Search found 100 matches

by Erik Williams
November 16th, 2013, 5:49 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: What herps do you have problems photographing?
Replies: 22
Views: 9514

Re: What herps do you have problems photographing?

Mole (ambystomatid) salamanders. I don't even try anymore. They can be all shiny and press their chins against the ground by themselves, I don't want to play. Everything else has been cooperative at some point, but most of the ambystoma are jerks.
by Erik Williams
September 24th, 2013, 10:58 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Portraiture Photography (yes, of Humans not Herps)
Replies: 4
Views: 4190

Re: Portraiture Photography (yes, of Humans not Herps)

So I know this isn't much help, but I'll second the use of black. Your shots are high key which don't always need black, but you have high contrast lighting also (like in between strands of hair) that would really benefit from black. Other than that, I've always shot people candidly. I've tried sett...
by Erik Williams
September 24th, 2013, 10:42 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Tropical Photography Gear
Replies: 12
Views: 8355

Re: Tropical Photography Gear

I highly recommend not having time for that BS.

Image
by Erik Williams
August 14th, 2013, 10:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road
Replies: 17
Views: 5764

Re: Snake Road

Psssht the Chicago Herp Society owns all the tin in southern Illinois. You're merely allowed to see it by virtue of your Illinois-ness.


On a serious note, I'll be down there the 5th of October-ish, should we do a roll call?
by Erik Williams
July 27th, 2013, 9:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road
Replies: 17
Views: 5764

Re: Snake Road

yeah stay away from this tin site too. Even though Justin is shooting a timber, it is obviously either his tin site or someone elses. :thumb:

Image

happy herping!
by Erik Williams
July 27th, 2013, 9:02 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?
Replies: 30
Views: 11590

Re: Traveling with snake hooks and other gear?

I check tongs and hooks in a $10 rifle case. They always want to open it and inspect it, so I always show them exactly what's inside right away. Usually it shows up at my destination with about a roll each of three kinds of tape wrapped around it and crudely scrawled notes that it is snake handling ...
by Erik Williams
July 8th, 2013, 6:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Places to Herp
Replies: 21
Views: 5043

Re: Places to Herp

Find some dirty (RR ties) train tracks going through forest preserves or other habitat. Here in Northern IL, that's your best bet at seeing a variety of stuff. It's a way of seeing a local sample, so to speak.
by Erik Williams
May 6th, 2013, 10:23 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Herp-a-day (pt II)
Replies: 492
Views: 197964

Re: Herp-a-day (pt II)

Yes, that is true. the high magnification causes f/25 (or whatever) to be smaller than the subject. Reducing magnification or increasing f/number are the only (applicable) ways to increase the DoF in that situation. There was nothing incorrect about that statement at all! distance to subject is prob...
by Erik Williams
May 5th, 2013, 11:12 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Herp-a-day (pt II)
Replies: 492
Views: 197964

Re: Herp-a-day (pt II)

Dof Is determined by magnification and F/stop, not proximity. that's an important consideration when you're using lenses of different focal lengths and magnifications. Don, How is the salamander's tail not in focus at f/25? :shock: Dalton, Remember that the area in focus (DoF) at a given aperture is...
by Erik Williams
March 6th, 2013, 8:17 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Another Fellow Possibly Upgrading *EDIT* + Current Question
Replies: 35
Views: 13205

Re: Another Fellow Possibly Upgrading

PM me before you get rid of your 35 macro pleeezzzeee


Personally I think olympus is the way to go. The OM-D is pretty enticing...
by Erik Williams
March 6th, 2013, 12:38 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Another Fellow Possibly Upgrading *EDIT* + Current Question
Replies: 35
Views: 13205

Re: Another Fellow Possibly Upgrading

what lenses do you already own?

