by CCC-digital | May 2, 2017 | Happenings
Caveman Camera Club 2017-2018 Assigned Subjects
By Vice-President Dale George
September – Insects
They are everywhere, think small. Steady hand or tripod will help.
October Fear/Horror
Image should portray or express our basic fear instinct. Things that are
scary.
November – Bridges
We cross them daily in some form, by foot or car. Can also refer to
some other form of bridge by definition.
December – Humor
Portray your lighter side. Find or create a humorous moment that
needs no explanation.
January – Nostalgia
Rekindle the feeling of a simpler time. Nothing new here, bring back
the feel of yesteryear.
February – Drip, Dribble, Splash
Freeze the action of liquid in motion. Pouring, drip-drops, splash down
moments. Not intended for river or landscape scenes.
March – From Above
Change your perspective. Get elevated and point the camera
downward from a ladder, bridge, over-pass, escalator, tree….wherever,
just point down. Even shoe shots are accepted.
April – Out of Place
It stands apart from the rest. draws attention to itself.
May – Seasons
For landscape lovers. Specifically outdoor scenes. Needs to be
identified as a particular season. No green forest photos here. Must
convey the feel of spring, summer, fall, or winter.
April 24, 2017
by Jim | Apr 7, 2017 | Competition Results
Judges: Dave Church, Vince Williams and Gene Rimmer (Lead Judge)
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned (Texture)
1st Place – Image of the Month
“My Eyes Adore You” Vince Williams
This picture was taken March 25th 2017 at the West Coast Game Park Safari in Bandon, Oregon. We were on a field trip with the Caveman Camera Club. I had been taking pictures of lions when my wife came up to me and told me of a couple doing sign language to a bear and it was responding. When we got to the bear the couple was long gone and the bear did not respond to me trying hand signals. The bear was walking around in his enclosure and I happened to be at just the right place to take this picture. I used my Nikon D750 with a older 70-200mm lens @75mm ISO 1000 1/800sec @ F13.
I have been taking pictures for the last 20-25 years and have just recently stepped up and started a photo business. I joined the Caveman Camera Club in March of 2016.
1st Place – Tie
“The Other Side” Jan Kloes
This was an ordinary yellow sunflower to begin with. I placed a radial filter on the green part, then inverted it, adding red tones to the petals for some bolder color. Then used a mask to remove the red tones from the green tips covering the petals. Sony SLT-A57 f/5.6 at 1/3 sec.
2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Cow Lick” Laurie Scaruffi
2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Watercolor Magnolia’s” Marcia Fasy
3rd Place – Tie (x3)
“Open Up” Linda Williams
3rd Place – Tie (x3)
“Here’s Looking at You” Vince Williams
3rd Place – Tie (x3)
“It’s Getting Hot In Here” Jim Ingraham
Honorable Mention – Tie (x3)
“Stickerball” Jan Kloes
Honorable Mention – Tie (x3)
“Just The Two of Us” Linda Williams
Honorable Mention – Tie (x3)
“Watch Out” Russ Williamson
Electronic Image Competition – Open
1st Place
“A Pair of Watchful Eyes” Jim Ingraham
Taken at All Sports Park (Reinhart Park) in the late afternoon sunlight early February 2017. Not a lot of Photoshop, just basic corrections and adjustments. Shot with a Nikon D810 and a 200-500 mm F5.6 lens. ISO 800, F5.6 @ 1/320th second handheld with the vibration reduction on at 500 mm
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Powerful Gaze” Greg Smith
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Eye to Eye” Jim Heern
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Keeping His Eye on the Ball” Joel Takarsh
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“Squall Line” Dale George
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“Rockin Out” Dave Church
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“Flowering Maple” Marcia Fasy
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“The Little Pooper” Rose Christner
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“Harbor View” Suzi Pratt
3rd Place – Tie (x6)
“Early Bird” Greg Smith
Print Competition – Assigned (Texture)
1st Place
“Onion Skin” Jim Ingraham
There is literally nothing left of this onion except the dried out skin. Took many months of sitting on the window sill for it to get this way. Taken with a Nikon D810 and 70-200 lens at 200 mm. ISO 250 at F22. Lighting is two softboxes. One on the right side of the image and the other behind and to the left of the image. Used a white card for a little bit of fill on the front left of the onion.
2nd Place
“Hairy Texture” Dave Church
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Painted Hills ” Dave Bell
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Curly Bark ” Judy Cox
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“After Harvest ” Greg Smith
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Burma Dream ” Nomeca Hartwell
Print Competition – Open category
1st Place
“Of Bygone Days” Dale George
Photo was taken in Astoria at the Flavel House Museum. The house built by Mr. George Flavel, a river boat pilot who earned his fortune mainly by piloting ships up and down the treacherous Columbia river. He then expanded his fortune by getting into real estate in later years.
Built between 1884-1886 in the Queen Anne style, the home boasts 2 ½ stories including an upstairs cupola where George could watch the ships going up river. The home has 6 fire places, tons of hand carved woodwork, 14 foot ceilings downstairs and 12 foot ceilings upstairs. The home managed to survive a fire that destroyed much of town in 1922 and later survived 2 attempts to have it torn down to make way for a parking lot. Every room on the 2 floors are open to the public and decorated with antique furnishing, dishes and trappings of a fine Victorian mansion.
The house made a great impression on me and I really wanted to bring home images that when viewed, would give the atmosphere of this fine old home. So naturally, I used my tried and true method of taking multiple exposures, on a tri-pod which to my surprise was allowed. I used my new (then) Canon 5DMK3, Canon 16-35mm lens combination. Lens was fully open to 16mm, ISO setting 125, aperture set at f/8. 3 shots were taken at .3, .125, .8 seconds and combined and tonemapped in Photomatix. Next was some clean up work in Lightroom and finally a little more detail extraction in NIK Efex Pro.
The 3 main entertaining rooms downstairs were open, but roped off at the doorways to keep visitors from damaging the rugs and furnishings, but this in no way hampered the view or accessibility for my camera. If you go, be sure to allow a good 1.5 hours to fully appreciate and photograph this gem.
2nd Place
“Selma Storm ” Nomeca Hartwell
3rd Place
“Pretty Boy ” Jim Heern
by Jim | Mar 3, 2017 | Competition Results
Judges: Dave Low, Jan Kloes and Matt Connell (Guest Judge)
Print Image Competition – Open
1st Place – Image of the Month
“The Sentinel” Jim Heern
The “Sentinel” image was captured at the West Coast Wildlife Safari near Bandon, Oregon. The African leopard has faced major threats of habitat invasion and intense persecution in retaliation for loss of livestock (real or perceived). It was taken after feeding on an autumn morning with overcast skies. His majestic nature captured my attention. ISO 80, F/5.6, Shutter Speed 1/60 sec., at 440mm with 200-500 mm lens.
