learning shots

[lugnut]

i bought a panasonic dmc-fz28 point and shoot/super zoom camera a couple of weeks ago.

i took some pictures around the house this weekend. i have been having a hard time trying to manually focus the camera. it looks focused in the camera but when i put it on the computer it looks blurred. i have the anti shake feature turned on so i don't think it's camera shake.

i'll post up a few of them and you guys tell me what i need to be doing differently.

these are all uncropped and untouched as far as editing goes.

 

[inTempus]

The images of the squirrel look a little soft. The camera settings for the last image of the squirrel are:

ISO: 200
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/30
Focal length: 86mm

Even with IS enabled, 1/30 at 86mm probably isn't a fast enough shutter speed to counter handshake.

 

[lugnut]

thanks tharmsen, i'll shoot at faster shutter speeds.

 

[benlonghair]

As a total noob, I'd like to comment the last one with the sprinkler is a great pic. Maybe a little fill flash to take the shadows off her face, otherwise a really nice pic.

 

[lugnut]

how do you get shadows off of faces that are at a distance? i took that picture at about 20 yards zoomd in. i'm glad you made that comment because i have been wondering how the folks here get rid of those shadows when the subject is too far for a flash to be affective?

 

[Sardine]

I like the sprinkler ones, they're really cute.
As has been said; setting it to the anit-shake thing won't mean perfect photos. A good way to help reduce camera blur is to hold your breath (like one would do when firing a gun). It takes some practice, but it does help.

:thumbup:

 

[benlonghair]

how do you get shadows off of faces that are at a distance? i took that picture at about 20 yards zoomd in. i'm glad you made that comment because i have been wondering how the folks here get rid of those shadows when the subject is too far for a flash to be affective?

Um, somebody with more tech knowledge will probably have to answer that. You can probably get lights to help you with this problem at the distance you're talking, but I'd imagine it would involve remote strobes.

 

[Samanax]

how do you get shadows off of faces that are at a distance? i took that picture at about 20 yards zoomd in. i'm glad you made that comment because i have been wondering how the folks here get rid of those shadows when the subject is too far for a flash to be affective?

Don't shoot between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm in direct sunlight.

But seriously, for pictures like these you're just capturing the moment and get what you get. If you have another person available you could have them hold a reflector for you. As you gain more experience you'll learn how to work with the light available and use whatever lighting aid you need for a given shooting opportunity. You're not going to learn all this in a day.

 

[lugnut]

thanks everyone, ya'll rock!

 

[brysons]

I like the sprinkler ones, they're really cute.
As has been said; setting it to the anit-shake thing won't mean perfect photos. A good way to help reduce camera blur is to hold your breath (like one would do when firing a gun). It takes some practice, but it does help.

:thumbup:

Quick note about breathing - In my research, I have found huge amounts on inconsistency on the topic. Opinions like "Hold your breath" and "Let out 1/2 of your breath, then hold and shoot" are very common on the internet. A slightly less common option, but the one that I have found the most logical-sounding reasoning behind, and which I have heard several times as coming from US Marine training is to shoot in the natural pause between breaths.

Whatever method you use for breathing control, thinking about it at all should help a lot, experiment and find what works best.

On the photos - I like the last squirrel because the tree right there has nice texture and the background, although blown out, shows the form of the squirrel's body nicely. The last child shot is also the strongest of that set because of the slightly off-center composition and because the camera is around her eye level, instead of being way above her.

 

[lugnut]

:thumbup:

A slightly less common option, but the one that I have found the most logical-sounding reasoning behind, and which I have heard several times as coming from US Marine training is to shoot in the natural pause between breaths.

.

i'm active duty military and you are correct on the breathing. your far more steady when yu fire from the natural rest point between breaths. i just never equated that to photography, i'll have to pay more attention to trying to steady the camera.

thanks