them....once I get the hang of posing the model it'll be better..and actually learning how to take advantage of lighting

WARNING-There is bikini haha


My Fiancee by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


My Fiancee by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


My Fiancee by Pondera Photography, on Flickr


My Fiancee by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

no smart comments please haha

17th September 2012 - 09:13 PM  Reply  Quote

nice wor man.. well done

17th September 2012 - 11:13 PM  Reply  Quote

Cheers dude!

It was quite difficult focusing/composition. As I don't want her just sitting there for ages while I struggle to get the shot.

Also, being able to direct and actually "see" the details in the shot was hard. Like skin folds, sticks, trees in awkward places.

But it was only a first outing so she's wants to head out for a beach shot. I may even scam in some sunset shots haha

So, look forward to more half naked girlfriend shots hahahahaha :P

Critique is more than welcome on any of my shots :)

18th September 2012 - 07:17 AM  Reply  Quote

As some serious critique, I think they're not bad. The last shot seems very warm in comparison and rather bright skin-wise. The second last has a more pleasing exposure to it. Looks like this is probs just the PP applied.

One thing I'd suggest is next time - when you have time to prepare, tell her to grab a bunch of different clothes. This gig might have been bikini work sure, but if you can grab a larger range of shots (from like, winter looking stuff to business etc..) you can work on your own range (classy business shot for a savvy business woman to a simple elegant portrait of a lady in winder) which will net 4 things. Experience with a model, Giving the model a larger range of images to send to potential clients for different work (i.e. Myer may not want live models in bikinis but in smart-casual attire she might get the gig etc..), "stock" images for yourself and experience shoot a person (Which you know, is different to landscapes or cars or teapots).

Nice work with the 50, they're a sharp lens and the bokeh isn't bad at all so it was a great choice. Also, if you have trouble composing, remember the Fibonacci rule/Golden Spiral and thirds. These will get you through, the Golden spiral mostly with people (google them). perhaps grab a copy *cough-torrent-cough* of "The art behind the headshot", tons of great pointers and tips of how to interact and grab great shots. The main thing is to just start shooting, make them think you're getting great stuff whilst you work on them and opening them up, making them feel comfortable etc.. THEN the good stuff will come out.

19th September 2012 - 04:35 AM  Reply  Quote

Thanks nick,

Yeah they needed a shot with her body so hence the bikini but we did have a array of costumes. Like that pink dress and some others.
But this creepy old dude started hanging around and peering through the trees so we ended up leaving!!

The last pic was edited to look like it had been 'lit' as if I had extra lighting. But may have gone overboard haha my bad.

I will definitely have a read up on those resources. It was really fun to do. And was good experience.

She's always keen to get some pics done. Plus depending if the pics are good, increase her portfolio.

Appreciate the feedback though

19th September 2012 - 05:46 AM  Reply  Quote

I like the first shot. Great work on short notice

20th September 2012 - 03:45 AM  Reply  Quote

Oh yeah,

While I'm here, this is a shot I picked up on my return from surfers last night! I dont know the area at all, so this was the best I came back with, this is after working the night before, getting 2hrs sleep then spending the day on the beach and also bra shopping ( not for me ) so I was quite tired.

Was going to blend the shot together properly but it's not really worth the effort as some shot really just aren't worth it...this, being one of them..but wanted to show something for my effort, which wasn't much really, hence the shot I guess.


SurfersLights by Pondera Photography, on Flickr

20th September 2012 - 02:06 PM  Reply  Quote