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2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Poseidon’s Lair” Dale George
2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Wizard Island & Starry Planets” Nomeca Hartwell
3rd Place
“Watching you, watching me” Dale George
Print Image Competition – Assigned Category (City at Night)
1st Place
“Making Plywood” Jim Ingraham
The Tim Ply Corporation off SE ‘M’ St. in Grants Pass. Tripod mounted, one exposure for 30 seconds. I used a flashlight to paint in some light on the plywood. ISO 400 and F16. Then the security guards chased me away.
2nd Place
“Capital Waterfront” Greg Smith
Electronic Image Competition – Open
1st Place – Tie (x3)
“Ghost Spider” Dale George
I was going stir crazy at home recovering from surgery and needed to get outside and move a little. Decided that it was time to pull out my new Canon 100mm macro lens and see what I could do with it. Summer flowers were in full bloom and I noticed this tiny spider lurking on the pedals of a small flower on our back deck. I pulled up a comfortable chair, set up the camera and tripod and moved in as close as I could get. He was twitchy and hid behind the backside for a bit, but returned to his original spot. I used the zoom function on the live view screen so I could get razor sharp focus on the eyes…held my breath and tripped the shutter. Upon processing I was instantly impressed at the quality of this macro lens and its sharpness. And now for some details. Shot with my Canon 5D Mk3, Canon 100mm f/2.8 lens. Camera settings..3200 ISO f/5.6 at 1/250th sec. No flash, just natural light under a shade tree.
1st Place – Tie (x3)
“Primary Colors” Jan Kloes
Using three different colors of Jello, each glass was filled with approximately the same amount and tilted to the side. After the Jello solidified, the glasses were straightened up on their bases. To make the little colored spots on the table, I used a speedlight with a honeycomb grid at about a 45 degree angle. The light bouncing through the Jello also made the little “tails” on the sides opposite the Jello.
1st Place – Tie (x3)
“Thompson Creek Kitty” Nomeca Hartwell
Thompson Creek Kitty was fortuitous. I was trying out a new vantage point when I noticed my cat posing nicely for me in just the right spot. I couldn’t resist. Making a decent image out of it was another matter since he was in the shady part of the picture but post processing got me there eventually. I even touched up his eyes and little pink nose. ISO 1000 at 1/250 sec, f5.6 with my 24mm f.1.8 lens on a Nikon 750D.
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Lucid Swan Dream” Bobette Heern
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Fog and Snow” Jim Ingraham
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Sunflower” Jan Kloes
3rd Place – Tie (x2)
“Glass Rack” Dave Church
3rd Place – Tie (x2)
“Stanley Lake Splendor” Pam Arbogast
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned Category (City at Night)
1st Place
“City Skyline and Union Station” Laurie Scaruffi
F6 200 ISO 1/6 sec. This is Union Station with Kansas City in background taken from the landing of the World War 1 Memorial. It was 10pm during the summer and 90 degrees out with 90% humidity. Just want you to know I suffered for this picture. ha ha The middle window of Union Station had a banner in it for the “Body Works Exhibit” It is open to the public inside and makes for great pictures, however, if you are a professional there is a fee to take pics inside. It does not handle trains anymore but has restaurants and science center etc inside.
2nd Place
“Portland” Jim Heern
3rd Place
“Straight to Taprock” Jim Ingraham
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“Ashland Night” Dave Bell
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“City Across the Bay” Debbie Jallit
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“Olympia” Greg Smith
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“Honolulu Skyline” Judy Cox
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“Evening Stroll” Debbie Jallit
Honorable Mention – Tie (x6)
“Kaw Point Statue” Laurie Scaruffi
by Jim | Feb 5, 2017 | Competition Results
Judges: Greg Smith, Vince Williams and Tim Bullard (Guest Judge)
Print Image Competition – Assigned category: Street Photography
1st Place – Image of the Month
“MOMA Flip” Curt Collins
I was in New York a number of Summers ago and had walked up to the Museum of Modern Art. I was taking another shot and these guys were taking turns flying off the lower steps on skateboards. I got the other shot then lined up my view on where then flew off. There was also a hot dog vendor in the background, in true NY style. I took a burst of shots and this was in the middle.
I had the shutter set at 1/800th and the aperture was wide open on my EF 70-200 on a mono pod at ISO 100. If I had planned this, I probably would have raised the ISO and tried to shoot faster.
I bought my first 35mm camera with gift money when I graduated high school and it was an expensive hobby for a kid working for San Jose Parks & Rec. My level of involvement has fluctuated over the years along with life’s other responsibilities. The shot that I got before this was displayed at the Coos County Museum of Art. It was a good trip.
1st Place – Three way tie
“Original Compositions – $20.00” Gene Rimmer
My wife and I went to New Zealand for 3 weeks in Nov. and Dec., 2015 for more of a couple’s vacation than a photography trip. She let me take a couple thousand pictures, though. We had Oregon-like weather the first week on the North Island, but better luck on the South where we spent the most time in Queenstown, quite the “adventure” area of the country. The afternoon before leaving, when we were walking around the town and the docks, we found this street musician playing his piano on wheels. I knew I had a “moment” there with getting the other photographers and his sign in my picture. It was interesting how most people weren’t paying any attention to him, including the girl sitting on the ground near him – probably his girlfriend watching her smart phone.
1st Place – Three way tie
“Getting a push” Vince Williams
It was taken at back to the 50s July 29, 2016 ISO 400 18mm f11 1/250. It was actually the first picture I took that night. I had just got onto G street and was looking at the station wagon in the picture from across the street when I saw this couple and thought it would be a good picture of the people enjoying the cars. I converted it to black and white from color, I think that it stands out more in black and white.
2nd Place – Two way tie
“Blowing bubbles” Debbie Jallit
2nd Place – Two way tie
“Looking for a buck” Dave Bell
Print Image Competition – Open category
1st Place
“Somewhere in the desert” Dale George
This image was taken in Fort Rock. This church is but one of several well preserved and restored old buildings brought to this site in an effort to save from demolition and preserve local building history. I had been to these buildings the evening before and shot some sunset photos before returning to La Pine for the night. I met up with a friend the following morning and we returned here to photograph the area.
This was my last shot of the morning and was ready to leave when I turned around to see this group of flowers and tree framing the church, so of course I had to take just one more shot, very glad I did.
This was my first outing with my then new Canon 5D Mark 3 and 16-35mm lens. As I often do, I shot this scene with 5 exposures and blended them into an HDR image. Lighting was getting harsh and I like to use this technique to gather as much detail in the shadows as possible while limiting blow-outs from highlighted areas.