Olympus zuiko makes some very very nice lenses...
by Erik Williams
March 6th, 2013, 12:23 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: shooting scenarios
Replies: 10
Views: 6629

Re: shooting scenarios

center weighted metering or spot metering will work too - just meter for the subject not the overall scene. The background is going to be black anyway, unless you have the midnight sun or a tripod with you
by Erik Williams
June 16th, 2012, 4:43 am
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Editing Question (Sorry for all the threads)
Replies: 6
Views: 2698

Re: Editing Question (Sorry for all the threads)

noise reduction and sharpening
by Erik Williams
June 6th, 2012, 9:27 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Decent Camera on a budget?
Replies: 43
Views: 13988

Re: Decent Camera on a budget?

what about a used fleabay camera? I always liked the sony line before I went to DSLR. they even made brown snakes look good. (sony H5. No idea what the going rate is now, but I paid about $350 new) Or, consider an older DSLR. You can get into canon gear for a couple hundred bucks - older body and a ...
by Erik Williams
May 22nd, 2012, 7:34 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A couple lifers from a recent trip (OH)
Replies: 7
Views: 1820

Re: A couple lifers from a recent trip (OH)

Thanks Steve, I use an olympus E3. Most with 50mm macro, wide shots with the 12-60 SWD
by Erik Williams
May 17th, 2012, 10:59 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A couple lifers from a recent trip (OH)
Replies: 7
Views: 1820

A couple lifers from a recent trip (OH)

PHOTOS!!!! K3 illinois http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7204454102_94ecf96505_o.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7204453934_d8f3b128e5_o.jpg O-hi-o! http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7204454294_031d89b6ce_o.jpg lifer http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7078/7204453636_373d6f82de_o.jpg big mama h...
by Erik Williams
May 17th, 2012, 9:41 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping So. Illinois
Replies: 18
Views: 3929

Re: Herping So. Illinois

nice finds. I haven't been to snake road since the last time we herped together (crappy conditions) but I do miss it. Maybe I'll shoot for the fall shindig.
by Erik Williams
March 19th, 2012, 3:25 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Lens Rumor
Replies: 6
Views: 2166

Re: Lens Rumor

zeiss, it will be very good. and very expensive. I have a 50-200 that I use all the time, perfect focal length for hots. Good with extension tubes too.
by Erik Williams
March 12th, 2012, 6:09 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Another flash/no flash question...
Replies: 6
Views: 3064

Re: Another flash/no flash question...

I think the second shot is WAY better composed than the first - he's facing the camera instead of away, is at an angle instead of straight on, and feels twice as alive because of it. he doesn't have that stick in front of his rear leg and has a much more expressive face. If his feet were on the grou...
by Erik Williams
February 27th, 2012, 6:17 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Salamander Photography?
Replies: 52
Views: 18471

Re: Salamander Photography?

Thanks Justin - but I only stop to shoot the pretty ones. Come on up any tuesday in salamander season and we'll go.
by Erik Williams
February 21st, 2012, 9:33 am
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Salamander Photography?
Replies: 52
Views: 18471

Re: Salamander Photography?

expose for the highlights instead of an average, and keep the light behind you or shoot in deep shade. a reflector can be really nice for shiny things because it won't throw huge white light on it. Flash sucks for shiny stuff. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5105/5591351064_d72d24f092_o.jpg if you nee...
by Erik Williams
January 10th, 2012, 11:39 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Canon D 500 closeup lens
Replies: 5
Views: 2444

Re: Canon D 500 closeup lens

I had a lens like this, a high quality sony model in 3.5ish diopter. With a good long zoom it rocked. I've heard nothing but good things about the canon models.
by Erik Williams
January 10th, 2012, 11:37 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Really Stupid Question
Replies: 9
Views: 2734

Re: Really Stupid Question

get a new monitor. I spent under $200 on a viewsonic in 1080p, calibrated it with software, printed some photos, adjusted calibration, printed some more, adjusted calibration, printed some more, decided it was perfect. Compare your print output with your monitor output and it's easy money.
by Erik Williams
January 1st, 2012, 12:22 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake activity prior to a Tornado
Replies: 5
Views: 1393

Re: Snake activity prior to a Tornado

I prefer to herp last year's tornadoes. Lots of downed barns and tin
by Erik Williams
December 29th, 2011, 7:16 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Salamander Photography?
Replies: 52
Views: 18471

Re: Salamander Photography?

