My First image ~ Mad Max

[PJcam]

Max is just one of our cats, don't let the baby face fool you, he is the 'Hunter', his brother is the sleeper.

Please feel free to comment on this, which really is my first attempt, with the new camera (see below). I am a beginner with a capital 'B'.

There was little thought put into the image, for that I apologise, he just sat near the microwave and looked at me as if to say 'you going to shoot me or what?'

Here is my 2nd image...

Please feel free to comment, good or bad, it is the only way to learn.

Thank you.

 

[BrentC]

Make sure you tell us your camera settings and lens, it would help a great deal. It seems you have missed focus on both of them. Always try and focus on the eyes. With camera settings we can probably help you more.

 

[pamela.bottoni.1]

Max is just one of our cats, don't let the baby face fool you, he is the 'Hunter', his brother is the sleeper.

Please feel free to comment on this, which really is my first attempt, with the new camera (see below). I am a beginner with a capital 'B'.

There was little thought put into the image, for that I apologise, he just sat near the microwave and looked at me as if to say 'you going to shoot me or what?'

View attachment 152092

Here is my 2nd image...

View attachment 152093

Please feel free to comment, good or bad, it is the only way to learn.

Thank you.

Lovely very clear picture Good job


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PJcam]

Make sure you tell us your camera settings and lens, it would help a great deal. It seems you have missed focus on both of them. Always try and focus on the eyes. With camera settings we can probably help you more.

Firstly, I appreciate I did this in a rush, I am aware the light is coming from the right causing a shadow on the left. I rushed it on purpose to test myself on the Photographic Triangle, I am starting from the beginning with learning.

These really were my 'First 2' shots

The setting were f/8, 1/20sec, ISO 800

Lens 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

 

[Cortian]

Disclaimer: I'm a DSLR n00b, myself

N.B.: ICBW but I think you're supposed to (?) post such things in the general gallery for C&C?

Ok, so: The photos.

I like the composition.

You've got some serious camera shake going on in photo #1. You can see it in the over-all lack of definition. The lettering on the chip tag really gives it away. Photo #2: Same thing, but not nearly as badly.

To avoid blurring due to camera shake you want to be down around 1/125 or 1/60 for shutter speed if you don't have image stabilization. You can go up a couple stops or so it you do. I like the depth of field. The entire cat is in focus (I think), and the background is nicely pushed back, so I think the aperture was good and increasing ISO to get a faster shutter speed would have made for nice portraits.

Get in the habit of taking multiple shots. It costs you nothing and, with a bit of luck, at least one of them will come out without shake.

Try leaving the camera in point-and-shoot (full auto) mode, at first, just to see what it can do, before getting all "pro" with programmed, shutter/aperture priority or manual modes. Look at what the camera comes up with for ISO, f-stop and shutter speeds.

ETA: Now that you've posted the numbers: Disregard ISO suggestion. Instead you should have stopped up the aperture a bit. 1/20 is way too slow for a hand-held shot, even with IS. (In my inexpert opinion.)

 

[BrentC]

Make sure you tell us your camera settings and lens, it would help a great deal. It seems you have missed focus on both of them. Always try and focus on the eyes. With camera settings we can probably help you more.

Firstly, I appreciate I did this in a rush, I am aware the light is coming from the right causing a shadow on the left. I rushed it on purpose to test myself on the Photographic Triangle, I am starting from the beginning with learning.

These really were my 'First 2' shots

The setting were f/8, 1/20sec, ISO 800

Lens 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

The reason its not in focus is do to your shutter speed. Too slow. Should be at the least 1/125. You probably got some motion blur or not being able to hold the camera steady for that long of exposure.

 

[ac12]

I think the Canon 18-55 is an IS lens. So that should help with camera movement, to some degree. But 1/20 sec is kinda slow in my book, especially for a beginner. Get your shutter speed higher, and don't rely on the IS to compensate for your camera movement/shake.

Read the manual.

Learn how to position the active auto focus point on the part of the subject that you want in focus. For humans and most animals it is the closest eye to you.

Note that on the Canon, depending on the exposure mode/scene selected, you may or may not have control over which focus point the camera selects. As I recall, in some modes it is "closest subject," and that is not always correct for a particular picture. You need to read the manual to learn how to control the selection of the focus point.

BTW, on my Nikon that is why I do NOT use "Auto," as Auto uses "closest subject" logic to select the focus point and what to focus on. I use "Program," so that I can select what focus point to use, and what to focus on. I want my subject in focus, not the dinner table in front of them.

