Help me take better signal photos

Started by traffic light guy, December 18, 2017, 06:31:22 PM

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traffic light guy

Here's a link to my flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144426590@N04/

Please give me advice on taking good signal photos, some came out really sharp and clear, some came out looking like poop. I know I shouldn't be using a phone camera, but it's the easiest way to upload my signal photos. Can someone critique my Flickr page, and give me tips.


formulanone

#1
Alright, here's some advice:

1) Understand and play around with composition. This is good advice for everyone, from beginners to experts, regardless of the subject matter. Not everyone has the fanciest equipment, but composition is a great place to start.

2) Line up your image neatly; although post-production tweaks help a lot too. Use the entire frame for some shots, zoom in for others. It depends on what kind of story you're telling.

3) Conditions matter: Are you always shooting into the glare of the sun? At the same time of day? Photographers look for the "golden hour" (sometimes it's up to two hours), as it brings out colors and contrast. That said, sometimes you have to take your shots when you can.

4) If you're using a phone-based camera, the image sensor responds best to outdoor use. The shutter speed will be faster, and less likely to blur, because you've chosen a specific object for it to focus upon.

5) Zooming in on your desired subject might make it more interesting, but at the expense of image quality.

6) Don't be afraid to play around with settings. Exposure, color temperature, contrast, but use like spices...a little is good, too much can ruin the meal.

7) Shooting from a vehicle usually includes unwanted glare, window tinting, and whatever garbage is on the windshield/window. Prepare for it.

8) Ignore all of the above if you really like your photographs. Sometimes the best memories come from spur-of-the-moment photography.

I don't have a lot of advice specifically for traffic signals; I mostly work with signs and road scenes, but I have noticed that the lights' colors are difficult to capture. The light source operates at a different color temperature than daylight, and usually at 50/60Hz (?) which is also tricky photograph at times.

Lastly, you always acquire new tricks in photography. Practice, practice, practice...you learn one thing, and then want to learn another, because nobody knows it all. When you see a professional, you see their best work, not the 80-90% of the shots that didn't make the cut.

traffic light guy

Quote from: formulanone on December 18, 2017, 09:03:11 PM
Alright, here's some advice:

1) Understand and play around with composition. This is good advice for everyone, from beginners to experts, regardless of the subject matter. Not everyone has the fanciest equipment, but composition is a great place to start.

2) Line up your image neatly; although post-production tweaks help a lot too. Use the entire frame for some shots, zoom in for others. It depends on what kind of story you're telling.

3) Conditions matter: Are you always shooting into the glare of the sun? At the same time of day? Photographers look for the "golden hour" (sometimes it's up to two hours), as it brings out colors and contrast. That said, sometimes you have to take your shots when you can.

4) If you're using a phone-based camera, the image sensor responds best to outdoor use. The shutter speed will be faster, and less likely to blur, because you've chosen a specific object for it to focus upon.

5) Zooming in on your desired subject might make it more interesting, but at the expense of image quality.

6) Don't be afraid to play around with settings. Exposure, color temperature, contrast, but use like spices...a little is good, too much can ruin the meal.

7) Shooting from a vehicle usually includes unwanted glare, window tinting, and whatever garbage is on the windshield/window. Prepare for it.

8) Ignore all of the above if you really like your photographs. Sometimes the best memories come from spur-of-the-moment photography.

I don't have a lot of advice specifically for traffic signals; I mostly work with signs and road scenes, but I have noticed that the lights' colors are difficult to capture. The light source operates at a different color temperature than daylight, and usually at 50/60Hz (?) which is also tricky photograph at times.

Lastly, you always acquire new tricks in photography. Practice, practice, practice...you learn one thing, and then want to learn another, because nobody knows it all. When you see a professional, you see their best work, not the 80-90% of the shots that didn't make the cut.

Show me some of my images, that are my best work, and show me the ones that need retakes.

busman_49

Quote from: traffic light guy on December 18, 2017, 09:58:27 PM
Show me some of my images, that are my best work, and show me the ones that need retakes.

I think, in a way, that's quite subjective.  I've had a few shots that I hated, but that others liked.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: traffic light guy on December 18, 2017, 06:31:22 PM
Here's a link to my flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144426590@N04/

Please give me advice on taking good signal photos, some came out really sharp and clear, some came out looking like poop. I know I shouldn't be using a phone camera, but it's the easiest way to upload my signal photos. Can someone critique my Flickr page, and give me tips.

My first thought was...it's not the phone...it's the crap Pennsylvania has to take pictures of!

