I did the assignment anyway :)

[Elizabeth30]

First off I'd like to apologize for my outburst earlier. I HATE drama, I think it's so stupid. I really really do want to learn. So I'm giving it another go because I do think there are some very talented people here that I could learn a lot from!! BUT if you're not interested in helping me learn something, just don't reply, it's honestly that simple!! I can take the critique and comments on what I'm doing wrong (I think I've already proven that) but I will not stick around for dramatic arguments about who has the biggest dick..... and I know it won't hurt anyone's feelings if I just never post again but I need to learn so here it goes again.......

Ok So I took a bottle of body spray outside and set it on a stool and took pics while stopping down my aperture. So I was 5ft from my object and I used a tripod. I had my camera set to AV mode with AF one shot, and yes I read the manual about choosing a single AF point first. The sky was very overcast though so I think this kind of put a damper on the project since the shutter wanted to go really slow but I didn't want to mess anything up so I didn't change any settings other than the aperture. The first photo at 1.8 was really OOF and didn't look good at all. The best one was at f/6.3 So that tells me that this small bottle didn't even have the best focus until f/6.3 so if I'm tring to focus a person (obviously much larger) then I'm really cheating myself out of a good photo by shooting wide open.

That being said I'm going to half to redo the assignment due to the low lighting today. When my shutter is only going at 1/8 there is no way to really see if the OOF is due to aperture change or shutter speed. Cuz 1/8 is REALLY slow even with a tripod it's difficult to get a decent pic at that speed.

 

[sm4him]

What was your ISO set on? You could probably have bumped it up, particularly just for the sake of the experiment, so that your shutter speed would still have been faster as you experimented with the aperture.

 

[Elizabeth30]

What was your ISO set on? You could probably have bumped it up, particularly just for the sake of the experiment, so that your shutter speed would still have been faster as you experimented with the aperture.

Oh gosh, see, I never even thought of that! YEAH I should have cause my ISO was at 100 the whole time! See I need to start thinking of these things while I'm shooting. It's like I learn all this stuff and step out my door with my camera and draw a blank! UHG!

 

[Bossy]

Don't worry about focusing so much at this point and learn how to get a good exposure. See for yourself how moving one dial affects the image vs moving another one. Focusing comes after you learn how they relate. 1/8 on a tripod shouldn't be an issue, if you're having camera shake from pressing the button, try using a short timer.

 

[MTVision]

Oh gosh, see, I never even thought of that! YEAH I should have cause my ISO was at 100 the whole time! See I need to start thinking of these things while I'm shooting. It's like I learn all this stuff and step out my door with my camera and draw a blank! UHG!

Even though the sharpest photo was at f/6.3 (can't remember the exact number) you can use other wider apertures at times. But while your learning - smaller apertures will definitely help you nail your focus. Higher ISO's are your friend as well - raising it will help you get a higher shutter speed. But shutter speed doesn't really matter on a tripod like it does handheld.

I'm sure you have a doll around the house - you should use that to practice on as well because it has 2 eyes (for focus). I'm glad you did that test! It will really improve your photography.

 

[MTVision]

First off I'd like to apologize for my outburst earlier. I HATE drama, I think it's so stupid. I really really do want to learn. So I'm giving it another go because I do think there are some very talented people here that I could learn a lot from!! BUT if you're not interested in helping me learn something, just don't reply, it's honestly that simple!! I can take the critique and comments on what I'm doing wrong (I think I've already proven that) but I will not stick around for dramatic arguments about who has the biggest dick..... and I know it won't hurt anyone's feelings if I just never post again but I need to learn so here it goes again.......

Ok So I took a bottle of body spray outside and set it on a stool and took pics while stopping down my aperture. So I was 5ft from my object and I used a tripod. I had my camera set to AV mode with AF one shot, and yes I read the manual about choosing a single AF point first. The sky was very overcast though so I think this kind of put a damper on the project since the shutter wanted to go really slow but I didn't want to mess anything up so I didn't change any settings other than the aperture. The first photo at 1.8 was really OOF and didn't look good at all. The best one was at f/6.3 So that tells me that this small bottle didn't even have the best focus until f/6.3 so if I'm tring to focus a person (obviously much larger) then I'm really cheating myself out of a good photo by shooting wide open.

That being said I'm going to half to redo the assignment due to the low lighting today. When my shutter is only going at 1/8 there is no way to really see if the OOF is due to aperture change or shutter speed. Cuz 1/8 is REALLY slow even with a tripod it's difficult to get a decent pic at that speed.

One other thing. Maybe next time when you do a test like this - vary your distance. You already know how aperture and depth of field affect the image at 5 feet away. Your depth of field will get larger the further away you are.

 

[MTVision]

Don't worry about focusing so much at this point and learn how to get a good exposure. See for yourself how moving one dial affects the image vs moving another one. Focusing comes after you learn how they relate. 1/8 on a tripod shouldn't be an issue, if you're having camera shake from pressing the button, try using a short timer.