And now the nuts and bolts. 5 exposures at 0, -1, -2, +1, +2 Aperture was f/6.3 and ISO 100 Average exposure time was 1/1250th second. Blended in Photomatix and finished in Lightroom 5
2nd Place – Four way tie
“River of Light” Nomeca Hartwell
2nd Place – Four way tie
“Family of geese” Jim Ingraham
2nd Place – Four way tie
“Surprised shade bather” Gene Rimmer
2nd Place – Four way tie
“Fade into darkness” Dale George
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – Tie
“Hovering at the Cafe” Rose Christner
I decided to get serious about learning to get at least what I hoped a decent bird shot. I have feeders around the house. It takes a lot of patience to be able to stand there and wait for birds to do their thing. I used a tripod and a borrowed lens (EF 300mm lens with an extender 1.4X) on an overcast day. Canon 80D set at 1/4000 sec, F5.6 420mm, ISO 2500. It’s been fun filming and editing as I am now also learning Photo Shop! I just want to add what a pleasure it is to be in the CCC. The people are wonderful and extremely helpful if you need help. Thank you:)
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – Tie
“Beauty” Jan Kloes
Shot this Camellia in RAW using only window light. Then processed it with Camera Raw, Photoshop & Lightroom, adding a slight blue tinge to the lighter areas to give it some personality. And of course, fixed the unsightly edges and bruises common in most every flower. Canon EOS 7D, f/8, 1/4 sec., ISO 100.
2nd Place
“Grand Canyon Morn” Dave Low
3rd Place
“Moonbeam” Nomeca Hartwell
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned category: Street Photography
1st Place
“Street Fairy” Jan Kloes
This little budding artist was creating her masterpiece at Art Along the Rogue last October. I was enchanted with her colorful tights, black tutu, and pink cowboy boots. She has an artist’s eye for fashion to be sure! Shot this one in bright sunlight but the chalk was so bright it overpowered the girl, so I used Lightroom’s graduated filters to darken the sides. Then did a bit of dodging to lighten her face and the hand that was in shadow. Sony SLT-A57, f/13, 1/160 sec., ISO 100.
2nd Place
“Time for a nap” Judy Cox
“Old Amigos” Doris Welborn
“Concentration” Dave Church
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Accordianist” Gene Rimmer
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“In the Red” Jim Heern
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Litter Patrol” Jim Ingraham
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Waiting for the perfect man” Joy Lane
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Road Work” Ken Welborn
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Soldiers in horse drawn wagon” Laurie Scaruffi
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“Diva De Juarez” Nomeca Hartwell
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“G St. after 5” Ozzie Cummins
Honorable Mention – Tie (9-way)
“The Street Photographer” Rose Christner
by Jim | Jan 5, 2017 | Competition Results
Judges: Linda Bryant, Jim Heern and Jim Ingraham (Main Critique Judge)
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned category: Glass
1st Place – Image of the Month
“Garden in Glass” Bobette Heern
My husband Jim Heern, has always loved photography but after retiring from teaching at Illinois Valley High School he began immersing himself into the artistic side. About 5 years ago he found a local group in Grants Pass called Caveman Camera Club that met twice a month. He immediately fell into the camaraderie and rhythm of the monthly themes and competitions.
About three years ago my husband and some friends were out shooting the famous carnivorous plants near Eight Dollar Mountain on the Illinois River. Actually they were shooting and I was standing around. Our friend, Ned who is the President of the Caveman Camera Club, urged me to get a camera and join in the fun. Soon I had an opportunity to buy a used Nikkon 7100 from a Club member who was upgrading. The next trip was to Klamath Falls to shoot the fall colors, I found “burst mode” and spent every moment marveling at how I could freeze birds mid flight. I was hooked!
My husband and I take many photo trips now to the Coast, Idaho and all around Oregon constantly finding many opportunities to express the beauty surrounding us. It is a photographers’ paradise here. Now two years since I upgraded to Nikkon 610 camera I have learned many, many things from the competitions, club members, but mostly from Jim, my husband, who is completely absorbed in the endless world of photography.
The theme this month (January) was glass. We stopped at Vines Art Studio 7 miles south of Bandon on Hwy 101 last summer. I asked the shop keeper if I could photograph some items. I found an amazing hand blown flower vase with a 3D garden scene inside. With a price tag of $450 it was the most incredible vase I have ever encountered. I used their back room to control lighting. It was shot with my Nikkon 610 at 1/6 sec F-3 IS0-100 105-mm lens. Used Lightroom/Topaz to edit.
1st Place – Tie (x3)
“Cheers” Jan Kloes
The glasses and streamers were shot with a spot light shining on the wall behind them and a softbox to the left. The ‘confetti’ was added using standard Photoshop brushes. The bubbles were from a free downloaded PS brush from Brusheezy. Canon EOS 7D, ISO 100, f/9 at 1/8 sec.
1st Place – Tie (x3)
“Broken Glass, Wine Glass” Jim Ingraham
Nikon D810 with 24-70 mm lens at 70mm. Shutter speed 1/100, aperture f20 and ISO 64. One studio light with a large softbox directly behind subject and slightly above. Wine glass is sitting on a pane of glass that is suspended over a black background on the floor. The shards of glass are colored with food coloring and water.
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Window Glass” Curt Collins
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Glass Carafe” Debbie Jallit
2nd Place – Tie (x3)
“Phantom Zone Cube” Rose Christner
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Broken Dreams” Jim Heern
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“All the Glitters” Judy Cox
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Caprice Sparkle” Nomeca Hartwell
3rd Place – Tie (x4)
“Reflections” Jan Kloes
Print Image Competition – Assigned Category (Glass)
1st Place
“The Bearded One” Jim Ingraham
Nikon D810 with 24-70 lens at 28mm. Hand held. Shutter speed 1/250, Aperture f10 and ISO 200. Subject next to a stained glass window in a church. The window is the sole source of light.
Electronic Image Competition – Open Category
1st Place
“Angie and Jake” Linda Bryant
This is a photo of my friend Angie, we were doing a photoshoot in November and decided to incorporate a few pics with the horses. This was taken with my Canon EOS Mark111, at f/5, 1/320 and ISO 3200 at 70mm. I changed the background and added a Rainy Window Overlay to give it the Rain Effect..
