Lenspiration | Dan Cope | Activity https://www.lenspiration.com/members/dan-cope/activity/ Activity feed for Dan Cope. Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:03:00 -0400 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-US 30 hourly 2 5abec9f97236c93fcae59135fd03517b Dan Cope replied to the topic Camera Equipment: FOR SALE in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/camera-equipment-for-sale/#post-66364 Fri, 12 Nov 2021 01:00:25 -0500 Thanks for the interest in this post. These items are no longer available. Some have sold and some I have decided to keep. Thanks!

]]> 1442807bce7cb011e66382c66c0e43b5 Dan Cope replied to the topic Camera Equipment: FOR SALE in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/camera-equipment-for-sale/#post-66075 Sun, 31 Oct 2021 00:42:32 -0400 Thanks Lydia for posting this! I am listing here the items individually priced:

• Nikon D7100 body with original Nikon battery and charger
$325

• Nikon 50mm f/1.8
$65

• Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
$65

• Nikon 12-24mm f/4
$350

• Nikon 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6
$175

• Tiffen 77mm ND6 filter
• Altura 77mm ND4, C-PL, and UV filters
• Hoya 77mm UV fi…Read more

]]> 7b58a0af4fe5cb1dee23a9551f45b66a Dan Cope replied to the topic Family photo in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/family-photo/#post-44206 Fri, 20 Sep 2019 02:22:35 -0400 I too like the second photo! Very nice! What stands out to me about the first one is that the barn wall seems too overwhelming. There is so much of it in the photo that it almost seems as if it’s a picture of a wall with a family in front of it as a opposed to being a picture of a family with a wall behind them. Also the white rim board at the b…Read more

]]> d50c9f694aba6dbfc4288b3a98326010 Dan Cope replied to the topic Montana mountains in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/montana-mountains/#post-38969 Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:50:59 -0400 Thanks Lydia and James for your excellent comments! Actually the B&W photo was taken from atop a bluff about a mile BEHIND where I took the one along the river. I thought it was an interesting example of the power of focal length. The B&W image was taken at 44mm and the color image was taken at 18mm. Even though I was a mile closer, the mountain…Read more

]]> 5311b6559edd276cbf694caf9328ad5e Dan Cope started the topic Montana mountains in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/montana-mountains/ Sat, 13 Apr 2019 01:48:18 -0400 Here’s a couple shots I took during a trip to Montana this past winter. If you’ll notice, the same mountain is predominant in both photos. In addition to sharing thoughts and suggestions for improvement, can anyone figure out where I was when I took the second photo in relation to the first?

]]> 09d66bbd51cf1a11bfb698e42069a044 Dan Cope replied to the topic Yosemite Falls in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/yosemite-falls/#post-37888 Fri, 15 Mar 2019 19:47:54 -0400 Thanks Lydia and Hannah for the comments! Good thoughts! I think that although the trees on the left side do put the size of the falls in perspective, yet it’s not definite enough because as far as the uninformed viewer knows, they could actually be small trees. A person standing in a purposeful pose would be more of a definite size comparison. P…Read more

]]> eaf7c65e531b38181d6b1774825e4920 Dan Cope replied to the topic Yosemite Falls in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/yosemite-falls/#post-37696 Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:13:26 -0400 Awesome!! Thanks for all the good comments and helpful insights! This was my second visit to Yosemite and fortunately there was good water flow both times I was there! I photographed the more iconic view from across the valley, trying to incorporate various rocks and vegetation along the river as foreground subjects, but being two days before…Read more

]]> dbd75b84bdbdc52d422e002cf2b11a25 Dan Cope started the topic Yosemite Falls in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/yosemite-falls/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:48:52 -0500 Here’s a shot I took of the Lower Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park. It was late in the year and most of the color was gone from the trees, but right near the falls there was still some foliage. I wish I could have figured out a better way to portray how big and impressive this location is. As you can see in the unedited version, there were…Read more

]]> 08876b514f91186aa1f08f6487a05327 Dan Cope replied to the topic Frozen Ice drops in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/frozen-ice-drops/#post-37321 Tue, 26 Feb 2019 18:56:21 -0500

Do you think that that level of zoom can be done still in editing?

