The 420 Fotographer Collective: Advanced Cannabis Photography

[Tony Urban]

Helps that your plants are so purdy!!!

This is why I made this thread. This group, 420 Magazine forum growers, have some incredible plants. Not to mention inspirational ingenuity to create new paradigms. But the stunning plants they grow are works of art.

You spend so much money, time, effort, love, care, and dedication for months and months. Only to cannabalise the object of your toils.

I will never see, taste, smell, or touch this moment again. All I have to remember it is this.

Edit: because this is why we are here.

This photo is actually taken under the perfect sun dwarf star and is a bit purple. It has been color corrected using a custom white balance (see kelticBlues post and link for a how to). I was also holding a trouble light with a 60w equivalent LED for more light to the right of the plant.

This photo was taken on a tripod. PLUS for that added insurance I used a 2 second timer.

Pro tip: Even the movement of your finger could cause enough camera shake to cause a portion of your image to be blurry.

I had a wireless trigger but it broke. I have a wired one on order.

 

[Agemon]

The 420 Fotographer Collective - Member Bio

Username: Agemon

Grow method and strains:dirt, 818, candy land, blue berry, CBD Therapy, Haze Extreme, and some of my own too

Camera, Lenses and Gear: Canon 1ds Mark ii, lotsa lenses

Experience level and photography background: ive got some experience here and there...

What is your style? I've done a lot of photography. I shoot the way i want.

Favourite lens or type of shot: currently, for cannabis, my lens is a macro, although i do use others as well

If you could give 1 tip for new photographers: I guess no matter what camera you're using composition is key. There are 5 basic rules of composition and 5 secondary. Look into those. And think about getting a tripod, or just get one...

This question is for any photo newb's reading along. What would you do differently if this is what you see in your camera, before you take the picture?

 

[TheMadDabber]

....Bueller....

 

[Tunkers]

This question is for any photo newb's reading along. What would you do differently if this is what you see in your camera, before you take the picture?

Turn up the light bro

 

[LiveAndLetGro]

Just what I was looking for, an opportunity to learn from the best! Thanks for starting it up UA, and thank you to all who have shared tips and bios already. I feel like I have so much to learn. It almost feels like I would need to sign up for a photography class at the local college to really educate myself. Then there is the overwhelming task of choosing a good camera and accessories. Hopefully, this thread will help Not sure I have enough experience to be considered anything above amateur but I will go ahead a fill out a bio, it seems fun and this is a great group of folks with excellent credentials.

The 420 Fotographer Collective - Member Bio

Username:
LiveAndLetGro


Grow method and strains:

I grow in Deep Water Culture (DWC)
I have an ever growing seed collection. I just started a run with CKS Cali OG Haze. So many seeds, such little time



Camera, Lenses and Gear:

Samsung Galaxy S8+




Experience level and photography background:

I have always loved taking photos. I guess I first got interested in black and white. Simple photos of simple things. Old objects and old people always made great black and whites. In this world though, I live in color.





What is your style? (portrait, journal, macro, outdoor, instructional, various)

I would say my style before joining here was outdoor. So much beauty in nature, it can be hard to capture through the lens of a camera. Trees, animals, groups of people, music festivals, rivers, mountains, these have been the subjects of most of my shots. I have since shifted to a more journalistic approach, which is probably evident in my journal lol.




Favourite lens or type of shot:

I would say my favorite type of shot would be the pictures with depth. (thanks UA for sharing the blog entry so I know the correct term to use ) Also, I love the unexpected shot. The picture you took and thought nothing about until you looked at it later and realized it captured exactly what you wanted it too.




If you could give 1 tip for new photographers:

Someone else mentioned taking lots of photos. That is a great tip. I have always said quantity will provide quality.

A tip for anyone with blurple lights, use flash and take pics after lights out.





Other introductory options:

Please share 1 of you favourite photos and explain why it works so well for you. What equipment did you use?

