why did this happen?

denovo · May 27, 2007

I took a lot of shots of the boys playing basketball the other night, and they all turned out like this---the background and subject almost look like two different photos that have been combined.
I'm new to a Nikon D40X, and still getting used to all the settings. The camera was on 'programmed auto' mode, where I can control everything except actual shutter speed and aperture(I"m still working on playing with that).
So, what did I do to make the pictures look like this?

Big Mike · May 27, 2007

It looks like that because you were using flash. The flash illuminated the boy but the background is too far away for the flash.

Sw1tchFX · May 27, 2007

Nikon's flash system measures distances when using G and D lenses. Your 18-55 is a G lens. the background is about 2/3rds to a fill stop darker than the subject, so to counteract that on any camera system you need to use slow sync. If you want everything to be just as bright as the subject, you need to do a metering of the ambient lighting, and than use that exposure information as your flash sync. If it's more than the flash sync, than you need to tighten your aperture so your shutter speed is down to about 1/200th-1/250th.

denovo · May 27, 2007

Thanks for the replies. Switch, you gave me some good info!

I was actuallly using a 55-200 lens, and I wasn't using a flash, specifically because I want to figure out how to take pictures without it. I had played with the EV compensation, and I think ISO was at 800.

spazoid1965 · May 27, 2007

I would try using a larger aperture to blur out the trees in the background.

Innocence · May 27, 2007

the only other thing i can think of is that there was a lightsource in close proximity to the young basketballer.

The 'this looks photoshopped' effect i think, like the posters above, is due to the difference in lighting of foreground and background.

Sw1tchFX · May 28, 2007

This shot was definatly taken with flash, the lighting is too flat and you can even see shadows behind his arms from the flash.

darich · May 28, 2007

Sw1tchFX said:
This shot was definatly taken with flash, the lighting is too flat and you can even see shadows behind his arms from the flash.

I was thinking the same thing - you can see a shadow under his left forearm and under the ball. Definitely used flash in this shot.

tempra · May 28, 2007

Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected

From the exif information

PatriK-b · May 28, 2007

denovo said:
Thanks for the replies. Switch, you gave me some good info!

I was actuallly using a 55-200 lens, and I wasn't using a flash, specifically because I want to figure out how to take pictures without it. I had played with the EV compensation, and I think ISO was at 800.

Take care about your settings, your were shotting at 400 isos, with shutter priority mode, exp comp +2/3. Flash did fire, and that's why you got this results as it was told you.

Hopefully, no black magic behind :wink:

RedDevilUK · May 28, 2007

I had played with the EV compensation, and I think ISO was at 800.

ISO 400
Shutter Priority
Exposure comp +0.7

I was actuallly using a 55-200 lens

you shot this at 55mm try backing off and shooting at 135mm or more and then the flash wont be so harsh.

try shooting in Manual, flash down and adjust shutter speed and aperture using the built in light meter on the viewfinder. i see you shot this at 8pm (give or take a minute

) so there should be plenty of natural light.

hope this helps

denovo · May 28, 2007

K, how did you guys get the exif data? I've never been able to figure that out once it's off the camera......
Huh, I was SURE I turned the flash off, guess not. Well, then, that explains it! I try to keep it off most of the time......ooops!