[charlie]

Must have been one heck of a relaxing day Gene, fall weather always seems to have some really nice days. At least the ducks will stay put for a while!!!!
Mind if I inject a tiny bit of humor here??? Check out the dogs

[zhenya]

Not at all, Charlie. Your dogs are gorgeous animals and I think you owe them a close ups...

[charlie]

OK I will

The first one is Sena, Lorie has had this dog since I met her, then there's Willis Mike, feel free to throw in your $.02 here too.

[zhenya]

This are cool shots, Charlie. I don't know how you made them lay there still like that...

Originally Posted by almostdiva

The rose is just -- well -- red.

Rebecca, here's not so plain red rose for you, hope you like this one.

[Poseidon]

Charlie, I almost fell outta my chair! Looks like your pups were all getting to know each other.... Gene is right, they are pretty dogs for sure! When I get home I'll have to add a picture of my pooch.

Gene, that is one WILD rose! I have never seen one like that before. I like that "blur frame" you have been using lately too.

[zhenya]

Mike,

I've never seen one quite like it either. They have pretty large rose garden in that park and I been going there for some 5-6 years now. One of this days, when I get real wide angle lens, I need to take a shot of the whole rose garden.
Have you seen some images I posted on the previous page? I was surprized at the 70-210mm performance.., I suppose outdoors and stoped down some it can be pretty good. I need to send my camera to Canon for some checking up, I think. For some reason everything is severely overexposed in Av mode, even with EV at minus two full stops. Any idea what may be going on?

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Mike,

Have you seen some images I posted on the previous page? I was surprized at the 70-210mm performance.., I suppose outdoors and stoped down some it can be pretty good. I need to send my camera to Canon for some checking up, I think. For some reason everything is severely overexposed in Av mode, even with EV at minus two full stops. Any idea what may be going on?

I did! I was at work though, and any image on DIAL UP takes way to long!!!!

I like this one: http://www.reefland.com/forum/attach...e-img_4598.jpg

All of them are VERY sharp, so yes that lens does surprise me, but like you said in bright sunshine it is pretty easy.

Speaking of the bright sun, I'll bet this was not possible but the difference in lighting makes the pictures have either blown highlights or underexposed areas. I like the effect on some, on others it is distracting. That does not mean that they are not good, only that "technically" they could be better. It would certainly take multiple exposures, and layering in PS to get enough dynamic range. That is the ONLY area film still has an advantage in, but I will gladly trade dynamic range for all the advantages!

It sure looks like you and Charlie WIN for having the most picturesque spots close to home.... I suppose there are some nice places near me too, but I am blind to them living here!

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

It sure looks like you and Charlie WIN for having the most picturesque spots close to home.... I suppose there are some nice places near me too, but I am blind to them living here!

Now that is just not fare, I am almost 100% positive that there are some absolutely incredible places where you live, Mike. I am certain that you wil re-discover them shortly and post some incredible images of this places very soon.
The picture you liked was shot using my EF-S 60mm macro lens...

[almostdiva]

Gene, that is one WILD rose! I have never seen one like that before.

They are called striped roses (for obvious reasons...) and they come in almost all the standard rose families: hybrid teas, moss, floribunda, etc. I have NO idea what the hybridizers do to get the stripes. It's pretty wacky, I agree.

Gene -- have you ever been to the rose garden at the Brooklyn botanical gardens? It is HUGE... I have friends who live maybe 5 blocks from there and we went in June when it was in full glory. They have plants there (mostly old climbers) that have been in the garden since like 1910 or 1915. I have NEVER seen so many roses in 1 place, and they have like maybe 3 duplicates -- every one you looked at was a different type of rose. It SMELLED amazing. I highly recommend to anyone who even remotely likes roses!

Rebecca

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by almostdiva

They are called striped roses (for obvious reasons...) and they come in almost all the standard rose families: hybrid teas, moss, floribunda, etc. I have NO idea what the hybridizers do to get the stripes. It's pretty wacky, I agree.

