Something I picked up from dp review some time ago - great list and may inspire some budding photographers



1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn't mean that they're a good photographer.
2. Always shoot in RAW. Always.
3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer.
4. Photo editing is an art in itself
5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time.
6. Macro photography isn't for everybody.
7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps.

8. Go outside & shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums.
9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph.
10. Film isn't better than digital.
11. Digital isn't better than film.
12. There is no "magic" camera or lens.
13. Better lenses don't give you better photos.

14. Spend less time looking at other people's work and more time shooting your own.
15. Don't take your DSLR to parties.
16. Girls dig photographers.
17. Making your photos b/w doesn't automatically make them "artsy"

18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you "photoshop" your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the "digital darkroom".
19. You don't need to take a photo of everything.

20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.
21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap.
22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better.
23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur.
24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting.

25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography.

26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.
27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight.
28. The more photos you take, the better you get.

29. Don't be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.
30. Only show your best photos.
31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera.
32. Join an online photography forum.
33. Critique the works of others.
34. Think before you shoot.

35. A good photo shouldn't require explanation (although background information often adds to an image). *
36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well.
37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them.
38. Grain is beautiful.

39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.
40. Simplicity is key.

41. The definition of photography is: "painting with light." Use light in your favor.
42. Find your style of photography and stick with it.
43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing.
44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter.
45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere.
46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life.
47. Don't pamper your camera. Use and abuse it.
48. Take straight photos.
49. Shoot with confidence.
50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends.
51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.
52. Give your photos to friends.
53. Give them to strangers.
54. Don't forget to frame them.
55. Costco prints are cheap and look great.
56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s).
57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself.
58. Photos make great presents.
59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling.
60. Candid>Posed.
61. Natural light is the best light.
62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best "walk-around" focal length.
63. Don't be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary.

64. You don't need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don't even own one).
65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose.

66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be "artsy" is exploitation.
67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations.
68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included.
69. You can't "photoshop" bad images into good ones.
70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer.

71. You don't need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.

72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons.
73. Cameras as tools, not toys.
74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren't much different.
75. Photography isn't a hobby- it's a lifestyle.
76. Make photos, not excuses.
77. Be original in your photography. Don't try to copy the style of others.
78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more.
79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention.
80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography.
81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem.
82. Laughter always draws out peoples' true character in a photograph.
83. Don't look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment.
84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while.
85. Have fun while taking photos.
86. Never delete any of your photos.
87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places.

88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair.
90. Learn how to read a histogram.
91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one.
92. Don't be afraid to take photos in the rain.

93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.
94. Never take photos on an empty stomach.
95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography.
96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world.
97. Never stop taking photos
98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life
99. Capture the decisive moment
100. Write your own list.

sorry no pix this time, however question about image size and pixel counts. In the past I understood that the higer the dpi the more detailed and defined the image would be. I use a Fujifilm Finepix S4500. The image size comes out with a 28.4 x 21.3 inch at 72DPI. The camera is 14 meg, I have always understood that 72-75 pixels were fine for emails and such but pixels in a much larger range such as 150-300 pixels were preferable for fine prints (8x10 and larger).

Have i been behind the curve or is larger diemensional ie: 28x21 inches at a much lower pixel count the more prefered and better useful? I was brought up in the traditional image school of thought that more pixel count ultimately produces the finer printed copy. And the traditional 8x10, 20x30 or even 30x40 inch prints were made from the highest workable pixel count for better detail and to avoid the pixelazation problem.

As I said in the thread "Tripod Question", I have a question of my own.

I've looked at websites and made notes, and have kind of settled on this combination:
Manfrotto 055XPROB PRO
Manfrotto 498RC2 Midi ball head

The camera it will most often carry is my Olympus E-5, which together with my heaviest lens is 2.5 kg (5 1/2 lbs).

I will phone the local camera shop later this morning, and if they have them in stock, go and get the "hands-on" experience, and, if the combination "fits" me, I will likely buy them.

