Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Photography

How to remove image artifacts from a foggy background?

topynate — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:43:06 -0800

I use this image (source image here) as my desktop background - it's one of Ubuntu's default wallpapers. Can I do something about the artifacts? The artifacts in question are only visible when I view the image from an angle on my LCD, and appear in the brightest part of the background. The effect looks like a noisy posterization. I opened the image up in GIMP and looked at the histogram, and I think that this part of the background has been overexposed, but I don't understand why this would make it look like it does. So, why is this, and can I fix the image in GIMP so that it doesn't show these artifacts?

Help me name my photography website...please?

damionbroadaway — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:36:08 -0800

Please help me come up with a name for my photography website. I would like to try and get some of my prints put up somewhere in Kansas City. I'm no pro, so I'm not talking about nice galleries, but coffee shops or something similar. I want to be able to point people somewhere to look at my work and/or contact me. You know, to put on that little card that is hanging next to my photo.

Other information:
- I'm a web designer/developer so I got making the website covered.
- I already have a flickr account (link in profile).
- I am also going to try and sell on etsy (bonus round: any tips?).
- I am not expecting to make a living from this.
- You can get a flavor of my personality from flickr as well. I upload all my mobile pics to there.

Fun fact:
This is my first question after being a lurker for years and getting my account a couple months ago. Hello everybody!

Sharing photomanagement tags and goodies in a network

lifeonholidae — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:27:01 -0800

I know this was previously discussed in two posts, but perhaps there are updates. I need photo management software that will allow me to view tags, updates and edits within an network. Scene: Network of about 11 computers, a shared hard drive with all of our photos. I use Picasa and love it. How do I use Picasa in all of these PCs and share the tags, face identification etc.?

I know little about networking. But I follow instructions well!

Can not, can not, can not be online (liability and privacy issues)

New camera or nay?

jaffacakerhubarb — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:23:16 -0800

Should I get a new camera or a portable HD video recorder? If so, which one? I'm trying to figure out what to get for Christmas, so this question is a little time sensitive. I'm torn between whether to get a new digital camera or a portable HD video recorder. I've spent a while looking at reviews and all I've done is gotten more confused.

I really enjoy photography, and would like to get into it more so a new digital camera might be an idea. Some of them shoot 720p HD video, which would be great too. However, I already have a Canon PowerShot A640, which complicates things. I use it very sporadically, since it's not something I can carry in my pocket, and I'd like to take more photos. Is a newer, more portable digital camera going to take significantly better photos, enough to justify getting a whole new camera? And if it will, which one should I get? I very much like the look of the Leica D-Lux 4 and the Lumix GF1, but they're WAY too expensive for what is and is likely to remain 'photography for fun'. So, something like them but cheaper (probably a big ask, I know). Would they even be that different to what I already have?

Secondly, if getting a new camera is a silly idea, which portable HD video recorder should I go for? The Kodak Zi8 sounds very good, but is there something closer to a dedicated HD camcorder that doesn't jump drastically in price from roughly that level?

selling amateur photos to a local paper or tv station?

thermonuclear.jive.turkey — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:14:58 -0800

selling amateur photos to a local paper or tv station? (more) Hi there,

suppose I'm living in a medium-sized city, I'm walking along and a truck hauling livestock to a local processing plant flips over a block away from me. Live chickens are scattered all over the place. Pademonium ensues.

So suppose I run over, I grab my pocket camera and I snap a few pics, and record some video.

"Hey!" I say to myself. "Maybe the local paper or the local TV station would be interested in getting copies of these photos and video".

Now:

-who might I contact in the local newspaper/Tv station? Is there a specific department I ought to ask for?

-Would they offer cash for my media?

-what price, if any, might I expect?

[Or would they pay me anything, and maybe I ought to just post my photos on a blog and video on Youtube?]

Thanks

I haven't had the chicken truck situation happen to me, but something much like it did. A lot of times too I see strange things and I say, 'you know I wish I carried a camera around'. One new years' resolution will be to do just that, to carry a tiny point & shoot camera with me. I'm wondering if I find anything newsworthy, what to do with my media.

Happy new year

What do I need to take a timed photo, outdoors, once per day for six months without touching the camera --unless I am just periodically switching out a memory card?

john.c.herman — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:21:07 -0800

What do I need to take a timed photo, outdoors, once per day for six months without touching the camera --unless I am just periodically switching out a memory card? For the sake of this project, I have a pretty limited background in photography and even less in time-lapse photography. I have a small budget which I am aware I could spend on the camera alone. I have done some searching, and it looks like I will need a solar panel to power the project. I am hoping there are people out there with first hand knowledge.

Any suggestions (or links to similar projects) would be very helpful.

