C&C help? Rock climbing pictures

SPL Tech1

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I went climbing today and had a friend take some pics. I am looking for some C&C if anyone has any. Specifically the two things I am wondering is how to get the below picture in focus and how to blue the background in the other pics more so it looks as if I was using a very low f stop.

img1629ab4.jpg


I am open to any suggestions any one has on the other pics below:

img1623nc5.jpg


img1636fw7.jpg


img1566my3.jpg
 
1st pic seems like the focus is off. The 2nd seems dull. You dont see much expression and with a seen with only rock and a person, it'd be nice to see some emotion. The third one is okay but also kind of soft and too much dead space? maybe a crop would help. I like the last one the most but could use some contrast and sharpening. Hope this helps,

Nick
 
#1 is out of focus as far as the climber is concerned. It could have worked though if you have had your hand in the crack that is in focus.

Oh, and stop climbing that bolted crap. Go traditional and place your own gear!
 
The pictures aren't out of focus - just the subject is. Except for the second picture, your friend had his focus on the rocks. What camera was he using, and was he allowing the camera to set focus points, or did he inadvertantly move the AF-Point to a spot other than you?
 
#1 is out of focus as far as the climber is concerned. It could have worked though if you have had your hand in the crack that is in focus.

Oh, and stop climbing that bolted crap. Go traditional and place your own gear!
Can you do trad on that 12b I was sending in the first three pics? :)
 
The pictures aren't out of focus - just the subject is. Except for the second picture, your friend had his focus on the rocks. What camera was he using, and was he allowing the camera to set focus points, or did he inadvertantly move the AF-Point to a spot other than you?
She was using my Canon 40D with the stock 135mm lense. The problem is that she does not know anything about cameras. The camera was on 9 AF point auto. I think for this type of thing it may be set to force the center point AF only.


Also how can I make the background of these pics more blurry with Photoshop like in the fourth picture? Also does Photoshop have any correction tools that will help bring the first picture in focus a bit?
 
They look very unserious and have a 'climbing by numbers' feel to them. There's nothing much you can do about the excessive amount of chalk and the bolts but I'd suggest that the pictures were taken while you are concentrating, or at least appearing to concentrate, on the moves. Maybe even moving - particularly for the fourth shot - I want to see the next move, not you posing on a top rope.

I think that the use of a fairly long lens also does a lot to remove the drama by giving the feeling of distance. Getting closer with a wide angle lens usually produces a stronger feeling of connectedness - the viewer feels closer to the climber and the ground looks so much further away. Of course that may take effort on the part of the photographer. It's a question of priorities.

Photoshop blur rarely looks like real lens defocus, particularly when there are gradual changes in distance, but it depends a lot on your intended viewers. I'd say that it is a lot more important to work on the fundamentals of the image to make it engaging rather than to try to add an effect.

Good luck,
Helen
 
I think it would be kinda hard to critique pictures taken by someone else for you. I mean, sure, we can tell you all kinds of stuff, but you're going to relay it to a friend who I'm going to assume isn't serious enough about photography to really grasp it all quickly and be able to use it.

I'd think the best advice I could give you is to find someone who is into photography and have them come take the shots for you. I'd be willing to bet anyone who is into it would be very excited to come along, even if they don't know you that well, because it's an opportunity to try for some interesting shots.

BTW, I don't know what you mean by "blue in the background like in a low fstop"... low fstops (I assume you mean large aperature?) don't cause a coloration effect.
 
Typo I'm guessing - perhaps should have been "blur"

*whacks head*

Thank you. durrr...

If you want more blur, well, then OP said it himself. Use a larger aperature.

You can also get in closer to the subject, though I believe there are going to be some practical limitations to how close you can get given the circumstances.

You can also use more of a zoom, but again, you may be somewhat limited by what lenses you have.
 
Can you do trad on that 12b I was sending in the first three pics? :)

12b being 5.12b I'm guessing? Not too familiar with US grades, but the comparison chart suggests it should be possible with trad gear - just not by me! Never got above E1 5a myself --> Cameo
 

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