taking photos while moving

Jim

Sounds like you are using a Kodak in the DX series,

Try the sport settings, meant for movement,

You will get the best results on bright sunny days when there is plenty of
light and follow the advice in the previous post.

Make sure that there is nothing close in the picture, you will be moving too
fast relative to the close objects.

Do read the help /tutorial information that came on the CD or download it
from the Kodak site if you haven't got a copy.

Read about the optimum settings for what you want to photograph.

I have a DX6440, a great camera for snapshots, portraits, sport, and street
scenes, the flash is great stron but reduces very well for close up photos
of people. I would like a bit more clear detail in the landscape photos.

With digital you will be able to review the image immediately after you have
taken it.

PS - disable the digital zoom and stick with optical zoom for best results,
enable digital zoom only for those images when you need to capture a picture
and the quality doesn't matter.

Phil

"Jim Townsend" wrote in message
...
Travis E Wethington wrote:

I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.

Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of thumb'
would be to:

1) use the highest shutter speed you can and

2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through glass,
get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce reflections.

Jim Townsend wrote:
Travis E Wethington wrote:


I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.


Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of thumb'
would be to:

1) use the highest shutter speed you can and

2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through glass,
get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce reflections.


Hi...

And bring along an extra bottle of lens cleaner and
wipes... to clean the tiny portion of window you use.
Easy to clean a couple of square inches on the inside

If anyone's interested, I made myself an "adaptor" that
seems to work very very well... for only a couple of
dollars in materials.

Bought a sheet of black foam - supposed to be an air
filter for a window air conditioner - and a small tube
of contact cement.

Cut a strip the width of the lens extension, the length
just enough to snugly go around the lens barrel (the portion
that doesn't move). Glued the ends with contact cement.

Cut another strip that fit snugly around that, glued it
to the first all around. Kept repeating with longer and
longer strips 'till I'd built up the 2 inches or so to
about 4 or 5 inches. (time consuming)

Once there cut another strip 'bout 6 inches wide, and
long enough to go around the whole shooting match with
a bit of overlap. Glue this all the way round the
other piece, and overlap glue that part that "sticks
out"

Finally, cut a dozen "slits" of an inch or two in the
end. This way you can press it against a window at an
angle. (naturally you're going to get crisper pictures
of where you're going or where you've been than you will
of what you're passing)

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Hope this helps a bit...

Ken

to

Hi Travis

I may have misread or misinterpreted what you put - saying that here are my
key points:

1 - get to know your camera - a half press on the shoot button usually
focusses the camera devices and sorts shutter & ISO settings all at the same
time (try this with stationary objects first until you get really good at
it)

2 - panning. If you can P&S thru an open window = great. This may allow
you to follow the object you want to take a picture of by rotating or
panning the camera so you follow the object. You can try this by taking
pics of slow moving cars (for example)

3 - Put 1 & 2 together and practise until you are good at both

The great thing about digital photography is that you may practise these
techniques and view the results on camera LCD screen or computer without
having to waste rolls & rolls of film.

I hope you have phun!

Arts

"Travis E Wethington" wrote in message
om...
I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.

Hi Travis

I may have misread or misinterpreted what you put - saying that here are my
key points:

1 - get to know your camera - a half press on the shoot button usually
focusses the camera devices and sorts shutter & ISO settings all at the same
time (try this with stationary objects first until you get really good at
it)

2 - panning. If you can P&S thru an open window = great. This may allow
you to follow the object you want to take a picture of by rotating or
panning the camera so you follow the object. You can try this by taking
pics of slow moving cars (for example)

3 - Put 1 & 2 together and practise until you are good at both

The great thing about digital photography is that you may practise these
techniques and view the results on camera LCD screen or computer without
having to waste rolls & rolls of film.

I hope you have phun!

Arts

"Travis E Wethington" wrote in message
om...
I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.

Travis E Wethington wrote:

I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.

Does your camera have a 'landscape' mode? If so, that usually sets the
focus at infinity making it unnecessary to wait for focus. The settings
for shutter and aperture can probably be left on auto for trouble-free
pictures. For special cases, and difficult pictures, you can use the
PAS settings. Needless to say, if you want to be able to capture any
images of things fairly near the train, you will have to have a very
fast shutter speed and you will have to be quick on the 'trigger'. I
have some very nice pictures taken from the car with my DX6440, all in
landscape mode.

Ken Weitzel wrote:



Jim Townsend wrote:

Travis E Wethington wrote:


I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.



Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of
thumb' would be to:
1) use the highest shutter speed you can and
2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through
glass, get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce reflections.


Hi...

