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What's your favorite photographic subject matter?

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Cassandra USA 6900z said:
Don't know if this has been asked here in awhile. Do you most enjoy
shooting portraits, still life, sports, landscapes, architecture or
???

I most like to photograph landscapes/nature now, but I used to
shoot more people pictures and portraiture.

Cassandra
Click to expand...
Although I haven't gone digital yet, thought I would throw my 2 cents into this discussion. My first serious camera was a Yashica Lynx (still have it) that I bought around 1970 and was obsessed with shooting zoo animals. Now with the Rocky Mountains at my doorstep, I still like shooting animals but not at the zoo! Bighorn sheep are my favorites, but you have to be somewhat lucky to find them and get a good shot.

But with our first grandchild (Megan) with us now, guess who is on most of the film now!! Her birth also peaked my interest in going digital to get that immediate feedback and shoot the pic over if necessary. Got caught procrastinating over the 6900 and am now waiting on the S602.

Jack
 
Richard Dunn said:
I'm hopeless at portraits and reckon I would need a studio setup
(no chance) to do it justce.

Hey does anyone know how to shoot portraits without all the razamataz?

--
Best Wishes,
Richard Dunn
Warwick UK
http://www.pbase.com/rmwd/galleries
Click to expand...
Richard,

You can take great portraits with natural light. It's a lot easier to do it at a studio setting where you can control everything (sometimes I wish I could stop the sun from going across the sky for a few minutes, or the clouds). My recommendation is go to http://www.zuga.net and read ALL the free lessons. You'll find there a lot of guidelines to shoot basic, classical portraits. After that it's just lots of practice (just ask my wife and daughter).

An easy starting point is to use a porche where you can get indirect sunlight that is soft but directional, so you can control how much of the person's face is lit and how much is in the shade by turning the face. If you do this, be careful with the background, you don't want it to catch much attention. Try to throw it out of focus (hard to do with a small chip digicam). Also try to have a background that is not too contrasty and not too much brighter that the subject's face.

Another rule of thumb: don't take portraits from closer than about 6 feet from the subject unless you want to distort his/her face intentionally.

My main subject is pretty women; my wife and daughter being my most frequent models. Every time I can, I also attend model shootouts and have done some nude photography.

I love scenics too, but am not very good at it. I just keep practicing. Been playing with Panorama Factory as of lately - it's amazing how the perspective can make even my pics look interesting!

Matias--Matias'If all else fails; read the instructions.'
 
I am a community activist and attend a lot of events. Most of my pictures capture the people and the essence of that moment. My concentration are political figures and community leaders of different ethnic groups.

I use a lot of manual modes with a big hammer flash gun. Still learning. The trick is to be ready and practice in setting the correct aperture to get the proper exposure. Take pre-shot before the moment so you get a feel of what is the approximate setting to get a good shot on different distances. Enticipation is also a key.

On important shots, I use 6mp and zoom. This gives me room for additional cropping in PhotoShop.

Probably will never justify in upgrading to a Canon D60, my present dream, or even a S1 because this is only a hobby. Otherwise, Canon D60 plus a wide angle zoom lens.

Dragon
 
Cassandra,

Like many of the interesting replies to your thread here, I more or less grew up with 35mm, shooting everything from scenery (my main interest) to our kids as they grew up. Things got very stale though for the past 10 years or so, Scanning prints somehow just didn't cut it for me, even though it did open up the door for me to be a little more creative. Now that I have the 6900z and read all the interesting things that people on this forum are doing, I seem to want to gallop off in all directions at once and must try to direct my focus, take one thing at a time to try to improve my technique(s).
Cassandra USA 6900z said:
Don't know if this has been asked here in awhile. Do you most enjoy
shooting portraits, still life, sports, landscapes, architecture or
???

I most like to photograph landscapes/nature now, but I used to
shoot more people pictures and portraiture.

Cassandra

--
http://welcome.to/cassandras-gallery
http://www.pbase.com/fuji6900
Click to expand...
--Larry E
 
mcorrea said:
Richard Dunn said:
I'm hopeless at portraits and reckon I would need a studio setup
(no chance) to do it justce.