It’s doubtful. What you have here is a picture of branches with a few barely noticeable ice droplets. In order to make it into a photo of ice droplets, you would need to zoom WAY in until the ice droplets become prominent. That amount of “zoom” or crop in post processing would…Read more

]]> 3af040b77e54298482793abacab11ca9 Dan Cope replied to the topic Frozen Ice drops in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/frozen-ice-drops/#post-37300 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 04:09:55 -0500 I think it would have been good if you could have found a way to zoom in on the ice drops and isolated them more. As it is they don’t stand out as a subject in the midst of the clutter of branches.

]]> e37010f6c25f6f1dcae8e13d51e151ce Dan Cope replied to the topic Snow Covered Landscape (ends January 12) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/snow-covered-landscape/#post-35997 Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:58:55 -0500 Opportunities for snowy landscapes have been few and far between this winter here in WV! Here’s a few from the archives taken on a memorably snowy morning a few years ago. Perhaps the same day that you took yours, James?!

]]> e32b4c6f2b50fe6bb7f609440e4b1ae9 Dan Cope replied to the topic Overplayed in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/overplayed/#post-35110 Wed, 21 Nov 2018 15:54:24 -0500 I’ve never heard of “an effect called opoid.” Can you explain further?

]]> 4ae8586431bbc1a85433bd656866c713 Dan Cope replied to the topic Grand Canyon in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/grand-canyon/#post-35109 Wed, 21 Nov 2018 15:39:14 -0500 Thanks Kina!

I can’t claim to have done anything right taking it- it was pure chance:)

I disagree! True, there are those times when you’re in a great location with great lighting and it seems that you can just “point and shoot” and come away with an impressive picture, but even so, there are some things here that you’ve done right! Not e…Read more

]]> feeb5e07251dbcf2a50b768f40b45a69 Dan Cope replied to the topic Can we Fathom our God? in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/can-we-fathom-our-god/#post-35108 Wed, 21 Nov 2018 15:30:03 -0500 You’re welcome Ben! I wouldn’t say it’s a “fail”. I’m sure it has potential to be used for something! And even if you don’t ever actually use it, like you said, every photo is a “learning moment” and that makes it worthwhile even if it didn’t turn out as impressive as you had initially hoped! And besides, for you the photo is definitely worth…Read more

]]> 28a51a65a9a5d674b706038b5168dc6a Dan Cope replied to the topic Grand Canyon in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/grand-canyon/#post-34868 Sat, 10 Nov 2018 23:01:04 -0500 Here’s kind of what I had in mind with my suggested edit to the foreground. I emphasized the clump of sagebrush and the surrounding color by brightening it and adding contrast. I brought out the color a little more by using color balance layers. I also darkened some of the other foliage and removed a few distractions, including the people! They…Read more

]]> ca5280b4ad89ba72ec69c5c54a875327 Dan Cope replied to the topic Can we Fathom our God? in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/can-we-fathom-our-god/#post-34851 Sat, 10 Nov 2018 04:12:59 -0500 Nice colorful sunset! I know what you mean by being “a little rushed in trying to get it before it faded away.” It seems like those colorful sunsets are gone so quick! Good job on capturing the colors! Although there’s not much that draws me into the picture other than the color. The silhouette of the tree leaves against the colored sky does offer…Read more

]]> 35764267a66e513e42f46e83fb74e5a4 Dan Cope replied to the topic Grand Canyon in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/grand-canyon/#post-34838 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:11:58 -0500 Very nice! Like @dhancock mentioned I would straighten the horizon. Personally, I like the cropped version better as it narrows in on what’s interesting. In fact I would actually crop it in a little more. Your foreground is nice and well edited. I really like how you captured the lighting! A good foreground is often what sets a photo apart from o…Read more

]]> 016067ad27f5a8b21328dead14c702ef Dan Cope replied to the topic Wedding Photos in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/wedding-photos/#post-34703 Sat, 03 Nov 2018 15:49:47 -0400 Thanks @dhancock! Post processing is definitely a way to compensate for this issue as you can see in the examples I’ve posted. I’m simply wondering how a wedding photographer would take care of this in camera.

You could always throw a gel on the flash to change the white balance to match the building.

