Point-n-Shoot?....show your Magic!

[LegoMom3]

I am an avid photographer but currently still in point-and-shoot mode. I'd like to upgrade to a DSLR someday, but I do like my little Kodak Easyshare Z712 IS.


SO!....I thought I'd see who else has some photos to share taken with a fairly basic camera. They can be Disney shots or anything else you like. Show off your stuff!

I'll start with a favorite sunset:


Location: Bryan, TX

[havoc315]

Not sure how "basic" my camera is, but it is a point and shoot.


DSC02055 by Havoc315, on Flickr

[wdw1976]

[LegoMom3]

That is PHENOMENAL!! WOW! Great shots.


My Kodak has some features and different settings to it (fully auto, landscape, portrait, night time, etc.) but the night- and fireworks- settings don't seem to live up to their potential. My camera is definitely better for outdoor, daytime, landscape type photos.

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[havoc315]

Originally Posted by LegoMom3

That is PHENOMENAL!! WOW! Great shots.


My Kodak has some features and different settings to it (fully auto, landscape, portrait, night time, etc.) but the night- and fireworks- settings don't seem to live up to their potential. My camera is definitely better for outdoor, daytime, landscape type photos.

.

I should have tried the fireworks setting just out of curiosity, but I went with full manual. Even shut down the image stabilization and noise removal. Positioned the camera, applied my preferred manual settings, and then blindly clicked every 8-9 seconds, hoping for some good results by the time it was over.

[LegoMom3]

Originally Posted by havoc315

I should have tried the fireworks setting just out of curiosity, but I went with full manual. Even shut down the image stabilization and noise removal. Positioned the camera, applied my preferred manual settings, and then blindly clicked every 8-9 seconds, hoping for some good results by the time it was over.

I think I will have to fiddle with my manual settings and get more familiar with them. In the fireworks setting the shutter stays open too long, IMO, and they end up blurred. I like your approach - may have to try that!

.

[havoc315]

Originally Posted by LegoMom3

I think I will have to fiddle with my manual settings and get more familiar with them. In the fireworks setting the shutter stays open too long, IMO, and they end up blurred. I like your approach - may have to try that!

.

Oh, the shutter doesn't stay open long enough for me. You really need a tripod for good fireworks shots (or something else to stabilize the camera for several seconds).
I used a small gorilla pod (fits in my pocket) and then secured the camera to the railing at World Showcase. I use a 2 second timer, so that I don't shake the camera with the shutter release.

[hakepb]

From what I have read on DSLr fireworks threads, a "proper" fireworks picture is a 2-5 second exposure (so you capture the entire path of the firework). My cameras fireworks mode is 2 seconds.
With such a long exposure, you need great timing and/or luck to capture the firework up to its "peak" so you avoid capturing the "drooping" that eventually happens. If possible, they suggest watching multiple shows so you can learn the moments you want to capture. I get the feeling most truly great fireworks pictures take a lot of work.

Of course such a long exposure only works if you have a tripod, or are lucky enough to find a surface to put your camera on. I happened to get a few keepers (and many blurry misses because my grip was not perfectly steady) holding my camera against a post, using fireworks mode and relying on luck and memory to guess timing:

[hakepb]

My point and shoot:
(it's more "basic" than Havoc's, but there are still many PnS that are evenore basic)

[havoc315]

Originally Posted by hakepb

My point and shoot:
(it's more "basic" than Havoc's, but there are still many PnS that are evenore basic)
]

Between your skills and camera, I think you usually get better results than me. I just get a low light advantage.

[LegoMom3]

Here's a WDW one of mine....

POFQ

[LittleMissMagic]

I truly believe that one of the best point-and-shoot cameras out there right now is the iPhone 4s.

I used my 4s to photograph all of my structures projects last year (my philosophy: build a mediocre model and photograph it well).


IMG_0906r by vshingl, on Flickr


IMG_0949r by vshingl, on Flickr


IMG_0976r by vshingl, on Flickr


IMG_0834r by vshingl, on Flickr

I did set up all of my shots with a white board behind them and used a desk lamp for light. Then I just cropped and bumped the contrast a bit on Photoshop.

[havoc315]

Originally Posted by LegoMom3

Here's a WDW one of mine....

POFQ

Amazing light.

[LegoMom3]

This one may be a collector's item because it was in the actual ToonTown, so I'm not sure if they've completely redesigned them for the Fantasyland expansion (will check in November!).

[LegoMom3]

Here is one I took in Vermont last spring...