Is This Anything? Anyone remember that bit that David Letterman used to do? I'm reminded of that bit as I am getting into photography again. This image was shot from about 200 feet...

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Anyone remember that bit that David Letterman used to do? I'm reminded of that bit as I am getting into photography again. This image was shot from about 200 feet with my Canon SX60HS. I'd love some basic feedback, so what does the community think, is this anything?

PhilEveratt Loc: Oxfordshire, UK

A wave ?

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Yes, at Mandalay Beach in Ventura County, SoCal.

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

rdrechsler wrote:

Anyone remember that bit that David Letterman used to do? I'm reminded of that bit as I am getting into photography again. This image was shot from about 200 feet with my Canon SX60HS. I'd love some basic feedback, so what does the community think, is this anything?

If you mean to ask: "Is it worth a Million Bucks ?".....I don't think so.....but then again I may be wrong !

Welcome to UHH anyway !

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

rdrechsler wrote:

Anyone remember that bit that David Letterman used to do? I'm reminded of that bit as I am getting into photography again. This image was shot from about 200 feet with my Canon SX60HS. I'd love some basic feedback, so what does the community think, is this anything?

It is nice you "stopped" the motion of the foamy wave. I kinda like it but many would say it is not grounded or the scale is misleading. Obviously has a large telephoto effect to it.

Though I have no idea how this connects to David Letterman.

Side note, Have you seen how David Letterman looks now that he is retired from his TV show. Really different than one might expect. Same with R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. They are really letting themselves go you might say.

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Ha. I remember seeing a cartoon of two little kids talking and one says to the other "I'll sell you my chance to be president for a nickel." I suggest my image falls in the same category ;-)

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I'm going with the wave also.

repleo Loc: Boston

At my camera club, I often hear reviewers ask the following questions:
'What am I supposed to be looking at".
and the dreaded
"What do you like about this picture?"
I think if you ask yourself these questions you will find your answer.

I would add one more - 'Why 200 feet"

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Thanks for your input. This is exactly why I joined this group ;-) The wave image was my from my first outing with my new Canon SX60HS. One of the reasons I purchased the camera was because of the super zoom feature. I wanted to test that 65x optical zoom. I'm sure this is just a beginner's reaction, but I must say the results left me breathless. I'm impressed. And, oh yeah, being a Sagittarius I love the ocean!

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

Yes, Letterman's sporting quite the cave man look these days!

repleo Loc: Boston

rdrechsler wrote:

Thanks for your input. This is exactly why I joined this group ;-) The wave image was my from my first outing with my new Canon SX60HS. One of the reasons I purchased the camera was because of the super zoom feature. I wanted to test that 65x optical zoom. I'm sure this is just a beginner's reaction, but I must say the results left me breathless. I'm impressed. And, oh yeah, being a Sagittarius I love the ocean!

I find the longer the zoom, the tougher they are to handle. I rarely go beyond 100mm.

rdrechsler Loc: Channel Islands Harbor, CA

repleo wrote:

I find the longer the zoom, the tougher they are to handle. I rarely go beyond 100mm.

Thanks for the response. Do you mean the camera or in post production? I don't have a steady hand as it is, so for long zooms I have to use a tripod.

repleo Loc: Boston

rdrechsler wrote:

Thanks for the response. Do you mean the camera or in post production? I don't have a steady hand as it is, so for long zooms I have to use a tripod.

I meant the camera. 'Zooming' in PP is a 'crop'.

You need good technique to hand hold a long zoom steady enough to get a good crisp capture. A tripod helps, but you need a good one, especially near the sea where there is always a breeze. Also, long zooms have shallow depth of field, so you need to use a small aperture to get more of the subject in focus. However, smaller apertures need longer exposures which increases the potential for camera shake and movement in the subject. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Long exposures of waves can be very nice, but it is a different type of picture than you were taking.

I suggest resisting the temptation to push the zoom to the max for awhile. Look for interesting subjects that fill the frame at a 'normal' focal length of about 50mm until you know the camera like the back of your hand and understand the 'exposure triangle' and then grow out from there.

I'm no master. I've only returned to photography about two years ago. I'm just passing along some of the tips I've found useful.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

lamiaceae wrote:

I have no idea how this connects to David Letterman.

Circa 10 years ago, Letterman did a series of strange clips called "Is this anything?" Doc would respond with "This is something."

gener202002

I had cousins that grew up in Ventura and I remember going to the beach there. What catches my attention about the water on the west coast versus the east coast is that the water seems to look bluer on the west coast, greener on the east. I don't know if any processing has been done on this, especially any that affect color, but it is a nice blue and a nice shot. I wonder, if you ever do it again, if you might consider zooming out a bit, and getting a little longer view of the wave. Not that this view isn't nice, it's very nice.