Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.
Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business & Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Advertise... Tailgate Donations

Featured Replies

I gotta say, seeing wolves or grizzlies is always amazing, but I consistently have the most fun photographing coyotes. They express a lot of personality, especially playfulness and intelligence. They're wicked smart little tricksters, and sometimes seem to purposefully **** with me (they'll walk out in the open, looking my way every few seconds if they know I'm tracking them; then as soon as I look away for a moment to fiddle with the camera, they'll crouch in the sagebrush, slip away in a completely different direction, and then I'll see them moments later as they give me one last glance while they trot out of sight, ****-eating grin on their face).

  • Replies 3.8k
  • Views 291.5k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Most Popular Posts

  • The (much more shy) mate of an old coyote I've been following for years     assorted other critters GPS-collared Yellowstone wolf  

  • Old coyote I've watched for years now. Broke a leg four years ago, looked skeletal for a while. Thought he wouldn't make it. Flash forward four years and he's still got the limp, plus missing a couple

Posted Images

6 hours ago, LTbear said:

I gotta say, seeing wolves or grizzlies is always amazing, but I consistently have the most fun photographing coyotes. They express a lot of personality, especially playfulness and intelligence. They're wicked smart little tricksters, and sometimes seem to purposefully **** with me (they'll walk out in the open, looking my way every few seconds if they know I'm tracking them; then as soon as I look away for a moment to fiddle with the camera, they'll crouch in the sagebrush, slip away in a completely different direction, and then I'll see them moments later as they give me one last glance while they trot out of sight, ****-eating grin on their face).

That's awesome.  I really enjoy seeing coyotes too and it's usually when I'm least expecting to see one.  I guess I like them because I'm less likely to see a wolf and coyotes are extremely adaptable and yet still maintain that Wild West perception.  

Have any of you bird photographers been to Concan? Supposedly it’s at some confluence of a few different habitats. At least that’s what they told me when I worked there as a kid. That’s their main source of tourism in the off season. 

6 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

Have any of you bird photographers been to Concan? Supposedly it’s at some confluence of a few different habitats. At least that’s what they told me when I worked there as a kid. That’s their main source of tourism in the off season. 

Haven't been there, but as an aside Texas is literally as good as it gets for birding in the US. Many different habitat types and also positioned just so on the continent such that many bird migrations funnel through the state. 

Haven't been there, but as an aside Texas is literally as good as it gets for birding in the US. Many different habitat types and also positioned just so on the continent such that many bird migrations funnel through the state. 
Yep, you can get almost all of the eastern US birds in the eastern half of the state and many of the western birds out in BBNP/GMNP area, plus occasional Mexican species. Easily 500+ of the 800ish regular continental US species are seen in TX each year.
3 minutes ago, hookem2010 said:
20 hours ago, LTbear said:
Haven't been there, but as an aside Texas is literally as good as it gets for birding in the US. Many different habitat types and also positioned just so on the continent such that many bird migrations funnel through the state. 

Yep, you can get almost all of the eastern US birds in the eastern half of the state and many of the western birds out in BBNP/GMNP area, plus occasional Mexican species. Easily 500+ of the 800ish regular continental US species are seen in TX each year.

Ya, Big Bend has more bird species than any other national park, including one that lives nowhere else in the world (Colima warbler).

A few Ektachrome shots from the Mamiya RB67. I have a hard time taking dedicated shots that are only on film and not bringing the 5D, but I’m trying to work on that.

e2fa698b3c4c6e4442ba666a24f2d810.jpg
13dbd435c8111d1493e8c018bec975aa.jpg
70acd6c20d0c9f91f4488ea5a1a51453.jpg
db2e4bc833b6ff88019ed6f48e461231.jpg
71edc8b74b7f0c52713480435a05e432.jpg
51c59d4f22435f96f525968973519d7a.jpg
606c3e55cd54b99eef9814cb1c8ccbe5.jpg

And the rig:

2e5037bf32108125237c31c65abb3c82.jpg

On 6/30/2021 at 12:19 AM, Patricio Swayze said:

Well, it is done...perhaps against my better judgement.  Bought a 6x7 (prices for 67 were a little out of reach) with a 105mm and 55mm lenses.

congrats!

On 6/30/2021 at 5:23 PM, GRHorn said:

Have any of you bird photographers been to Concan? Supposedly it’s at some confluence of a few different habitats. At least that’s what they told me when I worked there as a kid. That’s their main source of tourism in the off season. 

