A storm passed through last week, and I was determined to capture some lightning.

I don't have a detection/trigger unit (making one now), so I used time lapse.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 50mm f1.4.

These are uncropped images, and have very little PP. Mostly sharpness and exposure.


Suggestions?

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I use a couple different SLR lenses on my D7000. One is the Nikkor 50mm f1.4. It works with the in body AF motor without a hitch!

And it was orders of magnitude less expensive than the newer offerings.
YES, the newer coatings have the old stuff beat. But then, I'm not competing to put images on retail copy, either.

I recently made some late evening shots with that lens, and it re-affirmed to me, why I bought it!
Optimum shooting with and in, low light conditions.
Push the ISO up a bit, and BANG, it looked like daylight!

I pretty much lost respect for police when my Wife's cousin's hubby, a cop, told me he had used "creative testimony" in Court to obtain convictions on a busts' he'd made.

Basically, the system is rigged. If you can't expect adherence to rules, then it's lawlessness you're dealing with. No different, really, than gangs and their "codes of conduct", protecting each other, knowing full well what they're doing is wrong. But hey, they're just doing what everyone else is doing, so, it's OK. Right?


Where does that leave people who obey the laws and rules?
If you observe criminal action by a gang member, police want you to talk to them about it. They want to prosecute, to curtail and reduce crime.
When you observe police doing criminal activity, they don't want you to report it. They don't want to prosecute, to curtail those crimes.
To prosecute brings these crimes to the open, for everyone to see, and reminds people that criminals operate within government, too.
Consider "Blago" the governor of Chicago, err, Illinois. People only saw a minor piece of the level of crime that was and IS rampant within government, when he was ousted.
That was executive level of government, and it was there, it was/is also in legislative and judicial as well.

What can we, you and I, do about it? Be vigilant, and continue in what you're doing. If you observe crime, document it.
If along the way, you're a victim of police abuse, continue on.

My wife & I are going on our first cruise as well. Port of Miami, via Key West, to Cozumel, MX. Then back the same path.

Looking forward to the one to Alaska next Summer. I can't wait..

I was looking tinto this a few days ago, knowing well, we'd be doing some of the same.

Very nice picture of a great covered bridge!

My wife & I recently visited the "Bridges of Madison County" near Winterst, IA.
Actually, we only saw 2 of them, because we were on the motorcycle, and I didn't want to eat any more gravel dust in the 100+ temps.
Perhaps another day in the van. :)

I just love covered bridges, and I remember going through some of them when I was a kid.

I recall a thread not so long back about why anyone would need, or want, a camera with more than, say, 10-16MP sensor.

Do those two examples answer any questions?

Very nice, MT.

I would adhere to the very sage advice given by the above crowd.

I downloaded the picture as it was, and did only two (2) things to it;
1. Shadow Protection (increases exposure on the more subdued areas of photo, leaving the more exposed areas alone).

2. Increased color saturation a bit, to bring out the blue's on her beautiful gown, and to brighten the blue sky hiding behind the trees.

Doing as mentioned prior, and a touch of PP, and you'll present extraordinary memories for that Family.

Retouched slightly

Outstanding macros!!

:thumbup:

I did the firmware update several months ago. Went without a hitch.

Just follow the instructions to the letter, or, it won't work.

Reminds me of when I bought a stereo system when in service. I came home and receiver Id bought 5 months prior just came out here, over twice the price.

Grandson going into Air Force. Gonna have him buy me camera gear, just pay him back. :)

Freedom & Liberty aren't free, and they carry specific responsibilities.

Filming police or politicians is NOT the same as threatening someone. Not even close.
So, what threat exists in filming, or recording events which could or would reveal to the general public, occurences which really do impact them in ways they don't yet comprehend.
I live about 800 miles from New Orleans, and as such, I haven't a clue of the devastation of Katrina. Yes, I was there within weeks of the disaster, delivering water, food, supplies via truck.
I was dumbstruck with the sheer magnitude and scale of destruction I witnessed. I might add, I only saw a fraction of it!! Again, I would have had no comprehension of the event, had I not witnessed it firsthand.

