Issues with sharpness and colors

[Tatiana_]

I'm a new to this. I have been trying to take picture for a while, but can't get it right. I need some advice please. Why so many of my pictures are out of focus? And why the colors are so flat and washed out?
I have Canon T4i with the kit lens, also 28-135 3.5-5.6. I use Auto mode, sometimes I attempt Av mode, always Auto focus. I attached several pics for samples. I'm trying, it won't let me. I will try again as I post this thread.

 

[Tatiana_]

It won't let me because of some security error.

 

[bratkinson]

Offhand, I'll guess that you can't download them as they are 'too big' for web use. Check out the instructions here How to post pictures and use forum functions: A pictoral guide to using TPF | Photography Forum
for downloading files.

As to your out of focus issues, it could be that you are attempting to focus on something too close. Your lens has a minimum focus distance of about 20 inches. Alternatively, in Auto mode, the camera may be selecting one of a bunch of possible points to focus upon and it isn't where you want it to choose. Another alternative is that you have a cheap 'protection' filter of some kind on your lens that is degrading your images. If so, remove it.

Relating to the 'flat and washed out' colors, I'm guessing you are shooting in RAW format and then converting the pictures 'as is' on your computer to JPG format for viewing and posting. RAW images -must- be manually enhanced as they represent exactly what the sensor 'saw'. JPGs from your camera allows the camera to process the images before saving them and usually gives a satisfactory result. The difference between the two is that the JPGs are usually acceptable image quality whereas the RAW files, though markedly larger in size, require processing for everything from color rendition, white balance, sharpening, and noise reduction.

 

[Derrel]

bratkinson's suppositions sound about 90% correct to me, but I am wondering if you are shooting in RAW, or are perhaps shooting in JPG capture mode with the tone curve, sharpening, and saturation all set to the -0- or default levels. If the degree of contrast is low, and the saturation is low, and the in-camera sharpening is low, then the straight out of camera JPEG images will look very bland. Most d-slrs have default setting that produce a pretty middle-of-the-road looking photo, but which in either RAW or JPEG mode, can be adjusted to bring out the "Snap!" and "Wow!" factors via editing software and some adjustments.

 

[KmH]

Light quality and direction have a lot to do with how colors will look in your photos.

But without being able to see example photos we cannot give you any specific advice.

 

[TCampbell]

First: Most of us actually do adjust our images. The images you often see online (the better looking ones) don't just fall straight out of the camera looking that way. They're often shown a little TLC in a photo-adjustment app... such as Lightroom. If you're images look dull, an increase in contrast will often be helpful and the "levels" tool or "curves" tool are excellent for this (adjust exposure and contrast before doing things like color saturation because a simple contrast adjustment can effect the look of the color.)

Second: If you're shooting outside in daylight, a circular polarizer is your friend. If you look at the world around you... and I mean really look at the world around you... I suspect you'll pick on the notion that the world isn't nearly as color saturated as photography might suggest. In other words... often a "washed out" looking photo is actually more faithful to the scene. Foliage in nature tend to be somewhat reflective and this washes out the color. A polarizer (specifically a "circular polarizer" is needed for auto-focusing DSLR cameras) will cut the reflectivity off of foliage and other surfaces and allow you to see the color hiding behind those washed out reflections. This has the effect of intensifying and saturating the colors. In reality it isn't "saturating" -- it's just revealing the colors that were naturally present by eliminating the reflections that obscure them.

There are numerous other things that might be causing your results, but we'd need to see a few examples to give more specific advice.

As for the focus...

Automode is really depriving you of the capability of your camera.

Your camera has 9 auto-focus points. In full "auto" mode, it will pick the point it wants to use. But it turns out you can actually control which focus point will be used to lock focus... but you'll need to leave auto-mode to do this. When the camera is allowed to pick ANY focus point it wants, it will always pick the AF point which is able to lock focus at the closest distance to the camera. Suppose you're trying to photograph a person... but there's object... say a plant... a little closer than the subject. The camera would lock focus on that plant... because it is closer.

If you take the camera out of full auto mode (even "program" mode which is as "automatic" as full auto except that "program" mode allows you to override settings) then you can pick the AF point you'd like the camera to use.