Photos + mats = holiday cheer

asuprenant — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:57:01 -0800

Where can I buy mats for 13 x 19" photos in Chicago? Lastminuteholidaycraftfilter: where can I buy these mats in Chicago?

http://www.dickblick.com/products/savage-value-priced-pre-cut-single-mats/

I'm looking for white 18 x 24" mats with 13 x 19" openings. The Blick stores in Chicago don't carry them in stock, though. Where can I find them?

photography that blends into web pages

ollyolly — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:10:36 -0800

Is there a term for photography with a plain-colored background (i.e. a background that will blend seamlessly into an x-colored web page background)? I like photographs that blend seamlessly into the background color of a web page (e.g. this photo of red shoes). Basically, anything photographed so that there are no shadows, patterns, or textures to indicate where the photo ends and the surrounding web page background begins. I've tried just searching "white background" (that's where I found the above example photo), but is there a specific term (or place to look) for this type of photography?

please help me i.d. this photo(series) and the artist

Baby_Balrog — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:13:55 -0800

Argh! Can't remember the name of this series of bizarre photos. I think it was something like, "What's the matter with Jonathan" or something like that. It's making me crazy. Please help.

Maybe she can avoid my years of blurry pictures of flowers

dreamyshade — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:48:54 -0800

Gift-filter: I'd like to find a book about fun photography projects for a very smart 14-year-old girl. A family friend, a freshman in high school, likes to take photos out on walks around her neighborhood. That's the age I started to get into photography, so I'm really happy for her. What book can I get her for Christmas that would give her some good ideas about how to expand beyond shots of roses? She's brilliant and very artistic, and she has a typical small Canon compact camera.

I found Click: The Ultimate Photography Guide for Generation Now and Digital Photography for Teens, but I don't know if they'd be good. I'm hoping to find a book that would present some principles of interesting photography, samples of styles, and a bunch of good examples -- something encouraging and fun to browse, but not childish, and not focused on DSLRs. It doesn't have to be "digital photography for young people", but an Ansel Adams formal technical book would probably be too serious (I looked at this previous question). What's in between?

A 20,000 Item Mess

Xurando — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:34:18 -0800

Before I set up Adobe Lightroom on my new IMac, help me figure out how to clean up my catalogs with 20,000+ photographs. My lightroom catalogs are a mess. My hard drive crashed last year and in the restoring process lightroom took a hit. About 10% of the pictures have a ? mark next to them with a an "offline or missing" message. Most of the pictures are actually there but I don't want to have to locate 1000 pictures. I also have a large group of folders which also have question marks next to them. I only want to import to the new computer after I have a clean catalog. Can I delete folders in my catalog?

Help me learn my Christmas Canon

SweetTeaAndABiscuit — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:03:44 -0800

I've given myself (with the help of others) a Canon S90 camera for Christmas and I need help getting the most out of my photographic experience(s)!! I'm a total newb when it come to photography with anything but the most basic cheapie point and shoot. I've had some good luck with interesting photographs I've taken though, which has really made me want to learn more about photography and cameras. My true heart's desire is a DSLR, but the reality of the matter is I have a very small expendable income budget and it might be years before I could afford one. So, based on reviews and seeing the Canon S90 mentioned on this and other websites, I took a small windfall and some Christmas gifted cash from family and bought one tonight!!!

Of course I'll read the manual that comes with it, but then what? Assume I know nothing about f-stops and aperture and ISO (because I don't). Where should I go to find information that will apply to this camera? Are there any books that will help or web sites? I really want to learn this camera backwards and forwards and by that time (a couple of years from now), hopefully I'll be financially able to step up to a DSLR.

Thanks for any help or direction you can give a fledgling photographer!!

Help me stage some photographs of a very mischievious paper butterfly!

malocchio — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:35:16 -0800

What kind of mischievious situations could a paper butterfly find himself in? Ideas requested for a photo shoot. A friend of mine sent me a paper butterfly, who has a decidedly mischievious nature. I would like to take a series of pictures documenting his misadventures (to delight and amuse my friend), but I'm sorely lacking in ideas.

Said butterfly is approximately 6 inches wide by 4 inches high. Anything that will cause the slightest harm to mon beau papillon is completely off limits, although the appearance of imminent danger is certainly a plus.

I'd like to keep the staging as simple as possible, using common household objects and situations, but I might go the extra mile for a particularly ingenious shot.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Which shot of the Rock is the best?

Dasein — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:17:47 -0800

Help choose which photo of Ayers Rock to print out as a present for my parents and my girlfriend's parents for Christmas. We've narrowed down a ridiculously large number of photos to the 10 you see at the link. We were leaning towards the first one ("11") but have also received good feedback about the sixth ("90"). Help us decide! I realize that since it's a free Flickr account you can't get the full detail on every picture. I'm more looking for feedback about which has the best colours, the best balance of land and sky, sun and shade, that sort of thing. Thanks in advance for your help.

