Tell me what you think?

Clay

Adventurer
I just got back from Baja and the Sea of Cortez and I took a whole bunch of pictures. I picked out some of the better ones and put together a page. If anyone cared to take a look and maybe critique me a little bit? I'd appreciate some feed back from those who know!

I've put them all here.

Thanks
 

Scott Brady

Founder
Cool shot: http://atlastrekker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/humpback.jpg

You are doing some good blue light work (after sunset), but they are looking a bit underexposed. Are you using a tripod and letting the light soak in with a 20-30 second exposure?

danzante.jpg

For example, this is a really nice shot, but there appears to be enough light available to get better detail and exposure. ???

Overall, I can see good use of texture, composition, etc.
 

Wander

Expedition Leader
I'm no expert but one thing I noticed (and have to remind myself of constantly) is that the horizon is not level in several of the images. Take a few extra seconds and look at just the horizon through the lens to make sure it's level as the ground often is not and that throws off your tripod.
 

Clay

Adventurer
Thanks for the words so far.

With the shot above, I was using a tripod. The exposure was 1.6 seconds. That picture was taken at the beginning of the season and I've learned quite a bit since. That night I was on the beach playing with a new intervalometer watching the clouds roll by. It was a pretty sight. I was worried that a longer exposure would make the zodiac in the foreground not look as good.

As for the horizon, I constantly struggle with it. The main reason is, I work on the ship, and there is hardly ever a time when the thing is level. I can never use a tripod, either. Almost all of my shots are with out one, it seems. I will try and keep that in mind, though.

On my ship we now have Nat Geo photographers on every trip, so I spend quite a bit of time working with them and picking their brains. It's been pretty good training so far. I've come a ways in the last year, but I have a long way to go! I do really enjoy photography.

We spend so much time around whales, it's pretty hard not to want to take pictures! This one was a pretty good day. We had maybe 10 cow calf pairs doing this all around. The ship only traveled 2 miles in a 8 hour period because of it. What do you think of exposure on this one?

humpback.jpg
 

liftedlimo

Adventurer
Hey! I was trying to get ahold of you the other day on your blog! So the whale shot was from the ship? Nice!

What I do when taking pictures from the moving ship is to turn my ISO up to achieve a faster shutter speed. With the faster shutter I can reduce my DOF to get the look I like and I dont get the blur with the ocean movement. I dont have a 2.8f zoom yet, but I can sure look like I do!
 

Ash

Adventurer
I'm envious of the trip! Maybe I'll get there soon... :sombrero:

What gear are you using?

To be honest, not many of those shots 'grab' me. The dynamic range is low and the contrast pretty flat. They don't 'pop' if you follow. Getting photos to 'pop' in such a harsh light environment isn't easy - perhaps you could wait until light conditions improve by keeping the camera packed away through out most of the day, and bringing it out for the first and last 2-3 hours of daylight? Also, a lot of the photos are noisy, especially the low light/night shots. You might need to drop a long way back on the ISO.

The 'shells' photo - if you are going to take a top down shot, you'll generally want to get everything nice and sharp (this photo is soft), so use a slower f stop for larger depth of field, and to make sure you're at that lenses sharpest aperture. Generally lenses are always are their sharpest by at least f8. Know each of your lenses and where they work best...

The whale shots - personally, if I'm not really trying to convey a sense of movement, I like very crisp and sharp action shots. With that much daylight, you could have really pushed the shutter priority very fast.

I do really like this one:
lapaz.jpg

Nice composition, the street light isn't too orange, but best of all, the shot is framed perfectly in deep dark black shadows without any noise. Very cool :)

These are all ramblings from an average photographer so take the 'advice' with a pinch of salt :)

Any more? I can't get enough Baja! :costumed-smiley-007
 

Overland Hadley

on a journey
As for the horizon, I constantly struggle with it. The main reason is, I work on the ship, and there is hardly ever a time when the thing is level. I can never use a tripod, either. Almost all of my shots are with out one, it seems. I will try and keep that in mind, though.

You can always "level" the horizon by cropping the photo afterwords. Just leave enough space along the edges for the crop.
 

Clay

Adventurer
Hey! I was trying to get ahold of you the other day on your blog! So the whale shot was from the ship? Nice!

What I do when taking pictures from the moving ship is to turn my ISO up to achieve a faster shutter speed. With the faster shutter I can reduce my DOF to get the look I like and I dont get the blur with the ocean movement. I dont have a 2.8f zoom yet, but I can sure look like I do!

That's good advice, thank you very much.

BTW, I sent an email out today.... sorry it took so long.
 

Clay

Adventurer
I'm envious of the trip! Maybe I'll get there soon... :sombrero:

What gear are you using?