2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Hard Rock Eye Candy” Dale George
2nd Place – Tie (x2)
“Silent Serenade” Julie Padgett
3rd Place – Tie (x5)
“Inmate” Bobette Heern
3rd Place – Tie (x5)
“Crater Lake in September” Debbie Jallit
3rd Place – Tie (x5)
“Shared Veggies” Greg Smith
3rd Place – Tie (x5)
“Cardinal” Laurie Scaruffi
3rd Place – Tie (x5)
“Reaching to the Light” Ozzie Cummins
Print Image Competition – Open Category
1st Place
“It smells like Heaven” Dale George
Photo was taken in April 2015 at the Bellagio Hotel in fabulous Las Vegas. The reason I gave it the title “It Smells Like Heaven” is that even though you can’t see it, the conservatory was planted wall-to-wall with blooming flowers. The air was light and sweet with the fragrance of the thousands of blooms and to me must be what Heaven smells like.
The challenge with this capture was getting the room perfectly centered with the point of the obelisk and center girder and working the tri-pod forward and backward to get the right balance. Then there are the people….always people…cutting through the scene. They linger, dawdling, putting themselves just where you don’t want them to be. Don’t they care, don’t they know I am waiting?? Eventually the ebb and flow of pedestrian traffic opened briefly long enough to snag a 3 shot exposure.
And now for the details. Camera was my retired Canon T2i Rebel with the 10-22mm lens. Lens was open to 10mm.
ISO set to 100, 1/200th second average exposure, f/6.3 with camera in Aperture Priority.
2nd Place
“Red and Green Spring” Nomeca Hartwell
3rd Place
“Starry Grayback” Nomeca Hartwell
by Jim | Dec 31, 2016 | Competition Results
Judges: Greg Smith, Lynda Noles and Gene Rimmer (Main Critique Judge)
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – Image of the Month
“Lavender Stroll” Rachel Bauer
This photo, Lavender Stoll, was taken in June of this year at the beautiful English Lavender Farm in Applegate. While waiting for the sun to set I asked my daughter Nicole to walk down one of the rows and she did this little pose. My two girls enjoyed a teddy-bear picnic in the warm light of the sunset that evening. This is my favorite photo out of the series. I used a Canon 60D with a 50mm 1.4 lens at 1/320 sec, at F 10, and ISO 320. Note that if you plan to take photos around sunset at the English Lavender Farm, the sun sets a little early in the summer as it drops behind the top of the hill.
Also 1st Place – 4 way tie
“Taking a Break” Linda Bryant
This is a pic I took at the Nutcracker Dress Rehearsal in December. It is straight out of the camera, except I applied a filter called Burlesque to it, then pulled most of it back off. I used my Canon EOS 5D Mark lll with the 24-105 mm lens attached. My settings were aperture f/4, shutter speed 1/250 and ISO 5000.
Also 1st Place – 4 way tie
“Going for the Nylon” Joel Takarsh
INTENSITY! So much of what sports photos reveal is INTENSITY. I’m always looking for the photo that has
the facial expressions that show the effort, the exertion both physical and mental, that competitive spirit along
with a well captured moment of action. This was shot at a Grants Pass High School basketball game and I immediately
liked it as it fit the intensity criteria. Actually very simply shot with a Nikon D5 using a Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens. Shutter speed
was set at 1000th of a second and ISO setting was 128000.
Also 1st Place – 4 way tie
“National Creek Falls” Jim Ingraham
Taken at f/11, 1/2 second, ISO 400 with a Nikon D810 and 24-70 lens at 56 mm. Tripod mounted. The trick is getting to the other side of the creek without falling in the water!
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“The Piano” Dale George
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Table Rock” Debbie Jallit
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“One Summer Night” Jim Heern
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“A Cautious first Step” Jim Ingraham
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Sandblaster” Joel Takarsh
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Colorful Legs” Julie Padgett
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Tiger” Laurie Scaruffi
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Fire Spinner” Nomeca Hartwell
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Turkey Lookout” Dave Church
2nd Place – 10 way tie
“Galice Creek” Greg Smith
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned category “Candlelight”
1st Place – Three way tie
“Beautiful Light” Curt Collins
My photo “Beautiful Light” was taken 11/29/16. The model is my daughter Madison. It was taken on a Canon 30D, 0.3 sec. exposure at f 5.0, ISO 400 with a focal length of 42mm.
1st Place – Three way tie
“Candle Trio” Jan Kloes
The candles were shot on black velvet. A free background image from the internet was layered under the candle image, and then again on top of the candle image at 40% opacity. Also used Lightroom’s radial filter to add extra highlights on the candles and crystals. Canon 7D at 0.5 sec, f10, ISO 100. Lens was EF50mm f1.8II.
1st Place – Three way tie
“Candle with Mirrors” Jan Kloes
This is a single votive candle placed on a deflated gold mylar balloon using mirrors to bounce the light back & forth. Lightroom was used to enhance colors. Canon 7D at 0.3 sec, f9.0, ISO 100. Lens was EF50mm f1.8II.
2nd Place – 4 way tie
“Rooster Glow” Debbie Jallit
2nd Place – 4 way tie
“After the party” Judy Cox
2nd Place – 4 way tie
“A glass of wine, a good book and candlelight” Linda Bryant
2nd Place – 4 way tie
“Glass Decanter” Lynda Noles
Print Image Competition – Assigned category “Candlelight”
1st Place – Two way tie
“Fire and Ice” Dave Low
Shot with a 50mm lens at; ISO 400, f16 and 5.0 sec exposure. Processed in LR and PS CC.
1st Place – Two way tie
“Track Lighting” Greg Smith
Crafting and shooting the “Track Lighting” image combined a handful of my favorite elements; outdoor adventure, a good hike, low light photography, and a complex set up. I discovered this tunnel earlier in the year while exploring the lower Cow Creek canyon, between Glendale and Riddle. This image was the result of a drizzly December evening hike, and the placement of 72 tea candles to illuminate the image. I shot in the dark to insure that candle light was the only source of light. The star-light effect was the result of the small aperture setting used to insure adequate depth of field. I shot this image using my Canon 5d Mk III and Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L lens. The camera settings were: f/13, 30 seconds, 32mm, and 2000 ISO
Print Image Competition – Open category
1st Place
“Alicia’s Repose” Jim Ingraham
Alicia is a young lady who has been involved in dance and ballet since she was a tiny tot.Taken at f/5.6, 1/200th second, ISO 64 with a Nikon D810 and 24-70 lens at 50 mm. Tripod mounted. Studio shot with three light setup.
2nd Place – Two way tie
“Peregrine Falcon” Jim Heern
2nd Place – Two way tie
“Friday Morning Fog” Jim Heern
3rd Place – Two way tie
“Whitehorse Falls” Dale George
3rd Place – Two way tie
“Quincy” Linda Bryant
by Jim | Nov 13, 2016 | Competition Results
Judges: Ozzie Cummins, Dave Bell and Julie Chase(Guest Judge)
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned category
‘The Beauty of Simplicity’
1st Place – Image of the Month
“Grass” Judy Cox
I took this photo of grass at Tom Pearce Park last May. I shot it with a Panasonic Lumix ZS50, a compact travel camera that I have set up with custom settings. It was taken at f/6.4; 1/80; ISO 400. I got the camera for my birthday last year and joined the Caveman Camera Club to learn digital photography. The Camera Club is a great resource and I appreciate the knowledge and experience of the members.
