Hi,

Learning shots. Please comment for my improvement. Thanks.



umm...

shld i have:-

1. use direct sunligh wb..to give a warmer look...

2. tighten the pic by not having too much space above the bear head?

3. any other comment?

thanks...

This post has been edited by buffalowings: Aug 30 2007, 11:03 AM

well, 1st of all do read the manual for better understanding the camera settings.. and regarding sharpness and colours of photos, i'm sure there are many options u can play with to get the desired result.. try setting low ISO, small aperture and adequate shutter speed to prevent blur..

i read the manual...doesnt say much except for how to set the settings....

do you mean my pics are not sharp or the colours are not vivid because of blur?

saw ur pics..colours look so good....i wonder to get good colours...does it depends on sunlight...or can i adjust iso..wb..shutter...and i will get good colours?

Well, by reading the manual i mean was u have to understand the basic meaning of those setting, i.e ISO is for what, Aperture is for what, bla bla.. but if u already know that, than that's good..

Then from that knowledge, try to think what setting u need to do to get the colours right.. But since u said that the problem is getting vivid colours, i guess it is a matter of:
1. try not to shoot subject while ur lens is facing the sun (make it on ur back)
2. reducing glare by install UV filter or lens hood, or a CPL
3. A little bit of post-editing to tweak the colours

And yes, natural light is 1000 times better than a DAMN BIG external flash unit with some white s**t sticking on it...

do you use spot metering? what mode do you noramlly use? thanks again diwant.

Just dropping some bears for u too

wow ur bears more attractive..u use direct sunlight white balance?

[quote=ora-ito,May 6 2007, 09:22 PM]Just dropping some bears for u too

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Added on May 6, 2007, 11:29 pmafter seeing ur (oriato) shots i tried this....



its uder expose and blur though...so i tried with sb400 90 degree bounce....now look to over expose....hehehe...dont understand exposure...yet



and i dunno y my colours are not as vivid as oraito bears....need editing?

This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 7 2007, 12:49 AM

a bit overexposure i guess.... edit it to make the colour a bit darker should solve the problem.

y not try it on a tripod with errr.....flash....and lower shutter speed??
not sure will give u any thing u desire or not...just guessing only ya...

lol..lens cap again..why have to include that cap anyway..
it doesnt fit with the teddy at all

you need to work on your compo..dont la cut their hands and legs..compo properly and include everything

your picture are a bit blur and noisy

This post has been edited by VincC454: May 7 2007, 09:59 AM

ya lor...my pics are bluri was taking the shot in bedroom...not so bright...so use iso 1600....maybe i try with tripod....i still dont understand exposure....

about cut hands.......i thot get the teddy to fill the screen as such no choice but to cut teddy hands...else be like first pic got empty space..i try follow oraito teddy pics.....

thanks for the tips...plese keep them coming......

heheh...i tot compulsory for beginner to include lens claps....

This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 7 2007, 10:41 AM

i almost shot the Nandos' with Lens Cap also yesterday

i got nandos bottle yesterday..
no caps..lol

ya..will try tripod....the third pic with flash.....

dunno why cant get crisp pics like oraito and shin chan shots...

hheeh....i very darn newbie....far far to go

i believe kit lens should not be this lousy...must be my skills lau ya....

so more tips please....tq.tq

lol..d40 and d80..
there s a reason why one is more cheaper than the other one..

say what others wanna says..but expensive camera is expensive for a reason..dont care your skill godlike or not..

umm...i tot editing is cheating...

umm do the ppl in this forum normally edit their photo to get better colours.....???

if that is true..then......must learn to edit... photoshop???

and from where you got such thing??!!

almost 90% poeple here or even PK and PM edit their picture one la
all PS PS PS

umm...who using d80??? i think oriato using d40 also...unless u mean shinchan....i better search hsi thread for lens caps

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Added on May 7, 2007, 11:05 amcehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

ok lar....i was trying so hard to get crisp pics....maybe no photoshop skill....kekekek

This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 7 2007, 11:06 AM

post editing the picture is a rather common thing that is found. sometimes you got some REALLY nice moment but bad exposure; got some REALLY nice timing with bad framing, so editing the picture will gives us the picture that we desire. plus, editing is not cheating. it is just enhancing.

Lens Cappie....

Nikon Idol



try not to use flash... most of my shots 98% no flash.. but i bet SB400 can be used as a good bounce flash. maybe its just some settings u need to play around to get it rite...

eh stop it with the lens cap la. the shots are all nicer with those caps hanging around unless you're taking promo shots for Nikon.

try different angles though.. nice composition does not necessarily means positioning the subject in front of you.. try point from floor level, side view, and bird eye view.... spend time with the subject, think creatively, develop the style... then only you can it is worth buying a dSLR...

edit: don't think a subject in a linear way, there's more to it than what u see with your bare eyes...

