Comments on: Photography brain-dump

By: Hamilton Shields

Hamilton Shields — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:13:01 +0000

I’ve always admired your photos and thought I’d ask a question on which I am totally a novice. I’m wanting to buy a camera to take on my hikes, but am not sure where to start. I’d like something light and for the time being, won’t be doing much editing besides cropping/ resizing.

Is there anything between point-click and DSLR? Or do you think there is a point-click that will get the job done for a non-technician?

Appreciate any advice, and thanks for the inspiration.

By: Martin Rye

Martin Rye — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 21:32:29 +0000

Helpful stuff Chris. Recently I started shooting back in JPG. I tried RAW. Cant be bothered with all the processing. Like the curve stuff. I will play with that. Thanks.

By: David Wasserman

David Wasserman — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:56:02 +0000

Chris, great website/blog

being quite a debutant in the photo area, all your tips are more than welcome.

I find interesting the fact that what you find worthwhile in auto-leveling is the contrary for me. That pic with the summit through the clouds looks way better in its “natural light” than the overall-lost-in-white one. We do all have different tastes I guess.

However that editing on the Yari glacier is awesome. That strip of light is wonderful.

And it’s true, only a couple of pictures turn out interesting in a film. I happen to shoot with b&w film so it’s quite a disappointment everytime I get them from the lab, but it makes the interesting ones worth it.

Stimulated by your blog, I just went to look for old pictures I had of the Honsawa onsen in the Yatugatake 30 years ago…Can’t believe I actually found them, and god was I young on them!

Thank you again and keep up with the excellent work!

By: Red Yeti

Red Yeti — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:11:21 +0000

Great page Chris. I’ve been saving your postings up for way too long now (for some reason I’ve hardly read any blogs, let alone written, since coming back from that long walk last summer).

The section on Framing & Composition really chimed with me.

It’s something that I was better at doing when I used film (like so many people I’m sure!) but I then continued to do so when my first digital camera could only hold 55 or so images on a card (there were bigger cards – I was just too cheap to buy them!

Each shot “counted” more so I’d spend more time really looking at them before I pressed the shutter.

I’ve been consciously aware that I’ve lost that knack by virtue of being able to take so many images.

Trying to recapture it recently hasn’t worked so well – the knack was mostly subconscious. But this has reminded me properly of what I was doing. Thanks very much!

I love Ansel Adams for the fact that so much of what set his images apart was the development style he created. It’s something I refer to when people start to talk about how developing a photo is somehow “cheating” (as if there’s a rulebook?). So many people have the odd impression that professionally shot images are just as the camera recorded them.

As for “faking talent”… you? Nope.

By: CJW

CJW — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:41:20 +0000

Hi Jonas – sorry it’s taken me a while to reply, but I’m very happy you like the blog, and happier still that it’s made you want to get out of the city and explore! Volume is definitely the key to getting better as a photographer (at least at first) – keep shooting, critiquing, deleting and taking more!

By: Jonas

Jonas — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:14:16 +0000

Hi Chris

I’ve been following your blog via the feed for some months now – it’s one of the few Japan-blogs I keep coming back to. I’m absolutely impressed by both your writing and photography. The combination of the stories and to some extent unrelated photos makes for a really good mood. I have never done any serious hiking myself, but your stories always make me want to put on some boots and get out of Tokyo.

I’m trying to become a better photographer myself, so thank you for these hints. Since I admire your skills quite a bit, it is very comforting to hear about your simple techniques! Now I’ve just got to go out and make that file numbering overflow

By: Karl

Karl — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:33:03 +0000

Yep, I’ve also noticed a severe loss of battery power on my compact camera in the winter. My solution for that is exactly the same as yours, bring an extra battery and keep it in warm my pocket.
I still haven’t dared to bring my DSLR (which happens to be the same as yours and the lens too), as I’ve been afraid I might break it. Looking at your pic’s, though, I realize that the camera might be as good as it like, but if it only stays at home, it’s not going to produce any pictures, good or bad. So, time to bring it along on the winter tours too.
Looking at your pictures, it definitely inspires and motivates me to do so. If I can only get one picture as good as yours, it’ll be worth it.
Cord to the battery compartment… Might just try that one instead of freezing my fingers off and loosing the battery into deep snow.
/ Karl

By: CJW

CJW — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:04:41 +0000

Hi Karl – I’m very glad that you like the blog! On batteries, the DSLRs don’t perform well at cold temperatures as you probably know. Down to minus 15 or so (centigrade) they lose some power, but it’s not a show-stopper, and I usually take two batteries with me to compensate. When it gets down to minus 20 and below, I’ve found that the only solution is to remove the battery and stick it either in my glove or in my jacket (where I usually have a hot patch going as well, which helps things along). The other thing I’ve done is to attach a thin nylon cord to the switch on the battery compartment to make it easier to open with thick gloves on. I have wondered if slapping a hot patch onto the camera body itself might help, but I’ve not yet had the presence of mind to pack an extra patch to experiment – something for this winter perhaps….

By: Karl

Karl — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:02:01 +0000

Stumbled upon your blog a couple weeks ago, and couldn’t stop reading and looking for 2 days until I’d at least skimmed through the whole thing. Since then, I’ve gone through it a few times, and stopped at favourite places and re-read them again. All great, great stuff.
One thing I’ve already taken to heart are your tips on your photography brain-dump. However, being out during the cold part of the year, I’m wondering how you do with batteries? Do you have any problems with running out of battery power when you’re out in the cold of the winter? Or do you have tips and tricks to solve or avoid such problems?
/ Karl