For indoor shots, you need to learn to adjust the ISO level, high enough to get a good exposure.
That may mean raising the ISO to 6400, so that you can shoot at 1/125 sec.
Or use the flash. But learning to use the flash well is a BIG subject by itself.

 

[PJcam]

I will try pick up points from all your replies and suggestions rather than reply to each reply message one by one, but first a big thank you for your comments.

First a little background information which will explain some of the issues noted, I am disabled, I use a power wheelchair, I can hobble a little around the home, so saying I grabbed my camera to get the shot of Max actually takes me longer than it would most other people. Knowing Max is always on the go, he is never still, put me under more pressure not to miss the shot I saw possible.

The point raised in one of the comments regarding camera shake is important, it is because I struggle to stand still long enough to take the shots. That said, it is not going to stop me, I look forward in time to being able to take good shots (in areas accessible for me), and to enjoy the hobby. The camera was only purchased on 29 December, the images shown here were taken on the 7 January! I really am a beginner, but I am reading and watching YouTube videos, but I now need to put the reading into practice, practice practice.

Since I took the above shots of Max, to help me improve the shots I take, I have purchased a good quality tripod which can also be used as a monopod, plus an 8" very stable table tripod like the main one but much smaller. I have also purchased an automatic shutter control button that plugs into the camera. These should help me take pictures and avoid the shake error mentioned. (They do I tried them yesterday)

Since taking those 2 pictures I have decided not to use manual settings, not for some time, I am now trying firstly using auto mode and noting the settings, then changing to Av or Tv mode, usually the Av mode at this stage and carrying out more learning shots at home. I tried one yesterday on a fisherman garden gnome, (a present from granddaughter) using the telephoto lens, set using f/5.6, f/11 and f/22 and managed to get three good variations of the depth of field. They were taken using the table top tripod and remote shutter control, no shaking on those images.

I have noted all your comments and thank you all for all your help and advice. I will look to include your suggestions where possible in future testing shots. Your replies regarding the images, were better than I expected, I could see some of the faults for sure, you have confirmed them and more, which is the reason I shared the images as it all helps me to learn.

Thanks again, I am very grateful.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Not the worst first photos I've ever seen! Indoors in low light the camera may have set it to a slow shutter speed, which was too slow so you got shutter blur in the first. Probably 1/125 would be a good workable shutter speed. I can manage 1/60 and maybe 1/30 if I get braced and positioned to support the camera enough. If you were outdoors on a sunny day the meter would probably indicate setting the shutter speed faster.

Next time, if your cat decides to 'pose' for you (since that's entirely up to the cat!) take a moment to notice the background. Try to take a moment to change your vantage point as needed - take a step or two and move yourself in relation to the subject. Maybe even scrunch down a little so you get the cat looking up at you but get the cat in relation to the background so it looks good (it would be better not to see the edge of whatever is back there). There's a flower there that could be a nice part of a composition, but even blurred in the background it's bright and noticeable so try to notice where that is and take a step and see if/how that changes.

 

[BrentC]

Just make sure that when you are shooting moving objects, like your cat, you need to keep shutter speed fast enough to freeze it, whether you are using a tripod or not. And the faster the moving object the faster needs to be the shutter speed. Of course if you start using a flash then the flash will freeze the object for you.
What I would suggest, instead of using Auto, is to use P mode. This will allow you to change any of the Shutter, aperture and ISO values and the camera will automatically set the other two values to what it thinks is proper exposure. So this means as you change shutter speed you can see how the camera sets aperture and ISO. It will be the same if you change aperture the camera will automatically change the shutter and ISO values. It's a good learning tool mode.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Now that I read your response, since for you the positioning could be a challenge, try to keep the shutter speed from being set too slow. I can somewhat relate; I had a stroke and for a time had trouble being able to stand still enough to avoid blur even at a shutter speed that wasn't too slow. (And having a digital camera was a good option since I also shoot film; I could shoot more, figuring some would be blurry, without wasting film.) Now it's not an issue for me but still, I like to use a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster.

Even if you can't move a lot to change your vantage point, if need be, lean... I've done that to adjust my vantage point a little, sometimes it doesn't take much.

Noticing how the camera sets the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture the way you're doing is good so you can start to figure out how those three work together. You could jot down settings and later go thru a series of photos you took and notice what the camera did and what worked best.