Moving on.

As mentioned, Rodney King video. How about the ones taken post-Katrina, where some police shot and killed people?
How about the situatoin at the BART station, in SF a few years ago, where the young cop just shot a guy, who was presenting absolutely no threat to him, or, to others.

Without the cell phone videos there, who knows what would have occured after? Meaning, accountability. It's not just the citizens who should be accountable.

Surveillance cameras are popping up everywhere, and people are told to accept that it's there for their protection.
Uhh huh. How about those flash mobs, such as in Milwaukee, where those "persons" were actively engaged in seeking people who did not look like them, and severely damaging their cars, and in cases, dragging them out of the cars, robbing and beating people.

It's OK for us to videoed everywhere we go, whatever we do? But, it's NOT OK to turn that focus onto the instrument that is watching our every move?? Is that paranoia I see in government for objecting to being under the watchful eye of concerned LAWFUL citizens? I've heard the phrase, "If you've done nothing wrong, why would you object?"

Without the personal vids of those events would anyone have ever seen the actions occuring there?(Milwaukee flash mob/robberies/assaults) I saw a few surveillance videos, but, discovered that many were seized by police, for evidence. Apparently, never to be seen again.

Back to the personal safety sales pitch of surveillance cameras everywhere.
Exactly how does a camera protect you from crime?

The fallacy of protection is quite evident, when even the slightest bit of scrutiny is placed against the assertion of safety. There is no safety, only a record of the occurences.

Which comes back to photgraphing and videoing actions by government elemets.
It presents a record of occurences, places, and details that escape even the most analytical mind. It doesn't lie, it doesn't slant perspective because of fear, prejudice or, political inclinations.

The only person who would object, is (s)he with something to hide.

Keep up the videoing, and photographinc of events, and occurences, because it is the only thing that is keeping some people from behaving like tyrants and concentration camp commandants.

Intelligence, knowledge, and Liberty play well together.

I shopped on eBay, found a older pristine Nikon lens and, I do mean pristine, 50mm f1.4 prime. It was intended for film cameras, so it's probably more like a 55-65mm(??) on my D7000. This lens simply amazes me with the ability to do real good shot sin minimal light. I don't have to push the ISO much at all, so the shots aren't noisy, or, grainy.

I wanted a good lens for "available light" situations, like inside churches, etc., and fills the bill quite nicely.
Since the D7000 has an internal focus motor, I'm good to go.
Oh, and I paid $200 for it, shipped.

I also use a Sigma 18-200 for general work, and have zero regrets with this lens.

Then, the Sigma 50-500mm for longer distance shots. Again, no regrets with any of thee lenses

I picked up an older Nikon macro lens, and again, it uses the internal focus motor on the D7000. Again, a little shopping, and I found something that was real nice, and I'm more than satisfied.

Bought from them several times, no problems what so ever from them.

Bought a refurb lens, and camera body from them. They followed up with emails to question service, and asked for critique on everything from orders, communications, quality of items, delivery, etc.

All I can say about Cameta is GOOD!

Valid observations and points about what a person see's, photographer, or, not.

I recently took some pictures of Hummingbirds at our feeder.
In saeveral days time, I snapped perhaps, hundreds of different shots. Experimented with placement of the camera, flash, shutter, aperture, ISO, etc.

After downloading and reviewing these, I began to look at them again, with a more critical perspective.
I realized that, on several occassions, I'd actually captured pairs and multiples of the birds in a shot.
What I was concentrating on initiailly, was the feeder, and one landing, or, feeding.
When I looked at the whole shot, I saw other things, equally as important, although not as sharp in detail, or, as close to the center of frame, they were none the less, there to be appreciated.