The Right Exposure

Your Advice Will Help Merisi Make Her Decision

Raindrops on roses. I took this shot with a Pentax K10 digital SLR.

Her wonderful photographic essays from Vienna, Austria, have held my attention for several months, but now Merisi wants your help. In her own words: "Would there be any way that you could ask for opinions from your vast readership?" Yes, I’m always happy to help a fellow blogger and I’m sure you’ll support me on that.

Merisi wants to buy a digital SLR and wants your advice and guidance. She writes: "I am still thinking about staying with Sony. I love the Zeiss lens of my little pocket camera very much, I feel insecure reguarding other brands. I was looking into the Sony Alpha 100, but my husband says I should go for the Alpha 700 (Euro 700 or 1.500 resp., with an 18-70mm lens). In the film days, I used a Pentax and had a professional Nikon, still have, somewhere."

Whatever your opinion, please leave a comment here for Merisi. It doesn’t matter whether you leave a couple of words, one sentence or a long, detailed message. It’ll be a great help to Merisi and could become a great reference point for other bloggers who have the same dilemma.

Some months ago, I started answering readers’ photography-related questions on my Get The Picture posts on this blog. In this case, since I’m familiar with the terrific variety of Merisi’s work, I’ll start the ball rolling by telling her to invest in the Pentax K10D (a digital SLR) with a versatile 18-200mm zoom which is great for a) travelling and b) having a variety of options with a single retractable lens. But Merisi and I both want to know what your advice is ….

Bloom or bust. I also shot this using a Pentax K10 digital SLR.

Compose Yourself

Then Compose A Good Photograph

Moon haze on a clear night. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There's a simple secret to photography. Be instinctive. And be happy with the camera you have. Just as you don't need a $10,000 computer to write great prose, you don't need a $10,000 camera to take great pictures. Yes, we all want a 300 mm lens or a great macro lens or the latest bells-and-whistles digital SLR. But the key to photography is to enjoy using what you have.

So you can imagine how much I enjoyed the feedback to my Photo Hunt post The Long And Blinding Road.

Carver said: "I sometimes wish I had a serious digital camera but I feel like I can't justify it until I learn how to do everything it will do. I had a much better 35 mm with several lenses but when I switched over to digital photography, I've made do with an affordable one. I can add lenses if I get a converter but that will get into a lot more money and I don't feel like I can justify it until I develop more skill. I get decent macro shots but need more work with the landscape ones."

David said: "I totally agree with you about the camera - the most important thing is not the camera, but the time. Keep a camera - any camera - with you at all times, and you should be able to capture some good moments that are far better than any set up shots."

Willard, who used to work for the Pennsylvania Game Commission and uses an "old" Canon 10D with several telephoto lenses, said: "You are right with your comments about the cameras. It is amazing what can be done with low to mid range equipment if it is shot correctly."

Les Becker said: "I have to agree with you about taking pictures with just about any camera, David. The one I'm using now was considered mid-range in retail outlets for amateur photographers when I bought it, but it's a pitiful specimen compared to most affordable cameras. Still, I have managed to get some really great photos out of it. The one I had before (the HP PhotoSmart R607) doesn't even come close to this one, and yet with that little thing, I took photos that I'm very, very proud of. Had I not drowned it in coffee, I would still very happily be using it. Proof positive that there is no such thing as a camera that's not good enough".

Blossom Cottage, who has just posted memories of her recent South Africa trip, said: "I use a Canon EOS300 and a 350D love both of them, but I still like my old film SLRs for black and white."

Kate Isis said: "I'm fortunate enough to have a photographer friend who hands me down his old cameras as he updates. But I started with a small compact camera and learnt to take my time and see the world through the lens and I eventually started producing some decent shots. I think no matter what camera your working with, once you get the hang of composition you could take shots on a Box Brownie and come out with good results."

And finally, Epijunky said: "I was green with envy while checking out a camera I couldn't afford (a good ten years back) when the camera's owner told me these words which stuck with me to this day: It's not the camera or the lenses, it's what's six inches behind them."

Image Conscious

Consider Yourself Booked

Exterior spiral staircase, Montreal. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Since I started posting photography advice, I've had several questions on the subject. One was from Mahina who asked:

"Your photography is beautiful. Are there are any photography books you would recommend for getting a better grasp on exposure/aperture/shutter speed/ISO?"

Mahina, there is a short answer and a long answer to that. The long answer is that there are thousands of books by photographers far better than I am. But the short answer is that Tom Ang's book "Digital Photography - An Introduction" is probably the book I would recommend for any blogger, any amateur photographer, anyone trying to make the switch from film to digital photography, or anyone tring to widen their technological understanding of the post-darkroom photographic era.