I love this photo. Even under blurple light, it shows depth and texture, and a little color. Not to mention a beautiful little mite eater. Coming from a more outdoorsy background, I really enjoyed capturing the pics of the ladybugs in my tent. This was taken with my phone, the S8+.

Please share 1 technique you use in a step by step how-to.

My only "technique" is to take lots of photos from different angles. When I find something I want to capture I will start furthest away and take one photo, then move in halfway, move in some more, and take another until I have only what I want to capture in the photo. Then I can go back when cropping and find some very interesting photos that are focused in different ways (I usually use the auto focus).


Choose a few of your favourite photos and share them.

Talk about a piece of your equipment you can't live without.


The cropping tool

Share the link to other photography related content you have created.


Feel free to browse my journals. When I first started I had no clue, all blurple pics. They started to get better toward the end of my first journal. Hopefully, with your help, they will continue to improve.

Thanks again UA and everyone who contributes to this thread and the many others that make 420 magazine a great place to be!

 

[Tony Urban]

This question is for any photo newb’s reading along. What would you do differently if this is what you see in your camera, before you take the picture?

....Bueller....

Basically what Age is saying, and thank you by the way for coming, is that he knows photography. Take a look at some of his work, and by work I mean growing beautiful cannabis plants and showing them off with contest winning images, following his journals are a must.

That Camera says “I took pictures for money” lol

Something else this wise man has passed along to you is the use of a tripod. I echo that tip, one with a ball head that can take your cameras weight. Another good tip on the 5 basic rules and the 5 secondary rules of composition. I am gonna check that out. Great advice and thanks for the introduction.

lol and yes Tunkers, more light lol

 

[Tony Urban]

Just what I was looking for, an opportunity to learn from the best! Thanks for starting it up UA, and thank you to all who have shared tips and bios already. I feel like I have so much to learn. It almost feels like I would need to sign up for a photography class at the local college to really educate myself. Then there is the overwhelming task of choosing a good camera and accessories. Hopefully, this thread will help Not sure I have enough experience to be considered anything above amateur but I will go ahead a fill out a bio, it seems fun and this is a great group of folks with excellent credentials.

The 420 Fotographer Collective - Member Bio

Username:
LiveAndLetGro


Grow method and strains:

I grow in Deep Water Culture (DWC)
I have an ever growing seed collection. I just started a run with CKS Cali OG Haze. So many seeds, such little time



Camera, Lenses and Gear:

Samsung Galaxy S8+




Experience level and photography background:

I have always loved taking photos. I guess I first got interested in black and white. Simple photos of simple things. Old objects and old people always made great black and whites. In this world though, I live in color.





What is your style? (portrait, journal, macro, outdoor, instructional, various)

I would say my style before joining here was outdoor. So much beauty in nature, it can be hard to capture through the lens of a camera. Trees, animals, groups of people, music festivals, rivers, mountains, these have been the subjects of most of my shots. I have since shifted to a more journalistic approach, which is probably evident in my journal lol.




Favourite lens or type of shot:

I would say my favorite type of shot would be the pictures with depth. (thanks UA for sharing the blog entry so I know the correct term to use ) Also, I love the unexpected shot. The picture you took and thought nothing about until you looked at it later and realized it captured exactly what you wanted it too.




If you could give 1 tip for new photographers:

Someone else mentioned taking lots of photos. That is a great tip. I have always said quantity will provide quality.

A tip for anyone with blurple lights, use flash and take pics after lights out.





Other introductory options:

Please share 1 of you favourite photos and explain why it works so well for you. What equipment did you use?

I love this photo. Even under blurple light, it shows depth and texture, and a little color. Not to mention a beautiful little mite eater. Coming from a more outdoorsy background, I really enjoyed capturing the pics of the ladybugs in my tent. This was taken with my phone, the S8+.

Please share 1 technique you use in a step by step how-to.

