Some pics i took this morning...

[Flip]

Just some pics i took this morning before getting off of work... Hope you enjoy. I ran two of them through filters in photoshop. It was my first time using any filters on my photos. Tell me what you think. Any advice appreciated...

[Flip]

Sizes fixed...

[Nemesis]

Hey man not bad at all, but for some C&C Ive got a few suggestions...


Overall suggestions: Id resize them to a maximum of 1024x768. That's a standard resolution most people run on their monitors. Anything else might be too large for them to see the whole picture.

First photo- The photo seems really soft, as in the focus isnt really on any one thing in particular. There's not a lot of clarity. I cant see your calipers well nor your brake rotors (which I should be able to probably since that was more than likely being the car for your focus). What filters did you run these through in Photoshop? A cooling filter? There also seems to be a lot of halation and fringing in the shot as well on some of the bright spots and reflections. What kind of lens are you using?


Second Photo- I cant say I like the photo at all Once again, since the photo is so large the first thing I really see is the purple fringing on the lights inside the building. Sometimes its unavoidable unless you have a high dollar glass, but you can touch it up a bit in photoshop, just have to look for it. There seems to be a purple artifact on the brick wall for some reason. What are your settings on the camera and what mode were you shooting under?

Third Photo- I really like this one. Focus seems pretty good, but probably could use an unsharp mask in photoshop to make it a little clearer. This photo in black and white with only the color inside the windows would be hot in my opinion.


Fourth Photo- Same comments as Second

Fifth Photo- Not bad man, but the ISO seems a little too high. Was ISO set on automatic?


Sixth Photo- Favorite shot of them all. Pretty good centering of the photo. Im not a fan of straight up and in the middle shots. But there is a good bit of room above your car so that the car isnt right smack dab in the middle. Very nice man.

[Flip]

Hey man not bad at all, but for some C&C Ive got a few suggestions...


Overall suggestions: Id resize them to a maximum of 1024x768. That's a standard resolution most people run on their monitors. Anything else might be too large for them to see the whole picture.

First photo- The photo seems really soft, as in the focus isnt really on any one thing in particular. There's not a lot of clarity. I cant see your calipers well nor your brake rotors (which I should be able to probably since that was more than likely being the car for your focus). What filters did you run these through in Photoshop? A cooling filter? There also seems to be a lot of halation and fringing in the shot as well on some of the bright spots and reflections. What kind of lens are you using?


Second Photo- I cant say I like the photo at all Once again, since the photo is so large the first thing I really see is the purple fringing on the lights inside the building. Sometimes its unavoidable unless you have a high dollar glass, but you can touch it up a bit in photoshop, just have to look for it. There seems to be a purple artifact on the brick wall for some reason. What are your settings on the camera and what mode were you shooting under?

Third Photo- I really like this one. Focus seems pretty good, but probably could use an unsharp mask in photoshop to make it a little clearer. This photo in black and white with only the color inside the windows would be hot in my opinion.


Fourth Photo- Same comments as Second

Fifth Photo- Not bad man, but the ISO seems a little too high. Was ISO set on automatic?


Sixth Photo- Favorite shot of them all. Pretty good centering of the photo. Im not a fan of straight up and in the middle shots. But there is a good bit of room above your car so that the car isnt right smack dab in the middle. Very nice man.

Thanks a ton for the input. I'm kinda dissapointed that i got so much noise. I was just on a smoke break from work so i didn't have too much time to play with much. I do believe I had iso in auto. I think making it lower would have done away with all the noise? (checking camera settings... ah, iso was at 1600... oops )

You may have caught the first two pics before I resized... they should be max 1024 width now... On the vertical pics i should probably resize height to 768...

As for the first pic, you're right on the focus. I wish my wheels had been a lot cleaner so that focusing on them would have been more appealing . Do you use auto focus most of the time or manual? I guess i should have done it manually since there was so much in the picture... Mostly for the filters i played with saturation and possibly one other. I've never really played with filters much and don't know what i'm doing yet . I think i was shooting under program mode, obviously with some bogus settings that should have checked...

Second pic, just wanted to get everything in one shot, i liked the lights on the buildings on either side... thought i might crop it or something... I see what you mean about the purple fringing. I didn't notice that. I'm just using a quantaray 28-90 which is what came with my camera... It will have to do for now.