This post has been edited by diwant: May 7 2007, 11:03 PM

oraito ur teddy colors real nice lar....i wish i can get the colours right ....

i want to learn getting clear and vivid pcis before moving to composition.....else even nice compo the pics are not attractive....

so can tell ar how u took the teddy pics? :-

1. are u using d40 kit lens?
2. your room bright enough?
3. iso setting?
4. tripod?
5. white balance?
6. Aperture priotity?

sorry so much questions.....thank you...nice lens cappie....kekekek

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Added on May 8, 2007, 9:42 amhi goldfries....i tot i read some where newbie shld learn to take pics of lens cap...kekeke...just kidding ...will keep lens cap away....

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Added on May 8, 2007, 9:44 amthanks diwant.....will try new angles...but am dumd founded why oriato teddy colours better....kenot sleep....kkekeeke

ur airplane window shot colour also better......then my outdoor shots...hai...

This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 8 2007, 09:50 AM

hehe. i like your shots actually. i find they're quite nice to put for postcards and stuff, you know those HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! types.

just the lens cap spoils the picture. it's like suddelyn WTH 1 round black stuff with Nikon there.

hehehe...thank you for your kind comments....but my shots so blur......and dull colour....wait i until i improve more....hehehe

so now trying my best to learn more from those great photgrapher in this forum....

Some answers to ur question:
1. are u using d40 kit lens?
nope, i was on my tele lens... but shooting only at 70mm

2. your room bright enough?
room was not tat bright, as it was only late morning

3. iso setting?
iso was set @ 200 to get sharp pics

4. tripod?
i'm not a tripod person... only hand held

5. white balance?
white balance should be in Cloudy

6. Aperture priotity?
yes in aperture priority. on my tele, i'm using matrix metering coz it works well with the lens.

hope tis helps

ooo...thanks...itry the same settings on my bear....

buffalowings, u got sb400 flash?
what's the current price like now? thinking of getting one

i bought from bintang maju lowyat at RM400

dont waste time on sb400 already.. straight go for sb600.

at that price, add 200bucks more can get a much much better flash.

Lol goldfries.. i also find the nikon lens cap very annoying... seems like you are telling someone you are using a nikon cam for those shots.. lol!! Just imagine if you are taking pictures of a flower with macro mode. and there's a nikon lens cap... really lmao!! lol...

Anyway.. nice teddy you got there..

First of all, what shooting mode are you using?

Remember that the higher the ISO setting you set, the noisier (more grains) your picture will be but at the same time you can shoot with a faster shutter speed or have a smaller aperture setting so that your depth of field will be shallower in order not to have your background too blurred out. But this depends on the amount of lighting in your room.

What metering did you set as well? Spot or dynamic?

....the first bear without nikon cap....is at full auto....

the rest i played around with shutter priority....i dunno its cam or settings or enviroment....but my colours dont come out very clear n striking like other ppl photo here....

some say might be photoshop....but can photoshop make an eagle look so pretty???

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Added on May 15, 2007, 8:42 pmthanks....dont u think the shot could be better? give some comments???

This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 15 2007, 08:42 PM

Since you posted bears up here, I think maybe I should tumpang your thread with some bear shots as well

Using a Nikon D40 and a 50mm F1.8 lens

i like those bears.. why not shoot them on a plain background? i.e wall.. the subject will standout better.. and remove the tag 1st..

i like the softness of the pictures..

@mavik , i like the 1st bear

That means your photographic skills is not good enough.

It's just a very fine line to cross actually.

Did you know that the darkroom is the old way of a technique called a 'manual photoshop'?

Just the same that now editing photos is an integral part of the whole process.

yes i do, and infact i'm trained in darkroom techniques. lThat's why i say, it's a very fine line to cross.

ppl do enhance a good exposed, composed photo, and i can accept that.

but trying to save a badly underexposed, or f**ked up photo, why bother? isn't that just shows that the photographic skills is totally out? Might as well shoot in Auto mode then photoshop everything to make it nice isn't it? come on, we're talkinga bout photographic skills, not photoshop skills here. no doubt one couldn't take them apart, but at least, focus on your photographic skills first?

wats diz teddy bear thread?

ur welcome ...more the merrier...can compare shots to improve......

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Added on May 18, 2007, 5:50 pm heheh....i beginner...still learning how to shoot good photos...no models...or nice scenery during my free time...so use a teddy bear as model....hehehe
...can ask it pose anyway i like....


This post has been edited by buffalowings: May 19 2007, 01:21 PM

Of course mate, you are totally right as well but some people are not aware that these type of post photography techniques are considered viable and an acceptable practice in the professional community. Of course both comes hand in hand, you would definitely need good photography skills to take a good shot and then enhance the image with post processing.

As what was mentioned by you about a thin fine line, its the same with a 'great' picture and a 'good' picture.

....deleted........

This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jun 13 2007, 12:04 AM

dim sum @ min kok



cofee@ star bucks sban parade



This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jun 10 2007, 04:08 PM

Wow some bokeh shots here! Btw is that yi poh restaurant is in temiang area?

yeah in between temiang and polis station.....i think its called limbok

u from seremban?