Do any of you have experience with either this tripod or ball head, or even better, the combination, and if so, what are your likes or dislikes?
Any input much appreciated.
EstherP

You cannot see RAW just like you cannot hear sheet music. They have to be interpreted.

If you have the full score of the 1812 Overture you might have the Boston Pops perform it (including cannons and a chorus) or you might get your local marching band to play it by ear after listening to a recording. Either way you will recognize the tune.

RAW is like having the full score available. You can use all of the instruments or leave some of them out. If your camera records only JPEG, it will decide which ones to leave out without consulting you.

41 Reasons why you shouldn't date a Photographer!

1. THEY’RE WEIRD

Photographers are artists. And that should be self explanatory. You might find yourself at a restaurant table with a photographer who is looking deep into your eyes. Well, don’t be fooled. He’s probably thinking about your best angle

2. THE BIRTHDAY PRESENTS WILL SURPRISE YOU

Most of the times it will be a framed portrait of yourself, captured some time ago when you probably weren’t looking.

3. THEIR FAVORITE DAYS ARE NOT YOURS

Like most people, you probably enjoy a bright, sunny day. Well, photographers enjoy foggy, gloomy mornings that would make most people sad.

4. THEY’RE HOARDERS

Photographers collect piles of news papers, magazine, and generally anything they find inspiring, even for a short term.

5. THEY WILL BREAK THE LAW

Trespassing into abandoned buildings has always been a favorite activity among photographers, and they rarely even concern themselves with the fact that they are breaking laws.

6. YOUR VACATION LUGGAGE WILL LOOK LIKE YOU’RE MOVING

That’s because no photographer who respects himself will go on vacations without at least 50lbs of gear.

7. WATCHING MOVIES TOGETHER WILL NOT BE AS EXPECTED

The reason for that is because photographers will constantly criticize choice of color and frame composition in a movie.

8. THEY MARK EVERYTHING

Especially their photos. You will rarely see a photographer’s portfolio that’s not full of watermarks.

9. EVERYONE ELSE SUCKS

Photographers are very proud creatures. Therefore, nobody else’s work is as good as theirs, and, at best, it can only come close.

10. ENVY TAKES A NEW FORM

Among men, there is the well-known term penis envy. Among photographers, it’s a whole different thing. It’s called camera envy.

11. THEY SPEND TIME WITH COOL PEOPLE

You might be an interesting person with interesting friends, but photographers spend most of their time with models, stylists, designers and other cool people.

12. THEIR MOVIE CHOICES ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS

That’s because most of their choices are old, artsy movies that most people never get.

13. THEY LIKE TO PLAY IT VINTAGE…IN EXCESS

They either use film cameras or dress like photographers did forty years ago.

14. THEY ARE CONTROL FREAKS

They like to control the position of anything. Whether it’s you or the coffee cup on the table. It has to look good.

15. THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR OPINIONS

Yet they always want to show you their latest photos.

16. THEIR COMMUNICATIONS IS AWKWARD AT THE LEAST

They might not return your phone calls or Facebook messages, but you can be sure that if you check their Instagram account, it will be active on a daily basis.

17. THEY ARE WAY TOO HONEST ABOUT YOUR LOOKS

If you ask a photographer if you look fat, he’ll probably say yes, but not to worry, he’ll Photoshop it later.

18. THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER

It’s not for Facebook or porn, but they can spend days in a row editing their pictures.

19. ROMANTIC SUNSETS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

Unlike any other people, when you gaze at a beautiful sunset with a photographer, instead of feeling the romantic mood, they’ll probably be thinking “f8 at 1/125”.

20. THEY WON’T SPEND ANY SERIOUS MONEY ON YOU

If you go out with a photographer and point out a certain pair of shoes that you really like, you should remove any expectations. They might cost 100$ but they won’t get them for you. Instead, they will $1000 glass for themselves.

21. MEALS TOGETHER WILL BE QUITE DIFFERENT

Instead of actually enjoying their meal, photographers will probably spend the first five minutes Instagraming the dish from every possible angle.

22. THEY HATE IT WHEN YOUR FRIENDS ASK PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS

One thing photographers hate being asked by newbies, are questions about camera purchases. They get irritated when someone wants a camera “that takes good pictures, but it shouldn’t be anything professional”.