I guess I'm lucky that my professional background as a journalist means I have been exposed (no, that's an unintentional pun, I promise) to just about every aspect of photography, as well as the amazing leap in camera and image-storage technology in the past decade. In addition, my experience in magazine and newspaper layout and editing, I guess, gives me a more critical eye than most. In my professional and personal life, I guess you could say I deal with what I call the "totality" of photography.

Am I running off at a tangent here? No. Because I deal with the totality of photography, I have no qualms about recommending Tom's book. It presents just about every aspect you can think of or that you have a question relating to. Tom's book is concise, easy to follow, well illustrated, clearly laid out and presented - and it deals with problems and how to fix them. No, I'm not working on a commission here - but at ten quid (about $US22) it is money well spent.

There's also a photography-related query from Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard:

"I'd love any photo-taking advice you have. Here are my usual photo-taking conditions: traveling around with a toddler in tow who never walks in my own footsteps but prefers to wander in a different direction; and I only have a digicam with zoom lens. I have been hankering after a macro for some time (I do watercolor paintings and I use close-up photos to reveal details I'd normally miss otherwise)."

You are so blessed to be walking with a toddler. As a father of three, I know so well the sheer joy of precious moments with my children. Here's a little trick - buy a little toy camera, a plastic $5 replica. You and your child can both get busy capturing the sights you really want to photograph. Like you, I also sketch and paint in watercolour. Regarding the macro, I posted some information about a week ago, so you might find that useful. Do let me know if you have any more queries.

Green Vote

An Avenue Awaits Every Photographer

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

A lot of bloggers have asked me for advice on buying the right camera. I really enjoy questions like this. Which camera is right for you? Well, there is only one way to find out. My advice is always the same - it's a bit like buying a car. First of all you have to decide what category you're looking for, otherwise the choice is simply overwhelming.

Allow me to repeat what I've privately told several bloggers. Which camera are you going to use the most? Macro? Digital point-and-click with multi functions? Digital SLR? Film-based SLR? Digital SLR with multi-function lens? Or a camera with several lenses?

The next part of my answer also addresses a specific question from a blogger who asked why I chose the Pentax K100D, which is a digital SLR (or single-lens reflex). I liked the feel of it, enjoyed the functionality, got a kick out of handling it, and so it became an extension of my soul. I have a single multi-function lens, a Sigma 18-125mm lens, which allows me a wide range of options.

If you want a camera that fits into a handbag or can slip into your pocket, you need a slimline digital and there is a stunning range of these available. If you want more control over what you do with a camera, then I guess you're looking at an SLR.

When it comes to buying a camera, you'll probably have more than a couple of options, even after you've decided what sort of camera you want. So why not rock up at your local camera store and ask if you can test three or four cameras in the store before you make your final choice.

Bear in mind that prices have dropped sharply in the past couple of years and you can get a bells-and-whistles camera for a lot less than you would have paid even eighteen months ago. And when it comes to memory cards - the lifeblood of a digital camera - their prices have fallen through the floor as well. Two years ago I was paying $200 for a one-gigabyte memory card, whereas a two-gigabyte card (depending on the brand) can now be found for $50.

I always have my Pentax slung over my shoulder - which probably enables me to get a couple of great shots every week that I would otherwise have missed. The shot at the top of this post was taken about three weeks ago. I was walking across the street to photograph a rooftop sign, when I had to negotiate this side street in Caulfield South. I looked right to check for traffic - and was gobsmacked by the beauty of the avenue.

I grew up on an avenue, with trees on either side that formed a welcoming archway. That is exactly what I saw in this street as well. The branches looked like a salute from a timber guard of honour, while the green canopy just swept upwards in endless profusion. I included the parked cars in the frame, as well as the grey surface of the street not just for points of reference, but also for contrast.

Hi-Ho, Silver, Aweigh

Let's Table The Motion

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

What catches your eye when you have your camera with you? I'm attracted to unusual sights, to strong colours, to shapes, to pastels - and to any combination of colours or shapes. I'm attracted to landscapes. I'm attracted to expanses of water because of reflections. Doesn't leave much, does it!

I guess my "camera antenna" is constantly switched on, except (maybe) when I'm asleep. This approach is best typified by this shot, because it shows a very simple artefact. So why did I train my lens on it? Because it has strong red and silver and because there's a polished timber tabletop in the equation as well.