Honestly I think most of your pics are fine.  With cell phone cameras, you can only do so much.  We can always zoom in on the photo to see minor details.  Pics from moving cars are tough because, well, you're moving, and you have to deal with windshields or other glass that isn't perfectly clean either.  The sun is tough also, between its brightness and angles.  And cell phone pics and dusk/dawn don't mix too well together either.


txstateends

I looked through your first Flickr page.  Most pix are not bad.  One condition you need to be careful with is cloudy/partly cloudy days.  Your eyes might think your pix will come out all right, but your camera might interpret the conditions differently.  Light might not be as bright, or there might be more weird shadows.  Sunlight is, of course, going to blind and wash out any subject matter; also cars in front of you reflecting the sun.  Try not to be in a hurry when getting a shot; tough, yes, if you are driving, but the light/focus could be easily compromised.  If you're going to be driving while taking the pix, try to make sure your windshield is *clean*.  Also, clear off anything loose and light-colored from your dashboard--better yet, invest in 1 or 2 black or very dark (like navy blue) towels to cover the dash.  Yes, it is easier to use a phone camera, but not always the best for every use.  If you are going to be snapping regularly, I would consider a digital camera along with the phone for at least some outings.  As for how the colors and brightness are with traffic lights, it could be trial and error; as we all know, some signals have LED which could flicker or be *very* bright, while others that aren't up to date could have varying quality (dim bulbs, 'burnt' lenses, washed-out color) or be affected by sun glare.  Oh, and Busman has a point... you might not like something you took, someone else might love it.  It's like art in general.  Painting, architecture, sculpture--each has its fans, and its detractors.  Even if you only post great stuff on your Flickr, don't be so quick to erase all the other pix.  Deleting the blurry ones is probably good, but the remainders will be good for letting you know what to do better next time.  Also, the ones you hold onto might be a source of a good memory or great trip you took.  Don't beat yourself up over your photography, you're probably not going to be another Ansel Adams, nor do you have to be.  Just like Let's Make a Deal, there will be some zonks among the prize winners.  Good luck!
\/ \/ click for a bigger image \/ \/

AsphaltPlanet

#6
Quote from: busman_49 on December 19, 2017, 08:12:37 AM
Quote from: traffic light guy on December 18, 2017, 09:58:27 PM
Show me some of my images, that are my best work, and show me the ones that need retakes.

I think, in a way, that's quite subjective.  I've had a few shots that I hated, but that others liked.

I think an important point to make about taking pictures, is that you take them for yourself.  It's great to post pictures on the internet and to interact with others, but really, no-one is going to feel the same way about your photos as you do.

You should re-take the photos that you aren't happy with.

On the other hand, if your objective is to garner likes on the internet, then I'd suggest to you that traffic light pics probably aren't going to be the subject matter that is going to be the most effective at achieving that goal.

I'm going to echo the advice above in terms of photography.  Practice.  If you want to take consistently great photos, you need to take lots of photos.  Over time, you will find that the keeper rate of your photos will steadily increase as you learn about both better composition techniques, in addition to better understanding the technical aspects of photography.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

traffic light guy

Check out my recent images, and I've deleted the crappier ones

adventurernumber1

#8
I have no professional advice, but honestly, I really like your pictures. I don't notice anything particularly bad about any of them. Also, some of the most recent ones (the close-ups) are especially cool.

I'm no professional, but so far, it looks pretty good to me!  :thumbsup:


Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127322363@N08/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-vJ3qa8R-cc44Cv6ohio1g

traffic light guy

I'm starting to notice that my Flickr photos get better as time progresses. I know it's subjective, but can somebody let me know which shots are their favorites

paulthemapguy

What town is it that uses the red street blades?  According to updated MUTCD standards, they're going to need to replace all of the street blades because red is no longer an acceptable color  :-D

I like your pictures.  I tend to look past photography concepts other than good contrast/lighting...I try to focus on the content in the photography.  I was actually thinking about getting photos of different traffic signal configurations, which means I would try to have only one photo of a signal with two 3-section heads, etc since anything else seems redundant.
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

formulanone

#11
Okay, I'll focus on the positives. Again, this entirely opinion...you or somebody else can completely disagree and that's cool.

I don't know much about traffic lights, so take some things with a grain of salt. To be entirely fair, road photography isn't always the most elegant subject, it can be quite mundane. The specifics might be interesting enough to those with a deeper  interest within a hobby, and whether the photo is "excellent" or "popular" or "gallery material" matters very little. There's times I take a sign photo just because a want a photo of the sign, and don't care about the rest of the elements in the photo.

Sometimes, only those with an interest in the discrete differences and slight variations are going to appreciate or care about the minutiae. (Don't be offended by that, any sort of specialized hobby, interest, or collectible is like that to its "outsiders".) 

