DragonCon Attempt

Meekminx · Oct 14, 2011

Hello my beautiful photogs!

I have a few pictures that I would like to show you. They are not awesome, but they are my best "People Pictures" at the moment. Since I am learning my way around my camera (Nikon D5000), I know that I make a lot of mistakes. I will post each picture with what I see is wrong, what I would like to have done, and if you could point out any new problems/advice, I would greatly appreciate it!

1. ( I number my photos because I'm a boss! :lmao: )

She makes me very sad inside. I know she's soft (OOF), and I wish I didn't leave the top right corner of the frame empty. That was her umbrella (Brilliant idea at a busy convention), and I only had a few seconds to get her picture. We were in a huge hotel in Atlanta, GA.
Does it seem too yellow? Is that because of the venue's harsh lighting? I shoot in RAW, so should I just change the white balance?

2.

He was AWESOME and posed again for me after I saw him take this pose for a professional photographer. Again, unless it's my eyes, it seems soft again. I should look into contacts because my eyesight is horrible without my glasses.
Something I love about this picture is the composition (Did I use that right?). I love the movement at the end of the arrow, even though I couldn't exactly get a shot without people in the background.
Something I hate- The shine on his belt, from another camera or the lighting at the venue again?

3.

I need to crop the empty space at the top, I was kneeling down so I could join the "Professionals" without getting in their way. She just happened to look at me once and I caught it! SQUEE!
I'm finding it hard to keep the subject in focus completely. I feel like she was in focus but her rod was not.

4.

steam_punk_lady_with_cellphone_by_meekraptor-d49ofai.jpg

This was just for fun. Before the "Professionals" ran over and stole her, she was trying to get off the phone for me. I love candid shots, especially when they are in costume!

Okay vultures... HAVE FUN!

M

Big Mike · Oct 14, 2011

They all look underexposed to me. This isn't due to the lighting, but more likely it's your metering (or lack there of). Remember that the camera's meter (basically any auto mode) isn't necessarily going to give you proper exposure. You often have to change the exposure slightly away from what the meter/camera gives you.

Some of them don't look all that sharp. It looks like your shutter speed was fairly slow, which will result in blur if the camera and/or the subject isn't perfectly still.

If you can't get a faster shutter speed because you're at your maximum aperture and already at a high ISO, then you would need to use flash.

Meekminx · Oct 14, 2011

Thank you, mike!
I will look into metering! I was just happy to be taking my camera to the convention so I knew going in that it would be a hands on learning experience. Guess I need to read my manual again!

DiskoJoe · Oct 14, 2011

Did you take these with a kit lens?

Meekminx · Oct 14, 2011

Yes I did Disko.

Again, I understand they suck. That would explain the lack of postings... actually.. I guess my shots are just boring. I should have thrown up a NSFW title or "Wedding in 1 hour, Need help!!!".

Back to the dungeon I go!

H4X1MA · Oct 14, 2011

Do you do anything in post? I agree with the WB on the first image, but the idea's are great. I envy the people who can actually go to these dressed up, I'm a closet nerd :$

Meekminx · Oct 14, 2011

I would like to focus less on post at the moment, since my exposure and focus need work, but thank you very much!

tirediron · Oct 15, 2011

Meekminx said:
I would like to focus less on post at the moment, since my exposure and focus need work, but thank you very much!

Both aspects are equally important. No image is ever as good as it can be straight out of the camera. Some are acceptable, but they will all benefit from at least a short trip to the pixel room. I think #3 is the strongest of the set, and with some relatively simple work in your favorite editing application would actually be a really good image. Since no one has posted this here, I HIGHLY recommend Cambridge in Color's outstanding tutorials. They explain clearly photographic concepts from the basic to the intermediate. WELL worth your time to read.