Hey does anyone know how to shoot portraits without all the razamataz?

--
Best Wishes,
Richard Dunn
Warwick UK
http://www.pbase.com/rmwd/galleries
Click to expand...
Richard,

You can take great portraits with natural light. It's a lot easier
to do it at a studio setting where you can control everything
(sometimes I wish I could stop the sun from going across the sky
for a few minutes, or the clouds). My recommendation is go to
http://www.zuga.net and read ALL the free lessons. You'll find there a
lot of guidelines to shoot basic, classical portraits. After that
it's just lots of practice (just ask my wife and daughter).

An easy starting point is to use a porche where you can get
indirect sunlight that is soft but directional, so you can control
how much of the person's face is lit and how much is in the shade
by turning the face. If you do this, be careful with the
background, you don't want it to catch much attention. Try to
throw it out of focus (hard to do with a small chip digicam). Also
try to have a background that is not too contrasty and not too much
brighter that the subject's face.

Another rule of thumb: don't take portraits from closer than about
6 feet from the subject unless you want to distort his/her face
intentionally.

My main subject is pretty women; my wife and daughter being my most
frequent models. Every time I can, I also attend model shootouts
and have done some nude photography.

I love scenics too, but am not very good at it. I just keep
practicing. Been playing with Panorama Factory as of lately - it's
amazing how the perspective can make even my pics look interesting!

Matias
--
Matias

'If all else fails; read the instructions.'
Click to expand...
Matia,

thanks for your help on portraits. I'll certainly check out the website you listed and then have a go. I'll post the results if any good on my gallery in the near future.--Best Wishes,Richard DunnWarwick UK http://www.pbase.com/rmwd/galleries
 
Dogs, nature, sports-those would be my favorite. Tropical islands rank way up there too :)
4900'r Mark said:
I'm still alive too :-)

OK, it can't have gone unnoticed that I like to shoot animals a lot.

Also I like landscapes (but Holland is kinda boring for that),
people and macro a lot.

Oh yes, and I would love to shoot some more action sports, but that
will have to wait until I get my EOS 1D tomorrow :-)

cheerio, Mark
--
http://community.webshots.com/user/marksfinepix
Click to expand...
 
Sorry, off topic for a sec...

push TRI X to 1600? wow. never even occured. I usually use Ilford hp 5. Just curious, how'd the Tri X shots turn out?
Take care,
Jerry
Doug Jones said:
With me it has changed as I moved through stages of life. In 1969,
single, with a new Pentax SLR it was candid portraits at parties
using available light and Tri-X pan pushed to 1600 ASA. Then
marriage, family portraits, scenery, anything, mostly Ektachrome
slide film. Then Kids - how could we have generated so many photo
albums??? Mostly Kodacolour negative film - easy copies for the
grandparents etc.

Digital has revived my interest in photography due to the immediacy
of creating a product and my total control over the process. Still
do portraits, macro, scenery. But the camera is always with me now
  • you never know what new and interesting shot you can try. And it
doesn't cost anything to experiment, apart from your own time.

I have given myself the challenge of being successful creating and
selling large panoramas. I've learnt a lot over 18 months (and
spent a lot on inkjet cartridges!!). Scenery has become a major
focus.

So what else is my favourite subject matter? I guess anything that
takes my interest, has colour or lighting effects, or is a
difficult challenge. I even have a growing collection of
interesting and colourful graffiti.

Practice, practice, practice, shoot, shoot, shoot...... One day I
might get a prize winning shot.... but who cares if you're having
fun?

--
Doug Jones
Canberra
http://www.panamagic.com.au
Click to expand...
-- http://www.angelfire.com/film/jhazard/http://www.pbase.com/jhazard
 
A Really good question. Sometimes it depends on the day of the week, or my mood at a particular time. I do know, If I set out to take photos, I almost never return with a 'keeper'. If I keep the camera with me, serendipity rules.

