Surgeon's Hands Contest - handheld @ 3 sec.

[Nobie]

I thought of a game that could be quite fun. I've simplified it from my original idea so that it'd be easier to follow. Basically, let's see how good or bad we are at long, handheld shots. I figured if we shot our own feet, we'd have a general focal length. You can shoot wide and/or zoom, your choice.

The Rules:

1. Take a picture of your feet/toes (socks and shoes are optional).
2. It must be a full 3 second exposure.
3. It must be handheld.
4. No VR or IS permitted.
5. No post-production aimed at sharpening the image.
6. No bracing body/arms/camera against anything, this is 100 free standing...no lying down either!
7. Include EXIF.
8. No flash.

[Nobie]

Ok, I shot three. I did a 16mm, 24mm, and 120mm. Keep in mind it's a DX format sensor so we have the ol' 1.5x to think about as far as that is concerned. If I posted the 24mm, it isn't much better than the 120mm.

http://homepage.mac.com/ryansdesigns/.Pictures/DPS/16hh.jpg

EXIF:
Nikon D70
16mm
f/2.8
3 sec.
ISO 200
Focus: Manual
Flash: Not fired

http://homepage.mac.com/ryansdesigns/.Pictures/DPS/120hh.jpg

EXIF:
Nikon D70
120mm
f/5.6
3 sec.
ISO 200
Focus: Auto
Flash: Not fired

[wulf]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wulf/2278968489/" title="Surgeon's Hands by basswulf, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/2278968489_a3f1078fe6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Surgeon's Hands" /></a>

I have cropped the image down and done some work on the colours but left my normal sharpening tricks alone... I don't think they would do much for this shot anyway. Other details:

# Exposure: 3 sec
# Aperture: f/8
# Focal Length: 50mm (50mm f/1.8 E Series)
# ISO Speed: 200

BTW, remember to take your shot somewhere quite dim - 3s is a long exposure in daylight!

Wulf

ps. good challenge idea.

[amywilliams]

So sorry.... I'm pretty new to photography but thought this might be fun to try. I have a couple questions, can you help??
1. How do I get a 3 second exposure? (I have a nikon d40 if that means anything....)
2. What is VR and IS??
I guess understanding 6 rules out of 8 isn't so bad, right!! Thanks for the help!

I thought of a game that could be quite fun. I've simplified it from my original idea so that it'd be easier to follow. Basically, let's see how good or bad we are at long, handheld shots. I figured if we shot our own feet, we'd have a general focal length. You can shoot wide and/or zoom, your choice.

The Rules:

1. Take a picture of your feet/toes (socks and shoes are optional).
2. It must be a full 3 second exposure.
3. It must be handheld.
4. No VR or IS permitted.
5. No post-production aimed at sharpening the image.
6. No bracing body/arms/camera against anything, this is 100 free standing...no lying down either!
7. Include EXIF.
8. No flash.

[wulf]

Amy,

1. On your D40 either go into Shutter Priority mode or Manual mode using the dial on the top of the camera. Now, after half-pressing the shutter (or pressing the info button), you can change the shutter speed by rotating the command dial that is on the back of the camera, near the top right of the LCD screen. You can set the shutter speed to 3" (3 seconds) although, in manual mode, you will also need to check ISO and aperture settings (see the manual).

2. VR / IS are systems built into lenses to make them more stable. Nikon cameras use VR (vibration reduction). If you just have the basic kit lens you don't have the feature in the first place.

Wulf

[Firemaine]

Just be glad I was a Firefighter/Paramedic and not a Surgeon.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/scfd/2280124806/" title="Surgeon's Hands Contest - handheld @ 3 sec by firemaine, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2223/2280124806_b5281d1b88.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Surgeon's Hands Contest - handheld @ 3 sec" /></a>

Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 3 sec (3)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/6 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Program: Manual
Flash: No Flash

[madhatas]

This is a good idea. Here is my go.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/timstubbs/2280280252/" title="Feet by Tim Stubbs, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2161/2280280252_a9e5fc66a4.jpg" width="500" height="313" alt="Feet" /></a>

EXIF:
Exposure: 3.2 sec (16/5)
Aperture: f/6.3
Focal Length: 45 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV

Cheers

Tim

[Peach]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/justpeachee/2279497195/" title="Surgeon's Hands by JustPeachee, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2279497195_d9444c8091.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Surgeon's Hands" /></a>

Exposure: 3 sec (3)
Aperture: f/20
Focal Length: 50 mm

Those are about 4-inch heels. Standing in the middle of my living room.