Are Nikon D5000s currently sitting on shelves still affected by the recall?

consilience — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:32:39 -0800

Nikon recalled the D5000 a few months ago - are the ones on store shelves today still affected? I'm looking to purchase my first DSLR. I played with a D5000 and a Rebel t1i or 500D in store and I like feel of the D5000 a little more. I also liked the added bulk and weight of it. My only concern is that there was a recall for the D5000, two of them actually, just a few months ago. Does anyone know if the ones that are currently on store shelves are affected?

I have been reading forums, gadget blogs, photography forums and the like for two weeks now. Non-stop. Needless to say, I've been pulling out my hair trying to decide between the D5000 and the t1i. I've only decided on the D5000 because of its feel/heft and a simpler and more attractive UI.

From now until Sunday, both can be had for $699 with no tax from Samy's Camera, making my decision that much more difficult.

I feel like the brand I go with will instantly be a lifetime commitment because I would also like to purchase a 50mm f1.8 lens with either camera.

Normally, I'd give something like this more time if I'm this undecided, but I need a camera soon. I'd like to pick one up before the sale ends, but the latest is just before CES (Consumer Electronics Show).

Thanks in advance for advice and the recall info.

Best Discreet Subway Camera?

joshwa — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:00:54 -0800

DigitalCameraFilter: I am trying to find a small, discreet point-n-shoot camera that I can use on the subway to take pictures of my fellow-passengers (think Walker Evans - Many Are Called). Trying to find something that is: small (fits in pocket), quiet, sharp, can disable the rear lcd, and has minimal shutter lag. Good high-iso performance also a plus. Zoom not necessary. The Canon G-series would fit the bill, but they're rather bulky are mega-pricey for this application.

Hoping that someone here has experience with such an application and can recommend something?

Googling, as you'd imagine, is of limited usefulness. There are just too many small digital cameras and thousands of spammy spycam and bogus affiliate sites.

Stupid Darkroom Tricks?

JoanArkham — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:37:20 -0800

I'm looking for simple techniques, tricks, or experiments to get interesting results from a home B&W darkroom. So after a really, really long time I finally have a darkroom set up and working at my house. I think I've re-learned most of the basics...printing, burning, and dodging. Now I want to try some special effects and experiments.

I bought a really interesting book on alternative printing that was WAY too technical. I'm not a gearhead, and I'm not crazy about the idea of buying and mixing my own chemicals.

What I'm looking for are more like "stupid darkroom tricks." The one I do know about is the Sabattier effect, which is easy to do but unpredictable and fun.

What off-camera remote flash cable should I buy?

ejfox — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:02:56 -0800

I want to use any old flash I find (I have an old pentax flash from one of my film cameras) on a remote cable to my Nikon D100. I want to be able to hold the flash with one hand and shoot with the other during live music shows. Please, help me find the cable I'm looking for. I've been searching for an "off-camera remote flash cable" on Amazon. A lot of it implies it is for specific cameras and flashes. I have a Nikon D100. I'd like to use the remote cable I'm buying for the old flashes I have now, but maybe a Nikon speedlight down the road.

I think this might be what I'm looking for: http://www.amazon.com/Adorama-Off-Camera-Digital-Cameras-Capability/dp/B0028DEOI6/ref=sr_1_68?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1260316362&sr=1-68

Would this do the things I am looking for? Is there a better, cheaper option for what I want to do (hold the flash in my hand while moving around in front of a band)?

Thanks in advance for your help!

What would I do without you guys, really?

Bageena — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:31:30 -0800

My friends and I are starting an artist collective in Phoenix, Arizona and we desperately need help thinking of a name. Can you help? Short explanation; I myself am an artist with, you know, the paper and the pencil and occasionally, some ink or acrylic or something. I have three friends that are photographers, another friend who's a painter, two friends who are musicians, and a few others who might also join. What we've decided we'd like to do is start a community blog where we all write individually what we're doing to try and break into the mainstream or just get our work seen. The main site will show all of our posts, broken down by individual members, along with a sort of swarm cloud that shows how often each artist works with the others.
Anyways, we've got a ton of great ideas already and we're excited to get a move on it, but we're stuck at what seems to be the first effing step! We need a name for our little community. We don't have a lot in common except that we all work normal 9-5 jobs outside of our passions for our individual work, we are all artists of one sort or another, and we all live in Phoenix, Arizona. I'm trying to think of names that are reminiscent of the desert or of Phoenix. I sort of like the idea of something ancient and awesome sounding. Really though, we're open to anything. I'd list the links to our websites so you could actually see our styles and who we 'are', so to speak, but I think that'd be a little too self-linky for me. So yeah - if your really that curious, you can look in my bio and I think there's a link there to my personal work.
So yes, I leave it once again to the most clever people I know to help me hop a hurdle in my life. Thanks Mefites!