23. HOLDING HANDS WILL BE PRETTY RARE

That’s because they’ll be carrying a heavy camera most of the times.

24. THEY NEVER SEND YOU THE PHOTOS THEY TAKE…OF YOU

Noticed how your photographer girlfriend or boyfriend snapped a few random shots of you the other day? Don’t worry. You’ll probably never see them.

25. THEY DON’T RUN AWAY FROM NATURAL DISASTERS

If you live in a hurricane active area and are dating a photographer…good luck! Instead of running away, your love one will probably wait around for the action to happen, just to get some dramatic shots in that rare light.

26. ANNIVERSARIES WILL BE MISSED

Think of it this way: if your anniversary and an interesting workshop happen on the same day, you might as well forget about the romantic dinner.

27. THEY ARE HAZARDOUS TO THEMSELVES

If any accidents happen or if there is a hazardous situation, a photographer will protect his gear before anything else. That means that you or they are secondary priorities.

28. THEY STARE AT PEOPLE IN PUBLIC

If you catch your date staring at someone attractive or, just as well someone different, don’t worry, they’re not having any dirty thoughts. They’re probably just imagining the photo they would take of that person. It doesn’t make it any less awkward or embarrassing though.

29. THEY FIND BEAUTY IN THE WEIRDEST PLACES

That includes dirty alleys, places with a lot of poverty or just about any other location normal people would stay away from.

30. YOU’LL HAVE A HARD TIME PROVING THAT YOU WERE TOGETHER ON VACATION

That’s because they’ll be taking most of the pictures, without themselves being in front of the camera.

31. THEY WON’T PHOTOGRAPH WHAT YOU ASK THEM

Think having a photographer partner will bring you advantages? Think again. Photographers are very proud and stubborn creatures and they will rarely photograph anything they consider unworthy, unless it’s paid or they like it.

32. THEY’LL REMIND EVERYONE OF WHAT IT IS THEY DO

If you’re out socializing with friends and are having a normal conversation, don’t expect it to last too long. Your date will probably be jumping in with some “killer” stories about a place or a person they photographed in the past.

33. BIRTHDAY PRESENTS WILL BE EXPENSIVE

Anything under $500 will probably not buy them anything useful for their hobby, not something they already haven’t got anyway.

34. THEY WON’T PHOTOSHOP YOUR OLDER PHOTOS

Your older vacation or family photos might need some improvement and your photographer partner should be just the person for the job. Not likely. Their ego will prevent them from editing anything not taken by them.

35. THEY DON’T LIKE YOUR EMO AND ARTSY FRIENDS

That’s because unless it’s someone more famous than them, they’re not really worth spending time with.

36. THEY HARDLY PRINT ANY OF THEIR WORK

Yet the storage space on their computer is always low because of the massive numbers of photographs.

37. IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY DROP A CAMERA, YOU’LL OWE THEM BIG TIME

The average contents of a photographer’s bag cost anywhere between $1500 and …well a lot. Make sure you are extra careful around their gear, or else.

38. YOU’LL TURN INTO A MODEL, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

It might seem like fun in the beginning, but don’t be fooled. Whenever you’re out for a walk and the light will seem interesting for your date, you’ll have to pose for at least one portrait. And no, the clothes you’ll be wearing won’t matter.

39. THEY’RE A PAIN AT FAMILY EVENTS

Let’s say someone in your family is getting married and you decide to bring your date. Most of their attention will probably be going to the photographer hired to shoot the wedding. It will be a mix of criticism of everything the hired pro does and a secret envy that he didn’t get to do it, even after refusing in the first place.

40. NOTHING NATURAL IS GOOD

Translated: every picture must be tweaked with Photoshop or Lightroom. Don’t ever expect to see any pictures straight out of the camera.

41. WHEN STARING INTO YOUR EYES, IT USUALLY MEANS SOMETHING ELSE

You might find it to be a romantic moment, but it’s usually a process that goes on in their mind and has to do with how they would correct the tiny imperfections on your face.

http://hotpenguin.net/41-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-date-a-photographer/