Birthday Pics
Hi!
Although a newbie here, I have been using my D40 for a while now and am interested in some C & C.
I see other pictures from members and their pictures seem a lot better imagewise (probably from a composition standpoint as well).
The attached picture was taken yesterday at a birthday party with some relatives. It turned out ok but something is lacking in the image. The image doesn't seem as sharp and clear as others that I see in the forum. I am sure that it is me and not the camera because generally the D40 takes great pictures. I shot this on the "Normal" optimization and quality with a large image size using autofocus on the 18-135 lens. I could only upload one image but can post a couple of others for review if needed as I shot around 45 pictures.
Image #1:
1/60 @ F5.6
Matrix Metering, Programmed Auto, @ 75mm focal length with a 18-135 AF-S Nikon DX lens.
SB-600 flash-TTL and BL
ISO 800
No Exposure comp
Thanks for the forum!
Scott
Although a newbie here, I have been using my D40 for a while now and am interested in some C & C.
I see other pictures from members and their pictures seem a lot better imagewise (probably from a composition standpoint as well).
The attached picture was taken yesterday at a birthday party with some relatives. It turned out ok but something is lacking in the image. The image doesn't seem as sharp and clear as others that I see in the forum. I am sure that it is me and not the camera because generally the D40 takes great pictures. I shot this on the "Normal" optimization and quality with a large image size using autofocus on the 18-135 lens. I could only upload one image but can post a couple of others for review if needed as I shot around 45 pictures.
Image #1:
1/60 @ F5.6
Matrix Metering, Programmed Auto, @ 75mm focal length with a 18-135 AF-S Nikon DX lens.
SB-600 flash-TTL and BL
ISO 800
No Exposure comp
Thanks for the forum!
Scott
Nikon D300, D700Tamron SPAF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di IINikon AF-S 50mm f1.8GNikon AF-S DX 18-135mm Telephoto Zoom LensNikon AF-S DX 55-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens w/VRNikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VRNikon AF-S DX Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-EDSB-600 Speedlight
0
Comments
The softness may be from the compression to the tiny resolution you have there. Especially if you are shooting JPG and then crunching it down again. Try to shoot in RAW and convert once. For images that I post directly, I try to export to the 800-pixel size directly so the sharpening in LR is applied for that size.
The image itself isn't so interesting IMO. I'm actually more interested in the older lady in the background because of her expression. This person doesn't seem very engaged in the dialog. I do, however, like the two black hats that the women are wearing as part of the focal point.
Colors are good and I think the skintones were good as well. Unfortunately, when you do attachments, they disappear when I bring up the reply-to box, so I can't scroll back and see the image. If you want to post more than one image, and higher quality images, do it via linking the images. See this thread.
Keep on shooting....
Who is wise? He who learns from everyone.
My SmugMug Site
this shot has nice color and is a bit soft but what I feel is lacking is enough human connection. We mostly see partial heads, back of heads etc. the one subject we can see the most of has her eyes averted about as far away from the camera as possible. If she were looking more toward the camera it would improve the shot. keep posting!!
www.CottageInk.smugmug.com
NIKON D700
I too am a newbie compared to the many great photographers here. But I was just wondering with a focal length of 75mm (and I do not know if this is a crop camera or not) would the sharpness improve with a faster shutter speed - perhaps 1/100 or 1/120? I would think it would be okay to raise the speed since you have the flash working. Again, I really don't know but am curious if others can correct or verify.
Thanks,
Andy
http://andygriffinphoto.com/
http://andygriffin.smugmug.com/
Canon 7D, 70-200mm L, 50 and 85 primes, Tamron 17-50, 28-135
1st off the shutter speed is on the border line for camera shake. You need to be 1/75s (inverse of the focal length). Thats what you get for shooting Auto.
2nd sorry to say but iso 800 is pushing it on the d40. That's what you get for shooting auto.
3rd posting pictures using the "attach" function can casue some compression softness.
lastly wrt to the lighitng, the lighting is even but TOO even..it's completely flat. Subjects look 2D. Did you have diffuser on the flash?
14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
85 and 50 1.4
45 PC and sb910 x2
http://www.danielkimphotography.com
I want to thank all of your for your great input!
Each of you have given me valuable tips. This was the first time I used the SB-600 so I shot it on Programmed Auto. Mistake!
I did not use a diffuser. It was a JPEG and compressed for posting. I need to try RAW.
The word I was looking for was "flat" or "2D" or "lifeless" to me even though it really was only a "snapshot" and not a clearly thought out shot.
I did not think that the auto setting would push the ISO so far. I normally will set it at 200 and leave it or at the most 400.
Slow shutter. Again as Qarik and Gringriff pointed out it was forced by Auto.
So.....shoot in Shutter or Aperture priority or take the time to shoot in manual?
Also going to reread the manual from Ken Rockwell on the D40.
I will also take a look at the thread on linking images and post a few more from yesterday for comparison.
Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate it.
Scott
Going manual is "harder" (since you have to be paying more attention with changing light), but it means you make the selecting your flash compensation less variable since you are in control. I'd say since you are using Auto right now, use Av/Ap to get a better feel of things with an eye to using manual, especially in a posed case where you can make test shots and/or the ambient light is very even. I'm not swift enough with the manual mode to run in a dynamic lighting situation in manual, so Av is my route in many cases. You have to be mindful though, since if the composition of the image is changing from very light content (folks wearing lots of white in a lightly colored setting vs. folks wearing dark colors in a darkly colored setting) the Av mode (and any auto-exposure mode) will be seeking to make the overall metered segment of the image 18% grey, so very 'white' images will come out very under-exposed (because the camera thinks the image is too bright) and very 'black' images will come out over-exposed (because the camera thinks the image is too dark), so you still have to do some thinking, even in Av/Ap mode.
I wouldn't use Tv (shutter priority) since that makes aperture a variable and aperture affects the amount of light coming in from the flash, whereas shutter speed is an independent variable for the flash (the flash pulse is so fast relative to the shutter speed that it doesn't matter -- you can run into max sync speed, which varies camera to camera (1/200-1/500th depending on make/model) which is the fastest shutter you can have with the flash in normal mode -- there is a high-speed-sync mode that reduces the flash's range/power but enables using it with higher shutter speeds).
A good book on using your on-camera flash is by Neil Van Niekerk: On-Camera Flash Techniques...
Also, you may want to check out Neil's blog: www.planetneil.com/tangents
HTH, and wasn't too much of ramble. I had to type this between a couple of other tasks....
Who is wise? He who learns from everyone.
My SmugMug Site
Thanks so much for your input and advice! I will keep working on it.
Up until last week when I bought the SB-600, if I needed a flash, I used the on camera flash. Many times too many shadows would appear in the pics though.
It seems like there are as many settings on the flash now as on the camera. I much prefer natural light when I can get it.
Thanks again!
Scott