2nd Place – Tie
“Old Blue Eye” Jim Ingraham
2nd Place – Tie
“Dress Rehearsal” Joel Takarsh
2nd Place – Tie
“White Rose” Lynda Noles
2nd Place – Tie
“White Rose” Jan Kloes
3rd Place – Tie
“Dancing Flame” Debbie Jallit
3rd Place – Tie
“A little rain must fall” Ozzie Cummins
3rd Place – Tie
“Vintage Hood Ornament” Rose Christner
3rd Place – Tie
“I see you too” Suzi Pratt
3rd Place – Tie
“Bee” Vince Williams
3rd Place – Tie
“Last Blossom of Fall” Debbie Jallit
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Axe” Dave Church
Honorable Mention – Tie
“The Lost Hat” Linda Bryant
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Pier” Marcia Fasy
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Pelican” Randy Clark
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Winter Pumpkin” Russ Williamson
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Bodega Bay Hillside” Rose Christner
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Oldie but Goodie” Suzi Pratt
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“Lake Louise” Bobette Heern
Lake Louise, named Lake of the Little Fishes by the Stoney Nakota First Nations people, is a glacial lake within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located 5 km west of the Hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway. This was taken mid October before significant rain/snowfall, but you can see the year round glacier. This was shot with wide angle lens on cloudy afternoon. Nikon 610
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“Stanley Lake” Eugene Keith
Stanley Lake. I took this picture at Stanley Lake, Idaho. I used my Canon 70D with a Tokina 11-18mm at > ISO 100 11mm f/13 at a 20 second exposure with a 10 stop ND filter
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“After the Rain” Jim Ingraham
Taken with a Nikon D810 and 24-70 lens at 70mm. ISO 400, F16 @ 1/13th second, tripod mounted. Image taken on the Damnation Creek trailhead of the Redwood National Forest on a drizzly overcast morning
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“Pretty Poppy” Marcia Fasy
Pretty Poppy Canon 6D, Lens Tokina AT-X M100 ProD 100mm F2.8 Macro, ISO 100 1.6 sec @ f22
Taken indoors on a light box.
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“Curled Leaf” Nomeca Hartwell
I spotted these lovely curled brown leaves on my hiking loop in the hills and decided to try to capture a close up with my portable Canon G1x using a +4 close up filter and a piece of black mat board, f/10 @1/1000 sec. ISO 1000. The image needed a fair amount of clean up work and some change in emphasis in the lighting (accomplished in Photoshop) before they looked really nice. Along the way I used a new tool, a Gradient Fill layer which allowed me to do something similar to the Radial Gradient tool in LR. I liked the results just as much in B&W and submitted a monotone version of the same image to the 4 C’s.
1st Place – 6 way Tie
“Reaching the Clouds” Ozzie Cummins
This shot of tall white wild flowers reaching for the clouds was taken at the 6,800′ level on the Siskiyou Crest — CCC field trip no. 2 in the middle of July, 2016. This is looking east overlooking a circ (a high elevation U-shaped valley formed by a receding glacier about 45k years ago.) The image was shot with a Nikon d7000 and 35mm lens; f16, 1/160 sec shutter, and 100 ISO. I use Nikon’s “Capture NX2” for all my editing.
Print Image Competition – Open category
1st Place
“On the Waterfront” Dale George
This shot was taken last fall in Victoria, British Comumbia. It was a very balmy and still late September evening and the harbor water was exceptionally flat, giving great reflections of the lights. The Empress Hotel was the landmark that had my interest so I set up the tri-pod and took a couple series of shots. I was concerned about noise, so I shot at low ISO and longer exposure times for cleaner photos. After reviewing my files, I realized that the info I gave about how I shot it was incorrect, so here is the straight poop. I used my Canon 5Dmk3, Canon 16-35 mm lens set at 31mm. I shot at ISO 400 at f7.1. This was actually a 5 shot series HDR with an average exposure of 2 sec and all 5 exposures blended in Photomatix…then into Lightroom…and finished in Nik Color Efex 4. I really pushed the Detail Extractor in Nik which I think really made this image pop. As a side note, on a monitor, there appears to be a face of an old man on the left of the scene, just above the buildings that was part of some fog and cloud formation. He is facing upwards and adds a layer of mystery to this scene.
2nd Place – Tie (3-way)
“Grayback Creek” Eugene Keith
2nd Place – Tie (3-way)
“Transgender” Dave Low
2nd Place – Tie (3-way)
“Fisherman Silhouette” Jim Ingraham
3rd Place Tie (4-way)
“Baby Snow Leopard” Jim Heern
3rd Place Tie (4-way)
“Where fairies Live” Debbie Jallit
3rd Place Tie (4-way)
“Corn Goggles” Dale George
3rd Place Tie (4-way)
“Puma” Bobette Heern
Print Image Competition – The Beauty of Simplicity
1st Place
“Walking the Dog” Marcia Fasy
Walking the Dog Canon 6D Lens 24-105 F4L USM 1/4000th at f4.5 ISO 100 focal length 105 Taken in Wallawalla, Washington Backlit at Dusk
2nd Place
“Sunset” Ned Booth
by Jim | Nov 11, 2016 | Competition Results
Judges: Dave Low, Lynda Noles and Jim Ingraham (Critiquing Judge)
Print Competition – Open category
1st Place – Image of the Month
“The Night Light” Rose Christner
“The night light I photographed was a gift for my daughter Nicole, from her brother Shawn, who shares the same birthday 14 years apart! It’s an actual night light that I layered with the Windows 10 photo editor in my post editing. I used a Canon EOS 80D at 1/30 sec., F3.5 18mm, ISO 3200, with Canon EFS 18-135mm lens”.
“I joined Caveman Camera Club in the spring of 2015 to meet people of like interests in hoping to improve my amateur photography skills and make new friends. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m learning so much from excellent skilled mentors”.
1st Place – Tie (but not Image of the month!)
“Milky Way from the Watchman Overlook” Jim Ingraham
This is my first attempt at photographing the Milky Way. Taken at Crater Lake looking toward Klamath Falls. The sky is a 30 second exposure, the bottom of the image is about a 5 minute exposure, blended together in Photoshop. Nikon D810 with a 18-35 lens at 18mm. F4 at ISO 3200
1st Place – Tie (but not Image of the month!)