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This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jun 10 2007, 12:13 PM

haha i am from port dickson, that my previous hometown and i been in temiang coz my fren says its BKT is one of the best!

wish you got a closeup on the egg tart ! me love egg tart !

When a pic is badly exposed it does not mean to say that the photog's skill is 'out' .. ppl do make mistake, no doubt about it. On the other hand, half a decade from now, ppl like you and I will be 'obsolete' as cameras get more and more high-tech and software improve, we will find a hard time trying to defend our hey-days as film users and trying to defend the 'less PP more skill' bullshit like they will soon call it. Soon, they will be able to shove a 12mp sensor/CCD into the size of a watch ... what well can we say?

is it at the street opposite the store...some row with yu yan sang...i dunno the bladi street name???

hehehehe..u got it....i also forgot shop name...one bowl beef noodle rm8 (i think) chiat lat...some more lan si the owners

but taste nice lar the beef noodle not like kay el.....

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Added on June 9, 2007, 10:06 pmheheh nice time i go there i buy for u k? then i take close up egg tart photo......kekeke.

This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jun 9 2007, 10:06 PM

some shots of port dickson...decided to try out d40 outdoors...am suprise of this baby..real good lar....too abd i amtuer..i bet can do better...

anyway some shots of guoman port dickson...

resort / hotel



the beach



my coconut!!!



my foot



will continue hunting for tasty food stalls in seremban...maybe tomorrow dim sum or curry leaf...hehehe ...see how

This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jun 10 2007, 04:30 PM

All pro photographers started as amateurs/noobs before they learn their tricks n become what they are now. Ask ac98 and u know how.

Btw buffalowings, can u catch the pic of the famous "arang char kuey taw" in sban? My fren says its very famous!

heard it close down as lady boss was very arrogant....one day she was arrogant to some taiko who gave her a slap...next day never buka kedai already...i try and look out some more.....

there still are other arang ckt but not so famous....

there is one fire wood char kuey tiow in the temiang hawker centre...opposite the temple one...

talking about it it had been sometime since i last ate hawker food in seremban...

ya tats the one that the tai ko slap.....rumors (i didnt see 4 myself so dont quote me!)

Some Osaka pics for comments....still learning..





This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jul 25 2007, 04:49 PM

i bet the building pic was snapped handheld? try make it more stable by using tripod or self timer.... i see a good potential for light trail effect in diz pic...

oh....now i remmber...thanks for the tip...i was using iso1600....forgot to use timer...no tripod at that moment

wah iso1600 .. no wonder the sky colour like tat haha ... yea always try to use timer so when u press the shutter u wun shake the camera .... no tripod nvm .. try to get a flat surface and put ur cam on it

oohh....so wat iso shld i use? 800?

lowest as possible ? If you have a tripod or having your camera on flat surface ... surely use lowest iso possible ...

hi all,

can i ask if my osaka castle pic is over exposed? what am I doing wrong?



This post has been edited by buffalowings: Jul 25 2007, 04:50 PM

It's indeed over exposed. It's difficult to fix it at post process.
Next time, use a tripod and shot 2 frames. Use aperture bracketing. Or meter the sky, lock the meter, compose, shoot, then let the cam meter the building and shoot again.
After that use Photoshop to composite it. Refer to the guide in the following link.

http://www.juzaphoto.com/eng/articles/laye..._layer_mask.htm

thanks....d40 dont have aperture bracketing... ...

so u recommend i use spot meterin on sky and then building?

can i ask y? blur lar me newbie....

and what do you mean by using photoshop to composite?

thanks for the tip...shall read your link now....

I think what kelvinyam meant is exposure bracketing. There is no aperture bracketing in any cameras.

No aperture bracketing in any camera? I'm not sure about SLR, but Canon S3 has aperture bracketing. You can also call it exposure bracketing if that's what you mean. For me both is same.

Composite means merging two photos with different exposure into one as mentioned in the guide.

I dont think D40 has either

Unless I've been missing something in my D40!

Just do it manually then. Take a few shots with different exposure compensations.

some pics from london for your comments (for my improvement-tq):-

Big Ben



English Rose Garden



Taxi



Shopping @ New Bond Street



This post has been edited by buffalowings: Aug 28 2007, 05:43 PM

Hi, i think you can play more with the DOF with the English Rose Garden photo. Big Ben is slightly overexposed.
Just my 2 cents. Overall they are good

thanks oracle...I dunno y whenever i take shots that include sky my picc become over exposed... D40 problem?? (likely my photgraphy skills problem )

Don't shoot straight to the sun ?

Basically when you meter the sky, you will not overexpose the sky (as in your shot). Then by not overexposing your sky, you might underexpose the building. Hence you need to take another shot of the building at the same position but this time metering the building so that the building is properly exposed. Once you have these two pictures, you can blend them in using photoshop.

Eiffel Tower



Monument - Dark Skies



Arc de Truimph



NotreDame



Disneyland