What do I want to do to this picture?

patnasty — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:40:57 -0800

I have a picture I want to modify in photoshop, and I'm sure there are relevant tutorials out there on the web, but I don't know how to describe what I want to do to it. Basically, I'd like to give it the illusion of depth -- make the back wall seem further away, and give it more of a sense of perspective, so you get more of a feeling of looking into a room, and less like you're looking at a flattened image of a room. Is there a term for that? Googling for photoshop and depth has turned up a lot of stuff about depth of field, but I don't think that's what I'm looking for. I'm not looking to make anything more or less focused, so much as alter the picture's perspective.

Also, I have the black + white original of the pic I linked to, so if it'd be easier to add the 3-D effect I'm looking for first, and then colorize it later, I could do that.

Help me print my photos!

mingodingo — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:02:01 -0800

My mom has mentioned wanting new photo portraits of me, my brother, and our dogs (her grand-dogs)--I know, kinda corny. But we thought that this would be a good idea for a Christmas present, so we went to the park over Thanksgiving and did a little photo shoot. What's the best way to get good quality prints of our digital pictures? We're wanting to get a good quality, large print (around 16' by 20'), as well as some smaller (8' x 10', 4' x 6'). We also want a collage of several of the photos (but I don't know whether we want a "pre-printed" collage, or just a frame with several spots for different photos).

So anyway, we're trying to figure out where to get these printed. He's in West Texas, and I'm in the Bay Area. I'm thinking the easiest option would be to go through an online service (shutterfly, smugmug, etc.). Does anyone have experience with any of these services, or other similar online digital printers? Would you recommend using "brick and mortar" printers instead? And if so, do you have any recommendations in West Texas or the Bay Area?

Thanks!

Actor needs headshots

Joleta — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:13:40 -0800

Need recommendations for photographers experienced in taking actor headshots, in/near Chicago. My husband is active in community theater and needs some good headshots. I'd like this to be my Christamas present to him. Please recommend a photographer in the Chicago area who is experienced doing headshots for professional actors. (And yes, I know this will not be cheap.)

Taking pictures in Barcelona and Madrid.

scooterdman — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:00:35 -0800

What are the best locations for taking pictures of Barcelona/Madrid? We'll be spending about 10 days there. Barcelona from 12/25 - 12/28 and Madrid from 12/29 - 01/02.

I'd really like to take some nice photos, specifically of the landscape, the cities from above and the surrounding environment.

I'm also interested in taking pictures of normal touristy things, but will likely stumble into many of them on my own. (Feel free to recommend these, too, though.)

What are your thoughts? Where ought I point my camera?

Help me choose a beginner DSLR?

kylej — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:26:13 -0800

What beginner's dslr should I buy? I'm looking to purchase a camera within the next couple weeks. I have around 600$ to spend, and I'm looking to buy a beginners dslr.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Canon Rebel XSi.

It seems like it has a lot of options for me to learn and Canon has a nice lens selection if I want to buy more.

I've seen other questions on here, as well as numerous online reviews, but I wanted to see if you guys can think of any other options that would be good for me.

Stuff I'm planning on using it for:
Snapshots of friends
Macro(ish) shots
Travel shots(for when I go to Spain this summer)
Probably some informal portraits too

Another camera I was considering was the Nikon D3000, which is geared towards beginners, but I feel like it might be limiting as I get better at photography.

Thanks for your input!

Dorian Gray and a guest

cjorgensen — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:36 -0800

My girlfriend and I are planning to give photos we had taken of us to our families (and some friends) for Christmas. We have a few questions. The most important—in my mind—is frames. We need at least 4 (probably more) frames for these photos. We'd like them to be innocuous and uniform without being too generic (no crystal). We'd like to order them all from the same place. The cheaper the better (since this will not be the main present) but we're willing to spend $20 each if we have to (we won't quibble on an extra buck or two, but $10 is the actual target). The pictures are 8x10. We're hoping for answers that are more creative than "Walmart/Target have good cheap frames." We also have way too little time for the "This kit is cool." We're not making any frames.

Secondarily, should we give them all the same photo? If we decide to give each person different pictures should we provide them with access to the pool of available options and offer to swap? Would asking something like, "If you like one of these better let us know, and we'd be happy to swap yours for it. Or, if you want them all, we can order you a set at the cost of X."

Thanks.