I've hardly even been out of the county. I really need to make some trips before long.

  • Author

I was down in Rockport for the 4th.  My pops and I took a drive down to Brownsville.  Here are a few shots.

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

And the 6x7 arrived today.  Already loaded it with some Portra 400.  Hope everything works as advertised.

spacer.png

  • Author

I need to see how much yellowing is affecting exposure.  I have seen all the videos on how to fix it, so just need to know if I should do it now or wait a bit.  I have a few frames left on a roll in my Canon and 9 frames in the Pentax.  Maybe I shoot all that by the weekend and send both off.

FWIW, I tried Richard Photo Lab last time and they were awesome. Doesn’t really cost much more than Darkroom (at least for 120; didn’t compare 135). Their customer service was incredible, too. They also included a report that describes any issues they saw. There’s a main page plus 14 pages describing various issues.

This is a screenshot of the first page. My film didn’t have issues, but it’s cool that they include this.

867e86c84eba2a9cdbb4ea35e9e70a50.png

  • Author

What resolution do they scan at?  What was the turn around time and how are the digital files sent?

What resolution do they scan at?  What was the turn around time and how are the digital files sent?

My 6x7 files are 5902x4815 on a Noritsu scan, which looks like is the same res The Darkroom provides. They do not provide tiffs, only jpeg (believe Darkroom is the same).

They received my order on a Tuesday, and it entered production on Wednesday (I assume) and I had the scans on the following Wednesday. They say their minimum turnaround on Noritsu scanned orders is 4 business days. I was shooting E-6 this time which may have added a day or two to that time.

I received them in a download link sent to my email, though I did have to search to find it the first time in GMail and then move it to my Primary folder, so it’s good now.

First three are cell phone pics, the grasshopper from this afternoon.

grasshopper.jpg

waspspider.jpg

Painted bunting a while back, pretty much symbolizes the year...

buntingsmashed.jpg

 

Camera pic of a slightly healthier one from last week. Not much of a setting but the best I've been able to do with what little effort I have put forth.

paintedbunting.jpg

Other sightings at the lake on the same day.

trumpboat.jpg

blackvulturevert.jpg

 

That's about all I got.

 


Yep, you can get almost all of the eastern US birds in the eastern half of the state and many of the western birds out in BBNP/GMNP area, plus occasional Mexican species. Easily 500+ of the 800ish regular continental US species are seen in TX each year.

b2b3776c519944df84db6484f9bf275f.jpg
On 7/1/2021 at 2:11 PM, hookem2010 said:
On 6/30/2021 at 5:30 PM, LTbear said:
Haven't been there, but as an aside Texas is literally as good as it gets for birding in the US. Many different habitat types and also positioned just so on the continent such that many bird migrations funnel through the state. 

Yep, you can get almost all of the eastern US birds in the eastern half of the state and many of the western birds out in BBNP/GMNP area, plus occasional Mexican species. Easily 500+ of the 800ish regular continental US species are seen in TX each year.

This spring we even had an influx of Western Bluebirds and Mountain bluebirds right here in central Texas due to all the 2020-21 weirdness.

On 7/6/2021 at 9:27 PM, Anton Chigurh said:


My 6x7 files are 5902x4815 on a Noritsu scan, which looks like is the same res The Darkroom provides. They do not provide tiffs, only jpeg (believe Darkroom is the same).

They received my order on a Tuesday, and it entered production on Wednesday (I assume) and I had the scans on the following Wednesday. They say their minimum turnaround on Noritsu scanned orders is 4 business days. I was shooting E-6 this time which may have added a day or two to that time.

I received them in a download link sent to my email, though I did have to search to find it the first time in GMail and then move it to my Primary folder, so it’s good now.

Richard Photo Lab will do a TIFF file if you ask (and for a price), but they actually recommend against it.

  • Author

Sent of a roll of 135 and 120 Portra 400 to be processed.  Just stuck with the dark room for now.  The 120 was the test roll from the 6x7, so not much thought put into the shots.  Bought a UV light and when it comes in I plan to de-yellow the lenses.

A few recent shots...

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

Edited by Patricio Swayze

A few picts from Denali.  Need to invest in a better lens but oh well.  