Next... it's possible to put the camera in a mode where it sets focus and locks it... vs. a mode where the focus continuously adjusts (intended for moving subjects). But there's a nuance in that the normal "One Shot" mode will not allow the camera to take the shot until it can confirm that focused has been achieved on at least one AF point... whereas the other mode, "AI Servo", uses something called "release priority" -- meaning the camera WILL take the shot as soon as you fully press the shutter button and it will do this regardless of whether the camera had time to focus or not (it's mostly intended for sports/action photography). In full "auto" mode you won't have these choices, but if you switch to Av mode (which I think you said you did) then it is possible to switch between these focusing methods.

It's also possible your shutter speed was too slow for the focal length and lighting. This creates blur not due to bad focus... but due to camera movement while the shutter was open.

To be sure and to provide more specific help, we'd really need to see some example shots, but also we'd need to see the exposure information that was used when you took those shots (the camera actually records this and saves that info in the image itself... but some photo processing programs strip the info from the image.)

 

[Tatiana_]

Here are few samples. They were too big, you were right.
I don't shoot in RAW, I use "L" setting. I'm still working on pictures, haven't started learning how to post process. What easy tool would you recommend for processing?
Thank you everybody for your input!

 

[Tatiana_]

Pictures with kids are blurry, even though there is not much in front of them. Pictures with trees are not colorful.
Girl picture - F3.5, 1/500s, 33mm, portrait mode, ISO 100
Kids photo - F6.3, 1/125s, 50m, ISO 100, Auto mode
Bird - F5.6, 1/200, ISO 160, 135mm, Auto mode
Lady in the park - F 4.5, 1/50, ISO 200, 32mm, Auto

What tools would you recommend for beginners and are there not 500 pages manuals? I wish I could go to school and study photography all day long, but I have a toddler....

Thanks all!

 

[Tatiana_]

Very upset about this one being not in focus
F 4, 1/1328sec, ISO 100, 38mm, Portrait mode

 

[Tatiana_]

I know it's a very general question, but where do you begin? I know there are millions of links and tutorials, but what to start with, what to try, what to focus on first, then second?

 

[Derrel]

So, the L size is in-camera JPEG format as you probably realize. To get photos that have good color in JPEG capture mode requires a few things. First of, the white balance needs to be appropriate. The in-camera sharpening in L-size and with the compression set to low needs to be be turned to a fairly high degree of sharpening. Then, the color saturation needs to be set a bit higher than normal. And finally, the exposure needs to be set pretty close to optimally for the scene. You basically need to go to the Picture Style menu and "goose" the settings.

The problem is though that if you set the contrast high, whenever there is a broad dynamic range in the scene, the contrast will likely be excessive. However, on gray, dull, or overcast days, you can easily just CRANK things up, and get decent results. On dull-light days, the in-camera contrast setting and the color setting can easily be set to MAX, and it'll work out okay. The degree of contrast is a big deal in d-slr cameras.

Canon's DPP software WILL develop raw-format pictures for you. Shooting in raw mode and then post processing is the easiest way to exercise the best control over the shots. You could also shoot RAW+JPG mode, and "goose" the settings as appropriate, with enhanced contrast, enhanced saturation, enhanced sharpening, to get the JPG files looking a bit more-vivid, more sharp, and then also have raw files. Adobe's Lightroom is a great app for raw image development, but Canon;s DPP was free, and it can do a lot.

 

[The_Traveler]

I don't know your camera but is there a setting that keeps the shutter from going off until auto focus is achieved?
If so, set that to on.

 

[The_Traveler]

Nothing is in focus.
Is your lens actually hunting and then fixing on something?
Does it look sharp in the viewfinder?

 

[KmH]

Do you have a cheap clear or UV filter on the lens for 'protection'?
If you do, take it off and make some more photos.
A poorly made filter could cause loss of contrast, muted colors, and focus sharpness issues.

If not, I suspect one or more of the lens elements in the lens is out of position.

 

[The_Traveler]

test this by turning off the autofocus and vibration reduction (if you have) and with the camera on a tripod or table, focus manually, then depress shutter carefully while keeping camera still.

If the resultant image is sharp, it is probably auto-focus issue
if """"""""""""""""""""""""" not sharp, it may be lens issue.
If this happens with all lenses, body or autofocus issue