gordo52 Loc: Dereham Norfolk UK

I notice there is a habit of putting details of a shot in online forum etc. I had a shoot taken down because I did not put the camera settings. I am of the mind that listing the settings is a bit of a waste of time, Because what good are they to anyone, as we know the light can and does change in a second, meaning other setting have to be changed to get the shot we want. Someone could take the settings, I used and end up with a totally different shot.

Anyways that is my personal pref, what you think about it

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

gordo52 said, "I always have my personal preferences" ... " I am of the mind that listing the settings is a bit of a waste of time, Because what good are they to anyone"
Well Gordo, if you share them with me, then I can try them and may get a better shot than I have gotten before. EDUCTION OF OTHERS.

By way of education, the EXIF information is useful. Example: Flower closeup photos. I use low ISO, fast speed, and flash during the day. Your argument that the light changes is minimized because the flash wins the game and thus the distracting background is underexposed.

Mentioning software is also educational. Example 1: Showing the SOOC and saying that I cropped to the story that not notice when shooting. That educates the viewer that there was a story within the photo seen only when editing. Much like the movie CloseUp... where the model photographer in the darkroom saw a murder in the wood behind his subject. Example 2: Red/Blue swap for Near IR photos is a tricky multistep process... but... going to Flamingpear in their freebie section there is a Red/Blue swap. Press the button and "push/pull click-click"** done quickly and automatically. Now you know that details are educational and will make others aware of something they can try.

**Oh, "push/pull click-click" me an ol' dude have this in my lexicon. Ad, 1940s, by Shick Injector Blades for their new design razor. Push the blade supply into the razor pull back push forward and click click new blade for that morning save. https://www.old-time.com/commercials/1940%27s/Push%20Pull%20Click%20Click.htm
So now gordo52 you will within a week find a chance to use push pull click click in your conversation. Oh like using plugins in editing!!

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Hopefully, we will all experiment and try to get better photos and become better photogs. It is just nice sometimes to have someone give us a place to start.

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

It gives the newbie ideas on what settings to use, in a general sense, and in similar situations.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Gordo52 - This topic has been discussed before to the mild amusement of some and the irritation of many others. Count me and some of the members whose work I enjoy the most on this forum among the latter group. I take time to share settings with everyone who takes time to look at my posts, not because I imagine for a second that I can teach them anything, but so doing may encourage them to experiment, as member Cameraf4 suggests. When the collective “we” stops a moment and imagines how much better an idea might be executed than the latest crummy post from Old Ralph using some other tool or technique, perhaps they grow just a tiny bit as photography enthusiasts. Sharing settings is an expression of my respect for their effort.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I personally enjoy seeing the settings, just like I enjoy knowing the camera and lens combo used. Plus, periodically they are fodder for someone to whine about.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I see way you might think that for your own posts if all you want to do is show images and not get advice or help others. I find dpullum gives usually well thought out responses and should not be dismissed easily [if you thought of ignoring him (and therefore me too)].

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Are you sure your photos were taken down due to lack of posting camera settings? I can’t recall EVER posting camera settings and have never had a photo taken down. Most members seem not to post camera settings.

Dennis

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I never post settings unless someone asks, and then I offer willingly. Also, I believe that if you had a post taken down, it was not for a lack of data being included. was it really taken down, or did it just not make it into the Daily Digest? There are lots more photos, etc. posted that do not make it into the digest. You can find them in Newest Topics.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

You do not understand. The settings are to see how YOU shot the photo. They may love your choice of DOF or the way you slowed the shutter to get the wispy effect. No one is trying to duplicate you exact settings. If you are posting as with some forums to get a critique or at least serious forum, these are a must, be it to say how good, or to suggest what you could do better.

Shed the thick skin and post the EXIF data. It's all about helping others or possibly yourself get better. You're never curious how some else shot a picture? Do we assume you know everything there is to know about photography and can't learn something new? If you don't like the rules of forum don't play. They are there for a reason.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Settings are only helpful for straight-forward shots that are not heavily edited, including the exposure. In #2 of this posting, the original is very underexposed (shot in raw). And #1 is too fanciful for the settings be of any use to anyone

Detailing the before/after work of another heavily edited:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-535524-1.html

For true-macro forum and the sections such as astronomy, people and sports, I can see great value. But if someone is going to post the settings in Photo Gallery, they also need to point out if they made any significant edits. Additionally, unless the OP removed the settings before posting, they are easily viewed in download mode; no need to even ask.

I have an extension to the Chrome browser where all I have to do is point my mouse at the top of the image to see shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length and a couple more notes.

Back when I was shooting an eagle nest with my bridge camera Canon SX50, I talked often with folks about settings, but mostly the reasons why I used the HQ burst mode (located in SCN), which is an auto mode, though exposure compensation is available:

(Download)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Ever since the days of photo magazines only, I have liked seeing the settings that were used to take a photo. Information is good.

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

I have posted photos without the posting the camera settings and they were not taken down... What site took down your shoot

You have 2 posts to this site - your introduction post and this post...

I'm confused

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

The only way it would be UHH is if a photo was posted in someone else's Gallery topic and the OP complained. Or, in the case of some specialty forums like True-Macro, it's right in the "welcome" Stay on Original Poster's topic, or your post will be removed.

cascoly Loc: seattle

i'm in the 'why bother with settings' camp


printing settings is a holdover from the old days of manual film cameras. today's cameras make it easy to take technically excellent pictures without knowing anything about fstops. Settings that worked when the shot was taken may not help minutes later, much less on a completely different subject. Most people use programmed modes or aperture/shutter priority.

beyond that, settings won't tell you the effects of in-camera or post-p sharpening, noise reduction, autoHDR, etc, etc

I've been a participant in the http://Microstockgroup.com forums for 10+ years and I can't recall photo or portfolio critiques that listed settings - those posting and responding pay more attention to the visual aspects. even in UHH how many critiques focus on camera settings in their analysis?