Trying out my D800 -The Dock of the Bay

[Chris Calohan]

So, in part this is for Russ and Dave who were instrumental in my getting this camera. Next week the 16-35 comes in and I hope to even improve on shots like this. This is a 3 exposure, 32 bit Photoshop HDR. The lit part was due to a (cussed at the time) car's headlights. Later, in PP, I saw its potential to add drama to the original shot.

[Chris Calohan]

This is a hard crowd to sell an image to.

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

This is a hard crowd to sell an image to.

LOL - You're too excited ...
Don't underestimate the byfactors, like day in the week posted, headline ("Woohooo - I have a D800 now ....") and so on ....
And yes - its a nice image.
Indeed.

[Rob C]

This is a hard crowd to sell an image to.

It's not really a matter of selling anything to anyone, Chris. The thing is that we all see so many pictures every single day that the value of everything is inevitably diminished: we become bored and blasé.

Have you ever asked yourself how come so many model/actor/rock star relationships die the death, when logic would suggest such rich, beautiful people have it made for ever? I reran a video on Rod Stewart last night, and it touched on the breakdown of one of his marriages - I forget which, but that's my fault, not his - and he recounts broken-heartedly seeking help from a Beverly Hills shrink who told him to forget it, because once you've seen one friggin' **** you've seen 'em all. You see what I mean? Values or relative values. Maybe.

That's the problem with visual overload: it desensitizes us all, just as pornography is reputed to do. There's nothing amiss with your shot, but nothing new, either. That is almost impossible to achieve, for all of us. Some spend hours doing multi-shots (stitching) of their subject just in order to squeeze out a tad more (or a lot more) detail; but who the hell cares or notices other than themselves and only because they have to, having put themselves to all that trouble?

But then for some, the technique is the end in itself, and if it floats their boat, cool.

Rob C

[Steve Weldon]

This is a hard crowd to sell an image to.

Congrats on the new camera!

For me, when I looked at your title and had my mind tuned for a 36mp image showing off the new camera.. I didn't expect a scene so void of detail, color, or anything to show off the camera.  It could have been taken with a Pns.. or in other words not much to say in the way of a response.

Good luck with the new D800..

[Chris Calohan]

Congrats on the new camera!

For me, when I looked at your title and had my mind tuned for a 36mp image showing off the new camera.. I didn't expect a scene so void of detail, color, or anything to show off the camera.  It could have been taken with a Pns.. or in other words not much to say in the way of a response.

Good luck with the new D800..

For an image lacking detail, color or anything else as you have suggested, I sold 6 copies at a charity auction last Saturday night for a pretty good chunk of change even after donating 40% to the charity. I sold three each of these at the same auction, same camera, same night, one to each of the businesses in the shot.



Try both of these on my flickr page, maybe it's just the jpeg transfer.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54965930@N07/10904360394/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54965930@N07/10904360874/in/photostream/

[RSL]

Hi Chris, We finally arrived at our Florida place on Saturday evening, after days of freezing rain, frost, rain, and more rain. Got very few pictures along the way, and now I have to get CC installed on this machine before I can do any serious work.

Looks as if your exposure problem got solved. What was the problem? If the answer is embarrassing just message me.

[cjogo]

Good Commercial shot at the docks ~! 

[Isaac]

The thing is that we all see so many pictures every single day that the value of everything is inevitably diminished: we become bored and blasé. ... That's the problem with visual overload: it desensitizes us all...

Au contraire! The thing is that we all see so many good pictures every single day that our expectations are higher. It sensitizes us to the difference between good pictures and great pictures.

[Chris Calohan]

Hi Chris, We finally arrived at our Florida place on Saturday evening, after days of freezing rain, frost, rain, and more rain. Got very few pictures along the way, and now I have to get CC installed on this machine before I can do any serious work.

Looks as if your exposure problem got solved. What was the problem? If the answer is embarrassing just message me.

Seems like some might disagree...:-) Problem was simply not understanding all the controls on the camera. Sat down with a friend who has the same model and dialed in a few corrective settings. The above shots are as clean and tight as I would like but they're shot with a 1/2 frame lens and a little loss of sharpness was to be expected. I should have the 16-35 by tomorrow afternoon....just in time for new grandbaby Wednesday morning in Atlanta.

Hope to get down your way soon. I'm hungry.

