Photowyzard
Senior Member
I think I will have a cold drink and ponder this Blogging thing.
To Blog, or NOT to Blog, that is the question....
- Thread starter Photowyzard
- Start date
Carolina Photo Guy
Senior Member
To paraphrase...
"I drink and therefore I am...DRUNK!" :very_drunk:
"I drink and therefore I am...DRUNK!" :very_drunk:
Photowyzard
Senior Member
OK, so at the risk of sounding like a newbie... wait, I am !.... what do you do in a BLOG? Is this for pontificating on life?
Am I supposed to tell you "it is raining again here today and I am stuck indoors yet again! I did manage to get out for an hour and got a great picture of a Black Crowned Night Heron ...."
I need some BLOG leadership and direction!
Am I supposed to tell you "it is raining again here today and I am stuck indoors yet again! I did manage to get out for an hour and got a great picture of a Black Crowned Night Heron ...."
I need some BLOG leadership and direction!
Carolina Photo Guy
Senior Member
Photowyzard;bt484 said:OK, so at the risk of sounding like a newbie... wait, I am !.... what do you do in a BLOG? Is this for pontificating on life?
Am I supposed to tell you "it is raining again here today and I am stuck indoors yet again! I did manage to get out for an hour and got a great picture of a Black Crowned Night Heron ...."
I need some BLOG leadership and direction!
You could do that. Or, you can tell us how you go about getting some of those wonderful shots that you have posted. To get an idea of what I mean, sit back and read the blogs
that are already here. I don't mean just the actual words. Try to find the underlying MEANING within each blog. You might be surprised just what you have inside if you become
willing to let it out.
Whats the worst that can happen?
Nothing. No one dies, governments will not fall and the world will not come to an end. At least, not until December 21, 2012 according to the Mayans!
Give it a shot.
Photowyzard
Senior Member
OK, lets start at the beginning with a brief history.... Part I
I started photography in high school. A friend showed me how cool it was to develop a B&W print. It was like heroin (not that I would know, but you get the idea), I was instantly hooked. I had to learn to do that.
I built my own darkroom in my parents home and spent more hours than I care to admit developing film and printing images. Photography became a passion, mostly because I found it relaxing. I photographed anything and everything and my biggest thrill was being published in Photolife magazine on a series of concert photography images I submitted of the rockstars of the day.
My equipment then was a Pentax MX, 200mm, 85mm, 50mm and 24mm. Loved it. I really wanted to buy a Nikon, but couldn't afford the outlay of cash. At the time, I was working in a local camera store part time and saving my money to help pay for the private high school I went to and then University Tuition.
I dropped out of serious photography for a decade as I got busy with business and other activities like Golf (82 hdcp), Rock Climbing and some other stuff. However, I still took pictures, only with a cheesy pocket camera (Olympus Sylus) because I was too lazy to haul around my heavier gear. It served me well over the years I just wanted snaps.
I eventually got bitten by the artistic photobug again and decided to go digital. This time, I wanted a Nikon. I didn't do much research other than I didn't want to get into swapping lenses like I used to and opted for a Nikon Coolpix 5700. When it worked, it was a terrific camera. However, it was a piece of garbage that almost turned me completely off photography. Thanks to good Nikon Canada customer service and a tenacious rep who work me hard and convinced me to stay with Nikon, I purchased the Nikon D90. My second epiphany!
I was simply delighted with the new technology. The D90 is a tank and delivered the goods. I took thousands of great images with the D90, some of them you see posted here. The D90 helped me get my skills back and develop some new ones. In the past, I took images of anything and everything. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I went looking for Photography forums to entertain me and help me grow. I found PlanetNikon.com, my current "home base" if you will. It is a great forum, very similar to Nikonites but a different flavour. Some fantastic people on there who really helped me along. If you are like me, chances are you frequent more than one forum anyway and you would be surprised what you can learn from the guys there. A truly great bunch. Check it out, it too is free to join.
I then discovered Nikonites and enjoy this place equally as much. As with any forum, it will take a little time to get to know the key players. So far, I think the group here is also an excellent bunch and I hope to get to know many of you much better over time.
Currently, Photography is my prime hobby. I use it to relax and enjoy nature and leave the stresses of the day behind me. It is also developing into a social thing as my typical "haunts" are all frequented by other hobbyists whom I tend to meet on a regular basis to discuss nature, photography and techniques. I have learned an awful lot from other photographers. If I can impart any wisdom to anyone who has read this far, get out, meet up with other photographers and don't be afraid to ask questions. I am lucky to have met excellent people who willingly shared their knowledge and as a result, I have learned about birds, their habits, where they nest, hunt for food etc and where they hang out. This is half the battle in getting a good image...knowing what to look for and where to find one!
