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Author Topic: Attempting real photography  (Read 1477 times)

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Offline Kitzy

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Attempting real photography
« on: February 02, 2024, 09:11:40 PM »
I finally made the jump recently in to real gear.  It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.  Everytime I had some money set aside, something came up.  With an impending trip to Glacier coming up, I finally took the leap.  Also, more than any camera phone in the past, I absolutely hate my iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

I picked up a body and two lenses to start. The lenses were the toughest part.  I didn’t go the traditional route.  After a lot of thinking about what I would need in Glacier, I settled on the new Sony 16-35 GM II and the Sony 200-600.  That leaves a huge gap between 35 and 200 but the idea was that the 16-35 would cover grand landscapes and the 200-600 would keep me away from animals I wanted to photograph and not get eaten by or be stomped on by.  They are paired up with the Sony A7RV body. 

The 200-600 is a lense that requires good light for sharp photos.  Light that we never get this time of year.  I’ve been walking the dogs on my property the last 3 days, roughly an hour or so before sunset because I’m on baby duty until my wife gets home from work.  Near sunset, in the woods, in winter… not ideal for a lense needing good light.  So needless to say I’m struggling but I guess if I can get some good images in those conditions then I will do good in great conditions.  This setup is a beast to hand hold. 

I haven’t even touched the 16-35 outside of the house yet.  That is an F2.8 lense so I should fare much better with it. 

I desperately need a tripod and then some filters but between the body, lenses, backpack and shoulder strap, I’m in for roughly $9k.  And both tripods I want are on back order. 

So here’s the kicker, after agonizing over planning the glacier trip and everything that goes in to making a trip there happen, we successfully booked everything we needed and even have my mother in law lined up to baby, dog and house sit for the week.  Then all the research into camera gear and convincing myself it’s ok to get it.  Well right after I take delivery of it, my sister in law who watches our daughter decides to plan a vacation for the week before our trip.  Leaving us with no one we trust to watch our daughter the week before we take a week off, meaning one of us would have to take two weeks in a row off which isn’t possible.  All for a shit trip to a somewhat local beach they go to every year while I planned what is likely a once in a lifetime trip that takes a year in advance to book and won’t be possible again for another 4 years or so because we plan to have another kid this January.  And then family drama came to a breaking point and now we can’t trust my in-laws and may have to cancel the trip all together making me somewhat regret this damn camera purchase. 


Anyway, couple shots from the last 2 days.  They’re a little noisy but not bad.  Kind of a benchmark right now.  I’m sure the Tapatalk app will make them look worse especially since I can’t upload full resolution.  Too big I guess. 







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« Last Edit: February 03, 2024, 11:16:40 AM by Kitzy »
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Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2024, 11:52:09 PM »
Really sorry to hear about the family drama dude, that really sucks.

Those are some awesome pictures though. The new tech has come a long way, even in the last 5 years. So crisp.


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Offline Kitzy

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2024, 12:16:26 PM »
Really sorry to hear about the family drama dude, that really sucks.

Those are some awesome pictures though. The new tech has come a long way, even in the last 5 years. So crisp.


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Yeah.  It’s a big problem right now.  I’ve actually considered going out to glacier by myself.  It’s kind of a lose-lost situation for me.  Even if my wife says she’s ok with it, I know she’s going to be mad and then she’s going to be bitter towards me.  And even if she’s not, I’m going to go out there and have all of these pictures and memories but it’s not something we got to share.  We have a digital picture frame and all of our pictures pop up from us in different parks together and it upsets me to keep seeing them and thinking about her not being there.  Then on the other side of that is we won’t be able to go on any big trips in the next four or five years because of trying to have another kid.  We want to try again in about a year, then 9 months of pregnancy. Another year until she’s atleast 1 and somewhat old enough we would feel even a little comfortable leaving her for a week.  Then there’s the logistics of planning the trip again which takes a year.  All that is if everything goes perfect, including another high risk pregnancy, and we are even capable.  My knees are shot so as it is and I have to figure a way to rehab then back in to shape.  So I’m worried it could be now or never.  I could just let all the drama go but it just never stops and continues to pile up and be a problem.  I had enough and things need to change.  Currently my father inlaw is not allowed to see Maddie.  He is a narcissist and an alcoholic.  He has ruined two of the last three christmases, both of which were very important to Cassie.  One we got engaged on and the other was Maddie’s first Christmas.  Not to mention other get togethers.  Cassie can’t get those moments back.  He refuses to even apologize for anything.  He hasn’t even spoken to Cassie since Christmas Day and during that time we even had Maddie in the ER.  If calling to check on your grandchild isn’t a good enough reason to speak to your daughter then I do t know what is.  I realize this is WAY too much info, but I haven’t talked to anyone but my wife about it and all that ever does is leave her upset all over again.  So I’m venting.  Haha


