Thanks!

[bob91yj]

...to all of you that post pics of your work on line. I'm not a photographer by any stretch, a couple of adult school classes at the local high school over the years taught me the basics, but that's it. The composition of some of the photos is amazing to me. So easy to turn a simple photo into something memorable with the right composition. Keep them coming!

The groups I run with usually look forward to the shots I was getting with the 18-55mm lens I've been using for the last few years. I finally broke down and bought a 55-250mm lens for my Canon EOS. Really looking forward to getting out in the back country and seeing what I can do with it. The biggest problem I need to overcome is getting my lazy butt out of the Jeep and actually taking the pictures now.

I see folks using various shades with longer lenses, anyone have a primer for me on why they are used and whether or not I need one.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

I'd probably have to say that the biggest difference in your images from your friends will be if you get out of the Jeep and position yourself in various places, rather than always shooting from chest level or just from the window of the Jeep. That's what everyone else is doing on the trail, and all the images from everyone else's cameras will look the same.

By lying down on the ground, you'll make an otherwise ordinary scene look outstanding

Rather than make the Jeep the focal point, which it ends up becoming anyway, put the surroundings as the main scene and draw the eye into the image

Again, lay down and get a different angle which will make every image look better

Dont be afraid to go ahead of the rest of the group so you can take time to climb up onto something, a ledge, a rock, another vehicle, to gain a different perspective. It'll show more of the scene and really make your images stand out from everyone else in the group

The reasoning for the hood is two fold. #1 is to block lens flair from the sun hitting the front of the lens and #2 is to protect the front of the lens. I've had to replace numerous lens hoods from being cracked or damaged, but for $20 per hood, they're less expensive then sending the lens in to have the front element replaced :Wow1:

Hope that helps explain some elements and glad you're learning from what others post

 

[bob91yj]

One of the things I retained from my high school days is to change elevations/angles when possible, it makes for a more interesting picture for sure. I really like the first shot you posted with the cracked mud. It's stuff like that that I need to look for.

Thanks for the info on the hoods, one more question, I see some that have slots in them and some that are solid, which is preferable for outdoor shots similar to what you posted? I've always used clear lens covers on the front of my lens to protect them as well. I'm hard on equipment, went through several of the compact Canons, dust and dirt took their toll on all of them. I've had better luck with the full bodied EOS, been using it for 4-5 years now and it is holding up well.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

Hoods with the slots in them are called Petal Style Hoods, which are usually for wide angle lenses. Hoods that are just a straight tube looking style are usually for telephoto zooms. The petal style is so while at the wide angle, you don't get the vignetting of the hood in the image

I never take my hoods off the lenses. Even when they're stored in the backpack or in the Pelican boxes. But then again I don't use lens caps either. I'd rather have the lenses ready to go and ready to shoot the second they are attached to the camera. The hood is there for protection for me.

 

[nwoods]

Pat, those are some groovy sample images. G

I was trying to come up with a polite height joke from those carpet level dirt shots... but I came up short.

 

[Every Miles A Memory]

I was trying to come up with a polite height joke from those carpet level dirt shots... but I came up short.

That's my problem, I've been coming up short for most of my life. Where others have to bend or lie down, I'm already that low :sombrero: