Learning - Please critique.
#4768
08/15/06 09:35 PM
08/15/06 09:35 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Deanvy
OP
Tracker
|
OP
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2006
|
I'm trying to learn everything in photography. Right now the emphasis is on the basics - optimal camera settings, focus, lighting, exposure and color, basically in that order. All comments and advice is greatly appreciated. Dean  File size: 260374 bytes File date: 2006:08:15 20:23:16 Camera make: Canon Camera model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT Date/Time: 2006:08:15 15:42:37 Resolution: 850 x 567 Flash used: No Focal length: 100.0mm (35mm equivalent: 659mm) CCD width: 5.46mm Exposure time: 0.0004 s (1/2500) Aperture: f/6.3 ISO equiv.: 800 Whitebalance: Manual Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)  File size: 128667 bytes File date: 2006:08:15 20:12:26 Camera make: Canon Camera model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT Date/Time: 2006:08:15 15:43:22 Resolution: 850 x 567 Flash used: No Focal length: 100.0mm (35mm equivalent: 659mm) CCD width: 5.46mm Exposure time: 0.0003 s (1/4000) Aperture: f/7.1 ISO equiv.: 800 Whitebalance: Manual Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
|
|
|
Re: Learning - Please critique.
[Re: Deanvy]
#4771
08/16/06 02:01 PM
08/16/06 02:01 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2006
JeffDinPA
Old hand
|
Old hand
Joined: Mar 2006
|
Dean,
Technically these shots are very good.
Shrimp flowers:
Focus - I think you got that good. And combined with the DOF, you have the entire flower in focus and the rest out.
Lighting - Not bad. The shadow side is a little dark, well not as myuch dark as noisy. Had you moved around a little to your left you may have had more even lighting. But on the left side of the flower you have some good detail in the pedal texture that shown fairly good lighting.
Exposure – Damn good. I would have made it about 1/3-1/2 stop darker. The Dynamic range is fairly large between the whites and the shadow of the yellows and you maintained the highlight details. I would also compress the histogram a little or said differently, a little more contrast maybe.
Color – Hard to say here, I wasn’t there. From similar flowers I have seen the color looks good.
Additionally, composition, I would have turned vertical here. There is to much dead space left and right. Also the droopy lower white parts got cropped off the frame. I know they are wilted, but still should have either been totally out of the shot or all in. Also the leaf jutting into the upper left is a distraction.
White Crown of Thorn flowers:
Focus – I think it is a little soft. I assume it was the front most flower you wanted in focus, and the low contrast in that make it a little difficult to see. On the other hand, you seemed to have plenty of light and I would have stopped down to increase the DOF. These flowers are so small, you should have been able to get all 4 in focus with a f22 say. Of course that assumes your lens is ok at that aperture.
Lighting - Pretty nice, white is tough. In the front flower I can see some pedal texture and that’s good. However with the lack of DOF the flowers on the right have less detail. And the flower on the left lost it’s detail from the bright direct lighting.
Exposure – Maybe 1/3-1/2 stop over exposed. You have lost detail in the white areas, nearly blown out but not totally. Also why did you shoot at ISO800?
Color – If the white flowers are white then you got it.
Additionally, composition, I would have turned vertical here also.
Technically I think you made out pretty damn good, I would drop down on the ISO a little to reduce some of the noise, and slightly reduce the exposure. Otherwise you would see bigger improvements with compositional changes.
Thanks,
Jeff
|
|
|
Re: Learning - Please critique.
[Re: Deanvy]
#4772
08/16/06 02:02 PM
08/16/06 02:02 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2006
Nicollet Cty, Minnesota
George Smith
Wanderer
|
Wanderer
Joined: Jun 2006
Nicollet Cty, Minnesota
|
You have a nice eye.
Backgrounds are good and dark allowing the viewer to be pulled to the main subject.
You might try even smaller apertures in order to get the maximum depth of field. I noted 6.3 and 7.1. The white flowers (Euphorbia Millii) might have been better with more DOF.
I assumed you were using a 100mm macro?
George Smith
|
|
|
Re: Learning - Please critique.
[Re: JeffDinPA]
#4773
08/16/06 02:41 PM
08/16/06 02:41 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Deanvy
OP
Tracker
|
OP
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2006
|
Quote:
Dean,
Technically these shots are very good.
Shrimp flowers:
Focus - I think you got that good. And combined with the DOF, you have the entire flower in focus and the rest out.
Lighting - Not bad. The shadow side is a little dark, well not as myuch dark as noisy. Had you moved around a little to your left you may have had more even lighting. But on the left side of the flower you have some good detail in the pedal texture that shown fairly good lighting.
Exposure – Damn good. I would have made it about 1/3-1/2 stop darker. The Dynamic range is fairly large between the whites and the shadow of the yellows and you maintained the highlight details. I would also compress the histogram a little or said differently, a little more contrast maybe.
Color – Hard to say here, I wasn’t there. From similar flowers I have seen the color looks good.
Additionally, composition, I would have turned vertical here. There is to much dead space left and right. Also the droopy lower white parts got cropped off the frame. I know they are wilted, but still should have either been totally out of the shot or all in. Also the leaf jutting into the upper left is a distraction.
White Crown of Thorn flowers:
Focus – I think it is a little soft. I assume it was the front most flower you wanted in focus, and the low contrast in that make it a little difficult to see. On the other hand, you seemed to have plenty of light and I would have stopped down to increase the DOF. These flowers are so small, you should have been able to get all 4 in focus with a f22 say. Of course that assumes your lens is ok at that aperture.
Lighting - Pretty nice, white is tough. In the front flower I can see some pedal texture and that’s good. However with the lack of DOF the flowers on the right have less detail. And the flower on the left lost it’s detail from the bright direct lighting.
Exposure – Maybe 1/3-1/2 stop over exposed. You have lost detail in the white areas, nearly blown out but not totally. Also why did you shoot at ISO800?
Color – If the white flowers are white then you got it.
Additionally, composition, I would have turned vertical here also.
Technically I think you made out pretty damn good, I would drop down on the ISO a little to reduce some of the noise, and slightly reduce the exposure. Otherwise you would see bigger improvements with compositional changes.
Yeah, I saw the leaf in the upper left but did not consider cropping or composing vertically. Didn't even realize I had cropped out part of the white. I will have to pay more attention.
On the Crown of Thorns, yes I was trying to mainly focus on the front flower. As you say I should have stopped down to increase DOP and focus on all of the flowers or at least have done a better job on focusing the front flower.
Have no idea why I had the ISO so high. Sometimes I just go through my mental check list and still don't choose the best settings.
For some reason I just want to overexpose a little.
Thank you for your comments/advice, Dean
|
|
|
|
|
0 registered members (),
2,692
guests, and 3
spiders. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums6
Topics638
Posts1,021
Members3,319
| |
Most Online4,044
Nov 13th, 2025
|
|
|