Third, I will try the unsharpen filter and black and white. Thats a great idea. I'll repost it when i get done!

Skip to sixth, I feel you on the centering thing, i don't usually do it either, but did because there were some things on eithe side i was trying to avoid. I was on top of a parking deck. One side with the back of a sign, and the other with some construction equipment...

Thanks a ton for all the input man. I love photography and wana get better so input is GREATLY appreciated!!! I've got a few more that i may post after i play with them a bit...

Any more advice on specific filters? So far i've just kinda been shootin in the dark (pun intended) and reading tutorials on the web...

[A.P. Photography]

What camera are you shooting with? Nemesis nailed everything pretty much on the head.

[Nemesis]

LOL Yeah, ISO1600 is really high for having a tripod and that much lighting. I dont really use anything other than ISO200 for night shots on a tripod, id go lower if I could but Im camera limited for now. I actually do use auto focus for the most part, because sometimes I dont trust my eyes. However, there is an option for you to direct the focus on something other than the middle of the picture. This is key to getting a shot that is off center and having the focus on it. When lining up the shot, use the thumb pad of the camera and click to the right, left, up, or down, and the focus bracket should move with it. Place your subject of whatever you are shooting in that appropriate bracket. It should be able to pick it up. Next time, if your memory card permits it. Try taking some shots in RAW. Itll allow you to adjust a lot more than just filters in photoshop. Adjusting settings in RAW can be kind of intimidating at first but if you learn it, itll be your best friend to correct overexposed and underexposed shots. The Quantaray lens isnt too bad man, but if you are shooting up close you can pick up the kit lens 18-55 on ebay for around 100ish. The ED lens is a very sharp lens and for the price you cant beat it at all.

Out of curiosity what setting are you using on your D-50 to shoot these shots? Manual? Shutter Priority (S) Aperature Priority (A)>

[Flip]

What camera are you shooting with? Nemesis nailed everything pretty much on the head.

Nikon D50, and yes he did

[A.P. Photography]

Yeah listen to Nemesis, he is great with a D50. His night shots are very well done.

[Flip]

LOL Yeah, ISO1600 is really high for having a tripod and that much lighting. I dont really use anything other than ISO200 for night shots on a tripod, id go lower if I could but Im camera limited for now. I actually do use auto focus for the most part, because sometimes I dont trust my eyes. However, there is an option for you to direct the focus on something other than the middle of the picture. This is key to getting a shot that is off center and having the focus on it. When lining up the shot, use the thumb pad of the camera and click to the right, left, up, or down, and the focus bracket should move with it. Place your subject of whatever you are shooting in that appropriate bracket. It should be able to pick it up. Next time, if your memory card permits it. Try taking some shots in RAW. Itll allow you to adjust a lot more than just filters in photoshop. Adjusting settings in RAW can be kind of intimidating at first but if you learn it, itll be your best friend to correct overexposed and underexposed shots. The Quantaray lens isnt too bad man, but if you are shooting up close you can pick up the kit lens 18-55 on ebay for around 100ish. The ED lens is a very sharp lens and for the price you cant beat it at all.

Out of curiosity what setting are you using on your D-50 to shoot these shots? Manual? Shutter Priority (S) Aperature Priority (A)>

Yeah, the ISO really screwed me. I was using auto focus and tried to center what i wanted in focus, hold the button half way down then re-aim and shoot. It seemed to work, sorta... Thanks for hte tip with the arows, that will help a ton! I didn't know it did that. I'll deff. try raw too.

I'm pretty sure i had the camera on the P setting which i believe to be program? Any advice for that?

[Flip]

Yeah listen to Nemesis, he is great with a D50. His night shots are very well done.

Yeah, i agree. I'm pretty good at day shots, but bought the D50 almost specifically for night shots because my cannon wouldn't cut it.

[A.P. Photography]

Yeah, i agree. I'm pretty good at day shots, but bought the D50 almost specifically for night shots because my cannon wouldn't cut it.

Which canon?

[Flip]

Which canon?

Powershot S500

For a compact camera, it's a REALLY great camera... but its no SLR...

[Nemesis]

Here's a good link describing all the modes man.

http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/feel...tter_pict4.htm

[YokotaS13]

i have an s1 is....and i want a DSLR bad now

[A.P. Photography]

Powershot S500

For a compact camera, it's a REALLY great camera... but its no SLR...