My only "technique" is to take lots of photos from different angles. When I find something I want to capture I will start furthest away and take one photo, then move in halfway, move in some more, and take another until I have only what I want to capture in the photo. Then I can go back when cropping and find some very interesting photos that are focused in different ways (I usually use the auto focus).


Choose a few of your favourite photos and share them.

Talk about a piece of your equipment you can't live without.


The cropping tool

Share the link to other photography related content you have created.


Feel free to browse my journals. When I first started I had no clue, all blurple pics. They started to get better toward the end of my first journal. Hopefully, with your help, they will continue to improve.

Thanks again UA and everyone who contributes to this thread and the many others that make 420 magazine a great place to be!

Absolutely beautiful introduction!

First off I love the photos, and if those are on your S8, wow...very well done. Beautiful harvest there too, dont forget that!

Cropping! Mentioned more than once so far. Its pretty important too. You can set the mood, the focus, the even the flow by using the crop tool.

Well if thats not a perfect example of "the camera doesnt matter" I dont know what is.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Thanks for the invite Urban .. This is a lovely initiative sure to have great outcomes and the set up is excellent. I've already had some thoughts in response to the bios/intros - I'll be back to do mine, it'll take me a little while...

 

[Rider509]

This question is for any photo newb’s reading along. What would you do differently if this is what you see in your camera, before you take the picture?

Can I be a noob? First I would cut back on the nitrogen because that plant is very dark green. Then I'd probably move the fan out of the background and set a slower shutter speed. Or just take the shot and goof around with it in PS to increase the exposure, erase the fan, mess with the contrast, and bump the vibrancy. Is that cheating?

 

[Tunkers]

Can I be a noob? First I would cut back on the nitrogen because that plant is very dark green. Then I'd probably move the fan out of the background and set a slower shutter speed. Or just take the shot and goof around with it in PS to increase the exposure, erase the fan, mess with the contrast, and bump the vibrancy. Is that cheating?

Wasn't my answer good enough for you rider?

 

[Rider509]

Wasn't my answer good enough for you rider?

I merely expanded upon your excellent answer.

 

[TheMadDabber]

Wasn't my answer good enough for you rider?

Not sure the phrase "good enough" applies to this guy.... next he will tell us his plants aren't big enough .

 

[Tunkers]

Not sure the phrase "good enough" applies to this guy.... next he will tell us his plants aren't big enough .

Well depends what you're comparing them to I guess... There's some nice tall gum trees out back of my place that are a bit bigger....

 

[Tony Urban]

Everyone's opinion are welcome. That's the great thing about photography. Everyone has a different opinion and nobody is necessarily wrong. There are some basic rules but it's pretty flexible.

There are 50 different ways to do 1 thing. More light. Shallow depth of field. Longer exposures.

It's important to maintain the 420 core vibe here. Celebrating cannabis, promoting its medical benefits; and sharing the love of growing it. As well as taking kick ass photos.

Let's focus on raising each other up.

 

[Rider509]

Har har har. Everyone's a comic. And I bet those gum trees weren't supercropped so that's an unfair comparison.

OK, I'm out. Laters!

 

[Tony Urban]

Here is a set up of a macro seedling shot I took. Just for my Morty journal.

Canon D80
ISO 800ish
100mm f2.8
Tripod
F10ish

Here is the resulting image. Reduced in size and cropped in a 1:1 ratio.
I tried offsetting the main focus off to one side, and tried keeping the shell in the composition in the top right. Nothing special, just a stock seedling type of photo, but its a 2pt attempt. Cant score if you dont shoot.

 

[dynamo1]

checked on used macro lens for D50- very few, very expensive

 

[ilikemsticky]

im subbed urban i like what you have going on here ill be back to put in my bio and learn more about taking photos thanks for the invite man!

 

[nivek]

Perhaps I can just post a pic for now,,??

 

[MiOutdoorsman]

I'm in too. I'll be investing in a camera soon. Taking pictures on my old phone is a pain