how to use a camera..

[Blenjar]

So yea,
continuing from our previous conversation on:
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4979&page=3

I'll buy a tripod than.
--How long should my shutter be? I got from 1" to 15".
--What do I do with +/- (exp.)
--I have this feature that evaluate white balance whenever I press the button. So lets say im taking a picture in the garage again, I press it and it will evaluate it (its manual). Other features in that is Sunny, Cloudy, auto, etc.
--I found the feature for contrast, sharpness, saturation, red, blue, green, and skin tone. Like you mentioned, I've increase my contrast and saturation to max.

I lost the cameras book, I'm googling for it as we speek.

-- Blen

[cleong]

How long should my shutter be? I got from 1" to 15".

As long as it needs to be, because lighting conditions will change. Generally you cannot hand-hold the camera anytime the shutter speeds get below 1/60th seconds. I believe Canon cameras give you a handshake warning. Those situations you require a tripod.

--What do I do with +/- (exp.)

They make your image brighter or darker. Think of it as tuning the volume of your car audio up or down.

--I have this feature that evaluate white balance whenever I press the button. So lets say im taking a picture in the garage again, I press it and it will evaluate it (its manual). Other features in that is Sunny, Cloudy, auto, etc.

White balance is as the settings suggest. Light can manifest in different tones, from bright sunshine to orange sodium street lamps. The camera does not always know the correct colour of light. You may have to tell it what the setting should be if Auto does not work well.

--I found the feature for contrast, sharpness, saturation, red, blue, green, and skin tone. Like you mentioned, I've increase my contrast and saturation to max.

When you're starting out, using in-camera processing gives you quick results with minimal manipulation with specialist image processing programs. As you progress you might want to do your contrast and saturation on your computer (it retains more detail in the image).

[eTiMaGo]

also, one thing I've noticed with cleong's pictures and my own experimenting, for a much more professional, nicer look, try to take your pictures at a distance from your car, with maximum zoom. It will reduce the wide-angle distortion and really make the car stand out.

[Vervepipes]

I've found that too, taking pictures from a distance can help especially if you dont have a macro lense for close ups.

[Blenjar]

Na, i got the cheap Canon SD630..the girly cameras :'(
Next time I'll buy the big boys.
THX!!!! EVERY1

-- Blen

[cleong]

One guy (google for Easton Chang) started out with a point and shoot like you, and lots of Photoshop work, doing automotive photography. Now he's a professional car photographer for some major magazines in Australia.

So don't get too cut up all you have is a "Girly" camera. It has more megapixels than my first digital DSLR already.

What was said about zooming in - it "flattens" the car while taking it from real close distorts it. The Yaris is egg-shaped. Depends whether you want to play that up as "cuteness" or flatten it to show a more purposeful, line-drawing form.

http://eaglet.org/albums/Yaris/CRW_4850.jpg
Shot at 200mm

http://eaglet.org/albums/Yaris/9B6T6183.jpg
Shot at 17mm

The best thing you could do is flip through the magazines and get an idea of what works, critically assess how far off your photo is from that, and spend some time figuring out how the shot is done. Though it could be real easy to just write it off as them "using pro equipment" try your best. Especially with the static shots.

Be warned - getting serious about photography can mean lack of mod money for the Yaris.

[Vervepipes]

is that 2nd shot with a wide angle lense?

[Blenjar]

whoa nice pictures!!

-- Blen

[spkrman]

im gonna have to get out and play with my cam :)

[cleong]

is that 2nd shot with a wide angle lense?

Yes, 17mm is considered an ultra-wide angle.

[Vervepipes]

Cool, I'm just getting into cameras now, no DSLR yet, just a Kodak Z612, but it gives you the option of point and shoot or all manual

[田中秀樹]

Be warned - getting serious about photography can mean lack of mod money for the Yaris.

it's true. the gear i own can nearly buy a yaris ^__^;;

and i'll agree with cleong. some of the guys in my outfit hate slr's because of their size. i've seen some amazing photos with p&s cameras.

i have my dslr for my work and my p&s that I carry with me everywhere I go. simply because you never know when you're going to see an interesting shot.

[cleong]

I chuck my work camera (a 300D) inside the spare tire in the back when I'm working and sometimes I take a shot when I get the chance. You never know when an interesting scene presents itself.

[Blenjar]

Yea me too, I carry my SD630 in my that opening over the sterring wheel.
You never know when you going to see a hott babe walking down the streets and tell her "I'm a model photographer, get in the car"

-- Blen

[spkrman]

+1 for this thread... inspiration!

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5269

[cleong]

Its also good for taking photos of damaged cars if and when you get involved in a bingle. Good for insurance claims (only if they work in your favour) :biggrin:

[Vervepipes]

Here's an idea of what a decent superzoom will do. The first pic is manual settings at night, without a tripod so it's a bit blurry, and the other 2 are point and shoot. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/vervepipes/100_0353.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/vervepipes/100_0419.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/vervepipes/100_0477.jpg

[yrsdrgn]

here's a shot i took with my sony DSc-w100 p&s

p.s. one of the good spots to take pics in SF hehe ^^