Lil Fashionista Critique away!

[misstwinklytoes]

The weather was crazy! One side of the park was pick black with rain clouds and the other was BRIGHT sunshine! Silly mommy also didn't think about that chocolate cupcake she ate just before this either.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

 

[tirediron]

Generally a cute series; the main issue I see with them is backgrounds. They're too distinct and distracting. For instance in #s 2, 5 and 6 you've chosen relatively short focal lengths, this of course results in much greater DoF than at longer focal lengths with the same aperture. What I would suggest is use your long glass, large aperture, and stand further back. This will give you much softer, less distracting backgrounds.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Generally a cute series; the main issue I see with them is backgrounds. They're too distinct and distracting. For instance in #s 2, 5 and 6 you've chosen relatively short focal lengths, this of course results in much greater DoF than at longer focal lengths with the same aperture. What I would suggest is use your long glass, large aperture, and stand further back. This will give you much softer, less distracting backgrounds.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

Her foot in #5 is what distracts me! lol I can't believe I didn't see it.

I'm getting discouraged with my focus. It's very hard to tell on the LCD how much of what is how much in focus. Long glass means I'm zooming as far out as possible, yes?... and just moving closer and ... what F#?

Thanks a ton for your advice!

 

[tirediron]

By long glass I mean your longest focal lengths. As far as aperture, that will really depend on the lens, and subject to camera distance. Try this on-line depth-of-field calculator to get a better appreciation for what may work.

 

[Derrel]

Generally a cute series; the main issue I see with them is backgrounds. They're too distinct and distracting. For instance in #s 2, 5 and 6 you've chosen relatively short focal lengths, this of course results in much greater DoF than at longer focal lengths with the same aperture. What I would suggest is use your long glass, large aperture, and stand further back. This will give you much softer, less distracting backgrounds.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

Yes, I have to agree with tireiron. Good,solid advice. I love the expression you captured in shot #4 ! Your shutter speeds seem to be right on that fine edge bewteen suggesting motion, and getting blurring, and showing a feeling of "time" or a "temporal quality"...in shot #4 the shutter speed, for that focal length is just,and I mean just fast enough to record her expression and convey a very subtle sense of movement, of "time", of "being there". It's always risky to shoot active subjects at such slowish shutter speeds, but that is why the lower ISO values and the slower, consumer-speed lenses that top out at f/5.6 wide-open when zoomed to their longer focal lengths will give you in marginal lighting levels.

On shot #4, I checked your EXIF information: 42mm, at f/5.0 and 1/25 second at ISO 100...which is cutting things awfully,awfully close on two levels--you, and camera shake, and the subject and his or her movement.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Anyone else?

 

[white]

Can't see EXIF data, but it looks like you could have thrown the background out of focus easily.

42mm @ f/5, 1/25, iso 100 is bizarre. Could've bumped the shutter by 4 stops, easy.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

So I should move the F# to something like 7 or 8? Or zoom out to like 18-20mm and put the F# @ something like 4 or 5?

I haven't figured out how to change my shutter speed. In AP mode it seems to set itself based on the ISO, but I don't know if that's changeable.

 

[white]

I was thinking f/2.8, 1/500, iso 400. Your photos look like they have motion blur, not missed focus. So you will need to have a shutter speed = 1/focal length, i.e., at 42mm, you will want something around 1/60.

 

[tirediron]

So I should move the F# to something like 7 or 8? Or zoom out to like 18-20mm and put the F# @ something like 4 or 5?

I haven't figured out how to change my shutter speed. In AP mode it seems to set itself based on the ISO, but I don't know if that's changeable.

Based on those statements, I would strongly recommend that you spend the remainder of the weekend curled up on the chesterfield with your camera manual. Read it cover-to-cover and when you've done that, do it again. As you, use/adjust/change each control/setting/function so that you become familiar with where they are and how they operate.

I would also head to your local library and pick up some books on basic photography and exposure theory. Even if they're old film-era books, 99.95% of the theory still applies.

You've clearly got a good eye for the scene, you just need to bring your technical skills to the level where they can execute what your eye sees.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Okay. Thank you all. My cam only has an f# down to 3.5. Also as I said I don't know how to change the shutter speed. I have scanned my manual but I will sit down and read it fully this weekend. Thank you for the compliment.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

I have two final college papers due tomorrow so it probably won't be tonight! Lol. I really appreciate the advice though. Maybe one day ill figure it out.