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Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2024, 01:42:13 PM »
Vent away dude, I know how it goes sometimes. I have been very, very lucky when it comes to in-laws, however I am very aware of this type of situation due to a sister dealing with a similar mess.

You also have my cell if you ever want to text or call.

Is there an option to do a "smaller trip" with the girls? I used to do hiking with both kids in hiking backpacks and JJ would actually fall asleep sometimes. I know the travel (plane) may be tough though.
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Offline Kitzy

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2024, 03:40:33 PM »
Vent away dude, I know how it goes sometimes. I have been very, very lucky when it comes to in-laws, however I am very aware of this type of situation due to a sister dealing with a similar mess.

You also have my cell if you ever want to text or call.

Is there an option to do a "smaller trip" with the girls? I used to do hiking with both kids in hiking backpacks and JJ would actually fall asleep sometimes. I know the travel (plane) may be tough though.
We fully plan to hike with her.  I’m just not willing to take her to Glacier.  The hikes are way too long and demanding.  She would be 14 months old.  A lot of the hikes exceed 10 miles and a lot are high elevation or have a lot of elevation gain to them.  If I only make it out there once, I want the full experience.  We talked some more about it last night and I told the wife that if I end up going without her that I’d like to do another trip later in fall to either Shenandoah National Park or New River Gorge National Park and we can take Maddie.   The hiking isn’t as crazy and we can be at either park by car before noon. 

My mother in law is now trying to get her other daughter to talk to their dad to get him to come to his senses and at the very least apologize.  My theory is he doesn’t want to apologize because apologizing would mean he has a problem and he likes living his personal life like he does, where friends and alcohol are his priority and family comes further down the list.  This past Christmas he got trashed before we came over which would be annoying on its own but he did it at my wife’s ex-boyfriend’s family’s house and then came home stumbling and couldn’t shut up about how much fun he had over there.  He told everyone that would listen about (I heard him with my own ears Atleast 5 times) and then when Cassie’s sister told him about it days later he wanted to know why anyone told my wife.  She said you told her and everyone else.  You wouldn’t shut up about it.  He doesn’t remember.  Just like he doesn’t remember when I joking told my daughter at a small get together at their house to pull her shirt back down (she was maybe 4 or 5 months old) and he responded with “she’s going to be a dirty whore like her mother.”  He won’t apologize for that either because he doesn’t remember saying it.  At this point any apology isn’t going to be genuine and therefore my wife doesn’t even want one.  It’s not enough anyway. He needs to own his actions and address the problem.  I could keep going on with example after example.  I let a lot go because everyone was adults but now I have a daughter and she’s not growing up around that. 


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Offline Kitzy

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2024, 04:16:52 PM »
Actually forgot I wanted to post this picture.  I was too busy bitching.  Me and my wife both have a backpack.  We are drastically different heights so she actually needed the female version of the same pack.  This was just today to walk down to the mailbox. 




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Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2024, 06:13:15 PM »
Vent away dude, I know how it goes sometimes. I have been very, very lucky when it comes to in-laws, however I am very aware of this type of situation due to a sister dealing with a similar mess.