And bring along an extra bottle of lens cleaner and
wipes... to clean the tiny portion of window you use.
Easy to clean a couple of square inches on the inside

If anyone's interested, I made myself an "adaptor" that
seems to work very very well... for only a couple of
dollars in materials.

Bought a sheet of black foam - supposed to be an air
filter for a window air conditioner - and a small tube
of contact cement.

Cut a strip the width of the lens extension, the length
just enough to snugly go around the lens barrel (the portion
that doesn't move). Glued the ends with contact cement.

Cut another strip that fit snugly around that, glued it
to the first all around. Kept repeating with longer and
longer strips 'till I'd built up the 2 inches or so to
about 4 or 5 inches. (time consuming)

Once there cut another strip 'bout 6 inches wide, and
long enough to go around the whole shooting match with
a bit of overlap. Glue this all the way round the
other piece, and overlap glue that part that "sticks
out"

Finally, cut a dozen "slits" of an inch or two in the
end. This way you can press it against a window at an
angle. (naturally you're going to get crisper pictures
of where you're going or where you've been than you will
of what you're passing)

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Hope this helps a bit...n

Ken

to

You didn't mention that after all that, you might find that the train
windows (usually tinted) will render autofocus unreliable (you will
probably focus on the window). Another reason to set the focus for
landscape.

Ken Weitzel wrote:



Jim Townsend wrote:

Travis E Wethington wrote:


I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.



Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of
thumb' would be to:
1) use the highest shutter speed you can and
2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through
glass, get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce reflections.


Hi...

And bring along an extra bottle of lens cleaner and
wipes... to clean the tiny portion of window you use.
Easy to clean a couple of square inches on the inside

If anyone's interested, I made myself an "adaptor" that
seems to work very very well... for only a couple of
dollars in materials.

Bought a sheet of black foam - supposed to be an air
filter for a window air conditioner - and a small tube
of contact cement.

Cut a strip the width of the lens extension, the length
just enough to snugly go around the lens barrel (the portion
that doesn't move). Glued the ends with contact cement.

Cut another strip that fit snugly around that, glued it
to the first all around. Kept repeating with longer and
longer strips 'till I'd built up the 2 inches or so to
about 4 or 5 inches. (time consuming)

Once there cut another strip 'bout 6 inches wide, and
long enough to go around the whole shooting match with
a bit of overlap. Glue this all the way round the
other piece, and overlap glue that part that "sticks
out"

Finally, cut a dozen "slits" of an inch or two in the
end. This way you can press it against a window at an
angle. (naturally you're going to get crisper pictures
of where you're going or where you've been than you will
of what you're passing)

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Hope this helps a bit...n

Ken

to

You didn't mention that after all that, you might find that the train
windows (usually tinted) will render autofocus unreliable (you will
probably focus on the window). Another reason to set the focus for
landscape.

What's the 22% gray card for?

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Thanks



"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
Ken Weitzel wrote:



Jim Townsend wrote:

Travis E Wethington wrote:


I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.



Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of
thumb' would be to:
1) use the highest shutter speed you can and
2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through
glass, get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce
reflections.


Hi...

And bring along an extra bottle of lens cleaner and
wipes... to clean the tiny portion of window you use.
Easy to clean a couple of square inches on the inside

If anyone's interested, I made myself an "adaptor" that
seems to work very very well... for only a couple of
dollars in materials.

Bought a sheet of black foam - supposed to be an air
filter for a window air conditioner - and a small tube
of contact cement.

Cut a strip the width of the lens extension, the length
just enough to snugly go around the lens barrel (the portion
that doesn't move). Glued the ends with contact cement.

Cut another strip that fit snugly around that, glued it
to the first all around. Kept repeating with longer and
longer strips 'till I'd built up the 2 inches or so to
about 4 or 5 inches. (time consuming)

Once there cut another strip 'bout 6 inches wide, and
long enough to go around the whole shooting match with
a bit of overlap. Glue this all the way round the
other piece, and overlap glue that part that "sticks
out"

Finally, cut a dozen "slits" of an inch or two in the
end. This way you can press it against a window at an
angle. (naturally you're going to get crisper pictures
of where you're going or where you've been than you will
of what you're passing)

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Hope this helps a bit...n

Ken

to

You didn't mention that after all that, you might find that the train
windows (usually tinted) will render autofocus unreliable (you will
probably focus on the window). Another reason to set the focus for
landscape.

What's the 22% gray card for?

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Thanks



"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
Ken Weitzel wrote:



Jim Townsend wrote:

Travis E Wethington wrote:


I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.



Without knowing what camera you are using, the only two 'rules of
thumb' would be to:
1) use the highest shutter speed you can and
2) try not to shoot through glass.. If you have to shoot through
glass, get the lens as close as possible. That will reduce
reflections.