Is this something that those of you who…Read more

]]> 72d719b9639a6858696705a2f2b48c53 Dan Cope started the topic Wedding Photos in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/wedding-photos/ Sat, 03 Nov 2018 01:56:34 -0400 While looking at the pictures from my daughters wedding this past summer there’s a question that keeps coming to my mind. My interest in photography is primarily with landscapes and I’ve done very little indoor/flash photography so my experience and understanding in that area is limited. But what I’m noticing is that even though the interior walls…Read more

]]> 778327cef49e6f15eaf46cc806ba1198 Dan Cope replied to the topic Epic Composition - maybe.... in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/epic-composition-maybe/#post-33620 Tue, 18 Sep 2018 20:20:47 -0400 Well I can identify with you on that since I live in the “Mountain State” tucked between two hills! I don’t get to see sunrises or sunsets unless I leave home! And I can also identify with what you’re saying about not knowing what you could have done differently in composing the shot. It’s easy to look at a photo and say what could be improved,…Read more

]]> 36b64204c508ddff19c265f69aafe1d1 Dan Cope replied to the topic Horses during golden hour in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/horses-during-golden-hour/page/2/#post-33462 Wed, 12 Sep 2018 00:58:25 -0400 Nice! I especially like the rock building and the tree reflections!

]]> 57e25bead1bd36247205b7160d9d2f3e Dan Cope replied to the topic Epic Composition - maybe.... in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/epic-composition-maybe/#post-33390 Sun, 09 Sep 2018 01:59:43 -0400 What I like about the photo is that you have found something interesting for a foreground subject. Imagine this photo without the rocks in the foreground and it would be much less interesting. Now for what I don’t like! To me it’s too heavily “weighted” on the right side. The rocks are primarily on the right and even the tree line on the horizon…Read more

]]> 8bbba487fb040b768e8ed4ff5a13dd82 Dan Cope replied to the topic Morning Glory in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/morning-glory/#post-30784 Fri, 11 May 2018 21:48:32 -0400 The cropped version is a big improvement and makes it into a much more purposeful composition! I like it! I’m with @rmadaris in finding the jet contrail in the first photo distracting. But even if it hadn’t been there the horizontal crop still works better because it eliminates all that empty space in the sky and focuses on what is interesting in…Read more

]]> ec439919b807b94f1e18ecf483c77aee Dan Cope replied to the topic Buying a Camera From eBay? in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/buying-a-camera-from-ebay/#post-30673 Sun, 06 May 2018 03:25:14 -0400 Ah yes I think you’d like the D7000. I have a D7100 and the only reason I would want to upgrade would be to go full frame. Other than that the D7100 is all the camera I will ever want or need!

]]> 3c8f1e7d5ec1a572c00fb4fe6705b87e Dan Cope replied to the topic Buying a Camera From eBay? in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/buying-a-camera-from-ebay/#post-30670 Sat, 05 May 2018 17:30:02 -0400 Make sure the seller has a good return policy in case you’re not satisfied. eBay is pretty good about fighting for you if the item is not as described. But there’s always a risk. Keep in mind that pictures can be deceiving even if they are of the exact product you’re purchasing. Several years ago I purchased a lens from an eBay seller and altho…Read more

]]> ea6ac8a14ae357bbb89458e522e2ee35 Dan Cope replied to the topic Judges 6:14 VPO: Exploring Vistas (ends May 3) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/judges-614-vpo-exploring-vistas-ends-may-3/page/2/#post-30558 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 03:52:38 -0400 One more

]]> ed7838f27152b135ba84173f81d07b2f Dan Cope replied to the topic Judges 6:14 VPO: Exploring Vistas (ends May 3) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/judges-614-vpo-exploring-vistas-ends-may-3/#post-30555 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 03:51:42 -0400 Here’s a couple shots from the Badlands in South Dakota

]]> 4b079e1d101d23bccfd9bbec9d8bc775 Dan Cope replied to the topic Thornwood at Shorter University in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/thornwood-at-shorter-university/#post-30457 Wed, 18 Apr 2018 22:20:34 -0400 I like the way you have the tree framing it on the right! I think you could improve the overall composition by zooming out a little and including the bottom of the steps.

]]> a749dc4f9adcb55835bea795aaf440f7 Dan Cope replied to the topic Semaphore Beach and Port Norlunga in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/semaphore-beach-and-port-norlunga/#post-30378 Wed, 11 Apr 2018 13:19:37 -0400

Do you think composition works better?

Definitely!