“I like Brown” Dale George
“I Like Brown” was taken last year at Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C. This was the home of coal magnate Robert Dunsmuir and is the finest example of Victorian opulence I have seen to date. Construction began in 1890 and features 4 floors of the finest interior furnishings one could imagine.
As is my usual custom when shooting interiors, this is a 3 exposure image blended in Photomatix. I choose this method because nearly all of the museums are forbidding flash photography. Usually tripods are permitted which allows for lower ISO’s and longer exposure times for keeping noise levels acceptable. Plus it has the benefit of a wider range of light in dim interiors and therefore…more details in the final image.
2nd Place
“The three Photographers” Gene Rimmer
Print Competition – Assigned category – Architectural Details
1st Place
“Marco Island Marriott” Dave Low
It was taken in November of 2015, at the Marriott Resort on Marco Island, Florida. It was the view from our room balcony looking toward the beach and Gulf of Mexico. I took it with a Canon 7D and a Sigma 10-20mm zoom. It was shot at 1/250 sec, F10 and at 10mm. Post processing was with Lightroom and Silver Effex Pro 2.
2nd Place
“Mission Stairwell” Marcia Fasy
3rd Place – Tie
“Corinthian Columns” Judy Cox
3rd Place – Tie
“Bell Tower” Rachel Bauer
3rd Place – Tie
“The Biltmore House” Linda Bryant
Electronic Image Competition – Assigned category – Architectural Details
1st Place – Tie
“Behold the Light” Dale George
“Behold The Light” was taken last year in fabulous Las Vegas at the Encore Hotel/Casino reception check-in area. This is a single shot taken with my since retired Canon T2I and 10-22mm lens. There is so much eye candy in Las Vegas, it can get a little over-whelming deciding what might make a nice image. We are all familiar with the Wow Power of Vegas strip at night, but I was struck by how over-the-top the interiors of the major hotels were and wanted to try and capture things from a different perspective. I was struck by the sheer size, color and shape of this ceiling fixture and noticed the repeating circular patterns around it. Image details: Single shot on a Canon T2i, 10-22mm lens at 22mm 1/50th sec, ISO 400 at F/5
1st Place – Tie
“Performing Arts Center” Laurie Scaruffi
This image was taken with a Nikon D90. 200 ISO at 1/50 sec. It was right before sunset and I was enamored not only with the building ( Kaufman performing art center, downtown Kansas City ) but the reflection of the city and the storm cloud in the glass. I actually darkened the reflection a bit during editing so as not to take the focus away from the architecture. The building itself looks totally different on the opposite side and also very interesting.
1st Place – Tie
“The Dome” Russ Williamson
1st Place – Tie
“Federal Building” Jim Ingraham
Taken in Denver at the U.S. Courthouse on a cold gray winter Sunday. Nikon D810 and 24-70mm lens. ISO 640, F8 at 1/200th
2nd Place – Tie
“Balcony” Doris Welborn
2nd Place – Tie
“Art Deco” Marcia Fasy
3rd Place – Tie
“Reflections” Dave Low
3rd Place – Tie
“Great Panes” Greg Smith
3rd Place – Tie
“Factory Detail” Jim Ingraham
3rd Place – Tie
“Greek Church” Lynda Noles
3rd Place – Tie
“Monterey Harbor House” Rose Christner
3rd Place – Tie
“The Window” Debbie Jallit
3rd Place – Tie
“Windows Within” Laurie Scaruffi
3rd Place – Tie
“Sacramento Capital Building” Rose Christner
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place
“Birds Eye View” Jim Heern
Demoiselle cranes are the smallest of the cranes species, and are famous for their elaborate communication methods. With a deep rasping voice, and spectacular dancing. Shot at Twin Falls, Idaho Zoo
Camera: Nikon 810 Aperture: 5.6 Shutter speed :1/125 ISO: 100
2nd Place
“Dahlia” Marcia Fasy
3rd Place – Tie
“Tree in Rock” Curt Collins
3rd Place – Tie
“Weiner and Bun” Dale George
3rd Place – Tie
“Girls just wanna have fun” Joel Takarsh
3rd Place – Tie
“Australian Princess Parrot” Suzi Pratt
3rd Place – Tie
“The Centaur” Joel Takarsh
3rd Place – Tie
“Wild Wiccan” Shaun Barrentine
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Can’t Touch This ” Bobette Heern
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Artichoke ” Dave Low
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Synchronized Flight” Greg Smith
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Henny Penny” Jan Kloes
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Sleeping Vineyards” Nomeca Hartwell
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Jammin” Shaun Barrentine
Honorable Mention – Tie
“Na Na Na Na Na Naaaah” Elizabeth Dean
by Jim | Sep 11, 2016 | Competition Results
Judges: Jim Heern, Judy Cox and Cynthia Charat (Guest Judge)
Electronic Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – Image of the Month
“An evening in Louisbourg” Eugene Keith
“This image was taken in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada. My wife and I went to take sunset photos of a nearby lighthouse, and on the way back saw this awesome dock with lobster cages on them. That combined with a small town, beautiful sky, and calm waters created a nice reflection for this picture.”
The camera was a Canon Rebel T5i w/ Tokina 11mm lens,1/4s, f/5.6 ISO 400.
“My wife and I joined the Caveman Camera Club in September 2016, so we are new members. I purchased my first DSLR in 2010, but I never got serious about it until earlier this year when I started learning about the different things you can do with a camera. Since then it has been almost my only hobby day in and day out…. and I have absolutely fell in love with it! Thanks to Jim Heern, I now have a photography buddy to shoot and learn with, and he referred me to the Caveman Camera Club.”
“Sunflower” Marcia Fasy
Sunflower was grown by a friend and given to me because she knows I like photographing flowers. I wanted to do something different with it. So I decided to do a portrait of the back of the sunflower. I placed the flower on the table and using shop lights for the lighting, I photographed it using the Canon 6D and the Canon 100mm f2.8 L lens. I wanted it to be dramatic so I got in close and shot only catching part of the flower. I was very happy with the finished product and I am happy the judges liked it too.
“Frozen in Flight” Randy Clark
“The catch” Jim Ingraham
“Aruban Friend” Randy Clark
“Cadillac Shine” Rose Christner
3rd Place – Tie
“Eagle Rock” Eugene Keith
“Flower Bug” Dave Church
“Fair or Foul” Joel Takarsh
“Yellowstone Hot Spring” Jim Heern
Print Image Competition – Open category
1st Place – Tie
“His Majesty” Bobette Heern
Taken in midmorning light after feeding at West Coast Game Park Safari south of Bandon, OR. I hand held my Nikon D610 while sitting on ground next to fence. Settings: f 2.8 1/200 sec ISO 100
1st Place – Tie
“A loss of plumage” Jim Ingraham
Taken on a gray over cast winter day at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. The background is simply a gray building , out of focus. This is just the head of a very large bird – 5 feet or so. Emu perhaps…I don’t remember.
