December Photography Competition - Shot of the Year

[Scrooge]

Lol at £30k worth of gear. I hope it had seats and a steering wheel.

 

[Niall]

A Pro camera doesn't take better pictures, hence Nikon have never pushed passed the 12/16 meg pixel count. Why bother when most stuff is getting printed in papers. A Pro camera is called a Pro camera because it can take a battering day in day out. I could smash out a portfolio with 1 roll of film through a Nikon FM2 and a 50mm Ai lens and still stand have images that stand out.....it's not always the camera. I've also had days when I've been carrying £30k worth of gear and have had zero inspiration and come home with sod all images ........I have never been too wrapped up in gear, learn how to see light before learning the Argos figures of any tool in your bag.

That’s all fair enough. It all depends what you’re comfortable shooting with, there’s no point in using a terrible camera to prove a point, just use whatever gets you the image you want, it really is as simple as that.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Nikon have never pushed passed the 12/16 meg pixel count.

Mine's 24 MP.

 

[JJ!]

My D600 is 24mp too!

Equipment does play some part. Low light shooting is far superior in full frame than anything I have ever used, mainly due to the excellent ISO performance. Also, action shots are far easier to nail when using a DSLR.

But everyday photos that are taken in good light can be superb with pretty much any camera. As long as your not looking at blowing up to silly sizes.

 

[MonacoDan]

Really like these two.

Audi RS5 by Dan Haynes | Automotive Photography, on Flickr

Jaguar XF R-S by Dan Haynes | Automotive Photography, on Flickr

 

[Brazo]

He's talking about pro Nikon gear, neither a D600 or a d71000 is considered pro gear.

 

[planetx]

Thanks^^^^^

 

[Niall]

But back to the original question...

To answer the original question in simple terms: No, some of the photos do not require the best gear, but some require better gear to archived that level of quality such as Riad's work where the action requires good lenses and bodies with good AF etc.

 

[GiT]

Looking at the quality in here, there is zero point me entering one... so I will for a chuckle lol...

ENTRY

 

[Mr Burns]

All of these pictures are what i can only dream of getting anywhere near! Obviousely it's down to location and composition primarily.... but I'm guessing the difference between these pictures and something I would take is quality of equipment!? ike you folks must have waaayyyyy better lenses and bodies, i'm tguessing, which give your images that pro look!?

I've got a Canon 300d with a second-hand 50mm lens. It's really worth bugger all.

(I'm not saying my pictures are good though lol)

 

[Scrooge]

I've got a Canon 300d with a second-hand 50mm lens. It's really worth bugger all.

(I'm not saying my pictures are good though lol)

And there was me thinking I was all ghetto with my 400d lol

 

[ukaskew]

But back to the original question...

To answer the original question in simple terms: No, some of the photos do not require the best gear, but some require better gear to archived that level of quality such as Riad's work where the action requires good lenses and bodies with good AF etc.

I would respectfully disagree with that, good lenses/bodies/AF make things easier, but they don't make anything possible that wouldn't be on much, much cheaper gear, particularly for subjects like night or motorsport photography where good knowledge and ability would rank well above equipment.

By far my best year of motorsport photography came around 2008, using a £100 used Nikon D50 and a very battered £450 Nikon 80-200, purely because I worked so hard at it. Since then I've had gear costing many times that, with many more focus points, much faster processors etc, but my photos have never bettered those early ones.

Something like a D7100 and 70-200 2.8 AFS has practically laser guided AF compared to some kit from just a few years back, but people were taking photos just as good back then. Ironically Micro 4/3, Fuji X etc gets hammered on the web for poor tracking AF, having used both extensively they are both easily as capable as a D50 was, you just need to put the effort in.

Give somebody like Riad, Nick etc a used £60 D50 and £70 Sigma 70-300 and after a bit of familiarisation they will still blow a guy out of the water with average ability using £10k of gear.

One of my favourite pictures I've taken, been very successful in a national competition...taken with £130 worth of gear...

New York City 2011 by Harry_S, on Flickr

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

I keep try to think of reason not to sell all of my SLR gear and get an X-Pro 1, especially as Fuji are doing a free lens deal at the moment!

Must resist!!

 

[ukaskew]

I keep try to think of reason not to sell all of my SLR gear and get an X-Pro 1, especially as Fuji are doing a free lens deal at the moment!

Must resist!!

Do it, I genuinely don't think you will regret it for a second. Particularly for travel I think it's pretty much the perfect system.

 

[planetx]

Daniel..............