]]> 497011bfb8384de07a779d84d2586cb8 Dan Cope replied to the topic Do I need a second lens, and if so, which one? in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/do-i-need-a-second-lens-and-if-so-which-one/#post-30322 Sun, 08 Apr 2018 20:36:19 -0400 I have no experience with either of those lenses so I am not even going to attempt to speak to the issue of the comparisons in their quality. But if you’re looking for a wide angle for landscapes I think you would find that 16mm isn’t going to be much better than the 18mm that you currently have. I use a 12-24mm quite a bit for landscapes and I f…Read more

]]> c0f41b06fee95d5369ea09e40836b256 Dan Cope replied to the topic Website Design in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/website-design/#post-30258 Wed, 04 Apr 2018 02:17:11 -0400 I would suggest changing the color of the font on your picture titles. They don’t stand out from the background enough to be easily read.

]]> ad85e63d370bc54a1ffceeefac1eb5be Dan Cope started the topic Blackwater Falls in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/blackwater-falls/ Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:18:30 -0400 An iconic but difficult-to-photograph location in the mountains of West Virginia! Restricted access makes it difficult to get real creative. @jamesstaddon I know you’ve photographed this location, so if you get to this in the webinar maybe you can share some thoughts as to how you would approach the unique challenges that it presents.

]]> a19b88726fa463727de54501ee074831 Dan Cope replied to the topic sewing buttons in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/sewing-buttons/#post-29699 Sat, 03 Mar 2018 17:37:38 -0500 That’s very nice! The lower perspective is great! It gives you the feeling that the sea of butttons is stretching on and on forever!

]]> 429ec9d2e1da5cb1999ac910de484c86 Dan Cope replied to the topic Pink Clouds (ends February 24) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/pink-clouds-ends-february-24/#post-29405 Sun, 25 Feb 2018 03:57:55 -0500 …and a couple more

]]> a23b66c525ca556c2a0d1e4b8e6b8779 Dan Cope replied to the topic Pink Clouds (ends February 24) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/pink-clouds-ends-february-24/#post-29402 Sun, 25 Feb 2018 03:55:44 -0500 You’re welcome Sarah. Thanks!

It’s great to see so many submissions for this opportunity! Here’s a couple more…

]]> 2c10daf01adb686472b47e8244ec4731 Dan Cope replied to the topic Landscapes of Queenstown in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/landscapes-of-queenstown/#post-29311 Fri, 23 Feb 2018 15:48:43 -0500 Very nice! I like how you have the mountains and trees framed. It would have been nice if you could have captured the boat just a little sooner while it was just to the left of center to give the appearance of coming into the frame instead of going out. Also if there was anything around to give you a higher vantage point, it would have created a…Read more

]]> c4503512d39b49c4a9170f9964220a7d Dan Cope replied to the topic Pink Clouds (ends February 24) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/pink-clouds-ends-february-24/#post-29234 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:54:22 -0500 Hi Sarah! I took that picture at Sandy Lake in Stoneboro, Pennsylvania.

]]> fd2b810deecb70d529f5f80b1b1c92ed Dan Cope replied to the topic Pink Clouds (ends February 24) in the forum Shoot to Serve Assignments https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/pink-clouds-ends-february-24/#post-29187 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 23:21:25 -0500 ***

]]> 062921bc8c782b0dd32ff7a3dbf53d5e Dan Cope replied to the topic Vacation Pictures in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/vacation-pictures/#post-28964 Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:00:53 -0500 Hi Hannah! A couple of things stand out. First of all make sure the horizon is level. This is especially important when photographing the ocean! Secondly I see your ISO is at 1600 and your shutter speed is at 1/4000. This means that you had plenty of light to be able to lower that ISO way down and improve the image quality while still maintaining…Read more

]]> b50b0e73e42a9da40bf05d0828a8f910 Dan Cope replied to the topic Badlands in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/badlands/#post-28445 Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:33:08 -0500 Thanks James! To answer a question you had during the webinar, I believe the colored area in the valley is actually dry grass and definitely became over saturated during my editing process.