Hi...

And bring along an extra bottle of lens cleaner and
wipes... to clean the tiny portion of window you use.
Easy to clean a couple of square inches on the inside

If anyone's interested, I made myself an "adaptor" that
seems to work very very well... for only a couple of
dollars in materials.

Bought a sheet of black foam - supposed to be an air
filter for a window air conditioner - and a small tube
of contact cement.

Cut a strip the width of the lens extension, the length
just enough to snugly go around the lens barrel (the portion
that doesn't move). Glued the ends with contact cement.

Cut another strip that fit snugly around that, glued it
to the first all around. Kept repeating with longer and
longer strips 'till I'd built up the 2 inches or so to
about 4 or 5 inches. (time consuming)

Once there cut another strip 'bout 6 inches wide, and
long enough to go around the whole shooting match with
a bit of overlap. Glue this all the way round the
other piece, and overlap glue that part that "sticks
out"

Finally, cut a dozen "slits" of an inch or two in the
end. This way you can press it against a window at an
angle. (naturally you're going to get crisper pictures
of where you're going or where you've been than you will
of what you're passing)

Finally, don't think they'd appreciate it, but if your
camera allows custom white balance, then bring along
a small piece of 22% gray card and some good tape
pre-attached. Get whoever sees you off to slap it against
the corner of one of the windows just before the train
moves out

Hope this helps a bit...n

Ken

to

You didn't mention that after all that, you might find that the train
windows (usually tinted) will render autofocus unreliable (you will
probably focus on the window). Another reason to set the focus for
landscape.

On 28 Jul 2004 11:06:40 -0700, (Travis E
Wethington) wrote:

I'm getting ready to take a cross-country train trip and would welcome
any advice for PAS settings on my digital camera. I'm very new to
anything other than point and click with my camera so specific
settings and reasons would be very helpful as I desire to learn how to
take pictures, what each manual setting is, and why I would want to
adjust each setting in a particular way. Thanks in advance for any
help you can provide.

Travis,
you seem to have received some good advice already & I'll
offer my 2 cents also since I have done several cross-country business
train trips, mostly between MA & TX. 1st, if you have the option, a
sleeper car is the way to go, much more privacy & security for your
gear. For most of my trips I used a video camcorder but most of my
suggestions will also apply to digital stills.

1 Get to know the staff, often they will allow you access to
areas on the train that most riders are not permitted but always ask
them privately or almost certainly, the answer will be "Sorry but,
regulations .......". 1 of the best places you "might" get access to
is the very rear of the train outside the door on the platform (ear
plugs can help too because it gets noisy out there).

2 Bring along a window washing squeegee like the 1's used at
full service gas stations to clean your vehicle windows. Buy 1 that
the handle unscrews for better storage or modify it so the handle can
be removed & maybe replaced with a little longer 1. Get onboard as
soon as you can, so you will know where you will be seated & place
something easily recognizable in the window & then get back off the
train & clean the outside of "that" window because that's where most
of the dirt will be. The inside is easy to clean & can be done at
almost anytime.

3 Keep your gear at the ready! Even a long bridge crossing
over water can past by very quickly if the train is traveling at high
speed as they usually do. A good map that shows major water crossings
helps you to be ready, as does information from your friendly well
tipped cabin attendant.

4 As others have stated, pre focusing the camera toward
infinity if your camera allows this, will often help too. Also you
usually will want to pan with "track" 1 object while the train is in
motion & follow through even past the point where you feel the picture
was taken because "all" cameras have some shutter delay.

5 Bring a reasonably small & lightweight tripod. This might
sound strange but many of these trains make a lot more stops than most
people think & some great shots of the train, people & stations can be
had from outside the train during such stops. Also if your digital
camera has manual controls, get to know them well because many of
these stops may be at night & long exposures of a few seconds may be
needed if you are going to turn off the flash & use the existing light
only.

Last note is 1 of equipment caution. AC power outlet on a
trains are usually provide very poor quality square wave AC & poorly
regulated too. So don't plug anything expensive into it! If you can
charge your batteries outside the camera, do so with a cheap charger
if possible "if you must charge them on the train". Cheaper to
replace an inexpensive battery charger than an expensive 1 or the
camera itself.

Have fun, it's sometimes hard to balance picture taking with
just kicking back & enjoying the trip. Sure it's nice to have a lot
of nice pictures to remember the trip by but you also want to have had
fun too or the pictures might just be reminders of who much effort it
took to take them.

Hope something in my long response proves helpfully to
somebody out there.

Respectfully, DHB