DSC01098.thumb.jpeg.3667c1dedbfff6b064046f6fef5762c5.jpeg

DSC01397.thumb.jpeg.1c1701276f03e078a6774cb49a778608.jpeg

 

DSC01549.thumb.jpeg.2b2b3be21fd13a33ad5dbe8c05f04766.jpeg

DSC01612.thumb.jpeg.05c2914183cfb072d3548e24694f255c.jpeg

 

DSC01706.thumb.jpeg.cbfcb7683533f60055fca68d4cf4a90e.jpeg

 

DSC01613.jpeg

A few more

DSC01688.thumb.jpeg.396cc5943091addb03b670e21355237e.jpeg

DSC01676.thumb.jpeg.ad5fa75e80c891a9067c9a3dd2c7b9f5.jpeg

DSC01637.thumb.jpeg.cd3cbc34e00b618abcd6c59ff1434fcc.jpeg

DSC01853.thumb.jpeg.56b04854e84b02f5d51073915c2edd87.jpeg

DSC02202.thumb.jpeg.4ae32a224e8eb19d174f0b6da253191b.jpeg

DSC02206.thumb.jpeg.2842e8abf02217593acc6bc3763cb4b5.jpeg

The wife almost walked into these two until I showed her a head poking out from behind a tree.  We sat and waited and they eventually buckled and went to sleep next to the path so we headed the other way.  Saw a bunch of smaller bushes moving and walked a little faster--didn't feel like messing with a bear.

  • Author

Took a short drive through East Texas today.  Shot some frames on the Pentax and AE-1.  Here are some of the digital shots:

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

  • Author

After all these years of photography, I still don't know how to gauge which photos will resonate and sell.  I posted that Mom's shot on my Instagram and someone wanted to buy a print.  That is awesome.  Paid for the gas on that particular trip.  Really all I can ask for.

After all these years of photography, I still don't know how to gauge which photos will resonate and sell.  I posted that Mom's shot on my Instagram and someone wanted to buy a print.  That is awesome.  Paid for the gas on that particular trip.  Really all I can ask for.

Yeah, it never makes any damn sense.

I suppose it helps that they have zero context behind the shots. Sometimes you “win” by getting an incredibly easy shot that you didn’t have to work for, and people like it. Sometimes you “lose” by working your ass off for one, and no one gives a fuck.

It’s weird.

I really like the Mom’s shot.
  • Author

Yeah, it never makes any damn sense.

I suppose it helps that they have zero context behind the shots. Sometimes you “win” by getting an incredibly easy shot that you didn’t have to work for, and people like it. Sometimes you “lose” by working your ass off for one, and no one gives a fuck.

It’s weird.

I really like the Mom’s shot.

Hahaha exactly. I was out shooting with a friend that was in town recently and mentioned that.

I went back to the same spot 3 days in a row. Maybe 6 hours total time sitting in the same spot to get this shot I thought would be amazing. Personally I am pretty happy with it. However, not much interest on social media. Which is fine, I hate to judge myself by social media, but all of us get caught up in appreciation/acceptance type stuff.
  • Author

I *think* I mentioned this up thread, but I have donated 350 photos to the UH Library Special Collections. I don’t think they will show up in the search function on the website for awhile. Mostly photos of the 5th Ward, travelers (hobos), Houston graffiti and street art. This obviously doesn’t pay anything, unless a author/film maker is doing research and comes across a photo they want to use. Regardless, feels good to have a bunch of photos at a university for research purposes.

18 hours ago, Patricio Swayze said:


Hahaha exactly. I was out shooting with a friend that was in town recently and mentioned that.

I went back to the same spot 3 days in a row. Maybe 6 hours total time sitting in the same spot to get this shot I thought would be amazing. Personally I am pretty happy with it. However, not much interest on social media. Which is fine, I hate to judge myself by social media, but all of us get caught up in appreciation/acceptance type stuff.

That's because your expectations and public's don't match.  Y'all have really fine tuned your mechanical eyes to pursue your horizon chasing expectations.  Also, there's no understanding other people's taste.  Hell, try to wrap your head around tattoo choices.  

Additionally, there's art for artists and not just for public consumption.  My guess is that what the public understands is probably really basic, consumable and most likely shaped by advertising.  .  

 

Took this one with my phone during cicada season

IMG_20210611_184831.jpg

Just a couple from the lake the other day, trying to keep a little momentum going.

robberflybee.jpg

predator.jpg

 

Who was the guy that posted all his trout fishing shots?  Those were great, and from a little pocket camera.