]]> 3ac220949ea602f09fa9756331199d6e Dan Cope replied to the topic Butterfly in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/butterfly-2/#post-28346 Wed, 17 Jan 2018 16:44:41 -0500 That’s a beautiful shot! The composition is nice, although I would like to see more space along the bottom and left sides so as to include the entire flower and give it a little “breathing room” around the edges. The real problem I see is the fact that the main subject, the butterfly, is so much darker than the rest of the image. Perhaps you could…Read more

]]> a5788be5c4d45754b544caf86d6a2c56 Dan Cope replied to the topic Round Trip in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/round-trip/#post-28256 Sun, 14 Jan 2018 03:06:40 -0500 You’re welcome! Glad it’s working for you!

I’m assuming that you have inadvertently clicked on the icon for the before and after comparison mode. Notice the area I’ve circled on the attached photo. The two “Y’s” denote the before and after mode which will show your photo in two separate windows, one for the original photo and one for the edite…Read more

]]> 2340e892b8946336d5020fdce4c839aa Dan Cope replied to the topic Badlands in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/badlands/#post-28231 Sat, 13 Jan 2018 16:29:12 -0500 Thanks guys! @dfrazer, I’m using a Dell monitor. My struggle in editing this photo has been to obtain the right tint. It seems like it naturally has kind of a greenish-yellow hue that I don’t like but somehow I haven’t been satisfied with my attempts to correct it. Making global adjustments to the white balance never seemed to yield the desired…Read more

]]> 65ea0a7e47e690c5529bc82f29931ca9 Dan Cope replied to the topic Round Trip in the forum Photography Q&A https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/round-trip/#post-28206 Fri, 12 Jan 2018 16:25:30 -0500 While in Lightroom, right click on your photo and a task bar will pop up. Click on “edit in” and another side bar will appear. Click on “edit in Adobe Photoshop” and it should automatically open Photoshop with that picture. After you’ve made your edits in Photoshop, just go under “file” and click “save” or simply hit “ctrl-s” to save your work.…Read more

]]> f3609127cd5df47b8b2065f5a78b94db Dan Cope replied to the topic Badlands in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/badlands/#post-28158 Tue, 09 Jan 2018 17:35:42 -0500 Thanks @rmadaris!

I went back to this photo this morning and made a few changes. It seems I’m always trying to discern that fine line between getting as much color and vibrancy as possible without making it look over-processed!

]]> df765e5fa3c0d26f8c461d25b21de8e1 Dan Cope replied to the topic Badlands in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/badlands/#post-28086 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 18:41:42 -0500 I might add that this is a blend of two exposures. The EXIF data that I provided is for the foreground. The sky was taken at f/22 and 1/13 sec in order to obtain the starburst effect.

]]> aad5f6ea4066167f7e2b823db7d76f3f Dan Cope started the topic Badlands in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/badlands/ Thu, 04 Jan 2018 16:36:09 -0500 I took this shot in Badlands National Park one morning last August. It was a hazy sunrise and lacked the drama that every landscape photographer hopes for, but I tried to make the best of it. With less than 24 hours to spend in the Park this would be my only opportunity to photograph the sunrise in this unique setting. After picking my way around…Read more

]]> a89cb875c9b7d0443c080af513ed9950 Dan Cope replied to the topic Sheep in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/sheep/#post-28082 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 01:43:34 -0500 My first suggestion would be the same as what @elianafranzenburg mentioned about placing the sheep on the right so they will be facing in toward the center of the photo. Also the background is a little distracting. The buildings beyond the trees distract from the subject and should be eliminated from the composition or sufficiently blurred so as…Read more

]]> 5799ec72387dde6152849acce1a0b8dd Dan Cope replied to the topic Civil War Era Tombstone in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/civil-war-era-tombstone/#post-28008 Fri, 22 Dec 2017 18:46:01 -0500 I would suggest cropping off most of the dark area on the right. If you were to shoot it again I would leave more space along the top and left of the tombstone. Also you might try lightening up the tombstone itself a little and perhaps adding some contrast to make it stand out more.

]]> ed4e3f2f7fbfd626d34cb92bdc6f51fa Dan Cope replied to the topic Yosemite Valley in the forum Photo Critique https://www.lenspiration.com/forums/topic/yosemite-valley/#post-27927 Sun, 17 Dec 2017 04:17:24 -0500 Thanks for all the great input!! Here’s my re-edt after taking it all into consideration!

@nasa I do like the panorama but you’re right, I’m not sure it works real well with the trees.

]]>