 

[PJcam]

Not the worst first photos I've ever seen! Indoors in low light the camera may have set it to a slow shutter speed, which was too slow so you got shutter blur in the first. Probably 1/125 would be a good workable shutter speed. I can manage 1/60 and maybe 1/30 if I get braced and positioned to support the camera enough. If you were outdoors on a sunny day the meter would probably indicate setting the shutter speed faster.

Next time, if your cat decides to 'pose' for you (since that's entirely up to the cat!) take a moment to notice the background. Try to take a moment to change your vantage point as needed - take a step or two and move yourself in relation to the subject. Maybe even scrunch down a little so you get the cat looking up at you but get the cat in relation to the background so it looks good (it would be better not to see the edge of whatever is back there). There's a flower there that could be a nice part of a composition, but even blurred in the background it's bright and noticeable so try to notice where that is and take a step and see if/how that changes.

Thank you for taking time to provide your advice, I like your comment... Next time, if your cat decides to 'pose'. He rarely poses, he always hunts, and sadly I have to say brings back to many presents. I knew time to take the shot was very limited with him, so it was lets go for it based on the little I have learnt in the week I have had the camera and just try capture the shot. The only reason he was still he thought I was going to get his tea!

Unfortunately, though I would love to, I cannot scrunch down, and I cannot stand up still enough for an image due to my disability. I know I will never get the shots you guys get, I know I will never get places you guys get, but it will not stop me, be it from my power wheelchair, or from my car, or in the home, I will take better shots, with lots of reading, lots of practising and help from you guys as well. It's a good forum, you guys are so helpful.

Thank you.

 

[PJcam]

Now that I read your response, since for you the positioning could be a challenge, try to keep the shutter speed from being set too slow. I can somewhat relate; I had a stroke and for a time had trouble being able to stand still enough to avoid blur even at a shutter speed that wasn't too slow. (And having a digital camera was a good option since I also shoot film; I could shoot more, figuring some would be blurry, without wasting film.) Now it's not an issue for me but still, I like to use a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster.

Even if you can't move a lot to change your vantage point, if need be, lean... I've done that to adjust my vantage point a little, sometimes it doesn't take much.

Noticing how the camera sets the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture the way you're doing is good so you can start to figure out how those three work together. You could jot down settings and later go thru a series of photos you took and notice what the camera did and what worked best.

I didn't intend to mention disability, but in reply I had to explain a little, my aim is enjoy the hobby, I do not see the issues as obstructions to me doing things, just as obstacles to find a way of working round. For me I am sure most of my photographs will be landscapes (were I can access), maybe coastal scenes and sunsets, I will try include animals and birds but probably where accessible, nature reserves and similar.

As mentioned the shots of Max were taken on 7th a week after getting the camera, since then I have read, as you kindly say, 1/250 should be lowest speed for animals, faster subject to the speed of movement to capture. But, never think I may know, I am always grateful to accept help and advice. There is a lot to learn in the early stages, experience comes with time and practice. Thank you.

 

[PJcam]

Just make sure that when you are shooting moving objects, like your cat, you need to keep shutter speed fast enough to freeze it, whether you are using a tripod or not. And the faster the moving object the faster needs to be the shutter speed. Of course if you start using a flash then the flash will freeze the object for you.
What I would suggest, instead of using Auto, is to use P mode. This will allow you to change any of the Shutter, aperture and ISO values and the camera will automatically set the other two values to what it thinks is proper exposure. So this means as you change shutter speed you can see how the camera sets aperture and ISO. It will be the same if you change aperture the camera will automatically change the shutter and ISO values. It's a good learning tool mode.

Hi BrentC, thanks for your comments. I know when I took the shots they were done without a lot of thought, I saw him sat there, the bit of colour from a poinsettia that has seen better days, it gave a splash of colour and I thought go for it, try get the shot. So with a bit of luck (He didn't move), and a bit of quick guess work (which the image shows), I gave my first shots a try. As I have since read, 1/125 should be minimum shutter speed for animals, faster if they move, Max may have a baby type face but boy can't he move. Almost every day he brings home presents, mainly mice and similar, I hate it when he gets the birds, but sadly that is nature.

I have learnt a lot since I took the shots, lots of good tips from you guys thank you, but also realising, Max may have been sat still but any animal, or bird, or any living creature, can move without warning. I must always be shutter speed ready.

Thank you again, all help is really appreciated.

 

[BrentC]

I think you mentioned you use a wheelchair? If so Google 'wheelchair tripod mounts'. There are a few of them out there and may help you out a lot having the mount attached to your wheelchair.