I actually lift their front legs off the ground with a stick under the chin. Then when you set them back down, they are standing up as much as a salamander can. Posing them on a ledge of some kind can help give the illusion of standing upright too. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3060/2402230226_f97e5...
by Erik Williams
December 14th, 2011, 9:52 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Noise
Replies: 16
Views: 4918

Re: Noise

Oh yeah, there's a lot of difference between the two shots - the gaping green snake was shot at first light on a nice spring morning, the high-iso shot was taken at dusk, after sundown, on a summer night. The quality and temperature of the light are different but the saturation is definitely skewed ...
by Erik Williams
December 9th, 2011, 9:27 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Noise
Replies: 16
Views: 4918

Re: Noise

Gee, glad I posted this after all ;-) ...lot's of new information for me. Thanks all! Chris, didn't even know about the noise reduction feature which IS available on my old EOS. I tried some quick tests with it on and off at ISO 1600. Curiously, those noise reduction appeared less sharp on close ex...
by Erik Williams
December 9th, 2011, 7:28 am
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Wanting advice for a good field camera and Gps
Replies: 7
Views: 2214

Re: Wanting advice for a good field camera and Gps

my cell phone is my GPS. I can take a picture of what I found and it will give me the GPS coordinates in "picture info." I'll never spend money on a dedicated one. Buy a better camera with the extra $100.
by Erik Williams
December 9th, 2011, 7:26 am
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Noise
Replies: 16
Views: 4918

Re: Noise

I don't correct for ISO noise. I haven't found a photo where I felt it detracted from the image, but I do try to keep the ISO as low as possible. Image stabilization is a good friend of mine. what i DO correct for is high-ISO washout, which is far worse. The more the sensor is pushed, the less satur...
by Erik Williams
October 5th, 2011, 10:30 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: an interesting find
Replies: 13
Views: 3420

an interesting find

I've been sidelined by weddings, money and time this year and have only made a few trips out. One trip was in cook county, looking for whatever. It was more an excuse to get out than anything, as it had been terribly dry for a month prior. we did manage to scrounge up some queen snakes, a YOY waters...
by Erik Williams
September 15th, 2011, 12:26 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake Road Question
Replies: 27
Views: 4994

Re: Snake Road Question

I've seen many timbers on snake road itself, but they are not a common snake. Southern IL hasnt gotten a lot of rain this year (except for some SEVERE flooding this spring) so I'm not sure how productive it will be - your timing is a bit late but not too late, so concentrate on the west facing bluff...
by Erik Williams
August 31st, 2011, 9:33 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Mirrorless SLRs
Replies: 14
Views: 4573

Re: Mirrorless SLRs

Anyway, we'll have to go to a camera shop and actually handle the different cameras to make a final decision. Robert That sounds good. The swivel monitor and EVF are good considerations. I know the Oly has aftermarket EVFs, but I don't know too much about the m4/3 system since it doesn't offer the ...
by Erik Williams
August 19th, 2011, 11:17 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Mirrorless SLRs
Replies: 14
Views: 4573

Re: Mirrorless SLRs

I'd look at the Olympus offerings before the panasonic. I'm biased because I have regular 4/3 equipment. Olympus bodies have built in image stabilization. That's a really nice feature. Some panasonic lenses have IS, but they have all but dropped their support for full size 4/3 so it is unlikely they...
by Erik Williams
August 17th, 2011, 7:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Illinois Herps? Any luck???
Replies: 9
Views: 1967

Re: Illinois Herps? Any luck???

I don't even herp for most of july and august, unless june and early july are temperate. As soon as "summer" hits around here, the herps go into hiding. I'll start again towards the end of the month if the weather stays cooler.
by Erik Williams
August 1st, 2011, 9:27 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)
Replies: 19
Views: 4080

Re: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong; Macro lens is for upclose (distance wise) photography, while teloscopic lens are for distance shots that looks like a person has taken the photo up close distance wise. Hope this helps, been researching cameras myself and got lost in the jargon a few times as w...
by Erik Williams
July 31st, 2011, 9:17 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)
Replies: 19
Views: 4080

Re: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)

Justin: That 400mm has very close focus to begin with. The extension tube cuts that down to about 60%. Being able to focus 400mm at two feet is a LOT of magnification for a safe distance (the timber we were shooting wasn't more than 20 inches long). The bare lens is usually more than enough magnific...
by Erik Williams
July 30th, 2011, 10:51 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)
Replies: 19
Views: 4080

Re: Stupid Question ( oh gawd! Not again!!!!)

sigma makes tons of zoom macro lenses. The problem is that the lenses are mostly standard quality and slow. The sigma 70-300 gets close to 1:1 magnification which makes it great for shooting butterfly eyes at six feet; it is a true "macro" lens by most people's definition. again, it suffer...
by Erik Williams
July 28th, 2011, 11:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Texas Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens) in SW MO.
Replies: 5
Views: 3089

Re: Texas Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens) in SW

MO proximus

Image

Nuthin dull about that one...from the OK border.
by Erik Williams
July 28th, 2011, 8:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Rain in hot Chicago = movement?
Replies: 3
Views: 1034

Rain in hot Chicago = movement?