Lastly, take photos because you want to. I've had a few stinkers get a few likes, other personal favorites of mine exhibit zero interest. If the "likes/faves" are the most important thing to you, then you can spend many hours of your day selling yourself as a product to the internet, and garner hangers-on and back-scratching everyone else so you all create an endless cycle of karma-liking which saps your soul for eternity.

On the other hand, if you want a photo (or hobby) to generate more interest, then give detailed descriptions. Telling a viewer that "this is X" and "this is Y" doesn't really convey any information. (Why is X the way it is? Why did this Y get manufactured that way? What's the benefit/drawback/differences/allure of Z over Y, or unlike X? Why is this photo and/or subject interesting to you?)


8-inch Mark IV traffic lights by brandonking3 (Traffic Light Guy), on Flickr
- This pretty good, it makes it look imposing; post is not centered, yet the signal head is offset enough to give visual balance. Trees lend support to the post, and the wire at the top right gives some angular and parallel support. Color contrast is nice, too.


McCain and Marbelite traffic lights by brandonking3 (Traffic Light Guy), on Flickr
- Another photo where the elements balance out nicely. That's what makes a photo more interesting to someone. Again, the angles give and draw attention, the subject is put in a way where it can be imposing; traffic lights are intended to be "authoritarian" with "utilitarian".


Peek traffic lights by brandonking3 (Traffic Light Guy), on Flickr
- Good use of red, works in rule of threes. Color that works in a line (top-left to bottom-right).


Eagle traffic light by brandonking3 (Traffic Light Guy), on Flickr
- Pretty good illustrative photo. Subject is dominant part of photo, and post is secondary. Detail is plainly visible; that's the specialist part of the hobby which makes it more interesting to everyone.


4-section 12-inch Eagle Mark traffic signal on a pedestal by brandonking3 (Traffic Light Guy), on Flickr
- Good explanation, interesting because I was wondering why it was red and green at he same time.

Mergingtraffic

I take pics with my iphone 6s.  That's it, nothing fancy.  Are the pics the best quality? Nope.....but they satisfy me.  (I take them for the sign.  I'm mostly into non-reflective button copy signage and have recently branched out into stubs and whatnot.)

It's trial and error. But there's things about my pics I hate but others don't notice and vice versa.

So for me, it'll be hard to say which ones are better.  I think they all are just fine.
I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/

traffic light guy

#13
Quote from: paulthemapguy on January 16, 2018, 10:39:58 AM
What town is it that uses the red street blades?  According to updated MUTCD standards, they're going to need to replace all of the street blades because red is no longer an acceptable color  :-D

I like your pictures.  I tend to look past photography concepts other than good contrast/lighting...I try to focus on the content in the photography.  I was actually thinking about getting photos of different traffic signal configurations, which means I would try to have only one photo of a signal with two 3-section heads, etc since anything else seems redundant.


Abington Township, PA uses red street blades

traffic light guy

What do you guys think of my far-away shots, where it shows the view of the entire intersection

jeffandnicole

Quote from: traffic light guy on January 16, 2018, 06:03:59 PM
What do you guys think of my far-away shots, where it shows the view of the entire intersection

In the thread where you're trying to show paint chips, I couldn't really see anything especially when looking at the pics on my cell phone.

traffic light guy

Quote from: jeffandnicole on January 16, 2018, 06:05:36 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on January 16, 2018, 06:03:59 PM
What do you guys think of my far-away shots, where it shows the view of the entire intersection

In the thread where you're trying to show paint chips, I couldn't really see anything especially when looking at the pics on my cell phone.

Look at those images on my Flickr page, they're in full quality.

formulanone

#17
One last thing to remember as the inexorable passage of time transforms us all and mutilates everything in it...save almost all your photos and originals.

You never know when your old stuff might become interesting.

Can you delete the one blurry photo out of a dozen similar shots, or that third exact repeat of the same subject? Yes, of course.

But when you want that one-and-only shot that's hidden among the inexplicable mass on our hard drives? The one nobody else bothered to ever photograph? The photo which you'll cherish because it reminds you of the simpler times and wonderful memories? That one which proves/disproves that annoying know-it-all fellow on the internet (this could be me)?

...you'll be glad you had it.

adventurernumber1

#18
Quote from: formulanone on January 16, 2018, 06:52:39 PM
One last thing to remember as the inexorable passage of time transforms us all and mutilates everything in it...save almost all your photos and originals.

You never know when your old stuff might become interesting.

Can you delete the one blurry photo out of a dozen similar shots, or that third exact repeat of the same subject? Yes, of course.