Between the forums and the locals, my technique and knowledge base has grown exponentially and my enjoyment level has grown to the point of passion. Another pass time I enjoy related to photography is attending trade shows and listening to Pros talk about their experiences. I have been enthralled by Combat Photographers, Sports Photographers and other photography experts. I have learned from each seminar I have attended and highly recommend you get out to shows, if you get the opportunity.
In a nut shell, that is a little bit about me. On my next BLOG post I will talk about what I typically do when I go out to shoot some pictures of the wildlife around me.
The image below was taken this morning on one of my typical outings. It is my favourite of the day.
I started photography in high school. A friend showed me how cool it was to develop a B&W print. It was like heroin (not that I would know, but you get the idea), I was instantly hooked. I had to learn to do that.
I built my own darkroom in my parents home and spent more hours than I care to admit developing film and printing images. Photography became a passion, mostly because I found it relaxing. I photographed anything and everything and my biggest thrill was being published in Photolife magazine on a series of concert photography images I submitted of the rockstars of the day.
My equipment then was a Pentax MX, 200mm, 85mm, 50mm and 24mm. Loved it. I really wanted to buy a Nikon, but couldn't afford the outlay of cash. At the time, I was working in a local camera store part time and saving my money to help pay for the private high school I went to and then University Tuition.
I dropped out of serious photography for a decade as I got busy with business and other activities like Golf (82 hdcp), Rock Climbing and some other stuff. However, I still took pictures, only with a cheesy pocket camera (Olympus Sylus) because I was too lazy to haul around my heavier gear. It served me well over the years I just wanted snaps.
I eventually got bitten by the artistic photobug again and decided to go digital. This time, I wanted a Nikon. I didn't do much research other than I didn't want to get into swapping lenses like I used to and opted for a Nikon Coolpix 5700. When it worked, it was a terrific camera. However, it was a piece of garbage that almost turned me completely off photography. Thanks to good Nikon Canada customer service and a tenacious rep who work me hard and convinced me to stay with Nikon, I purchased the Nikon D90. My second epiphany!
I was simply delighted with the new technology. The D90 is a tank and delivered the goods. I took thousands of great images with the D90, some of them you see posted here. The D90 helped me get my skills back and develop some new ones. In the past, I took images of anything and everything. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I went looking for Photography forums to entertain me and help me grow. I found PlanetNikon.com, my current "home base" if you will. It is a great forum, very similar to Nikonites but a different flavour. Some fantastic people on there who really helped me along. If you are like me, chances are you frequent more than one forum anyway and you would be surprised what you can learn from the guys there. A truly great bunch. Check it out, it too is free to join.
I then discovered Nikonites and enjoy this place equally as much. As with any forum, it will take a little time to get to know the key players. So far, I think the group here is also an excellent bunch and I hope to get to know many of you much better over time.
Currently, Photography is my prime hobby. I use it to relax and enjoy nature and leave the stresses of the day behind me. It is also developing into a social thing as my typical "haunts" are all frequented by other hobbyists whom I tend to meet on a regular basis to discuss nature, photography and techniques. I have learned an awful lot from other photographers. If I can impart any wisdom to anyone who has read this far, get out, meet up with other photographers and don't be afraid to ask questions. I am lucky to have met excellent people who willingly shared their knowledge and as a result, I have learned about birds, their habits, where they nest, hunt for food etc and where they hang out. This is half the battle in getting a good image...knowing what to look for and where to find one!
Between the forums and the locals, my technique and knowledge base has grown exponentially and my enjoyment level has grown to the point of passion. Another pass time I enjoy related to photography is attending trade shows and listening to Pros talk about their experiences. I have been enthralled by Combat Photographers, Sports Photographers and other photography experts. I have learned from each seminar I have attended and highly recommend you get out to shows, if you get the opportunity.
In a nut shell, that is a little bit about me. On my next BLOG post I will talk about what I typically do when I go out to shoot some pictures of the wildlife around me.
The image below was taken this morning on one of my typical outings. It is my favourite of the day.
Carolina Photo Guy
Senior Member
Very well done Grasshopper!
Was that so tough?
Was that so tough?
Photowyzard
Senior Member
Carolina Photo Guy;bt488 said:Very well done Grasshopper!
Was that so tough?
Did any governments fall?????
The stress was killing me, I need to lie down and rest now ..... Tough, hell no. In case you haven't noticed, I am long on words and opinions!
I could type till my fingers hurt...I will post more in a few days. Currently on vacation so I have lots of time between activities! Once I get back, not sure how much free time I will have as I am getting into a heavy work load stretch.
Enjoying it while I can.