In addition, it has an unusual combination - on the one hand, there's the geometrical precision of the straight red lines and the perfect ninety-degree angles of the corners, while on the other hand there's the soft arcs and curves of the silver. Want to know what the object is? It's simply a set of red drinks coasters in a hand-made silver stand. The subtle reflections on the wood are also a value-added feature in an unusual photograph.

What does your "camera antenna" pick up? I'd love to know ....

How Are Ya, Bud?

I Never Look Down On Roses, Except This Once

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Pink rose. Fresh bud. What's to photograph? You've all seen a million rose pictures, here and on other sites. But when a photographer seeks a different angle, suddenly a commonplace sight becomes something that you look at with a fair bit of attention. All I did here was to position myself above the rose bush (easy to do when you're more than six foot tall in your socks) and I was able to capture an intriguing view.

As part of my "Get The Picture" instructional series for bloggers who want to improve their photography, I thought I'd present my rationale on this shot. The composition is unusual, but I wanted to include more than just the bud itself. I sought the totality of the view. I needed to present the bud itself, the delicate lime-green triangles that peel away from the bud, the leaves at interesting angles and far below, a fully-open bloom.

The quest to combine all these factors in a single frame meant that the bud is off-centre, yet it gives you many points of reference. And because the bud itself is not dead-centre, I guess it brings other aspects of the image to your notice.

If you have a question about photography, just drop me a comment here and I'll answer it as soon as I can.

Look Down At The Ceiling

All Was Calm, All Was Bright

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I've posted a few pointers to macro shooting in the last few days, but I guess this would have to be one of my favourite macro shots. I was at work when I noticed I could see an almost perfect reflection of the ceiling - in my teacup. In the high-resolution version of this shot you can actually see the pitted pattern of the ceiling panels, and even in this low-resolution version you can see the fluorescent lights clearly. Luckily there was water in my teacup, because the shot would not have worked with anything else except maybe black tea or black coffee.

Macro Makeover

It's The Smallest Details That Count

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This picture was taken some months ago when I was experimenting with the macro settings on a Pentax K10D that I was testing at the time. I got some great results with this camera, and this shot here shows is a very intricate design on a hand-painted miniature stool from India.

Macro is a great way to shoot, but it's always an interesting learning curve. I've just answered an email from US blogger Jenera Healy. In response to my cobweb pictures in the post Web Sight, she wrote: "I'm so jealous - I've not been able to get a good clear shot of a cobweb at all. the focus is always off or something else goes wrong with the photo."

As I said to Jenera, macro shooting takes a bit of practice. If you are keen are close-up shots, check the macro settings on your camera and experiment for best results. I recently saw an interesting post called Difference in Lighting for Macro on WhoDatDare's blog with some interesting feedback.

I also had a query from YesBut, asking for the details on the photo Mary Had A Little Lamp. The shot was taken with my Pentax K100D and my shutter speed was 1/60 aperture F8 and the ISO speed 800.

Your Park Is Worse Than Your Spite

How Many Metres Must I Travel To Find A Meter?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I'm posting this to prove that even the most mundane sights can have an interesting visual effect for interstate and overseas readers. This shot, taken a year ago, simply shows a council sign on an old-style coin-slot parking meter. These are now a rare sight in Melbourne. Until about ten years ago, there were many of the slot machines, but now they're a rarity. Most street parking sites dictate that you put your money into a machine which gives you a ticket that you then display on your dashboard. (Remind me to tell you how the word ``dashboard'' came into existence - it's a great story.)

You see, this ordinary picture brings me to one of the really interesting things about blogging. A newspaper is read mainly by people who live in the geographical area where it is printed - and only on the day of publication. But blogs are read around the world. And I reckon everyone is keen to see what your little patch of the universe looks like. I've always encouraged bloggers to post pictures of ``everyday'' sights - because they hold interest to the wider readership that is the international blogging community.

I was also very gratified to see the amount of feedback that started cropping up in the comments section of my post Get The Picture. I'd barely published the post when the comments started rolling in. This is the best part about the interactive nature of blogs - the comments are often as entertaining as a blog itself. So if you have time, do read the comments and you'll see lots of advice as well as plenty of humour.

You'll also see a great comment from Joan, who says: ``Thanks for the advice. I am not a photographer but I just like beautiful photos and I take my little camera everywhere with me. '' That's the spirit, Joan. That's what gives a blog an extra personal touch. Take pictures. Post them on your blog. And you'll see that your photography improves as a result.

Everyone's enjoying themselves? Good, because that's my specific intention. This blog is a seven-day-a-week party, so just roll up, folks!