Your First Serious Photograph

ckcarr · Apr 21, 2022

I just discovered this picture I took with my Nikon D80 back on January 13, 2007 with a Sigma 10-20mm lens. This was one of my first early attempts with an actual tripod, etc... Also the nice Nikon colors...

Maybe you can add yours. See how you've improved.
I'll say that Ben has drastically improved from when I first saw some of his pictures on that FM board. It must be Jim's coaching! Ha-ha!

AlanLichty · Apr 21, 2022

I started taking landscape images about a dozen years earlier but didn't start shooting with a tripod until the summer of 1975 when I went to archaeological field school in the western area of Canyonlands NP. This is a shot of a formation named Head Spur that was along the trail we hiked every morning to get to the cave site we were excavating that summer. Shot with a Pentax Spotmatic mounted on a Slik tripod with Agfachrome 64 film.

Kyle Jones · Apr 21, 2022

Mine is likely this one from Yosemite. Canon film camera and I think a Tokina 20-40 lens.

JimFox · Apr 21, 2022

ckcarr said:
I just discovered this picture I took with my Nikon D80 back on January 13, 2007 with a Sigma 10-20mm lens. This was one of my first early attempts with an actual tripod, etc... Also the nice Nikon colors...

Maybe you can add yours. See how you've improved.
I'll say that Ben has drastically improved from when I first saw some of his pictures on that FM board. It must be Jim's coaching! Ha-ha!

View attachment 48499

Wow!!! That’s a great first serious image Craig!

Ben continues to improve, I agree. I have always enjoyed his photography, he and I photograph a lot a like I think, we both really gravitate towards wide lenses and wide scenes.

JimFox · Apr 21, 2022

I would love to participate Craig, but my first serious photos were back when I was 11 or 12, and none of them exist due to a mom who would throw out everything once a year, baseball cards, stamps, and my photography sadly.

dan swiger · Apr 22, 2022

My 1st serious photography was mostly film from Vietnam. No landscapes.
BUT, my inspiration for landscapes was sparked on a river rafting trip. That lead to getting a 20D and a Sigma 17-70.
This shot is from Halls Valley nearby. Didn't understand much as it was take @ 1/1000, f5.6, ISO 100.
Lucky to have it at 17mm!

JimFox · Apr 22, 2022

dan swiger said:
My 1st serious photography was mostly film from Vietnam. No landscapes.
BUT, my inspiration for landscapes was sparked on a river rafting trip. That lead to getting a 20D and a Sigma 17-70.
This shot is from Halls Valley nearby. Didn't understand much as it was take @ 1/1000, f5.6, ISO 100.
Lucky to have it at 17mm!
View attachment 48535

Ha ha, I totally get you with your settings. I think it takes a while to really understand how it all works together.

I would say post some of your first serious photography from Vietnam. I know this is the Landscape section, but I think the question Craig posted was a generic question. The Landscape section is our main section here, so it ends up getting photos that aren't landscape posted in here too, and that's totally understandable.

dan swiger · Apr 22, 2022

JimFox said:
Ha ha, I totally get you with your settings. I think it takes a while to really understand how it all works together.

I would say post some of your first serious photography from Vietnam. I know this is the Landscape section, but I think the question Craig posted was a generic question. The Landscape section is our main section here, so it ends up getting photos that aren't landscape posted in here too, and that's totally understandable.

OK Jim
My personal favorite from Vietnam is this one. Unfortunately, I lost the negative to this one, so have to scan the print (which I have displayed at home)
From a technical standpoint, didn't understand about preserving the shadows. But the scene from the grubby back scene of the market, with a young lady in her beautiful "ao dai" dress epitomizes that country to me, at a time of war.

JimFox · Apr 22, 2022

dan swiger said:
OK Jim
My personal favorite from Vietnam is this one. Unfortunately, I lost the negative to this one, so have to scan the print (which I have displayed at home)
From a technical standpoint, didn't understand about preserving the shadows. But the scene from the grubby back scene of the market, with a young lady in her beautiful "ao dai" dress epitomizes that country to me, at a time of war.
View attachment 48545

Wow! That's really awesome! A lot to unpack from that scene.

Back then, we could not as easily maintain detail in shadows while also controlling the bright areas. I think you made a good choice on the exposure.

dan swiger · Apr 22, 2022

JimFox said:
Wow! That's really awesome! A lot to unpack from that scene.

Back then, we could not as easily maintain detail in shadows while also controlling the bright areas. I think you made a good choice on the exposure.

I used the in camera light meter (doesn't work now), that was probably avg/center weighted. You just centered the "T" that was visible in the view finder.

JimFox · Apr 23, 2022

dan swiger said:
I used the in camera light meter (doesn't work now), that was probably avg/center weighted. You just centered the "T" that was visible in the view finder.

Yep, I remember those days well. On mine it was a needle that I had to adjust the exposure so it was in the center.

Ben Egbert · Apr 23, 2022

This may be my oldest serious image.

From a slide and taken with a Nikon FE on Kodachrome 25 in the early 1980's

I am still hoping for my photography to improve.

ckcarr · Apr 24, 2022

When I first moved to Colorado in the early 1970's there were a lot of old barns and buildings like that around. It was like the old west. Unfortunately, most seem long gone at this point...

AlanLichty · Apr 24, 2022

ckcarr said:
When I first moved to Colorado in the early 1970's there were a lot of old barns and buildings like that around. It was like the old west. Unfortunately, most seem long gone at this point...

Barnwood got popular for home decor.......

JimFox · Apr 24, 2022

Ben Egbert said:
This may be my oldest serious image.

From a slide and taken with a Nikon FE on Kodachrome 25 in the early 1980's

I am still hoping for my photography to improve.

View attachment 48566

Wow Ben! That looks super cool, but things like the out of focus tree would never be allowed today by you. You do keep getting better and better Ben!

Douglas Sherman · Apr 24, 2022

This is my first serious photograph. It was handheld and I entered it into a contest. I didn't make the cut. It was Fuji Velvia 50 with a Nikon FA.

This image was taken two years later with a tripod while I was lying on the ground. It was published in a Sierra Club Pocket Calendar. It was taken with a Nikon FA and Fuji Velvia 50.

This is how I would have presented it today.

TimMc · Apr 25, 2022

It took me 30 feet below sea level to get serious

taken in 2005 with a Nikon 8400. The diver in the back ground was both the dive master and photography tutor and great friend, Nacho Gil.

Your First Serious Photograph

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