Mr BLOG guy..... LOL
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Photowyzard
Senior Member
History ... Part II
As you can tell, I am not much of a blogger, but I am trying. Part of the problem is, I feel I have to be serious and post something meaningful and I don't always feel serious or want to make my thoughts public.
When I sat down this morning, I was going to write about what I typically do when I go out to shoot pictures, but I will leave that for another time. Currently, I am on holidays, I am sitting in a Tim Horton's in Cottage Country, north of Toronto. I ordered a Medium Decaffe, Double Cream, one sweetener and an everything bagel with half butter and Jam..... and I am "catching up". I have been relaxing for almost two weeks now and I am mellow!
When I last blogged, I was a Nikon D90 user. Since then, I have moved on to photographic ecstasy when I purchased my Nikon D800. No single "toy" has brought me this much pleasure. Purchasing it was no easy decision. I wasn't sure the money was justified, I wasn't sure about the quality due to all the BS from the Nay-Sayers online, I wasn't sure I needed all that horsepower...I wasn't sure! So, I read a lot and researched and I called Nikon and discussed my concerns. They allayed my fears and I made the plunge.
No oil issues.
No green screen issues.
No focus issues.
My wallet hurt, but that feeling very quickly faded and a new love affair blossomed.
It wasn't as hard to get up early in the morning to catch the best light and do it on my days off when I value sleep more. That has greatly changed. I value the early morning light more, I can catch up on sleep when I am dead.
It isn't hard any more to pull off the highway when I see an Osprey in flight. I just pull over, grab my gear and hope I don't get hit by a truck in the process. I have plenty of time to get to where I am going when there is nothing to stop for.
It isn't anywhere near as hard now to get my daughter to pose for a photo because she can't believe how good the photos make her look. In the best light, a D800 image is simply like no other. Who wouldn't want to be photographed with one.
In the past, I only shot my favourite subjects. Now, every subject, every object, every event, every photographic opportunity is a reason to grab my camera and enjoy the moment. The world around me is my new favourite subject.
As an evolution of moving from a novice or poorly skilled photographer to a photographer with a little more experience, I have started working on technique because the Nikon D800 will show all your mistakes with glowing accuracy. I take more time composing an image. I worry more about the background and how the bokeh will look. I will take a minute to look at my depth of field and decide if I want it evenly spaced around the subject, more in front or more behind... or non at all.
If at first, I don't succeed, I get just as excited about going back and trying again and again until I get it right. Why? Because the exercise of getting it right becomes a reward in itself. When you get it right, the image simply sings. I am not sure I can describe the feeling any better than that.
I have also discovered my personal satisfaction has gone up in viewing my images, where as in the past, I would take a thousand pictures and marvel at a few. When I admired a favourite image, I simply looked at it and felt satisfied it was a good picture and discarded the rest. Now, I marvel at most of the images I take for many different reasons. Each image becomes a window of knowledge teaching me what to do to make the next image better. I never experienced this feeling before in Photography.
I now carry my Nikon D800 almost everywhere I go. I can't tell you how many times I capture a great image because I took my gear in tow with me where in the past, my camera would stay at home, waiting for a photographic opportunity to knock on the front door! There is a big difference in my output when I actually go to where the action is, equipment in hand, rather than waiting for it to fall in my lap.
So, I am running out of coffee and the restaurant is filling up. Time to go, but I want to make one last comment. My wife texted me the other day and said, "there is a vintage car show here at the mall, you would love it". I got off the couch, grabbed my camera and drove to the Mall. Not a second thought. I knew there would be an image there waiting for me to find.
That image is below.
This is the Spirit of Ecstasy, the hood ornament that sits on the majority of Rolls Royce motor vehicles you see on the road. It symbolizes the best money can buy.
It is a classic design of the day and it happens to be inscribed with the date it was presented to Rolls Royce by the artist... Feb 6... my birthday. Nice co-incidence.
I thought the image, the symbol and my own search for excellence all came together this morning when I thought I would blog on photography and my Nikon D800. Not quite a year has passed since I took ownership of my D800. 12,000 images later, I am more in love with my gear and my hobby than I have ever been. The Nikon D800 is a marvel of technology that set the photographic industry on its ear, last year. As time passes, the D800 will fade, but those who remember will know it was a turning point in the industry that took the hobby (or profession) to a new level.
The D800 has had an impact on me on many levels.
I see things differently.
I appreciate things I see a lot more.
I see a lot more "things".
I appreciate nature more and the state of the environment around me.
I am actually stopping now, and smelling the roses! Something I never used to do in the past, because I "had no time". I know make the time.
Not a bad evolution of my own human condition. I purchased an expensive camera and started to absorb and appreciate the world around me on a substantially higher level.
By and large, I think the acquisition of my Nikon D800 was more than worth the price of admission.