Technical data: Nikon D810 w/70-200 lens at 140mm. ISO 800, F4 and 1/500 second
“Striking Distance” Jim Heern
Taken at the West Coast Game Park Safari. The leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and lighter. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard’s rosettes are smaller and more densely packed.They do not usually have central spots as the jaguars do.
Settings: Shutter speed 1/60 sec. Aperture 5.6, ISO 100
“Milky Way Silhouette” Patty Booth
This was my second attempt at milky way photos and YES it was taken at I SO 3200 (you were right Jim) with my Nikon D750 using my 14-24mm lens at 14mm set for NR for 20 sec. at F2.8. I fell in love with the tree and took many photos at different angles to get this photo. I’m very glad that I no longer have to use film!
“Hand to Hand” Lynda Noles
“The Great Hall” Dale George
2nd Place – Tie
“Help” Ned Booth
Electronic Image Competition – Assignment (Rows of Things)
1st Place – Tie
“Seaward” Nomeca Hartwell
I took this shot with my little Canon G9 on a trip to Tillamook and Astoria. Seemed like the perfect shot for the assigned subject. After processing in LR I took it over to CS6 and used Nik’s Granny’s Attic effect and then applied a favorite texture to help give it a ‘dreamy’ feel.
1st Place – Tie
“Matches” Jan Kloes
Taken with Canon 7D different exposures for plain matches, fire, & smoke.
I’ve been trying to learn Layers and Masks in Photoshop and this month’s assignment was a perfect opportunity. Because the unlit matches, the fire, and the smoke all required different lighting and different camera settings, it would be difficult to take the photo as a single shot. And of course, timing the burning matches perfectly would have been nearly impossible. The matches were photographed separately and then combined using layers and masks to produce the final composite.
“Flower Fields” Jim Ingraham
3rd Place – Tie
“Pierless” Bobette Heern
3rd Place – Tie
“Lifesavers” Jan Kloes
3rd Place – Tie
“Bicycle built for too many” Joel Takarsh
3rd Place – Tie
“Typewriter Keys” Judy Cox
3rd Place – Tie
“The Sampler” Debbie Jallit
Print Image Competition – Assignment (Rows of Things)
1st Place – Tie
“The Posse” Marcia Fasy
The Posse was shot up in Washington state near Walla Walla. This was a photoshoot connected with the Columbia Council of Camera Clubs convention in October 2015. The horse riders rode all over the area giving us ample chances to shoot them in all kinds of ways. The beautiful black Morgan was the most gorgeous horse. It was a wonderful opportunity to capture the riders. It was shot on a tripod using the Canon 6D and the Canon 24-105mm f4L lens.
1st Place – Tie
“Lines” Patty Booth
Ned and I went on a photo safari to Trinidad , CA and stopped at a pretty little white church. Near the church were beautiful tall, graceful plants. I took quite a few photos before finally getting up close and personal. This was taken with my Nikon D750 using a 70-200 lens at 70mm for 1/125 at F22 with ISO 250, natural light on a tripod.
2nd Place – Tie
“Buttonhooks” Lynda Noles
2nd Place – Tie
“Really, We said Duck Derby” Rose Christner
by Jim | Jul 27, 2016 | Tutorials
Camera Lenses and Filters
Caveman Camera Club
April 20, 2016
A lens is a “transmissive optical device which affects the focusing of a light beam through refraction.” A camera lens is a group of lenses used to focus light onto the sensor.
What do those numbers and abbreviations on lenses mean?
Numbers followed by “mm” means the focal length of the lens. Examples: 85mm, 24-105mm, 70-200mm. They may be on the inside of the filter ring or outside at the front usually.
Numbers that look like a ratio – for example 1:1.8 or 1:4 or 1:3.5-5.6 – show the maximum (wide open) aperture (like f/1.8 or f/4). When there is a range, it indicates that when the lens is zoomed wide, it will be at the lower number (like f/3.5) or zoomed telephoto, it will be only at the higher number (like f/5.6).
Numbers with a diameter symbol ∅, a number, followed by mm (e.g. ∅ 72mm) or just the number and mm (67mm) is the diameter of the opening for filter threads. Not to be confused with the focal length of the lens.
(BTW, the ∞ symbol means infinity, which for our photographic purposes essentially means about anything from about 100 ft on to the stars and beyond.)
Some Important Lens Abbreviations
Nikon:
DX = lenses for APS-C size format
FX = lenses for full-frame format
CX = for use with mirrorless system
VR = Vibration Reduction
AF-S or SWM = silent wave motor for focusing
and for many more, google “Nikon abbreviations”
Canon:
EF = fully electronic, designed to cover the 35mm full-frame circle
EF-S = for use with APS-C size sensors
EF-M = for use with mirrorless cameras with the like mount, APS-C size
IS = Image Stabilization
USM = UltraSonic Motor or silent wave motor for focusing
L = “Luxury” or the professional grade lenses (has red ring)
and for many more, google “Canon abbreviations”
Each has many more of their own abbreviations, and other brands of cameras and lenses can have a many other specific abbreviations. You must see what that brand means by their terms. If nothing else, google the brand for information about its terms.
Speaking of Focal Length
Focal length, simply put, it means the distance in millimeters between the front lens and the sensor, though this is not always literal due to the use of the various individual glass lenses within a camera lens. The normal, non-exact, nomenclature – usually translated in terms of full-frame (similar to 35mm film) sensors – is as follows
Fisheye = an extremely wide angle of view, normally between 8mm to 15mm. They may be circular within the frame of the image or show an entire frame with distortion, also. They take in about 180̊ field of view or less.
Wide angle = 12 mm to about 35mm. They have a wider field of view and tend to magnify distances between objects and allow for a greater depth of field (what is in apparent focus).
Normal = approximate the field of view the human eyes sees naturally, or about equal to the diagonal of the digital sensor. It’s considered about 45mm (or 28 on an APS-C camera).
Telephoto = medium at about 70mm to about 300-600mm or more. The angle of view is smaller (narrower field of view) and it appears as though the objects are compressed.
For different sizes of sensors, like the small micro four/thirds and APS-C or the large medium formats, the lengths are shorter or longer respectively.
“Macro” (or micro in some cases) lens is technically, a lens with the ability to focus an image on the sensor that is at least as large as the subject, i.e., a magnification of 1:1. The term is often used generically to mean “close up.”
