How to take stunning pictures - channel 5 tv series

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MrLOL said:
Just watched it on Five Demand now and felt a little disappointed.

The first episode definitely was concentrating on composition, i was expecting it to take a more technical approach talking about limitations of compact cameras with ISO noise etc..

Will wait and see how things progress.
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Well composition is far far more important if you want good photos, so it's not a bad starting point. For all the technically excellent photos on this forum, 90% are plain boring because the composition is lacking...
 
The first episode definitely was concentrating on composition, i was expecting it to take a more technical approach talking about limitations of compact cameras with ISO noise etc..
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Having just watched the first ep I would say this would be the least of my expectations for at least the first few eps and that they kicked off the series well.

The portrait of the little girl that one of the guys took using a 5MP camera was proof enougb that a decent enough portrait can be printed and it can look good so getting the basics right first (comp, lighting) is the main thing to start with.
 
I think its obvious that the wedding was fixed. Your not going to say to a couple have a couple of newbies do your wedding and turn up late when their own camera crew was there before they were.
Also advising two main photographers to battle for shots is a recipe for disaster. Thats asking for confused guests and heads turned each way but forward.

The show really doesn't bring anything to anyone wanting to learn anything. The only half decent advise comes from the pros...
I mean "take stunning pictures" It should be renamed "look for stunning moments"

"I couldnt take a photograph of the groom during the speech because he was backlit" So she takes a almost all black photo. Where is the advise how to counter this situation? Thats what people want to know about.
Its also well and good saying to the newbies that heres your shot on a lumix and here is a pros on a 5D.

Now I am not one to say its all about equipment because it isn't but quite simply some shots require decent equipment. All the examples of pro shots show absolute shallow depth of field and you simply cant expect a lumix to top that.

I know I really dont need to watch this show at all but I can just imagine watchers hoping to progress trying these tips and still shooting with the lens cap on.
A little run down of the basics helps everyone 5ive!
 
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Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
I think its obvious that the wedding was fixed. Your not going to say to a couple have a couple of newbies do your wedding and turn up late when their own camera crew was there before they were.
Also advising two main photographers to battle for shots is a recipe for disaster. Thats asking for confused guests and heads turned each way but forward.

The show really doesn't bring anything to anyone wanting to learn anything. The only half decent advise comes from the pros...
I mean "take stunning pictures" It should be renamed "look for stunning moments"

"I couldnt take a photograph of the groom during the speech because he was backlit" So she takes a almost all black photo. Where is the advise how to counter this situation? Thats what people want to know about.
Its also well and good saying to the newbies that heres your shot on a lumix and here is a pros on a 5D.

Now I am not one to say its all about equipment because it isn't but quite simply some shots require decent equipment. All the examples of pro shots show absolute shallow depth of field and you simply cant expect a lumix to top that.

I know I really dont need to watch this show at all but I can just imagine watchers hoping to progress trying these tips and still shooting with the lens cap on.
A little run down of the basics helps everyone 5ive!
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I haven't watched it but that sounds like it has more bad advice than good advice on that show!
 
Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
The show really doesn't bring anything to anyone wanting to learn anything. The only half decent advise comes from the pros...
I mean "take stunning pictures" It should be renamed "look for stunning moments"
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My thoughts exactly

another episode where did everything BUT talk about how to take good photos. They talked about how to find good moments and get the background right etc.. but again its almost totally about composition.
 
MrLOL said:
My thoughts exactly

another episode where did everything BUT talk about how to take good photos. They talked about how to find good moments and get the background right etc.. but again its almost totally about composition.
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And again - that's where the battle's won, look at the 'post you photos' thread, plenty of perfectly exposed, sharp photos in there which are just plain dull. Sorry but there are (mine included most of the time). Until you understand what makes good composition all the technical ability in the world won't make your shots interesting.
 
Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
I think its obvious that the wedding was fixed. Your not going to say to a couple have a couple of newbies do your wedding and turn up late when their own camera crew was there before they were.
Also advising two main photographers to battle for shots is a recipe for disaster. Thats asking for confused guests and heads turned each way but forward.

The show really doesn't bring anything to anyone wanting to learn anything. The only half decent advise comes from the pros...
I mean "take stunning pictures" It should be renamed "look for stunning moments"

"I couldnt take a photograph of the groom during the speech because he was backlit" So she takes a almost all black photo. Where is the advise how to counter this situation? Thats what people want to know about.
Its also well and good saying to the newbies that heres your shot on a lumix and here is a pros on a 5D.

Now I am not one to say its all about equipment because it isn't but quite simply some shots require decent equipment. All the examples of pro shots show absolute shallow depth of field and you simply cant expect a lumix to top that.

I know I really dont need to watch this show at all but I can just imagine watchers hoping to progress trying these tips and still shooting with the lens cap on.
A little run down of the basics helps everyone 5ive!
Click to expand...

Good post, absolutely spot on about everything. I was also particularly frustrated about them not explaining how to counter the back lit photos. It didnt really tell you anything except to step back from the action and look for shots other people wouldnt see. brilliant:rolleyes:
 
It's not too bad, but they have missed a trick. They should either deal with a technical\technique aspect each episode in detail and\or have an episode dedicated to the core techniques required. C+ for effort.
 
bigredshark said:
And again - that's where the battle's won, look at the 'post you photos' thread, plenty of perfectly exposed, sharp photos in there which are just plain dull. Sorry but there are (mine included most of the time). Until you understand what makes good composition all the technical ability in the world won't make your shots interesting.
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Of course composition is important but photography is a recipe of many elements and composition is just one of those. Take the pros selected shot from the lady of the bride and groom with a kid looking dazed. Yes thats a nice shot because its composed nicely but that same shot could have so easily of been destroyed by bad light or maximum depth of field in a busy location.

You cant tell someone that get good at composition and then expect them to enter a wedding career. Its just unfair on a couple who could be the victims of terrible work.
I am really surprised they included weddings in their 2nd episode. Being the top dog of the categories for perfection I would have expected this last. This just confirms to me that the series is just a slop of information randomly inserted.
 
Johnny|lucidcomposure said:
Of course composition is important but photography is a recipe of many elements and composition is just one of those.
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But the other elements are technical at the end of the day, anybody with sufficient patience and a moderate IQ can learn to get things in focus and expose a shot correctly, composition is at least partially artistic and some people will just never ever get it.

Added to which, bad exposure and the like is fixable in post processing to an extent, bad composition is pretty terminal.

I don't think it's a perfect bit of TV and it's certainly not really aimed at people here but for the premise it works, most people won't shoot in manual mode (I suspect most people here stick with Aperture and Shutter priority even), they won't spend even a couple of minutes on a shot, they'll spend 20 seconds and snap on auto mode. For those people the biggest step to better photos in some appreciation of good composition...
 
bigredshark said:
But the other elements are technical at the end of the day, anybody with sufficient patience and a moderate IQ can learn to get things in focus and expose a shot correctly, composition is at least partially artistic and some people will just never ever get it.

Added to which, bad exposure and the like is fixable in post processing to an extent, bad composition is pretty terminal.

I don't think it's a perfect bit of TV and it's certainly not really aimed at people here but for the premise it works, most people won't shoot in manual mode (I suspect most people here stick with Aperture and Shutter priority even), they won't spend even a couple of minutes on a shot, they'll spend 20 seconds and snap on auto mode. For those people the biggest step to better photos in some appreciation of good composition...
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No of course no one is arguing those facts. No one is also taking anything away from bad composition.
 
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