Nature Shots - Need help

[chowe6]

I recently bought my first DSLR camera - The Canon EOS Rebel T1i. When i take nature scenes outside (which is about 90% of my shooting) the trees come out really weird. Instead of being clear and adding to the shot, they come looking like they were painted in after the fact. In the example below see the forward tree on the left hand side of the shot. I have had this happen on different outings with no snow and it happens with both a polarizing filter and without. I am hoping this is just a settings issue i am missing on the camera. It was taken on the landscape setting, which until i become more familiar with the camera has been working just fine....aside for this one issue with the trees.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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[KmH]

I don't see anything wrong with the photo I wouldn't expect when the camera is being used in an auto mode.

The camera was not held level, and the scene has both direct sunlight and hard shade, a dynamic range that likely exceeds what the camera's image sensor can handle.

The camera does not work like your eye does. Plus, the camera can only guess at how you are wanting the final image to look.

Certainly reading, and understanding, your T2i users manual will help to more rapidly gain an understanding of the cameras features. It has at least 3 different light metering modes and a couple of different auto focusing modes you need to become familiar with.

 

[JimO]

What you are seeing is an effect of selecting the Automatic Landscape mode. By using that the camera is taking control to enhance the colors found in nature to create the images. This may be why you are seeing the trees jumping out more as the camera saturates those colors more.

As you get more experience with the camera and can take greater control of the camera, you will see your colors dial in to what you are expecting. Scenes like this are perfect fro taking multiple shots using different settings and then studying the effect when you get home.

 

[DennyCrane]

All I'm really seeing here is a lack of general sharpness in the trees. What lens were you using? The 18-55mm kit lens? That might explain part of it. If that's the case, I might go a little higher on the ISO and get a faster shutter speed. And, of course, if you're not using a tripod, start. To me, the trees seem to blur into the background because they're simply not defined enough to pop out at the viewer.

 

[Mary Robinson]

I would suggest trying to focus about a 1/3 of way into the shot you are trying to take and use Aperture mode with a f/11 or f/16 or f/22, in aperture mode you can choose how much of the scene you want to be in focus. Selecting a focus point about a third of the way in will help keep the area in the foreground focused as well as the trees in the background. In aperture mode, your camera will choose the rest of the settings for you and this should help. If you want less focus in the scene, in front and behind your focal point, choose an aperture of f/5.6 or f/8.

 

[Robin Usagani]

What you see is the magenta fringe on the tree from chromatic abberation. Usually caused when you shoot it wide open. It happens more often with inferior lenses.