Pics from around the Bay Area today

Alex Burke · Sep 18, 2013

At least 200million years old! sm vers.JPG

I just got this camera and took a few pics in my travels around the Bay today. I haven't used a nice camera since 35mm in the 90's! so these new-fangled ones with 30 buttons are hard to get a grasp of lol. I had a uv filter on but was a smoggy/hazy day. I bought a wide lens today and the Mt Diablo pics(Mt. that burned last week) were taken with the new wide lens which I was excited to get, as was the pic with the lens flare. I have to go back to Marin tomorrow to run an errand so maybe I'll try the Golden Gate from a better angle with the wide lens instead of the mid lens if I get time. Thanks for checking them out and I'm open to any tips for still or video with Canon or Nikon DSLR's. Alex.

DizzyDigger · Sep 18, 2013

The D3200 is a nice little camera, and can take incredible shots
when the opportunity arises. Best suggestion I could make is
switch to Manual mode, and adjust as you would your earlier
model 35mm. Then try the Aperture mode, etc.

The beauty of a DSLR is that you can shoot in RAW format, then
process the raw-data images yourself in a variety of programs. It's
really the only way to get the best out of any frame (or group of
frames).

For DSLR tutorials, the best site is CambridgeInColor, and they
have a full series of tutorials on every aspect of your new Nikon. One
basic rule of photography is the "Rule of Thirds", and applying it will
bring immediate improvement to many of your shots.

Congrats on the purchase, and I'm looking forward to seeing
the improvements in your shots as you get more experience with
it.

RGINN · Sep 18, 2013

Hey not bad. I thought the sky out there would look way worse due to smog but that's not much different than what our sky here in the high country looked like this a.m. We have some smoke from various wildfires across the country lingering in the air. What brand/type of camera did you get?

Alex Burke · Sep 18, 2013

DizzyDigger said:
The D3200 is a nice little camera, and can take incredible shots
when the opportunity arises. Best suggestion I could make is
switch to Manual mode, and adjust as you would your earlier
model 35mm. Then try the Aperture mode, etc.

The beauty of a DSLR is that you can shoot in RAW format, then
process the raw-data images yourself in a variety of programs. It's
really the only way to get the best out of any frame (or group of
frames).

For DSLR tutorials, the best site is CambridgeInColor, and they
have a full series of tutorials on every aspect of your new Nikon. One
basic rule of photography is the "Rule of Thirds", and applying it will
bring immediate improvement to many of your shots.

Congrats on the purchase, and I'm looking forward to seeing
the improvements in your shots as you get more experience with
it.

Cool thanks to both of you and thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out that site for sure. I'm getting a 70D too pretty soon and this Nikon will be as a back-up and for stills. I got the wide 12-24mm Tokina and a cannon 70-300mm already for the cannon but I still need a mid range lens at about 800bucks lol or maybe even 1900 if I go for faster lens.... the lenses cost so much it's gross lol. I thought I was shooting in raw today only to find out I shot jpeg low quality after

It is amazing technology 24.1 megapixels and canon has 20.2 and they shoot cinema quality film I'm blown away by it all

thanks again for link.

Alex Burke · Sep 18, 2013

RGINN said:
Hey not bad. I thought the sky out there would look way worse due to smog but that's not much different than what our sky here in the high country looked like this a.m. We have some smoke from various wildfires across the country lingering in the air. What brand/type of camera did you get?

A Nikon D3200 http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007VGGFZU
And I've been buying lenses for this bad boy lol http://m.bhphotovideo.com/mobile/de...084652?output=EOS+70D+DSLR+Camera+(Body+Only)

vpnavy · Sep 18, 2013

Nice photographs MeteorMiner. Thanks for sharing...

Alex Burke · Sep 19, 2013

Thank you VP, I ended up not going back to Golden Gate Bridge today after all but I did go out in search of a good spot and more practice with the camera and found this crazy spot that gave me a view of millions of people! It was hazier than yesterday but I can see getting some good shots here in the future on clearer air quality days and when I'm not shooting right into the sun lol.

the look and feel I was going for! smaller.JPG

Alex Burke · Sep 21, 2013

Omg I'm getting quite addicted to this lol, I tried to get some shots before work but ended up in a bank of fog ruining the good view so I just got a couple of pics underneath all the fog.

3rd pick is from other night not today just resized better

Ronzie · Sep 21, 2013

Nice pics. Love the Bay area and have been there several times. Have relatives in Walnut Creek and then further out in Davis.

aa battery · Sep 21, 2013

luv that area. We were just up there to visit my grandpas grave at the precidio cemetary. Hes got a great view

Alex Burke · Sep 21, 2013

I know where your talking about. I used to play at Lincoln golf course when I was living over that side of bay it has some great views and is affordable for some reason lol. Lots of walking up hills and its not a super high quality course but I'm not a high quality golfer so it was a good fit. Thanks for the replies guys I'll keep posting pics here. Alex.

I figured out how to link full size images through imgur.com yay lol.

Alex Burke · Sep 28, 2013

Morning guys here are some pics most of them are from last night, the guys on the pier that I was on caught a shark lol. I will post more pics later my memory card isn't getting all the pics to the computer so I have to figure out why it won't read some pics. Last pic gust of wind gave a cool mistake pic

View attachment QQd4Ecd.jpg

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tamrock · Sep 28, 2013

Beautiful...My wife and 3 daughters went out that way 2 months ago. They stayed on the coast a little north of the bay and text me pic's of all the good times they were having. I stayed home with 2 dogs and a cat... Love the breeze, smell of the air and sights on the SF Bay!

Alex Burke · Sep 29, 2013

Lol well Grant you have a great attitude for having to stay home with the cat, thanks for the 'likes' they're motivational

here's more pics from today/tonight. Also speaking of cats I have included a pic of my sisters cat from today and a random strawberry from her backyard..

View attachment 1h5nmob.jpg

River Rat · Sep 29, 2013

Great pics...keep em coming!

Alex Burke · Sep 30, 2013

Lol well I was in the right place at the right time and caught a wedding proposal! Sorry if this thread has degraded into some weird photo-blog, I'll try to post something treasure hunting related or prospecting here soon lol. I do have a plan behind all this practice and weird genre's lol. I'm going to start doing some video here soon and I'll post a prospecting trip or come film one of you guys for a day etc.

Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp · Sep 30, 2013

MetoeorMiner, You are doing just fine, I was born in Sf and lived many years there and across the Bay in Marin counry, Mill Valley. I remember the old ferries sigh. However you haven't posted any of SF's famous mark, the thick fog coming in on the bridge. nor The Golden Gate Park or Sutro forest. Twin Peaks was good for necking in those days hi RR heheheheh

Gracias

Don Jose de La Mancha

Alex Burke · Oct 1, 2013

Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp said:
MetoeorMiner, You are doing just fine, I was born in Sf and lived many years there and across the Bay in Marin counry, Mill Valley. I remember the old ferries sigh. However you haven't posted any of SF's famous mark, the thick fog coming in on the bridge. nor The Golden Gate Park or Sutro forest. Twin Peaks was good for necking in those days hi RR heheheheh

Gracias

Don Jose de La Mancha

Thank you TT I appreciate the kind words. I did post one of the bridge above but ironically you asked for the GGB cloaked in fog and I just happened to get that exact shot today lol, look closely at this pic