Don't tell her that. She is obviously trying to figure out depth of field and how using a large aperture causes focus issues and a soft image.

 

[Bossy]

Don't worry about focusing so much at this point and learn how to get a good exposure. See for yourself how moving one dial affects the image vs moving another one. Focusing comes after you learn how they relate. 1/8 on a tripod shouldn't be an issue, if you're having camera shake from pressing the button, try using a short timer.

Don't tell her that. She is obviously trying to figure out depth of field and how using a large aperture causes focus issues and a soft image.

Yeah but...ok.

 

[sm4him]

What was your ISO set on? You could probably have bumped it up, particularly just for the sake of the experiment, so that your shutter speed would still have been faster as you experimented with the aperture.

Oh gosh, see, I never even thought of that! YEAH I should have cause my ISO was at 100 the whole time! See I need to start thinking of these things while I'm shooting. It's like I learn all this stuff and step out my door with my camera and draw a blank! UHG!

I know you're getting some harsh critics because you've "already been told" this stuff and you're "not listening." But fact is, it CAN be overwhelming, and you've been trying to take it all in and learn it too fast. You've been trying to just suck up all this advice and information and learn everything at once, and you can't. Just slow down and do like you did today...one thing, one assignment. And don't just do that for one day. Do it as much as you need to really GET it.

Listen to MTVision...she is patient, understanding and knowledgeable. You have talent, you just need to slow down and let yourself learn, one step at a time.

I think that "some" of the people who get so put off when noobs don't "listen" and have to be told the same thing multiple times have either forgotten how hard it was to take it all in at the beginning...or, for some of them, the technical stuff came easily. Some people pick right up on how all the technical stuff works together, but many really struggle with it.

My sister, who is actually a far better photographer than I am, really stunk at all things math. She hates anything to do with numbers, and even after two years with her DSLR she is still struggling to *really* GET the technical stuff...she constantly forgets how aperture works (whether she needs a higher number or a lower one), how the exposure triangle all fits together, how she needs to adjust settings for a better DOF on a particular photo, etc. She was so glad when I finally got my dslr this year because she knows I'm more mathematical and pick up on the technical stuff a little better.

My point is just...keep with it. Don't try to learn it all at once, and don't let the cranks and curmudgeons get to you. I really believe you've got what it takes to get there, eventually!

But then, what do I know? It's not like *I'm* there!

 

[GeorgieGirl]

First off I'd like to apologize for my outburst earlier. I HATE drama, I think it's so stupid. I really really do want to learn. So I'm giving it another go because I do think there are some very talented people here that I could learn a lot from!! BUT if you're not interested in helping me learn something, just don't reply, it's honestly that simple!! I can take the critique and comments on what I'm doing wrong (I think I've already proven that) but I will not stick around for dramatic arguments about who has the biggest dick..... and I know it won't hurt anyone's feelings if I just never post again but I need to learn so here it goes again.......

Ok So I took a bottle of body spray outside and set it on a stool and took pics while stopping down my aperture. So I was 5ft from my object and I used a tripod. I had my camera set to AV mode with AF one shot, and yes I read the manual about choosing a single AF point first. The sky was very overcast though so I think this kind of put a damper on the project since the shutter wanted to go really slow but I didn't want to mess anything up so I didn't change any settings other than the aperture. The first photo at 1.8 was really OOF and didn't look good at all. The best one was at f/6.3 So that tells me that this small bottle didn't even have the best focus until f/6.3 so if I'm tring to focus a person (obviously much larger) then I'm really cheating myself out of a good photo by shooting wide open.

That being said I'm going to half to redo the assignment due to the low lighting today. When my shutter is only going at 1/8 there is no way to really see if the OOF is due to aperture change or shutter speed. Cuz 1/8 is REALLY slow even with a tripod it's difficult to get a decent pic at that speed.

How 'bout you take about a week or two off of TPF and the babble and concentrate on shooting what you 'have learned'.

 

[cgipson1]

How 'bout you take about a week or two off of TPF and the babble and concentrate on shooting what you 'have learned'.

Where have I heard that before? lol! bet'cha a fiver your advice is ignored? We on?

 

[GeorgieGirl]

 

[cgipson1]

:hug::

 

[e.rose]

I'm laying on the couch feeling like I'm on my death bed right now, so maybe my brain just isn't processing things correctly right now, but I think everyone would agree when I say.... if you posted example images (which I'm assuming you have since you said you did an experiment today), it would be MUCH easier for us to help you. :sillysmi:

 

[cgipson1]

I'm laying on the couch feeling like I'm on my death bed right now, so maybe my brain just isn't processing things correctly right now, but I think everyone would agree when I say.... if you posted example images (which I'm assuming you have since you said you did an experiment today), it would be MUCH easier for us to help you. :sillysmi:

Miss Emily... I DO hope you get to feeling better soon! Here is a hug for you, too! :hug::