But when you want that one-and-only shot that's hidden among the inexplicable mass on our hard drives? The one nobody else bothered to ever photograph? The photo which you'll cherish because it reminds you of the simpler times and wonderful memories? That one which proves/disproves that annoying know-it-all fellow on the internet (this could be me)?

...you'll be glad you had it.

+1

Very, very, very well said!! Keeping your pictures is definitely highly recommended. I actually have a great example of how significant it can be if you keep a picture for even just a few years. This is my current profile picture on my YouTube Channel, and it probably has been ever since I took this photo back in June 2014 (and for what it's worth, this is also my profile picture (still) on Instagram and a lot of other things as well):



This road-related sight has changed dramatically in the last few years. Here is what it looks like now, as of a few weeks ago (when this picture was taken):



What was, a few short years ago, a new profile picture that showed a cool new road photo I had just taken, is now already a piece of history and in the past. Now my profile picture is no longer that "cool, new road photo" - it is now rich history. It's amazing how much more historical a road picture (or any picture) could be after just a few years. I'll probably keep that as a profile picture for a little while longer, because it brings great nostalgia, and it is incredibly intriguing. Definitely keep your pictures at all costs, because they will only increase in value as time goes on, and you will want these visual reminders of your younger memories, and something interesting to look at anyway, of course!  :nod:


Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127322363@N08/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-vJ3qa8R-cc44Cv6ohio1g

traffic light guy

Here's another problem, other people seem to have better signal finds. Other signalgeeks on Flickr get to capture the good stuff (4-Ways, CH Art Decos, old Eaglelux signals), meanwhile I mostly get boring McCain installs, which is what most of my area consits of. I get jealus of other people's Flickrs, seeing all the interesting signals they have. BUT, there still are a select amount of decent stuff that I have, like the 70s-era Eagle installs that I found in the Huntingdon Valley.

freebrickproductions

Quote from: traffic light guy on February 20, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Here's another problem, other people seem to have better signal finds. Other signalgeeks on Flickr get to capture the good stuff (4-Ways, CH Art Decos, old Eaglelux signals), meanwhile I mostly get boring McCain installs, which is what most of my area consits of. I get jealus of other people's Flickrs, seeing all the interesting signals they have. BUT, there still are a select amount of decent stuff that I have, like the 70s-era Eagle installs that I found in the Huntingdon Valley.
A major component of that is travel. In my city, the vast majority of the signals are 12 inch with most of them being mostly LED (and all 16 inch LED pedestrian signals), so a lot of the more interesting stuff I had to travel to other cities (and even other states) to document.
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

formulanone

#21
Quote from: traffic light guy on February 20, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Here's another problem, other people seem to have better signal finds. Other signalgeeks on Flickr get to capture the good stuff (4-Ways, CH Art Decos, old Eaglelux signals), meanwhile I mostly get boring McCain installs, which is what most of my area consits of. I get jealus of other people's Flickrs, seeing all the interesting signals they have. BUT, there still are a select amount of decent stuff that I have, like the 70s-era Eagle installs that I found in the Huntingdon Valley.

For one, you're 16; getting out of your own town, let alone your county, isn't easy until you have you own transportation and spare time. It was the same for me when I first learned to drive around, be home with the darned thing by dinner because it's not yours. Most of us were in that same boat...er, car. You went to school, work, your friends' houses, a few errands, and that was about it until summertime. When you have the time and ability to travel, that's when you can get around to taking different photos. If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't until the past few years that my career involved travelling around the country.

Try some different subjects, in the meanwhile. People, animals, plants, flowers, trees, towns, cities...check out some of the suggestions in composition, techniques, angles, colors, and try out something unusual. Who knows, you might pick up an interest in what you've started to explore. It's easy to dismiss the familiar, but see what other photos are out there in your own town. Explore the map in Flickr, perform a Google Images search of your town/city, see what others say and make a statement with your photos.

Lastly, Flickr is all about sharing photos. Obviously someone is going to find things you don't have in your area. Nearly every time I log in, there's some neat photos about any interest that I'm hundreds or even thousands of miles away from (or worse yet, just missed it the week before). Twenty-five years ago, you'd either physically share printed photos, or you'd have to wait for someone to publish a book about a subject to see other's photos. Don't let this kind of thing weigh you down.

traffic light guy

#22
Quote from: formulanone on February 20, 2018, 02:11:19 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on February 20, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Here's another problem, other people seem to have better signal finds. Other signalgeeks on Flickr get to capture the good stuff (4-Ways, CH Art Decos, old Eaglelux signals), meanwhile I mostly get boring McCain installs, which is what most of my area consits of. I get jealus of other people's Flickrs, seeing all the interesting signals they have. BUT, there still are a select amount of decent stuff that I have, like the 70s-era Eagle installs that I found in the Huntingdon Valley.

