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The drive to do better and better


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Now I'm not looking to win any competitions: I just don't have the kit and never will do.


 


I remember how thrilled I was to photograph solar prominences in 2005 when I bought my PST. What is it that makes me covet the Daystar Quark, so I can use my 127Mak?


 


Why do I (and others) look at 10 year old photos and dismiss them as <expletive>?


 


Why do I dismiss the idea of photographing our new puppy with a 5Mp 'phone camera or a 14Mp compact digital camera and wait for my 24Mp DSLR to be returned from repair?


 


If there was a terapixel digital camera down the shopping centre, why would we mortgage our entire extended family to get it?


 


At what point do we look at our photos and say "that will do"?


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Well - personally - I don't have a quark, or a puppy, I rent my home - so nothing to mortgage, and I don't have any 10yr old photos of anything, oh and my dslr isn't being repaired. So I'm relieved I don't have to worry about any of those things. That'll do for me. :lol:


Edited by Brantuk
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You can guarantee that anything you do, someone ,somewhere will do it better but that's not the point. You just do the best you can with what YOU HAVE got. 


When you look at a past picture, think about when and how you took it, and appreciate your achievement in creating that image. 


Nowt wrong with dreaming, but remember the words of the great John Lennon. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy planning other things" (or something like that).


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I like to try to better myself each and every time I go out there compared to my previous session. However if someone has got the same or very similar kit to me I like to try to better them, not to show off, but to get to the same level or surpass them as them because it must be possible.


 


Some of my early birding photos are <removed word>, the ones I produce now are much better but they can still be improved upon and I hope that in a few more years I can say that today's images are <removed word>.


 


I judge other people's images depending on experience level and kit used, some people can make very modest kit shine and others can make very expensive kit look like a waste of money.


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It seems I'm not the only one trying to do better. I have to confess to doing a lot of "cookbook" shots, especially during the week when time is often limited. I think (rightly I guess) that I am better sticking mainly to images that I do and few others do. I know my hydrogen alpha images are very poor by today's standards, so I tend not to do them too often. I have some ideas to try out but know I need some uninterrupted time (harder with a busier job and more family duties).


 


I like to think I'm quite good (generally) at what I do with a limited budget but my biggest stumbling block is the limited focus travel of the Coronado PST.


 


Regardless, I always want to take better shots than what I have already!


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We all have to start somewhere. It's not necessarily the best gear that gets the best shot, it's being in the right spot at the right time and being able to just get the best out of what you have. I have seen some stunning images taken with what could be considered just really basic entry level gear.


For me it's just enjoying it, I used to get really frustrated over not finding something or the weather wasn't playing ball, but I came to realise that there's nothing I could do and just try again next time. I get much more from the hobby now and if things don't go right, there's always tea, cakes and friends. But when it does go right and you have a cracking night, the buzz lasts for days.


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If I'm objective about my shots, I'd been getting some great stuff with my DSLR before it went for repair (back today!). There's loads of things I'm going to try. I'm planning a "raid" on Melotte 20.

It is in the area of solar hydrogen alpha photography where I feel I cannot get above basic level without some sort of investment in kit.

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If I'm objective about my shots, I'd been getting some great stuff with my DSLR before it went for repair (back today!). There's loads of things I'm going to try. I'm planning a "raid" on Melotte 20.

It is in the area of solar hydrogen alpha photography where I feel I cannot get above basic level without some sort of investment in kit.

I'm looking forward to seeing your Mel 20 images. :thumbsup:

 

Nobody seems to bother with this one and often don't realise that it is even a cluster because it is a full 3 degrees across, but if it is framed well then it looks lovely. Visually, in anything bigger than about 15x70 bins, it loses its appearance as a cluster, but you can examine small parts of it in any telescope and see a very rich field.

 

I had some lovely views of it last night in my 15x70s and the ST120.

Edited by Tweedledee
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At my wedding, my parents-in-law told me to remember everything because it'll be the best day of my life. That's also the singular most depressing thing anyone has said to me, as if I've peaked and it's downhill all the way :D   Every day I try to learn, improve or achieve something new, to avoid reaching that peak.


 


Slightly less philosophically and more specifically... It is just that thrill of the 'new' I think. I've only managed a couple of proper astrophotos (blame the weather) and been really pleased with them, but I know what to improve and try next. I'm currently nowhere near the limit of my equipment so I have room to grow. I've found with other hobbies that as you approach that limit the pleasure from the activity turns to frustration, and is only cured with better kit. Unfortunately that can be quite an expensive road, so I try to take things slowly :)


 


Being forced backwards by old kit, you know you're not reaching your full potential, and to me that can just feel like a waste of time. But I guess it's kinda good to look back and think early works are terrible, it's just proof of how much you've improved :)


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  • 2 weeks later...

It is when one gets a breakthrough image that far exceeds anything one has dome before that makes it feel worthwhile. There are better photos about than this and I'll probably get better ones myself in the future but I was really pleased with this Milky Way shot:


 


http://s376.photobucket.com/user/solargazer127mak/media/Constellations/MilkyWayY15AugD15_zpsolsoz0pw.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3


 


MilkyWayY15AugD15_zpsolsoz0pw.jpg

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It is when one gets a breakthrough image that far exceeds anything one has dome before that makes it feel worthwhile. There are better photos about than this and I'll probably get better ones myself in the future but I was really pleased with this Milky Way shot:

 

http://s376.photobucket.com/user/solargazer127mak/media/Constellations/MilkyWayY15AugD15_zpsolsoz0pw.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

 

MilkyWayY15AugD15_zpsolsoz0pw.jpg

That is really nice Phil. Very detailed :thumbsup:

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