Yeah there is a big difference right there. Can't really compare a Canon P&S to a Nikon D-SLR

[A.P. Photography]

i have an s1 is....and i want a DSLR bad now

LOL I love these statements. Why?

[YokotaS13]

because my S1 doesnt have enough iso settings, shutter speed, or aperature adjustments, and no macro mode either

oh yeah, and the focusing sucks

[A.P. Photography]

because my S1 doesnt have enough iso settings, shutter speed, or aperature adjustments, and no macro mode either

Thats actually the best answer I have heard so far.

[YokotaS13]

ive been wanting to upgrade for a while, my camera is holding me back i feel honestly. It was good when it first came out but no DSLR. and now it just isnt great, iso is only from 50-200 shutter speed only goes up to 1/2000 and even more limited aperature adjustment. im jsut not happy anymore with it. My fuckign camera phone makes better pics

[A.P. Photography]

LOL, I hear ya man.

[YokotaS13]

ill stop whoring now

[Flip]

ill stop whoring now

LOL

[Nemesis]

Here's a good link describing all the modes man.

http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/feel...tter_pict4.htm

Did this link work for ya man?

[Flip]

One more thats kinda neat...




Ok maybe two Notice the bird...

[Flip]

Did this link work for ya man?

Yeah, thanks! I'll read into it more in depth later, I've gotta get some sleep... Been up since yesterday, 3pm... Good night all..

[YokotaS13]

those are toooo dark in my opinion open the shutter speed just a tad.....but im not a fan of crazy dark pics anyways

[Flip]

Hey, Nemesis or GA_Teg, if you were to have shot the 4th pic, with the front of the car and the buildings in the background, how would you have set up for it correctly to get the wheel/caliper in focus, and exposed bright enough to see well, but then get it aligned in the frame the same way i did?

Should i have centered the frame on the wheel first, then pressed half way down to get it to focus and grab the correct ammount of light, then realigned the camera and taken the shot?

[A.P. Photography]

It is really hard to say cause you are almost shooting into the sun. Having a longer exposure would bring out the wheel and caliper but you run the risk of blowing out the shot. With a high Aperature like it seems you wanted I might have left the shutter open a tad longer to see what the sky looked like. Yes focus first on the wheel and lock focus then realign the shot. Another way to do this would be to shoot to correctly expose the sky in one shot and then readjust to correctly expose the wheel and then merge the two in PS. Only downside is the cam would have to be on a tri and would not be able to be moved.

[Flip]

It is really hard to say cause you are almost shooting into the sun. Having a longer exposure would bring out the wheel and caliper but you run the risk of blowing out the shot. With a high Aperature like it seems you wanted I might have left the shutter open a tad longer to see what the sky looked like. Yes focus first on the wheel and lock focus then realign the shot. Another way to do this would be to shoot to correctly expose the sky in one shot and then readjust to correctly expose the wheel and then merge the two in PS. Only downside is the cam would have to be on a tri and would not be able to be moved.

Oh cool, good idea about merging two pics. I did have a tripod out with me so i could have tried that. What would i adjust to make the exposure a little bit longer? And would you have used shutter priority to do that? When I adjust to shutter priority the number that changes is the time that the shutter is open right? So when it goes to a number like 3" that is 3 seconds? and when it is the other way like positive is that like 1/30th of a second?

[06SilverBullet]

Nice Pics Man....



Mark

[A.P. Photography]

Oh cool, good idea about merging two pics. I did have a tripod out with me so i could have tried that. What would i adjust to make the exposure a little bit longer? And would you have used shutter priority to do that? When I adjust to shutter priority the number that changes is the time that the shutter is open right? So when it goes to a number like 3" that is 3 seconds? and when it is the other way like positive is that like 1/30th of a second?

Honestly I am not sure about the Nikon set up, the best on to ask would be Nemesis. I tend to shoot manual so I am always checking against the auto settings and adjusting.

[Nemesis]

Without getting into specifics and jargon , to bump it down and set a longer exposure:

- Set to shutter priority
- Look inside the viewfinder
- starting bumping it down 2-5 stops with the slider
- watch the meter on the screen
- Further left the longer the exposure, vice versa for the opposite direction


and for god sakes man, read that manual LOL


But yeah, Matt is right, Manual is best if you know what you are doing. For quick daytime shots I usually use SP.