Switches on lenses
Your lens may have several switches on it or it may have none. One is probably the VR or IS on and off switch. When you are hand holding your camera, the switch should always be on. When you have it on a tripod, the switch should always be off.
Another switch on the lens may be the A – M or A/M-M (or AF-MF) switch for the autofocus function. This is not to be confused with your exposure dial settings nor other focus settings on your camera. “M,” of course, means manual focus – where you rotate the focus ring in order to achieve focus where you want it. “A” means the camera/lens will automatically focus using the selected autofocus points (a lesson in itself, almost). If you try to manually focus when on the A setting, it will revert back to what it wants to focus on automatically when you hit the shutter release, thus negating your manual focusing. If the lens has an A/M or AF-MF setting, then your manual setting will override the automatic when you hit the shutter release.
Some telephoto lenses may have a focus limiter that will focus on subjects within a certain range so the camera doesn’t waste time hunting throughout the entire focus range of the lens. For example, it may allow you to switch between 1.2m-∞ or 3m-∞. (It’s not a big deal.)
Also, some telephotos may have a Mode 1 or 2. One is where it is trying to stabilize your camera motion in up/down and sideways directions. Two is set for up/down only and is for a panning movement.
Filters for Digital Camera
First, look at the diameter of your lens (like ∅ 55mm – not the focal length – and buy filters that size or larger. If you have several size lenses, you can get a step-up ring that is to adapt a larger filter down to a smaller diameter lens. But I don’t think it’s too bad of an idea to have a set for each diameter lens.
What Filters Should You Really Have in Your Tool Kit?
Circular Polarizer
UV or “protector” filter.
Neutral Density if you want to slow time and water down.
Split NDs are used to darken light areas, like the sky and allowing normal light coming through the clear glass.
What Filters Are Options, Maybes?
Star filter
Round Split ND’s aren’t all that effective.
Additional Accessories
Teleconverters or tele-extenders come in usual flavors of 1.4X, 1.7X, or 2X. They will magnify the focal length of the lenses they are added to by those amounts. But there is a cost – one to two stops of light. There is also the financial cost, which may be cheaper than buying a new and longer lens, but it is a place where you get what you pay for. For maximum compatibility, go with the brand of your camera or lens.
Lens hoods can help to keep some direct sunlight off your lens. Sun hitting directly on your lens or filter is what causes the flare spots or lines in an image. The tulip-shaped hoods, however, have limited usage because they are not wide enough on normal or wide angle lenses to block very much. It is best to use a hat or something, as long as you prevent the sun from hitting the lens itself. A deeper hood for a telephoto can be more helpful. A hood can also take some of the impact if you drop a camera, but you normally shouldn’t really be doing that.
Use micro-cloths for lens cleaning, but first use a brush, like that on a LensPen to brush off any flecks of material. Use your breath for the moisture and rub gently, in a circular motion. Lastly use the carbon end of a LensPen to clean off oil and other substances. I use it for my glasses all of the time.
Camera bags come in all flavors and are beyond the reach of this class. As the size of your collection of you equipment grows, so will the needs of your camera bag. You can consider have a master bag at home for virtually everything. But when you’re going out for a specific shoot (like to hang with Gene at the bars photographing beautiful singers and dancers in low light), then bring just the equipment you need in a small bag. [Be very careful with your gear – it can get stolen.]
Physically Switching Lenses on Your Camera
Have you seen those little blurry dark spots in the skies of your pictures (where they are most visible)? They are dust spots on the sensor, usually created when you switch lenses in an unclean environment. RULE #1: Switch lenses only where the camera is protected from dust or moisture (like in your car after the air has settled). #1a: If you can’t be in a clean environment, protect the lenses and camera as much as possible, like getting out of any wind, enveloping them in a jacket, etc. RULE #2: Be prepared with the new lens and make the switch just as quickly as possible so the inner part of your camera is exposed for as few seconds as possible. #2a: also keep the camera end of the lenses protected quickly so dust doesn’t settle in them. RULE #3: If your camera doesn’t have an automatic dust shaker-offer, then use a baby snot syringe bulb (unused) to blow off the sensor (after locking up the mirror) without touching it. NEVER use canned air – it can leave a permanent residue. Don’t blow in your camera interior with your mouth. There are sensor cleaning kits, but be very, very, very careful with them. Better to have a sensor cleaned by a professional (and no, Photo Den doesn’t do anything but the baby snot blower).
Lens Buying Advice
Consider seriously what do you need a new lens for. Can it do something you need or want to do that your current lens can’t? Are you now shooting low light when you didn’t before? Do you need a long telephoto to shoot the lions in Africa? Or maybe the sharpest macro that you can get. If you have a well-thought-out reason for something, then go for it, but NOT just because it’s the latest and hottest. Do YOU need it for the kind of work you do? For a one-time experience – like a long telephoto for a trip to Alaska – consider renting a lens. One of the best agencies that I’ve seen is www.lensrentals.com .
- You get what you pay for. The $200 bargain will not measure up to the similar $2,000 lens. I definitely won’t get into the details of the physics of optics, but you are paying for sturdier quality material – metal, not plastic – and much higher quality glass, glass coatings, and more elements that have been computer designed.
- You can get very decent prices, though on some very good, sharp glass with many prime lenses – those that don’t zoom. A good prime lens might be an 85mm f/1.8 or a 35mm f/1.4 cheaper that you could with fast zoom lenses. It costs more to do all of the adjustments of all of the elements when you have a zoom lens, especially on the telephoto end. Primes are generally very sharp, but after being accustomed to a zoom, you have some adjustment to do – you essential zoom in and out on your feet!
- Those very wide range zoom lens (like a 18mm to 270mm, or others) are complicated and costly. If you find what looks like a lens with a very wide zoom range, that may look way cool but the quality is not as good as if you’d purchased two shorter- range zooms. Especially be fearful of any that is cheap, within the $1-300 range. (Refer to #2 above). One common thing that manufacturers do to hold down the cost is to have the widest aperture (like f/3.5 or f/4) available when you’re at the wide angle end of the lens (such as 18mm or 24mm) but as you zoom up into the higher number like 200mm or 300mm, the lense will only allow say f/5.8 or f/8 to be the widest. This creates problems for you as the shooter, but it makes the camera cheaper to build. So a better quality zoom lens will have the same wide f/stop throughout the entire zoom range.
- READ REVIEWS – see what other people think of them. DPReview is good, and I personally like Ken Rockwell a lot. You don’t need to understand all the technical testing, but be sure to look at the summary. Look at user reviews, but don’t trust everything you see there.
- Lastly, be very cautious of LBA – Lens Buying Addiction. Trust me, it can cause spousal conflict. (Also, try hiding a purchase and see what happens!)
Gene Rimmer Caveman Camera Club
