Here are some more pics I'd like to share for C&C. I need the advice!

randg111 · Sep 24, 2010

Again, I'm a complete beginner here! Lighting is not my best friend yet, and I have lots to learn! This site and the advice I am getting has been wonderful! I can tell when my pictures are overexposed, I just don't know how to fix it.

So, here are a few more samples. Let me know what your opinions and suggestions are! Thanks!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

g-fi · Sep 24, 2010

Ouch! What is going on with #3? I am assuming some sort of post processing gone wrong because his face is completely blown out. #1 seems underexposed, as well as #4. I think #5 is the best exposed and best composed but it's very "headshot"-y. If you're going to shoot when the sun is so strong, move into open shade.

Also, every shot has crop issues, where you've cut off the top of your subject's head, or feet, or elbows. The details can make the difference. KEEP SHOOTING.

tirediron · Sep 24, 2010

C&C per req:

1. This is a tough one; you've got the face in shadow, but bright sun on the shirt. The best solution here would be fill light, probably provided by a reflector, or even a diffused flash to reduce the dynamic range.

2. Much better exposure on this one, but a bit of a messy background. Again, a reflector from image right would have helped. While it's not a huge issue, I'm not fond of the cropped head.

3. Definitely over-exposed in the face. Once again... you guessed it: Fill light! Try and avoid longitudal bisection of limbs such as his left arm. Crop limbs boldly if you need to, but not through joints or longitudaly.

4. Slightly under exposed, but easily corrected in post, especially if shot in RAW. I would crop most of the left side of this image as the blown sidewalk really steals the eye from the subject.

5. Good exposure, but it seems slightly soft to me. What was your point of focus on this one?

Overall, not bad. Over/under exposure can almost always be corrected/minimized with supplemental lighting. This can be something as simple as a large piece of white card-stock acting as a reflector, or an off-camera flash. A good exercise is to go outside at noon(ish) on a bright, sunny day, position your subject so that there are extreme hightlights and shadows, and then practice correcting for that. Also, try and avoid centering your subject so much. 1, 2 and 5 would really benefit from a crop/recomposition moving the subject out of the very middle of the image.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

randg111 · Sep 24, 2010

Tirediron:
In #2, I just happened to catch a candid shot. He was playing on the railings and I just snapped a couple of pictures. I agree, the background is busy and the cropping is a bit awkward.

I have no idea what happened with his face in #3. I really like the colors in that picture, too. But the blow out kills it! I posted this one to find out how to avoid that. Thanks!

#4, thanks for the tip! I didn't realize the distraction of the sidewalk until you pointed it out! You are right!

My focal point in #5....well, I usually try to get the eyes, BUT, I usually shoot in AF because I am so new at this, and I have been having issues with the AF actually focusing on what I want it to focus on! It's been a pain in the behind! So, my next outing I will be working on manual focus and see how that goes.

I have a question about fill lighting...and I hope I don't sound like a complete idiot, but here goes....if I used an off camera flash or a reflector, where would I set those up in relation to where the light is hitting my subject? Does that make sense?

Thanks so much for all your input!!

tirediron · Sep 25, 2010

Don't worry about manual focus; today's DSLRs are designed to be used with automatic focus. It's a tool like any other, and doesn't make you "less" of a photographer because you use it. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I manually focus my DSLRs.

Where you position your fill light is really a matter of what sort of look you want. As a starting point, think of reflectors as mirrors. Look at the sun, look at the shadows on the subject and then approximate where you will need to place the reflector in order to reduce the shadows by reflection. The Strobist is an outstanding resource for off-camera flash work.

Derrel · Sep 25, 2010

Your white balance and color balance both appear off in most of these. The lighting has very high contrast in a couple, which has caused burned out highlights. I think one key is to find lighting that will work well, while shooting on-location. Open, shaded areas are easy to work in, as long as you set the camera's white balance to something in the 6,500 degree Kelvin range, so that things do not look too "cool" in the shade. Overcast days are easy to work on as well. Bright, sunny days lead to people squinting, and harsh light much of the time. Keep at it. Keep working and learning about the light and how it changes color temperature, and how it changes its character and its "workability" during the course of a day. Good light leads to good pictures. Bad light leads to, well, lots of work.

randg111 · Sep 25, 2010

tirediron said:
Don't worry about manual focus; today's DSLRs are designed to be used with automatic focus. It's a tool like any other, and doesn't make you "less" of a photographer because you use it. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I manually focus my DSLRs.

Where you position your fill light is really a matter of what sort of look you want. As a starting point, think of reflectors as mirrors. Look at the sun, look at the shadows on the subject and then approximate where you will need to place the reflector in order to reduce the shadows by reflection. The Strobist is an outstanding resource for off-camera flash work.

When I am using auto focus, it tends to focus on everything but what I want it to focus on. Like, if I want to focus on the face, it wants to focus on the shirt, or whatever else. Not all the time, but often, and I have to keep playing around with it to get it corrected. Might you have any tips to avoid that?

Your description of reflector placement was perfect! Just what I was looking for! Thanks! I did check out that site too.

Bram · Sep 25, 2010

randg111 said:
2.

Who's flexing? Haha, i'm just joking around, good overall photo's the third one does look a little overdone, I would have gone darker with it not lighter. Keep at it.

DanFinePhotography · Sep 25, 2010

#1 and 2 are good, although #1 might be off a tad on your white balance. #3 is badly overexposed. #4 the lighting is uneven but good. The last one i do like also, just looks a tiny bit soft. These are much better than the first set, and I would encourage you to keep practicing and learning.