What I favor now is portraits. Strong, dramatic lighting - old Hollywood style stuff. NOT that I can do it, but just starting to learn. Before that, I cant really say I have a 'favorite' subject matter, but there are a few 'groups' I seem to gravitate towards:
out of the way objects, or common objects put out of the way.

phones. payphones in particular. phone booths, dilapidated phones, just phones for some reason.
Graffiti.
If I get bored with the camera, I turn it on myself (ick).

Emotions. More specifically, the expression of my mood, or my day, or an issue I am dealing with. This may not always come across in one image, but in a series of images, often set up, but not always.

Nudes (yea, I'm a typical guy =), but, to be fair, I've shot male nudes as well. My first (and only, so far) gallery show was nudes.
But for now, Portraits, and lighting them rule for me.
Good question, by the way.
Take care,
Jerry

http://image2.pbase.com/u7/jhazard/medium/1228830.022302.jpg--http://www.angelfire.com/film/jhazard/http://www.pbase.com/jhazard
 
Cassandra USA 6900z said:
Don't know if this has been asked here in awhile. Do you most enjoy
shooting portraits, still life, sports, landscapes, architecture or
???

I most like to photograph landscapes/nature now, but I used to
shoot more people pictures and portraiture.
Click to expand...
Cassandra....

Although I have been only into digital format for only 4 months (with my trusty 6900Z), here is a small list of my favorite subjects:

1. Family functions
2. Photos during vacations which include family members.
3. Landscapes.
4. Animals.....especially Cats.
5. Just recently..... starting to dabble in portraits.

BTW....a NON photo...but interesting observation: The weather we have been experiencing in the US northeast has been just really wierd for the winter. It was in the 70's following Christmas day. Today is March 3rd, and it's 60 degrees and sunny. Absolutely NO snow and no frost. We usually have at least a foot of snow on the ground with at least two feet of frost. Also.... we are in the middle of an incredible water shortage. I guess Mark Twain was right after all! :-)--Gordy - Reading, MA - USA http://www.pbase.com/gordy/
 
Jerry,

Dredging into the old brain cells (it was a long time ago!) from memory the shots were a touch more grainy than at the standard 400 ASA but more than acceptable. Tended to reduce the contrast slightly which was probably good for candid protraits. Other people I knew pushed even higher above 3200 ASA. Also used to push Ektachrome type B slide film higher to 800 or more. This was usually for stage performances such as ballet under incandescent light. We're talking early 70s here.

Mostly used a Pentax f2.8 135mm lens hand holding as slow as 1/30 (or even 1/15) sec. Still got the lens and it has been the sharpest SLR lens I have ever owned. Also used a 200mm f4 but nowhere near as sharp. Been through 4 bodies though in my time. One was never the same after being splashed with sea water on my yacht!!! Bought a Nikonos 3 after that for above and below ocean work.
Jerry Hazard said:
Doug Jones said:
With me it has changed as I moved through stages of life. In 1969,
single, with a new Pentax SLR it was candid portraits at parties
using available light and Tri-X pan pushed to 1600 ASA. Then
marriage, family portraits, scenery, anything, mostly Ektachrome
slide film. Then Kids - how could we have generated so many photo
albums??? Mostly Kodacolour negative film - easy copies for the
grandparents etc.

Digital has revived my interest in photography due to the immediacy
of creating a product and my total control over the process. Still
do portraits, macro, scenery. But the camera is always with me now
  • you never know what new and interesting shot you can try. And it
doesn't cost anything to experiment, apart from your own time.

I have given myself the challenge of being successful creating and
selling large panoramas. I've learnt a lot over 18 months (and
spent a lot on inkjet cartridges!!). Scenery has become a major
focus.

So what else is my favourite subject matter? I guess anything that
takes my interest, has colour or lighting effects, or is a
difficult challenge. I even have a growing collection of
interesting and colourful graffiti.

Practice, practice, practice, shoot, shoot, shoot...... One day I
might get a prize winning shot.... but who cares if you're having
fun?

--
Doug Jones
Canberra
http://www.panamagic.com.au
Click to expand...
--
http://www.angelfire.com/film/jhazard/
http://www.pbase.com/jhazard
Click to expand...
--Doug JonesCanberra http://www.panamagic.com.au
 
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