[Rob C]

Au contraire! The thing is that we all see so many good pictures every single day that our expectations are higher. It sensitizes us to the difference between good pictures and great pictures.

What you write is also accurate, but not the exclusive truth, as I have already indicated with my associated truth.

But no, I am not interested in an argument, and have more pressing problems of my own right now - ever since I couldn't access my website to edit it, in fact. Two goddam computers, and not one of them can currently enter Weebly to do the deed.

As I might have mentioned before, I hate bloody electronics and all she stands for. There - frustration enough to make me end a sentence with a preposition. Enjoy the moment.

Rob C

[Steve Weldon]

For an image lacking detail, color or anything else as you have suggested, I sold 6 copies at a charity auction last Saturday night for a pretty good chunk of change even after donating 40% to the charity. I sold three each of these at the same auction, same camera, same night, one to each of the businesses in the shot.

Chris -  I gave you an honest and respectful response to a question you asked.  Nothing you said changes my response, but I am glad you feel you did well at the charity auction.  You're not always going to like the responses you get when requesting a critique.. try to sit on them a while before responding and see if time and thought tempers your reaction a bit.

The next photo you posted is a lot nicer.  The exposure is really good and the noise was handled well.  I like busy docks and this gives a good feeling overall.   You might want to straighten the horizon a bit, correct the centre building from leaning (to the right), and maybe crop out some of that null space bringing the dock and detail closer to the eye for a small screen viewed jpeg. 

Looking forward to more.

[Harald L]

This is a hard crowd to sell an image to.

I can tell.

Harald

[cjogo]

Still approach my little D 60 as a film camera -- shoot everything on RAW and manual everything -- I like that I can flip the screen around and not ever view the images ..... The only time I use the screen is teaching in the field > I dial out all the color :: so the student can visualize B&W ...  

Don't see that much noise in your images ?  Did you set the ISO above 100 ??   Never even venture above 400 -unless its mandatory & hand-held for a portrait * then rarely  ..

[ned.ward]

The second shot has more for me, not saying I don't like the space in no.1. The colour and composition are more to my liking.

I'm dithering at the moment as to what upgrade to go for from my trusty D200, a fine camera in its day. As a complete rank amateur I'm drawn to D610 and D7100 as a pair. Or the D800 as a one body do almost all. I can get either option for around the same dinero methinks.

There will be computing upgrades needed as well I reckon.

These two shots are packed with pixels, you can tell. The potential is obvious with this camera so thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Ned

[Rob C]

The second shot has more for me, not saying I don't like the space in no.1. The colour and composition are more to my liking.

I'm dithering at the moment as to what upgrade to go for from my trusty D200, a fine camera in its day. As a complete rank amateur I'm drawn to D610 and D7100 as a pair. Or the D800 as a one body do almost all. I can get either option for around the same dinero methinks.

There will be computing upgrades needed as well I reckon.

These two shots are packed with pixels, you can tell. The potential is obvious with this camera so thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Ned

I have a D200 too; it's night and day compared to my D700 which never runs out of available gloom possibilities.

If you can borrow a D700, do so. You might never want anything else. The D200 now sleeps its life away in a safe. Megapixels? How big are you really going to print? I think that artificial race is history, much as was the one between 35mm and 120 during the film years. The reality was that one selected format for its ease of application in the field, and that most work printed lay well within the capabilities of either format.

Keep the D200 for security... a body you may never have to use again.

Rob C

[slackercruster]

Yes, looks good!

[David Eckels]

Sorry, to be away; moving and all, Chris. Glad to see the camera arrived in good shape. FWIW, I LIKE the first image. The dark areas add nice drama and I agree, you lucked out with that stray headlight. It will be interesting to see what you think of stitching (go take a nap with the big files) vs the 16-35.

[Chris Calohan]

Sorry, to be away; moving and all, Chris. Glad to see the camera arrived in good shape. FWIW, I LIKE the first image. The dark areas add nice drama and I agree, you lucked out with that stray headlight. It will be interesting to see what you think of stitching (go take a nap with the big files) vs the 16-35.

Are you now in Phoenix? If so, PM me your new address and phone number. I'll be cruising through there before too long.

[David Eckels]

Are you now in Phoenix? If so, PM me your new address and phone number. I'll be cruising through there before too long.

Not yet. Wife moving end of December, and I will go at the end of June to accomodate transition here at the Univ. Mobile will not change.