I guess are POV's are diametrically opposed??? :-)
Tom C.
From: "Bob W" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Composing on screen vs. in viewfinder. Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006
23:23:06 +0100
Hi,
first of all, I would question the following statements:
> photography and birds. My longest glass that is usable is
> 500mm (with converter it tends to be too soft), so I have to
> crop the pictures to make them interesting.
> Now, when shooting digitally, being forced to crop later
> something happens with my mindset.
Why do you think you have to crop later? What is forcing you to do this?
Like you, I have shot mainly slides, and I prefer to compose in the
viewfinder. I never shoot with the intention of cropping later, and I very
rarely crop. When I've shot wildlife it has usually been with a 400m lens
as
the longest, plus a 2X TC. Admittedly, most of the wildlife I've shot has
been bigger than most birds, but I never found a problem with composing in
the viewfinder. I would hazard a guess that any issue you have is more
psychological than real. With a hide you should be able to get very close
to
the birds. At the bird sanctuaries I've been too, the hides and the birds
have been very close to each other. I notice that the most popular birding
binoculars are something like 8x45, which is not very big. The main issue
with them seems to be the need to focus closely, which also tells me
something about how close you can get to birds.
I recommend that you put these thoughts of cropping out of your mind, and,
as you suggest, practice. Get used to the new techniques you are using
first, before you expect world-shattering photographs, and accept that it
will take some time to get through the learning phase.
--
Cheers,
Bob
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Øsleby [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: 10 April 2006 22:53
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Composing on screen vs. in viewfinder.
>
> Those of you reading the list lately may have noticed that I
> have a project going on, that forces me to explore some new
> land (read learn new techniques).
> How a beeeep should you avoid noticing that? With my endless
> ranting questions ;-)
>
> I have been talking about using longer lenses, building hides
> and so on.
> This has been great fun, and I am learning a lot about
> photography and birds. My longest glass that is usable is
> 500mm (with converter it tends to be too soft), so I have to
> crop the pictures to make them interesting.
>
> This has made me realise that I am a lot better at composing
> in viewfinder then I am with composing on computer screen. I
> have been thinking about this. I have some ideas about why.
>
> First:
> It is that in the field I compose more on instinct. I am
> there, and I have emotions about the motifs. My heart is
> involved, and I believe that it is my heart that makes the
> composing decisions. Back at home, the motifs are more
> distant to me, so there I compose by brain (and as you know,
> that's not much of a brain).
>
> The second reason has to do with the decisive moment:
> When I shot slides my mind was in "capture mode" (sorry Shel,
> I know you don't like that word). When pushing the button I
> knew that what is in frame, stays in frame, and what is out
> of frame, stays out. (Everybody who has tried masking slides
> in glassless frames, knows that you do everything you can to
> avoid that activity later).
>
> Now, when shooting digitally, being forced to crop later
> something happens with my mindset. There is no decisive
> moment in post processing on computer.
> There is always possible to go back.
>
> What I'm saying is that I think I need the decisive moment to
> make a good composition. I also need to be emotionally
> connected with the motif in some way.
>
> But what do I do about this? Practise is one obvious answer.
> And I will practise. But, I also have a strong belief in the
> power and wisdom of this list. I would really surprise me if
> it doesn't burp up some good ideas and advise.
>
>
> Tim
> Mostly harmless (just plain Norwegian)
>
> Never underestimate the power of stupidity in large crowds
> (Very freely after Arthur C. Clarke, or some other clever guy)
>
>
>
>
>
>