You also have my cell if you ever want to text or call.

Is there an option to do a "smaller trip" with the girls? I used to do hiking with both kids in hiking backpacks and JJ would actually fall asleep sometimes. I know the travel (plane) may be tough though.
We fully plan to hike with her.  I’m just not willing to take her to Glacier.  The hikes are way too long and demanding.  She would be 14 months old.  A lot of the hikes exceed 10 miles and a lot are high elevation or have a lot of elevation gain to them.  If I only make it out there once, I want the full experience.  We talked some more about it last night and I told the wife that if I end up going without her that I’d like to do another trip later in fall to either Shenandoah National Park or New River Gorge National Park and we can take Maddie.   The hiking isn’t as crazy and we can be at either park by car before noon. 

My mother in law is now trying to get her other daughter to talk to their dad to get him to come to his senses and at the very least apologize.  My theory is he doesn’t want to apologize because apologizing would mean he has a problem and he likes living his personal life like he does, where friends and alcohol are his priority and family comes further down the list.  This past Christmas he got trashed before we came over which would be annoying on its own but he did it at my wife’s ex-boyfriend’s family’s house and then came home stumbling and couldn’t shut up about how much fun he had over there.  He told everyone that would listen about (I heard him with my own ears Atleast 5 times) and then when Cassie’s sister told him about it days later he wanted to know why anyone told my wife.  She said you told her and everyone else.  You wouldn’t shut up about it.  He doesn’t remember.  Just like he doesn’t remember when I joking told my daughter at a small get together at their house to pull her shirt back down (she was maybe 4 or 5 months old) and he responded with “she’s going to be a dirty whore like her mother.”  He won’t apologize for that either because he doesn’t remember saying it.  At this point any apology isn’t going to be genuine and therefore my wife doesn’t even want one.  It’s not enough anyway. He needs to own his actions and address the problem.  I could keep going on with example after example.  I let a lot go because everyone was adults but now I have a daughter and she’s not growing up around that. 


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That's fair, I know it's a lot extra to manage with a wee one, especially when trying to do stuff outdoors. I hope it works out that you can at least enjoy a part of the experience of Glacier.

I would be in the exact same boat as you, there is no way that sort of person would be around my kids. Truly unfortunate.
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Offline Kitzy

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2024, 08:34:11 PM »
On a photography note again.  I did take the exact same setup out again a couple days after the previous pictures.  Same time of day but it was actually sunny for the first time in over two weeks.  I was able to get much sharper pictures in better light.  Still working on it.  I haven’t had much time.  And we keep getting snow.







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Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2024, 08:03:57 PM »
Holy, those look pretty crisp!


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Offline Too Stroked

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2024, 07:15:05 PM »
This is as good as I can do:


Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2024, 10:50:43 PM »
The subject makes up for the quality. Seriously though, it is a good shot.


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Offline Kitzy

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2024, 11:32:23 AM »
Nice of you to drop in, Tom! 


I’ve been waiting for a tripod before I take it out on location anywhere.  I waited all month for a certain tripod because they were supposed to be back in stock on February 29th.  I checked yesterday and it’s pushed back to April 10th.  All of the tripods similar are over $1k, and closer to $1200.  That seems crazy.  When in stock B&H has the one I want for $430 and free shipping.  There was o e on Amazon for 475 plus shipping.  I gave in and went back to buy it only to see a used one, supposedly like-new, for $330.  That works since I’m quickly running out of money this winter.  Haha.


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Offline Kitzy

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Attempting real photography
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2024, 11:52:46 AM »
I do t know about this thing being used but Like-New is accurate.  It came what appears to be factory packaged, plastic and all.  I can’t see how this thing has ever been used.  I think it’s perfect for my height as well even after I add a leveling base on to it. 



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« Last Edit: March 01, 2024, 11:55:18 AM by Kitzy »
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Offline Blown F-150

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Re: Attempting real photography
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2024, 10:29:43 PM »
Awesome find if it’s like new then!  I think they say that for any open package return though.


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