Gene -- have you ever been to the rose garden at the Brooklyn botanical gardens? It is HUGE... I have friends who live maybe 5 blocks from there and we went in June when it was in full glory. They have plants there (mostly old climbers) that have been in the garden since like 1910 or 1915. I have NEVER seen so many roses in 1 place, and they have like maybe 3 duplicates -- every one you looked at was a different type of rose. It SMELLED amazing. I highly recommend to anyone who even remotely likes roses!

Rebecca

Hi Rebecca,

I most certainly been to the Brooklyn botanical gardens, however, I had no addiction to photography as yet then... I need to get out there again and bring my cam with me. Next year I plan to head to Dupont's gardens in PA, I found their orchids collection pretty decent and need to photograph them. Maybe they'll let me use a monopod.

I'm not sure what those stripes are for on the roses but it just doesn't do anything for me. I like more concervative colors on that particular flower.
Red/white stripes missing a blue color in the mix to make it for me...

[almostdiva]

Next year I plan to head to Dupont's gardens in PA, I found their orchids collection pretty decent and need to photograph them. Maybe they'll let me use a monopod.

I'm not sure what those stripes are for on the roses but it just doesn't do anything for me. I like more concervative colors on that particular flower.

I don't like them, either. I am a big fan of the European old/shrub roses, particularly the French one. The actually SMELL llike roses. Lots of the newer hybrid teas (like the stripey ones...) lose that great rose smell in the hybridizing process, as the breeders go for longer bloom period or whatever.

the orchid collection at Longwood Gardens IS really great. plan your trip around when the waterlilly garden is in bloom. I think it's open June to early Oct. It's outside the main greenhouse (just off the orchid collection I think....) and it's pretty amazing. They have all these really interesting, unusual varieties from places like Peru. You will have LOTs of choices of subjects!

Rebecca

[zhenya]

Speaking of roses, I have one plant ( an old tea rose) that is about 15-16 years old and it's about 7-8 feet tall. You can smell it when it's in bloom as soon as you drive up on the driveway and the plant is behind the house...
I absolutely love it, maybe it's because I planted when it was only a twig...
I've been to Longwood two times before and love how they have everything set up, so I promise to take many pictures and post them here.

[zhenya]

Hey Mike,
I found some older images that I haven't processed, shot with my Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens, so I finally got around to it and finished some of them.
Let me know what you think. Honestly, I think this are the best image quality shots from that lens I ever got. My PP is not that great so I think this could be even better, but even unprocessed they looked impressive to me in terms of optical performance of the lens.
Here are some samples.

[Poseidon]

The second one of your Grand Daughter shows excellent detail. I can see individual hairs in the highlights. The flower pics are nice to, but the dead center composition doesn't work for me. I'll bet you could do a little cropping and come up with a more pleasing image. As for sharpness and color, they look very good.

It is hard to judge at web-resolution for sharpness, but on my screen they do look good!

[zhenya]

Mike,

I would love to send you couple of untouched images via email, providing your email server can accept large files as attachments.

PS. I totally agree on the composition of the flower shots, it's not the best to say the least. However, in my defence , my goal was to test this lens in the multiple apertures and shutter speeds when I was taking those. Not much attention was paid to the composition, unfortunately. Poor excuse, I know, but I am working on it.

[Poseidon]

PM'd you an e-mail address.

[zhenya]

Hey Mike,

I bought this lens from Canon (85mm f1.8 USM) and i think I'm in love...
Check out this pic, I did play with it in PS a little, but still, I think I found my perfect portrait lens for cheap.

[Poseidon]

That is a VERY highly regarded lens Gene! I have had one on my short list for a while now.

F1.8 is quite the thing isn't it?

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

That is a VERY highly regarded lens Gene! I have had one on my short list for a while now.

F1.8 is quite the thing isn't it?

Mike,

I love this lens. I thought my 50mm was sharp but it can;t touch this lens.
And, the most important part of this lens, for me personally, is the background blur. I'll be practicing with it from now on, partraiture is something that I like alot and I have subjects that I love taking pictures of.

Having said that, I took couple of practice shots using my tank as a subject and this lens does not disappoint.



I did stopped down to f2.0 on this shot but I'm sure even wide open it would have been very acceptable shot.