Oh, and it was taken with my new 50mm f/1.8 so the lens has no image stabilizing on it OR autofocus lol

[Canadian Mum]

wow Peach... you are a ROCK!! you have great detail in the flooring...
I took the picture... hard to resist bracing the camera and your arms against your body. I had to try several times to keep the camera out in front of me... I will post the pic once Flickr has taken its time to upload it!

[Nicole]

I don't think I'm even gonna show how bad my shots were :p Someone would need to cut out the caffeine before my shots would look as good as some of these shots ;)

[Peach]

wow Peach... you are a ROCK!! you have great detail in the flooring...
I took the picture... hard to resist bracing the camera and your arms against your body. I had to try several times to keep the camera out in front of me... I will post the pic once Flickr has taken its time to upload it!

It took a few shots to get the angle right and then after that, it's all about the breathing. :)

[Nobie]

It took a few shots to get the angle right and then after that, it's all about the breathing. :)

Totally. I think I went into a state of meditation. I bet it would help to set the timer too, instead of pushing the button. Shoot, wish I had thought of that before my posts. ;)

[douglas]

as a retired surgeon, I would like to post here, but I cannot do a 3second exposure with my P&S camera!

[Peach]

It's a good thing, too Douglas! You'd probably win by a mile! :D You surgeons have ridiculously steady hands!

P.S. Can I ask what your specialty was?

[TonyG]

this intrigued me, so I had to give it a go. This is certainly not easy, and this is the best I could come up with.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22171849@N08/2280843136/" title="IMG_0725 by toneebear, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2177/2280843136_2da5c26d27.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0725" /></a>

Exposure time 3.2 sec
F/5.6
ISO 100
Focal Length 6mm

Can someone explain to me what exposure bias is?

[laepelba]

It wasn't so much the handshake (although I KNOW that I have bad handshake) ... it was pushing the shutter. I tried several times to push the shutter button without moving the camera, but it never worked. Ugh! I have to remember my cable release more often (or the self-timer).

Anyway - this image was taken withOUT the self-timer or cable release. My camera didn't give me 3" as an option, so I got as close as possible.

http://louannsplace.com/Feet.jpg

Camera: Canon Digital Rebel (300D) with a 50mm fixed
ISO100
3.2"
(Shutter priority)
f/5.6

[klew]

I don't think I'm even gonna show how bad my shots were :p Someone would need to cut out the caffeine before my shots would look as good as some of these shots ;)
that would make a nice before and after

[Nathan deGargoyle]

Here's mine...

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/IanGM/feet.jpg

Or do you have to be standing? ;)

[douglas]

[QUOTE=Peach;113192]It's a good thing, too Douglas! You'd probably win by a mile! :D You surgeons have ridiculously steady hands!

P.S. Can I ask what your specialty was?[/QUOTE
General surgery
Here is the best I can do with my camera(a new one soon!),but only 2 secs

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/douglas999/2282756038/" title="DSC00307 by dogald, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2282756038_00fc1cd5e1.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="DSC00307" /></a>

Camera: Sony DSC-P72
Exposure: 2 sec (2)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 6 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV

X-Resolution: 72 dpi
Y-Resolution: 72 dpi
Software: Picasa 3.0
Date and Time: 2008:02:21 16:42:15
YCbCr Positioning: Co-Sited
Date and Time (Original): 2008:02:21 16:42:15
Date and Time (Digitized): 2008:02:21 16:42:15
Compressed Bits per Pixel: 4 bits
Maximum Lens Aperture: 48/16
Metering Mode: Pattern
Color Space: Uncalibrated
Scene Capture Type: Night scene

n

[Peach]

For some reason, I would have pegged you as a gen surg, Douglas - glad I'm right :)

Nathan - yes, you have to be standing :)

[mrodgers]

I'll have a go tomorrow sometime rather than directly after I spent about 45 minutes with the weights working on the legs and lower body tonight. 3 seconds? I probably wouldn't be able to stay standing right now for 3 seconds let alone hold a camera steady on the feet, LOL.

[Canadian Mum]

Well... here is my attempt! I figured the stupid slippers would give a bit of forgiveness... since they are fuzzy around the edges anyways... but those damn tiles... oops!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadianmum/2289719096/" title="Surgeon's Hands by Canadian Mum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2074/2289719096_6a303c534d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Surgeon's Hands" /></a>

[AKG83]

I really had fun making a picture of one of my favorite socks! ;-)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24176500@N04/2294545320/" title="Socks von AKG2008 bei Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/2294545320_6bd7f3d31d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Socks" /></a>


Camera: Olympus E-510
Exposure: 3.2 ''
Aperture: F11
Focal Length: 39 mm
ISO Speed: 200

No IS!