point and shoot

September 26th, 2010
People always say that it's not the camera but the person behind it or something like that but sometimes it's hard to believe that. I have a point and shoot and this is the closest I got.


I cropped it so it's more upclose but I don't really like it and I don't want to always resort to editing.


Any tips?
September 26th, 2010
Get a nicer camera ;)! I have a point and shoot. It is fine for me now but I would love a lens that would zoom in closer. Pretty cool photo though if you ask me.
September 26th, 2010
@wellbride I guess I'll just get a better camera. so much for "It's not the camera, it's the person behind it" -___-
September 26th, 2010
There's a very broad range of cameras which can be classified as point and shoot - from the smaller pocket sized cameras to ones that have very similar bodies to SLRs. And yes, there are pictures you can take with one that you can't take with the other. I think the thing is to figure out what your camera does well and play to its strengths. Also, make sure you've tried every setting your camera has; it may be able to do more than you think.
September 26th, 2010
Hi Valeria!

All my photos in 365 are taken with a point and shoot camera, and unless indicated in the description, all my shots are straight out of the camera, no editing. There is also a number of photographers on 365 who use their iphones and turn out brilliant photos. :)

In my opinion, a camera is a tool. You may get "better" results with a better tool, but you still need to know how to use it. We all want better cameras, myself included :) In the meantime, my advice would be to get to know the camera that you have now, and find out what it can and can't do. There is still a lot you can do with a point and shoot camera. Don't be afraid to experiment.

For this particular shot, does your camera have a macro setting? How close did you get to the spider?
Composition-wise, I like how the shadows on the wall seem to echo the legs of the spider. You shot it with enough light for us to get a nice look at the spider and traces of the web. :)

What do you think would make this a better photo for you? How do you think you can achieve that with the tools currently at your disposal?

Hope that helps! :)
September 26th, 2010
I've seen my daughter and my husband get some really nice shots with a point and shoot. I want to say it's a combination of lighting and becoming familiar with your camera's different settings. Don't despair! I think this photo turned out really nice. The shadows are interesting behind it. If there would have been a ray of light on the spider at the time, the photo would have really stood out (and that's kind of beyond your control!).
September 26th, 2010
Point and Shoots today take excellent photos for the most part, but they aren't designed for really good macros. That's part of the reason I bought a DSLR....the ability to switch to different lenses is the #1 reason I upgraded ! The biggest challenge with photography is working with light....but I still find myself cropping and editing if I really want to get closer !
September 26th, 2010
@valeria - It's not the equipment but the person behind the camera is true. All cameras have the abilities to do certain things. Working within the limits of any camera is where the photographer comes into play. If the photographer cannot compose a picture then it won't matter what equipment is used.

You may not want to edit your pictures but think of the old darkroom days. A lot of the great pictures were made in the darkroom. Today it is done on the computer. I don't shy away from using those tools that are available to me.

FWIW, I only use a point-and-shoot camera.

Added note: If you like the cropped version of this, you need to get your camera in this close or closer. Don't be afraid to almost touch the subject. Play with your settings to see what happens.

September 27th, 2010
A camera is just a box with a hole in it and some sort of recording media. Some boxes are more expensive than others. However, the box can't decide where to set up to take the shot. It also can't determine composition. It also can't decide if the light is exactly how you might want it. All it can do is record what's in front of it.
Having said that, some boxes have more limitations than others as far as how the image gets recorded. So there is a bit of truth in the saying that it's not the camera but the photographer, but also can be the camera a bit. As long as the photographer can make the most of the box in hand, that's great.
I like spider and web pictures. Maybe trying different angles? I see the light was coming from the left (?), so maybe you wanted to stand more on the left side of the spider and web, if possible? Also, try shooting from a lower angle or even a higher angle. Move the spider off to the left, or right, third of the frame during compositon. (Rule of thirds) If it's the background you don't care for, moving to the left may have eliminated more of the shadows and made the background a bit more even.
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh as I only mean to be helpful but sometimes my bedside manner can be rough.
HTH.
September 27th, 2010
@taleweaver yeah I used macro setting, the first picture shows how close I could get before it got blurry. "What do you think would make this a better photo for you? How do you think you can achieve that with the tools currently at your disposal?" I'm not sure that's what I'm here for xD Thanks though.

@cheme_pard yeah I should have been more specific, I have a nikon coolpix s230. I have played will almost all the settings but I guess I should try all. Thanks!

@clarissajohal Thanks :D

@nyweb Yeah I'll probably upgrade as well because I love pictures of bugs.

@dmortega I don't have a problem with editing, I just don't want to feel like I have to do it in order to be satisfied with the picture

@hammster I didn't want to stand more on the left because I wanted a ventral view. That wasn't harsh. It's constructive criticism which is what I need. Thanks :D
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