I know it's mid summer and hitting 100f during the day, but has anyone in the heavy rain areas of northeast IL been out looking recently? I'm just wondering if the moisture is enough to pull things out of hiding - it didn't rain for nearly a month before this recent bombardment. I typically take jul...
by Erik Williams
July 22nd, 2011, 12:26 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Canon 40d question
Replies: 15
Views: 4016

Re: Canon 40d question

The tiny viewfinders in crop sensor DSLRs make it very hard to focus manually. My guess is that it is just too small to see accurately.
by Erik Williams
July 20th, 2011, 5:39 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Transatlanticism
Replies: 13
Views: 3202

Re: Transatlanticism

awesome post, I love the stuff we don't see in the states.

I'd just clone out those stray grass blades in the adder shot, it would take five minutes.
by Erik Williams
July 16th, 2011, 11:28 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Recent creek adventures.
Replies: 14
Views: 3253

Re: Recent creek adventures.

I use a hat. Then I don't have to carry it.
by Erik Williams
July 13th, 2011, 8:27 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Going to Disney next week
Replies: 50
Views: 9017

Re: Going to Disney next week

Plus, Disney is dry.

:cry:


Although there is something to be said for kicking back and relaxing...
by Erik Williams
July 12th, 2011, 3:09 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Going to Disney next week
Replies: 50
Views: 9017

Re: Going to Disney next week

Norman M. Schlincter wrote:Why herp when you're at Disney World?
or, why go to Disney World when you can herp?
by Erik Williams
July 8th, 2011, 12:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New to the world of herping.
Replies: 10
Views: 2066

Re: New to the world of herping.

And start looking for people in your area that might have time to get in the field with you - sometimes finding the hard-to-get lifelist herps requires help. And it's good to have another set of eyes and some company. If you are in MD you might do better in the northeast chapter forum, although you'...
by Erik Williams
July 8th, 2011, 12:10 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Nesting Hogs, 2011
Replies: 39
Views: 6791

Re: Nesting Hogs, 2011

bgorum - The nesting areas are higher in elevation than the surrounding areas which probably helps with drainage, they get a good amount of sun, they are pretty open (less vegetation), and they are near wetlands (prey for hatchlings). Carl Awesome post. I just thought I'd quote the greatest line he...
by Erik Williams
July 6th, 2011, 8:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: DOR Hoaxes
Replies: 69
Views: 10217

Re: DOR Hoaxes

It's often damn banana peels. Who is eating all these bananas?
by Erik Williams
July 1st, 2011, 11:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: My first bite (non-venemous)
Replies: 18
Views: 3847

Re: My first bite (non-venemous)

kyle loucks wrote:I remember my first bite. An Eastern Garter, my mother wanted to pour whiskey on it. The bite that is...
That's alcohol abuse!


to the OP, here's to many, many more where that came from :beer:
by Erik Williams
June 15th, 2011, 4:53 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Beginner Basics
Replies: 9
Views: 3558

Re: Beginner Basics

Actually, there are a couple of other "tricks" I can think of. It is very hard for a beginner to visualize how fast life is in terms of a fraction of a second. you can freeze most normal human speed motion at about 1/100s or faster. For running you'll need at least 1/250s. For normal still...
by Erik Williams
June 15th, 2011, 4:36 pm
Forum: Image Lab
Topic: Beginner Basics
Replies: 9
Views: 3558

Re: Beginner Basics

There are no "tricks" to exposure, it doesn't work that way. The only thing I can think of that qualifies as a trick is to shoot in the sweet spot of your lens - that's probably between f/3.5 and f/8, and most likely somewhere in the middle of the zoom range (although that can vary based o...