All of these were taken with a Canon 40d and Canon 18-200mm lens.

To be honest, not many of those shots 'grab' me. The dynamic range is low and the contrast pretty flat. They don't 'pop' if you follow. Getting photos to 'pop' in such a harsh light environment isn't easy - perhaps you could wait until light conditions improve by keeping the camera packed away through out most of the day, and bringing it out for the first and last 2-3 hours of daylight?

Unfortunately, the boat goes when it does, and I rarely get to hang out and wait for light. It either is, or it isn't. It's some kind of torture to be in a spot where you know the light will be MUCH better in 5 hours, but the boat is pulling the hook in 2 hours. We run a pretty tight show. I guess the question is, how do I get around this?

Also, a lot of the photos are noisy, especially the low light/night shots. You might need to drop a long way back on the ISO.

That's great advice. I've just got this body in January, and at times have been using the auto ISO setting, with not such good luck. I think I'll stay away from that.

The 'shells' photo - if you are going to take a top down shot, you'll generally want to get everything nice and sharp (this photo is soft), so use a slower f stop for larger depth of field, and to make sure you're at that lenses sharpest aperture. Generally lenses are always are their sharpest by at least f8. Know each of your lenses and where they work best...
This one was actually shot with my point and shoot. I got over to the beach at honeymoon cove in Loreto Marine Park and only had my point and shoot. That was the point when I realized not taking the slr is silly. I am quickly getting to a point where I want some better glass. "L" lenses are pricey, but I sure do see why.

The whale shots - personally, if I'm not really trying to convey a sense of movement, I like very crisp and sharp action shots. With that much daylight, you could have really pushed the shutter priority very fast.

Nat Geo photographer Cotton Coulsen was on board for the last couple of weeks and he was telling me that he shoots EVERYTHING at f/5.6 or higher and his camera is always on aperture priority. Using this technique lately has helped quite a bit for whales and dolphins.

I do really like this one:

Nice composition, the street light isn't too orange, but best of all, the shot is framed perfectly in deep dark black shadows without any noise. Very cool :)

Thanks! I like that one too. La Paz is such a beautiful town, especially after dark. I'm glad I could capture some that beauty.

These are all ramblings from an average photographer so take the 'advice' with a pinch of salt :)

Any more? I can't get enough Baja! :costumed-smiley-007

I really do appreciate it! Thanks for spending the time, it means a whole lot to me.

I do have some more, from last year here. Those were all shot on a 20D with the same lens.
 

Clay

Adventurer
You can always "level" the horizon by cropping the photo afterwords. Just leave enough space along the edges for the crop.

That's about all I got..... and sometimes I still screw that up! I just got photoshop lightroom and a couple of books about it. Maybe some day I'll know how to use it!!!!
 

Ash

Adventurer
All of these were taken with a Canon 40d and Canon 18-200mm lens.

Unfortunately, the boat goes when it does, and I rarely get to hang out and wait for light. It either is, or it isn't. It's some kind of torture to be in a spot where you know the light will be MUCH better in 5 hours, but the boat is pulling the hook in 2 hours. We run a pretty tight show. I guess the question is, how do I get around this?

Always shoot with filters.
Filters are your friends.
You can never have too many!

At a minimum you'll want a polarising filter and a neutron density filter - this will help your mid day shooting significantly. Don't skimp on filters either, get quality glass.

I would also suggest never using a pre-set White Balance. If you always take a custom WB you'll get better pictures, and learn so much faster about light in different situations (I use an expodisc).

I just bought lightroom also, looking forward to getting stuck into it :snorkel:
 

Clay

Adventurer
One of these?

Now we are getting into stuff I don't know much about...... very cool.

......and I'm off on a surfing adventure about filters and white balance! Thanks.
 

Pathfinder

Adventurer
I liked your whale shots, you obviously get very close to them at times.

I think you have done quite well for the equipment you have.

The 40D is a pretty good camera, but will begin to show noise at ISO 800- 1600, and the 18-200mm lens is not fast at the long end. If the sun is out, you will be fine, but when it is overcast, you will need ISO 400 or 800 at a minimum. When I was shooting whales last August, it was overcast the whole time, and my exposures ran ISO 800, f8, 1/640th. Some were shot at 400, and some at 1600 too.

You can setup your 40D files to have more contrast and sharpening in camera if you do not process RAW files. Shooting whales with a 7D last August, I found my buffer filling up when I shot RAW, and switched to jpgs to allow high speed frame rates.

I like the 1.8 ND filter, a six stop reduction in light. - I can still barely see through it to compose and focus but it is great for waterfalls in sunlight.
 
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