BajaNomad

2006 Baja Photos

Cardon - 3-15-2006 at 08:55 AM

Just got back from 5 weeks in Baja and had a great time. I won't give a detailed report but will give snippets of reports along with photos. Why here is a photo now:


I have about 80 photos posted on my website www.craigpearson.com from this year's trip with many more to be posted in the coming days.

When you get to the site you can customize the way the site looks by clicking on the style button and picking your favorite style. Try different styles to see which you like best and then just click thru the photos by using the NEXT button.


Underneath each photo is a place where you can make comments for all to see. If you see a photo that you know something about - interesting , funny or have an opinion about (good,bad or otherwise)- then please make a comment.

Some of the styles have EXIF INFO about the pictures for all you photographers out there. Looking at the exif data you can get an idea of how the photo was taken. Most of the 2006 photos were taken with my Nikon d50 and 18-200mm lense but a few were taken with my Casio z750.

Also, when/if you get to a photo that you like you can usually click on the photo to get a bigger view of it.

Again, I have lots more photos to post so check back often to see what's new.

Enjoy!!

David K - 3-15-2006 at 09:17 AM

Here's a direct link to the first page of Craig's 2006 Baja photos: http://baja.smugmug.com/gallery/1274122

They were great to look over! Thanks Cardon!

Nice photo of Ann Hazard, by the way...

[Edited on 3-15-2006 by David K]

bajajudy - 3-15-2006 at 10:12 AM

Spectacular
Keep em coming.!:yes:

Bajagato - 3-15-2006 at 10:19 AM

Beautiful shots! Thanks for sharing!

Juan del Rio - 3-15-2006 at 12:51 PM

Great Photography!!!

rpleger - 3-15-2006 at 12:58 PM

Great fotos......got some good color ideas for my house.
Thanks

Cardon - 3-15-2006 at 03:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rpleger
Great fotos......got some good color ideas for my house.
Thanks


Thanks for the comment. Here is another color scheme for you to consider.

Sharksbaja - 3-15-2006 at 03:46 PM

one word "flashbacks"

Good fotos and layout. Thanx!

Neal Johns - 3-15-2006 at 05:53 PM

Outstanding! I feel bad when I look at my little snapshots after seeing your Photographs.

Pompano - 3-15-2006 at 06:04 PM

Cardon...Bravo! Those are..simply put...truly great photos!

I also have a passion for taking photos, but I fear I now need a little better camera than my Nikon Coolpix 4300. It has been through the wars. Could you recommend something?

Cypress - 3-15-2006 at 06:14 PM

Cardon, Great pictures! thanks

Cardon - 3-15-2006 at 06:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Neal Johns
Outstanding! I feel bad when I look at my little snapshots after seeing your Photographs.


Neal, I don't want you to feel bad so here is a photo just for you.

Please don't show this photo to the other guys on here, I'd hate to have them know the truth about me.

Cardon - 3-15-2006 at 06:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Cardon...Bravo! Those are..simply put...truly great photos!

I also have a passion for taking photos, but I fear I now need a little better camera than my Nikon Coolpix 4300. It has been through the wars. Could you recommend something?


I've heard that the Coolpix 4300 is a pretty good little camera. So you could keep that and jump up to a Digital SLR like I did. I picked the Nikon D50 cuz its about the lowest priced DSLR out there but is quite capable and it has received great reviews. You can get the D50 with a kit lense 17-55mm for about $600-$700. That should get you started. I think nowadays most any camera is going to take good pictures. Also, all the photos I've posted have taken a little trip thru Photoshop!;D

Pompano - 3-15-2006 at 06:53 PM

Thanks for that info, Cardon..I had heard sometime back about the Nikon D50 (from ken Bondy, I believe) and you have confirmed that advice. So.. I will go to the camera store manana and check them out.

I know I have 'Photoshop' on my pc...thanks to a computer friend...but really don't know anything about it yet...so after the new camera, that's got to be next on my busy agenda. What does this do to help a photo? Dummies like me would like to know.

Cardon...

eetdrt88 - 3-15-2006 at 10:20 PM

your photos are inspiring...thanks;D

Cardon - 3-15-2006 at 11:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Thanks for that info, Cardon..I had heard sometime back about the Nikon D50 (from ken Bondy, I believe) and you have confirmed that advice. So.. I will go to the camera store manana and check them out.

I know I have 'Photoshop' on my pc...thanks to a computer friend...but really don't know anything about it yet...so after the new camera, that's got to be next on my busy agenda. What does this do to help a photo? Dummies like me would like to know.