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Looking back at this year .. there's really not much I'd call 'shot of the year worthy' :S

I like this one as I was laughing because Scrooge complained I take better pics with my phone than he does with his DSLR

Untitled by TheEvilGiraffe, on Flickr

This one as it sums up the year (of sorts) - The photo stars (geddit) my own house which I bought back in Feb and my favourite photography subject - star trails

HTH trails 2 by TheEvilGiraffe, on Flickr

However, I think shot of the year goes to this:

I love this one for its simplicity..

Reach for the moon by TheEvilGiraffe, on Flickr

 

[Niall]

I would respectfully disagree with that, good lenses/bodies/AF make things easier, but they don't make anything possible that wouldn't be on much, much cheaper gear, particularly for subjects like night or motorsport photography where good knowledge and ability would rank well above equipment.

By far my best year of motorsport photography came around 2008, using a £100 used Nikon D50 and a very battered £450 Nikon 80-200, purely because I worked so hard at it. Since then I've had gear costing many times that, with many more focus points, much faster processors etc, but my photos have never bettered those early ones.

Something like a D7100 and 70-200 2.8 AFS has practically laser guided AF compared to some kit from just a few years back, but people were taking photos just as good back then. Ironically Micro 4/3, Fuji X etc gets hammered on the web for poor tracking AF, having used both extensively they are both easily as capable as a D50 was, you just need to put the effort in.

Give somebody like Riad, Nick etc a used £60 D50 and £70 Sigma 70-300 and after a bit of familiarisation they will still blow a guy out of the water with average ability using £10k of gear.

One of my favourite pictures I've taken, been very successful in a national competition...taken with £130 worth of gear...

New York City 2011 by Harry_S, on Flickr

Fair enough.

It's obvious that I'm fighting the tide with this one. I'll leave it at PERSONALLY I prefer gear that I can rely to get me the shot I want. Don't misconstrue this for laziness, it's just purely having the means to express your creativity rather than unnecessary fuss

 

[Scrooge]

I am s**t though TheEvilGiraffe

 

[Yanoo]

I'm new in the DSLR's world (bought my first DSLR in last December) so I'm just learning photography. This photo was my most rated pic (pic of the week in July on the biggest Hungarian Photography site) during this year:

And these ones are my personal favs:

Autumn at Medvesalja by <-Y->, on Flickr

ENTRY (Spring)

Spring by <-Y->, on Flickr

 

[Scrooge]

Love all 3 but that too one is awesome!

 

[Yanoo]

Thank you!

 

[Cup_Phil]

Argghhh I've been so busy this year I've missed all the monthly comp's and most of my photos are still un-edited on my macbook

Gonna have a weekend trying to get them all online this weekend

I think this is one of my favourites from the year so far, but there's been a lot I've been happy with from the BTCC days

 

[Daz.]

Some fantastic shots in here - I genuinely wouldn't know where to begin!

 

[Eddie.]

My goodness, there is some serious work in here this month!

 

[Matt_90]

 

[JamesBryan]

Cracking shot that Matt! :approve:

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Well hot dog we have a wiener!

Super shot Matt

 

[Feirny]

Yeah I was struggling to pick out a winner until I saw that. Superb shot.

 

[Matt_90]

Cheers guys! Some great work in this thread, keep it coming!

 

[Cup_Phil]

Matt that shot is utterly superb!

 

[Matt_90]

Matt that shot is utterly superb!

Cheers Phil.

I have another wedding on the 28th of this month which should be good so going to see if I get something from that I can use. I have got a new technique to try So not marking at entry quite yet.

 

[Brazo]

It's a great shot Matt, I have seen it before but a great version nonetheless.

 

[Matt_90]

Yea I posted in another thread a while back, cheers though mate, some of your cityscape stuff is awesome!

 

[Jay_A]

ENTRY

Lucy Kemp by JaysBoudoir Photography, on Flickr

 

[Niall]

ENTRY

Architectural Reflections by Niall97, on Flickr

 

[Riad]

ENTRY

BTCC by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

 

[nebraska182]

ENTRY

 

[Dan...]

ENTRY:

BTCC Snetterton by Dan Jenks, on Flickr

 

[Matt_90]

​ENTRY

 

[JamieG95]

Nothing to compare to some of the other stuff in here but I'll stick a few in anyway!

Christmas Bobble Selfie! by JamieGraham95, on Flickr


P.S.N.I. Evo. by JamieGraham95, on Flickr

Summertime Sunset. by JamieGraham95, on Flickr

Evening Civic Shoot by JamieGraham95, on Flickr