  • Author
Who was the guy that posted all his trout fishing shots?  Those were great, and from a little pocket camera.

I forget his name. I don’t think he came over to Surly. He did a lot of photos of watches too, if I am thinking of the same guy.
  • Author

Got the scans back for the first roll I have shot with the Pentax 6x7.  Portra 400.  I can see that the yellowing of the lens does add a slight tint to the image, and when the light is not the best, it feels a little underexposed.  So I will de-yellow the lenses as soon as my UV bulb arrives.  Here are a few shots (I corrected the color somewhat in PS).

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

And here are some shots with my AE-1, also Portra 400.  This first shot I had hoped to use for a book I am working on.  I wish I would have had the Pentax for it.

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

 

 

  • Author
MF just hits different. Wonderful.

And that storefront shot is perfect for Portra.

I agree. Between the lenses and the film, it just feels different. As I try to make digital look like film, it just doesn’t feel the same.

The storefront you liked, it’s the one from Brownsville?

I agree. Between the lenses and the film, it just feels different. As I try to make digital look like film, it just doesn’t feel the same.

The storefront you liked, it’s the one from Brownsville?

The first AE-1 shot. Probably so.
On 6/1/2021 at 7:58 PM, Anton Chigurh said:

And a few other random things.

51217221671_c023006e04_o.jpg

51217982384_229be03595_o.jpg

51217431653_74a94a6332_o.jpg

51217985744_901b9538d5_o.jpg

51217986934_ce88a5684c_o.jpg

Also shot some E100 on 120 with the RB, but I need to finish the second roll and ship that off. Who knows if that will turn out.

Beautiful pics especially the last one. 

On 7/15/2021 at 9:33 PM, Patricio Swayze said:

Took a short drive through East Texas today.  Shot some frames on the Pentax and AE-1.  Here are some of the digital shots:

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

spacer.png

Love the GTO, childhood dream car. 

I didn't take this one. German cousin just took it and she sent it to me. It's not professional but, the moon looks pretty cool coming up behind the Acropolis.

IMG_2083.thumb.JPG.0344682b4b15503c0d2bcf312a92c4c2.JPG

Fuji X100V. Learning to take landscapes with a fixed lens hurts my brain. 

From a recent trip to Idaho/Wyo/Montana area. 

Mesa Falls_ - 1.jpeg

Mesa Falls_ - 2.jpeg

Cliff Lake - 1.jpeg

Yosemite_ - 1.jpeg

Yosemite_ - 2.jpeg

Yosemite_ - 3.jpeg

Hello skilled photographers.  I've found that I'm getting interested in birds.  I'd like to get a good camera/lens combo for photographing them.  I'm a beginner obviously so I was looking to get some insight on a good low to mid range set up to get started with.  I'm fine spending a little to get started but not like 5 grand or anything.  I'm doing some online research but I find this community to be an outstanding resource for things like this.

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Felix

On 7/23/2021 at 3:01 PM, Felix said:

Hello skilled photographers.  I've found that I'm getting interested in birds.  I'd like to get a good camera/lens combo for photographing them.  I'm a beginner obviously so I was looking to get some insight on a good low to mid range set up to get started with.  I'm fine spending a little to get started but not like 5 grand or anything.  I'm doing some online research but I find this community to be an outstanding resource for things like this.

Thanks in advance.

You can get a good rig well under that price range. Pick a Nikon or Canon body that you like, then get one of a few models of long zoom lenses that have become really popular for birding photograph that range around 150mm-600, by Nikon, Sigma or Tamron. All good lenses and pretty close in price.

I'm a Nikon guy and I often use a D7500 with the Nikon 200-500mm zoom. That combo would run a shade over 2 grand and will do just fine for a long time. The Sigma and Tamron lenses are a bit cheaper. If you want to spend a little less you can get a factory refurb camera body, but I would probably recommend a brand new lens.

I normally use a D500 which is a bit higher end camera, faster frame rate and a bit more advanced AF, but I haven't been using it because I have taken tons of sports and wildlife photos with it and it needs some attention, dust spots I haven't been able to blow off and controls are a bit sticky. I also have a more expensive lighter weight 500mm lens I use a lot, but the 200-500 will do just about as well in most cases and you also have the shorter range to work with, it's just a good bit heavier to carry around.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...
Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business & Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Advertise... Tailgate Donations

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.