12-30-11 C&C Please

[etnad0]

Not sure how to upload to Flikr with all of the settings information retained or without the resolution degrading (help on that is appreciated as well), but this was taken in low light at a church a couple nights ago. Here are the settings:

Lens: 50mm 1.8
Format: .JPG
F: 1.8
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/320
Auto White Balance
Manual Mode



BEFORE


mark-2 by etnad0

AFTER


mark by etnad0, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Can't offer any assistance on Flickr, but IMO, if you're going to be seriously involved in digital photography, the $60-75 a year that a basic domain name and a few Gb of server-space will cost are an excellent investment. No compression, no nasty EULAs, no size limits, etc. That aside, I think your crop and edit serve to improve the image significantly, however there's still an exposure issue around the face. Shooting a black person (especially with shadows on the skin) wearing a white shirt is an exposure challenge. For future reference, consider using spot-metering and taking the reading off of his face, and then opening up about 1/3 stop (the meter will try and render his skin as middle grey) will get you a much better skin tone. You would likely lose some of the shirt detail, and it's up to you whether you think that's worth it.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[photo guy]

not too bad for starting out. as far as Flickr is concerned, I can't help you there. Sorry. Maybe someone with more experience could help

 

[etnad0]

Can't offer any assistance on Flickr, but IMO, if you're going to be seriously involved in digital photography, the $60-75 a year that a basic domain name and a few Gb of server-space will cost are an excellent investment. No compression, no nasty EULAs, no size limits, etc. That aside, I think your crop and edit serve to improve the image significantly, however there's still an exposure issue around the face. Shooting a black person (especially with shadows on the skin) wearing a white shirt is an exposure challenge. For future reference, consider using spot-metering and taking the reading off of his face, and then opening up about 1/3 stop (the meter will try and render his skin as middle grey) will get you a much better skin tone. You would likely lose some of the shirt detail, and it's up to you whether you think that's worth it.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

Thanks. It wasn't really something I had a lot of time to prep for. He was in the process of accepting his license. I actually got off 2 shots before he moved. As far as Domain Names, I have several actually, but I'll be setting up one for photography this coming week. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[bazooka]

I like the light on him. I think HE looks better in the edit, but I don't think you should have made the back wall pop like that. I would have desaturated it a little. The attention should be on him alone, not the color contrast... at least that's how I see the shot.

 

[etnad0]

I like the light on him. I think HE looks better in the edit, but I don't think you should have made the back wall pop like that. I would have desaturated it a little. The attention should be on him alone, not the color contrast... at least that's how I see the shot.

Thanks. The wall is actually the color in the edit. The original looks very tan. Are you saying that I shouldn't make the wall the actual color? Just trying to understand your perspective on it.

 

[Leftyplayer]

I would convert that photo into a black and white. The colors don't add anything to it and, in fact, the yellow wall is distracting. As for composition, well, the photo says nothing. It's not a good portrait, and as a picture of someone that you know accepting their license, it would have been better served by a wider shot where the context is clearer.

 

[gsgary]

Why didn't you take the shot in portrait ?

 

[etnad0]

I would convert that photo into a black and white. The colors don't add anything to it and, in fact, the yellow wall is distracting. As for composition, well, the photo says nothing. It's not a good portrait, and as a picture of someone that you know accepting their license, it would have been better served by a wider shot where the context is clearer.

Thanks. I'll try it in B&W and see if it comes out better. I would have gone wider but there were chairs on the other side of him where I would have needed to be. I was also at the mercy of the wall behind me so I got back as far as I could since I didn't have a zoom on my camera. Next time I'll try to be in a better position, but this time it was impossible since I was actually at the front as part of the pastor's request. I was part of the ceremony and trying to photograph at the same time. LOL

 

[etnad0]

Why didn't you take the shot in portrait ?

Honestly, I mostly stick to manual. The only modes I've used more than once so far are video, manual, and creative auto. I need to get accustomed to the rest of the settings to be honest. Today is actually 30 days exactly since I first got it, so I'm still in the learning stage. I'll keep that in mind next time I shoot. Thanks.

 

[TwoTwoLeft]

Why didn't you take the shot in portrait ?

Honestly, I mostly stick to manual. The only modes I've used more than once so far are video, manual, and creative auto. I need to get accustomed to the rest of the settings to be honest. Today is actually 30 days exactly since I first got it, so I'm still in the learning stage. I'll keep that in mind next time I shoot. Thanks.

Portrait = Rotate camera 90 degrees left.

 

[etnad0]

Why didn't you take the shot in portrait ?

Honestly, I mostly stick to manual. The only modes I've used more than once so far are video, manual, and creative auto. I need to get accustomed to the rest of the settings to be honest. Today is actually 30 days exactly since I first got it, so I'm still in the learning stage. I'll keep that in mind next time I shoot. Thanks.

Portrait = Rotate camera 90 degrees left.

Oh I thought the camera setting was being referred to. I did get one in Portrait style, but out of focus. It was the 2nd of the 2 that I managed to get off. I need to be quicker on the focus ring.