​
As you can tell, I am not much of a blogger, but I am trying. Part of the problem is, I feel I have to be serious and post something meaningful and I don't always feel serious or want to make my thoughts public.
When I sat down this morning, I was going to write about what I typically do when I go out to shoot pictures, but I will leave that for another time. Currently, I am on holidays, I am sitting in a Tim Horton's in Cottage Country, north of Toronto. I ordered a Medium Decaffe, Double Cream, one sweetener and an everything bagel with half butter and Jam..... and I am "catching up". I have been relaxing for almost two weeks now and I am mellow!
When I last blogged, I was a Nikon D90 user. Since then, I have moved on to photographic ecstasy when I purchased my Nikon D800. No single "toy" has brought me this much pleasure. Purchasing it was no easy decision. I wasn't sure the money was justified, I wasn't sure about the quality due to all the BS from the Nay-Sayers online, I wasn't sure I needed all that horsepower...I wasn't sure! So, I read a lot and researched and I called Nikon and discussed my concerns. They allayed my fears and I made the plunge.
No oil issues.
No green screen issues.
No focus issues.
My wallet hurt, but that feeling very quickly faded and a new love affair blossomed.
It wasn't as hard to get up early in the morning to catch the best light and do it on my days off when I value sleep more. That has greatly changed. I value the early morning light more, I can catch up on sleep when I am dead.
It isn't hard any more to pull off the highway when I see an Osprey in flight. I just pull over, grab my gear and hope I don't get hit by a truck in the process. I have plenty of time to get to where I am going when there is nothing to stop for.
It isn't anywhere near as hard now to get my daughter to pose for a photo because she can't believe how good the photos make her look. In the best light, a D800 image is simply like no other. Who wouldn't want to be photographed with one.
In the past, I only shot my favourite subjects. Now, every subject, every object, every event, every photographic opportunity is a reason to grab my camera and enjoy the moment. The world around me is my new favourite subject.
As an evolution of moving from a novice or poorly skilled photographer to a photographer with a little more experience, I have started working on technique because the Nikon D800 will show all your mistakes with glowing accuracy. I take more time composing an image. I worry more about the background and how the bokeh will look. I will take a minute to look at my depth of field and decide if I want it evenly spaced around the subject, more in front or more behind... or non at all.
If at first, I don't succeed, I get just as excited about going back and trying again and again until I get it right. Why? Because the exercise of getting it right becomes a reward in itself. When you get it right, the image simply sings. I am not sure I can describe the feeling any better than that.
I have also discovered my personal satisfaction has gone up in viewing my images, where as in the past, I would take a thousand pictures and marvel at a few. When I admired a favourite image, I simply looked at it and felt satisfied it was a good picture and discarded the rest. Now, I marvel at most of the images I take for many different reasons. Each image becomes a window of knowledge teaching me what to do to make the next image better. I never experienced this feeling before in Photography.
I now carry my Nikon D800 almost everywhere I go. I can't tell you how many times I capture a great image because I took my gear in tow with me where in the past, my camera would stay at home, waiting for a photographic opportunity to knock on the front door! There is a big difference in my output when I actually go to where the action is, equipment in hand, rather than waiting for it to fall in my lap.
So, I am running out of coffee and the restaurant is filling up. Time to go, but I want to make one last comment. My wife texted me the other day and said, "there is a vintage car show here at the mall, you would love it". I got off the couch, grabbed my camera and drove to the Mall. Not a second thought. I knew there would be an image there waiting for me to find.
That image is below.
This is the Spirit of Ecstasy, the hood ornament that sits on the majority of Rolls Royce motor vehicles you see on the road. It symbolizes the best money can buy.
It is a classic design of the day and it happens to be inscribed with the date it was presented to Rolls Royce by the artist... Feb 6... my birthday. Nice co-incidence.
I thought the image, the symbol and my own search for excellence all came together this morning when I thought I would blog on photography and my Nikon D800. Not quite a year has passed since I took ownership of my D800. 12,000 images later, I am more in love with my gear and my hobby than I have ever been. The Nikon D800 is a marvel of technology that set the photographic industry on its ear, last year. As time passes, the D800 will fade, but those who remember will know it was a turning point in the industry that took the hobby (or profession) to a new level.
The D800 has had an impact on me on many levels.
I see things differently.
I appreciate things I see a lot more.
I see a lot more "things".
I appreciate nature more and the state of the environment around me.
I am actually stopping now, and smelling the roses! Something I never used to do in the past, because I "had no time". I know make the time.
Not a bad evolution of my own human condition. I purchased an expensive camera and started to absorb and appreciate the world around me on a substantially higher level.
By and large, I think the acquisition of my Nikon D800 was more than worth the price of admission.
​
Last edited: