Ajax_Andy's Images

[JawD 8]

Reflectors are cheap but very effective. You also can use anything. But basically you dont really want to use a flash right on an object as it flattens the image. When people use a flash they usually point it away from the subject and bounce the light back on so its softer. On board flash (that I use atm) is pretty crude hence Im also looking for a new one. Natural light is of course better but harder to come by internally unless by a window.

 

Shooting inside is a pain. It is generally dull and you need longer exposure which without a tripod leads to blur. A tripod is hardly appropriate for candid shots at a birthday party etc. You can increase the ISO but I know if I go over 800 the image gets too much noise. Best thing you can do I guess is have a higher ISO but not too high, plus a large aperture to let as much light in. If that still wont cut it then its either flash or a tripod.

 

Its always about light.

[ajax_andy 0]

Reflectors are cheap but very effective. You also can use anything. But basically you dont really want to use a flash right on an object as it flattens the image. When people use a flash they usually point it away from the subject and bounce the light back on so its softer. On board flash (that I use atm) is pretty crude hence Im also looking for a new one. Natural light is of course better but harder to come by internally unless by a window.

 

Shooting inside is a pain. It is generally dull and you need longer exposure which without a tripod leads to blur. A tripod is hardly appropriate for candid shots at a birthday party etc. You can increase the ISO but I know if I go over 800 the image gets too much noise. Best thing you can do I guess is have a higher ISO but not too high, plus a large aperture to let as much light in. If that still wont cut it then its either flash or a tripod.

 

Its always about light.

 

 

Yeah i've avoided using a flash for that reason, but maybe an external flash might be worth purchasing at some point. Never knew about pointing it away from the subject and bouncing the light back so thats a good tip!

 

Yeah I experimented with a higher ISO (800) and it definately ruined the image I thought, espeically when I started editing it in photoshop as it showed up the grain too much (and you know how much i like my photoshop lol).

 

I used the large aperture and slower shutter speed so I think I probs did as you advised, like you say its all about light, so in dull or darker conditions there's only so much you can do I suppose. Next time I might just go round his rooms and take every uplighter and put it in the room with the baby to give me more light to work with.

[ajax_andy 0]

Took some more photo's of the wife this time at druridge bay:

 

Light was a bit tricky as was as the sun was coming down, stripped a load of colour out of the 1st two to give them a slightly different feel and to bring out the best of the image (in my opinion)

 

Feedback as always appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ajax_andy 0]

Also decided to go for a bit or a more arty farty shot too:

 

 

[JawD 8]

Took some more photo's of the wife this time at druridge bay:

 

Light was a bit tricky as was as the sun was coming down, stripped a load of colour out of the 1st two to give them a slightly different feel and to bring out the best of the image (in my opinion)

 

Feedback as always appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, not keen on the middle one. I think the shadow draws your attention away from the main subject. There's a lot of contrast as well to a sun hit very bright wall and your lass in a black coat. Big shadow on the floor. The sun itself is largely to blame.

 

Other two though I do like, especially the bottom one. Good sense of movement and makes the picture more interesting. Also even the little things like in the top shot she has her head tilted which is better (imo) than a straight posed shot. Not sure if I'm complimenting you or your lass here

[JawD 8]

Also decided to go for a bit or a more arty farty shot too:

 

 

 

I like this. Nice idea. I'd maybe have tried to see more detail in the castle. Maybe a closer shot of the castle but with the same idea. Yeah, canny. Nice colours also.

[ajax_andy 0]

Took some more photo's of the wife this time at druridge bay:

 

Light was a bit tricky as was as the sun was coming down, stripped a load of colour out of the 1st two to give them a slightly different feel and to bring out the best of the image (in my opinion)

 

Feedback as always appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, not keen on the middle one. I think the shadow draws your attention away from the main subject. There's a lot of contrast as well to a sun hit very bright wall and your lass in a black coat. Big shadow on the floor. The sun itself is largely to blame.

 

Other two though I do like, especially the bottom one. Good sense of movement and makes the picture more interesting. Also even the little things like in the top shot she has her head tilted which is better (imo) than a straight posed shot. Not sure if I'm complimenting you or your lass here

 

 

Cheers for the feedback... i'd been doing a bit of reading up on portrait shots and it said to tilt the shoudlers, to make the pic more interesting... she titled her head instead but I think it had the same effect. I'll pass on your appreciation of her for you ;-)

 

Some interesting points about the 2nd pic... most people i've shown love that pic and think the shadow adds to the pic as it gives it more interest... I guess maybe personal taste? The sun was a problem though i'll admit... thought that it would make the pics better at that time of the day, but I think for shooting people it actually made it a lot harder.