Photoshop lets you adjust how light or dark the pic is and can adjust the exposure of the pic and sharpen them up etc. Photoshop is overkill really, there are lots of other cheaper programs that will do most anything you would need to adjust a picture. Photoshop has a very steep learning curve as well. I've been using photoshop for years so I'm comfortable with it but I don't recommend it to others. I would recommend its little brother Photoshop Elements, Corel Paint, Paintshop Pro, and many others. Picasa is free and can do quite alot of useful things to improve photos.
And about the camera recommendation- Canon is #1 it seems in digital cameras these days and they have one called Canon Digital Rebel XT that is somewhat similar to the Nikon D50 that you should check out while at the store too. Just make sure you don't get a Konica/Minolta as they are going out of business at the end of this month. Good Luck,Craig

Neal Johns - 3-15-2006 at 11:34 PM

Pomp, the main difference between Photoshop and Elements 4 (both made by Adobe) re other photo programs is the ability to apply corrections to only part of the picture rather than overall. Elements has more menus that Photoshop and has a few less features but is a better place to start. You can move up to Photoshop later.

Thanks, Cardon and Neal Johns. That's all good info for me..

Pompano - 3-16-2006 at 06:04 AM

Today will be very informative, I can see. I'll see if I can learn something from my computer-savvy brother about his gift of Photoshop along with getting instructions on Element from Adobe (I downloaded some dobe just the other day.) He installed some other photo-enhancing programs for me, too, but I lack the necessary computer skills, experience, patience and gray matter to master these marvels. They are nice little icons on my screen, though.

Thanks to the computer experts....my system is well-stocked ...but I am a little like Rodney Dangerfield, who said.........."I couldn't wait for success...so I went ahead without it."

I can't post anything that comes close to your photos, Cardon, Neal Johns, Ken Bondy,Nikon, and other experts, but here's some examples of my old Coolpix I just now shot.... What do you think? How much better will the Nikon D50 be? Can I expect to see some improvement over my old Coolpix?

Please excuse my taking your post a little off-thread, Cardon, but I felt this was the appropriate place to ask my questions.

Here's the first photo...a close-up.

a second...regular inside distance setting.

Pompano - 3-16-2006 at 06:06 AM

(the 'maid' is grumping about my not helping with housework....sigh)

and the last...taken yesterday while drooling over this beauty!!

Pompano - 3-16-2006 at 06:09 AM

(I got a little 'sticker shock' on this Ford GT....can you believe 200K!)


WELL, THAT'S IT.....WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD I EXPECT A LOT BETTER QUALITY? MUCHAS GRACIAS!!

wow!

gringorio - 3-16-2006 at 07:36 AM

I agree - great photographs! I really like the one of the frigate bird on the cordon - cool perspective...

After looking more I really like the cactus photos too :bounce:

Looks like you had a blast!

[Edited on 3-16-2006 by gringorio]

Neal Johns - 3-16-2006 at 09:47 AM

Pompano, my opinions:

The first picture can be improved, not by the camera as much as by proper lighting. The white areas are "blown out", ie, over exposed. This causes lack of detail. You can recover some of the detail using Elements or Photoshop without affecting the rest of the picture.

The middle picture looks like mine. :lol: There is little hope for it. Cluttered

The third pic is very good considering the place taken and another camera will show little improvement.

What I need is Cardon's "Photographer's Eye". I'm just a Techie (Nerd?). My current wife, Marian, is an art major and is the Photographer in the family.

Pompano - 3-16-2006 at 10:08 AM

Thanks, Neal Johns...today's a success, because I learned something.

Cardon - 3-16-2006 at 11:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano


What do you think? How much better will the Nikon D50 be? Can I expect to see some improvement over my old Coolpix?






Your pics will most likely be better with a digital SLR but that doesn't necessarily mean you should get one right away. Your pics with the Coolpix shows that it can take very good pictures. You can take even better pics with the Coolpix if you make some small adjustments.
Here is a suggestion for all photographers especially those using point and shoot cameras:

Hold the camera steady!! This will greatly improve most pictures. I see people all the time holding their little Point and Shoot cameras out away from their body so they can look at the LCD screen on the back of the camera while they line up the shot. This means the camera is moving and slightly blurs the picture. You just can't hold your arms out away from your body steady- you may not see your arms moving but the camera does. Its better to use the viewfinder and press the camera up against your eye/head to help steady it. Of course, using a tripod or monopod is best but that is a hassle and you'll miss many shots while you set it up.
The Coolpix I'm sure has ways to adjust it like changing the shutter speed, adjusting the ISO speed, changing the aperture settings etc. If you don't know how to change those on the Coolpix to match the need of the shot you want to take then you probably won't make those changes on a DSLR either. The one huge advantage a digital SLR has is the zoom lenses are much easier and faster to use over point and shoot cameras. That is important if you want to take pics of birds, fast moving scenes, people that are impatient etc.
Well I'm going to end this post and go do a little thinking(if you can believe that) about this photography stuff and I'll make another thread with some simple suggestions for all of us to improve our photos.