My first real shoot with new cam...

[duhast]

So, I had to take wife on an errand this morning, and I took the camera and just walked around the neighborhood for about a half hour. I was still getting used to the camera, learning how it behaves, and a tripod would have helped with the high shooting ratio.

However, I got a couple ok shots and would like feedback. I am still learning post processing, but am using histograms, even when I am shooting. This is my favorite of the session, and is non uncharacteristic of one aspect of my style. I'm also trying to figure out how to post a good view-able size without exceeding file size limit...

 

[duhast]

Really? No one?

 

[PropilotBW]

Sorry, concrete just isn't that fascinating to look at.

What was it in this scene that caught your attention? The kidney shaped pebbles? The fading paint? Make it so the viewer doesn't have to ask this question.

 

[tirediron]

I have to agree; I don't see anything here that really grabs my attention.

 

[amolitor]

The light is quite dull, which makes it look less interesting than it is. I quite like the pebbles in the decorative paver contrasting with the leaves in the gutter. There's stuff to look at here, it's a pleasing abstract collection of forms.

It suffers from two basic problems: The light, and the fact that it's trying to be an abstract but it's so obviously real, identifiable, stuff.

I think pushing the tonal range around a bit, playing with the colors, might repair the sense of dullness enough to overcome the second problem. Also, making it bigger will probably help a bit.

 

[duhast]

The light is quite dull, which makes it look less interesting than it is. I quite like the pebbles in the decorative paver contrasting with the leaves in the gutter. There's stuff to look at here, it's a pleasing abstract collection of forms.

It suffers from two basic problems: The light, and the fact that it's trying to be an abstract but it's so obviously real, identifiable, stuff.

I think pushing the tonal range around a bit, playing with the colors, might repair the sense of dullness enough to overcome the second problem. Also, making it bigger will probably help a bit.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I see lots more than concrete too, the different shapes of texture, the shape of the asphalt, the shape of the concrete, the shape of the green vegetation, the stepping stone, there's lots of colors in there...

The light was flat, a totally gray sky near the ocean. I did bump saturation a little (+5), and attempt a little with 'curves', but all that digital editing is stuff I'm still learning and I was also trying not to overdo too much, I can be very heavy-handed with saturation. I'm also trying to learn how to interpret histograms and what editing does to them.

The size.... Help me here. What are the limits for the forum? I tried to upload a 5 meg fil and it was a no-go. I haven't seen anything in print that gives limits. What sort of resolution (DPI?) image dimension, or file size should I use?

 

[amolitor]

I would be looking for 1500 pixels on the long side, and reduce "quality" down a ways. I use about 90% quality (my editor will save with a "quality" expressed as a percentage, yours may be low/medium/high/whatever). You can go down quite a ways before it becomes noticeably ugly, and the file size gets smaller much faster.

 

[duhast]

I would be looking for 1500 pixels on the long side, and reduce "quality" down a ways. I use about 90% quality (my editor will save with a "quality" expressed as a percentage, yours may be low/medium/high/whatever). You can go down quite a ways before it becomes noticeably ugly, and the file size gets smaller much faster.

MANY thanks. It's all those little nuances that I have zero clue about...

 

[Derrel]

Perhaps the next outing there will be some sweet light??? One can hope! This time of year one can always hope for slanting sun-shafts peeking through low, rain-heavy, dark gray clouds; that type of lighting makes my heart go pitter-patter when out looking for landscape images. Of course, in many places, this time of year the light is prone to being overcast, and fairly "flat", and so...one can take a lot of liberties with creative exposure placement, and also, some pretty extreme processing modifications can be done.

I hope you enjoy the new camera rig immensely. I've noticed you around here on TPF as of late, and like your addition to the mix. I am guessing that you recently got a new Canon T3i; I would suggest that Canon has some very good in-camera black and white images possible by setting the camera up to capture RAW + JPEG image; yellow filter effect; sepia toning effect; sharpening HIGH. JPEG size large, or medium; JPEG compression set to Finest (ie, the least-compressed). Set the image contrast level to a scene- or day-appropriate level; on dull, flat,overcast days, HIGH image contrast can be quite workable. Same as if in the fog.

This will allow you to capture RAW .CR2 files with full color information; but the camera will make B&W JPEGS that are already sharpened, right off the memory card, and which have pretty good tonal variation due to the yellow filter effect, and the sepia toning looks, well, lovely.

This method I am describing is a really FUN way to shoot digital images...it shows the previews on the camera AS B&W IMAGES!!!! And it MAKES B&W images which are ready to use. If you want to e-mail them, try their JPEG, SMALL-size, using Finest- or Medium-compression. It also teaches one to have the strength of conviction and commitment to vision to actually go out, and shoot, and MAKE images that are B&W. Deliberately. With forethought.

 

[duhast]

Perhaps the next outing there will be some sweet light??? One can hope! This time of year one can always hope for slanting sun-shafts peeking through low, rain-heavy, dark gray clouds; that type of lighting makes my heart go pitter-patter when out looking for landscape images. Of course, in many places, this time of year the light is prone to being overcast, and fairly "flat", and so...one can take a lot of liberties with creative exposure placement, and also, some pretty extreme processing modifications can be done.

I hope you enjoy the new camera rig immensely. I've noticed you around here on TPF as of late, and like your addition to the mix. I am guessing that you recently got a new Canon T3i; I would suggest that Canon has some very good in-camera black and white images possible by setting the camera up to capture RAW + JPEG image; yellow filter effect; sepia toning effect; sharpening HIGH. JPEG size large, or medium; JPEG compression set to Finest (ie, the least-compressed). Set the image contrast level to a scene- or day-appropriate level; on dull, flat,overcast days, HIGH image contrast can be quite workable. Same as if in the fog.

This will allow you to capture RAW .CR2 files with full color information; but the camera will make B&W JPEGS that are already sharpened, right off the memory card, and which have pretty good tonal variation due to the yellow filter effect, and the sepia toning looks, well, lovely.

This method I am describing is a really FUN way to shoot digital images...it shows the previews on the camera AS B&W IMAGES!!!! And it MAKES B&W images which are ready to use. If you want to e-mail them, try their JPEG, SMALL-size, using Finest- or Medium-compression. It also teaches one to have the strength of conviction and commitment to vision to actually go out, and shoot, and MAKE images that are B&W. Deliberately. With forethought.

OOOOooooooooooh...you're gonna be one of my new BFF's. It's THAT kind of info that I'm really craving, rather than stumbling around switching settings blindly, not really knowing their final effect. This post of your's is gonna get clipped and put in my camera folder. And yes, I'm gonna be shooting a lot of B&W.