For one, you're 16; getting out of your own town, let alone your county, isn't easy until you have you own transportation and spare time. It was the same for me when I first learned to drive around, be home with the darned thing by dinner because it's not yours. Most of us were in that same boat...er, car. You went to school, work, your friends' houses, a few errands, and that was about it until summertime. When you have the time and ability to travel, that's when you can get around to taking different photos. If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't until the past few years that my career involved travelling around the country.

Try some different subjects, in the meanwhile. People, animals, plants, flowers, trees, towns, cities...check out some of the suggestions in composition, techniques, angles, colors, and try out something unusual. Who knows, you might pick up an interest in what you've started to explore. It's easy to dismiss the familiar, but see what other photos are out there in your own town. Explore the map in Flickr, perform a Google Images search of your town/city, see what others say and make a statement with your photos.

Lastly, Flickr is all about sharing photos. Obviously someone is going to find things you don't have in your area. Nearly every time I log in, there's some neat photos about any interest that I'm hundreds or even thousands of miles away from (or worse yet, just missed it the week before). Twenty-five years ago, you'd either physically share printed photos, or you'd have to wait for someone to publish a book about a subject to see other's photos. Don't let this kind of thing weigh you down.

I appreciate it formulane, you're one of the few guys here besides freebrickproductions who's patient and kind towards me. I appreciate your helpful tips. Any other member would've flipped their shit

chays

Quote from: traffic light guy on February 20, 2018, 02:49:40 PM
Quote from: formulanone on February 20, 2018, 02:11:19 PM
Quote from: traffic light guy on February 20, 2018, 09:02:10 AM
Here's another problem, other people seem to have better signal finds. Other signalgeeks on Flickr get to capture the good stuff (4-Ways, CH Art Decos, old Eaglelux signals), meanwhile I mostly get boring McCain installs, which is what most of my area consits of. I get jealus of other people's Flickrs, seeing all the interesting signals they have. BUT, there still are a select amount of decent stuff that I have, like the 70s-era Eagle installs that I found in the Huntingdon Valley.

For one, you're 16; getting out of your own town, let alone your county, isn't easy until you have you own transportation and spare time. It was the same for me when I first learned to drive around, be home with the darned thing by dinner because it's not yours. Most of us were in that same boat...er, car. You went to school, work, your friends' houses, a few errands, and that was about it until summertime. When you have the time and ability to travel, that's when you can get around to taking different photos. If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't until the past few years that my career involved travelling around the country.

Try some different subjects, in the meanwhile. People, animals, plants, flowers, trees, towns, cities...check out some of the suggestions in composition, techniques, angles, colors, and try out something unusual. Who knows, you might pick up an interest in what you've started to explore. It's easy to dismiss the familiar, but see what other photos are out there in your own town. Explore the map in Flickr, perform a Google Images search of your town/city, see what others say and make a statement with your photos.

Lastly, Flickr is all about sharing photos. Obviously someone is going to find things you don't have in your area. Nearly every time I log in, there's some neat photos about any interest that I'm hundreds or even thousands of miles away from (or worse yet, just missed it the week before). Twenty-five years ago, you'd either physically share printed photos, or you'd have to wait for someone to publish a book about a subject to see other's photos. Don't let this kind of thing weigh you down.

I appreciate it freebrickproductions, you're the only guy here who's patient and kind towards me. I appreciate your helpful tips. Any other member would've flipped their shit
That's formulanone who has offered up some great advice, and scanning through I see several others, including adventurernumber1, who has to be the most positive person on here.
Anyway, you are young and will have plenty of opportunities to venture out further as you get older.  Enjoy your youth.

traffic light guy

#24
Let me compare what other guys have in their area, versus the boring shit I have to suffer through:

What other signal guys get to take pictures of:
Classic Crouse-Hinds 4-Way by William Brown, on Flickr

Crouse-Hinds 1-Way by William Brown, on Flickr

Crouse-Hinds Porthole by Detroit Signal, on Flickr

GE Streamlines by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

DSC_0019 by Ian Ligget, on Flickr

DSC_0951 by Ian Ligget, on Flickr



Now, look at the boring shit I have:

Modern McCain traffic signal install by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Newer McCain signals along Stenton Avenue by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Another Modern McCain setup by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

Good God this setup is bland:
TCT traffic signals along the Huntingdon Pike by Traffic Light Guy, on Flickr

I shoudn't let it revolve around my life I know, but I don't really have many people to share this interest with



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