[ajax_andy 0]

Also decided to go for a bit or a more arty farty shot too:

 

 

 

I like this. Nice idea. I'd maybe have tried to see more detail in the castle. Maybe a closer shot of the castle but with the same idea. Yeah, canny. Nice colours also.

 

 

Cheers! I took a few different versions of this pic, some closer in but this one seemed to work better than those. The sun was very low which I think helped give it some interesting colours, and yeah you know me there was some fannying about in photoshop too lol!

[ajax_andy 0]

I took this landscape shot too... thought it would be cool as it has the moon in it, but not 100% sure about it... what do u think?

 

[shackbleep 0]

I took this landscape shot too... thought it would be cool as it has the moon in it, but not 100% sure about it... what do u think?

 

 

Awesome capture of colours. There could be some suggestion that you've got too much of the sky in order to get the moon in the shot but the gradient from the deep blue through the turquoise to the lighter shades more than compensates for it IMO.

 

A great photo.

[ajax_andy 0]

I took this landscape shot too... thought it would be cool as it has the moon in it, but not 100% sure about it... what do u think?

 

 

Awesome capture of colours. There could be some suggestion that you've got too much of the sky in order to get the moon in the shot but the gradient from the deep blue through the turquoise to the lighter shades more than compensates for it IMO.

 

A great photo.

 

 

Thanks Shack... like I said I wasn't too sure about it but now i'm glad I took it

[JawD 8]

Yeah I like it. I actually thnk you got the balance right. The sky while fairly plain is nice imo. You have the low cloud and rather than flat sky has that nice gradient.

[ajax_andy 0]

Yeah I like it. I actually thnk you got the balance right. The sky while fairly plain is nice imo. You have the low cloud and rather than flat sky has that nice gradient.

 

 

Nice one JawD, thanks for the feedback!

 

I need to try more landscape photo's I think... It's a bit daunting with trying to get good depth of field whilst keeping the exposure right, but that will come with practice I guess. Glad this one worked out well though.

[ajax_andy 0]

Took a portrait shoot over at Finchale Priory on Saturday thanks to the JawD's recommendation.

 

It was beautiful when we turned up but I had to contend with serious blizzards at times which made things a little challening... anyway here's some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2010 by ajax_andy

[ajax_andy 0]

Took some nice landscape pics of the Priory too and will put them up soon

[JawD 8]

Some nice pics there like. You seem to have a good eye for portraiture. 3rd one down in particular I think you have used the natural light well.

[ajax_andy 0]

Cheers JawD! Thanks again for the recommendation of Finchale Priory its a really lovely place.

 

Here's the landscape pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[khay 8]

They are very nice. especially the bridge one.

 

Is the light in the windows unedited?

[ajax_andy 0]

They are very nice. especially the bridge one.

 

Is the light in the windows unedited?

 

 

Thanks!

 

Well tbh I could never claim my photo's to be unedited as I always tweak them in photoshop, but I haven't done anything specifically to the light in the windows, that was just the sun coming down and being in a nice position for the photo.

 

Would have loved to have stayed around for another half an hour as the sun was properly setting, but as it was quite bad weather and it started blizzarding just after that photo, so I headed the wifes advice and packed up and left... was probs for the best in hindsight.

[khay 8]

I was not criticising just thought the lights looked cool and wondered if it was natural or not.

 

Heard you folks in the Newcastle area have had a fair amount like.

[ajax_andy 0]

I was not criticising just thought the lights looked cool and wondered if it was natural or not.

 

Heard you folks in the Newcastle area have had a fair amount like.

 

haha I never thought you were

 

yeah its been pretty bad but I like the snow so i'm quite happy. i just wish it would snow enough for my work to close so i could go out and take lots more pictures

[ajax_andy 0]

Was in Holland over new year and did a mini shoot with my Sister in Law and her boyfriend... unfortunately she took so long getting ready that she missed all but the last 5 minutes of the shoot lol, but I still got one decent pic of her. I used an old Gipsy caravan in the garden for the backdrop... Here's the best pics from the shoot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a quick note on the above one for JawD... this is the pic I mentioned to you in another thread where I experimented with a high ISO to get a more grainy feel to the pic. I think it works well in this context but would be interested in your thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also one pic I took in Amsterdam... didnt get much time in the city unfortuantely but came across some swans on a frozen canal and thought this would be a good pic:

 

 

 

 

Feedback as always will be appreciated.

Edited January 13, 2011 by ajax_andy

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Very nice, that. You know I like reflections though

 

Got a bigger version?

[ajax_andy 0]

Very nice, that. You know I like reflections though

 

Got a bigger version?

 

 

Thanks, thats high praise from a reflections aficionado like yourself

 

Just copied thses from my Flickr account... any ideas how I can post them in a larger size?

[Anorthernsoul 953]

Good photos fella!