RETAKES and a new photo Hope these are better than before. C&C Please Thank You

[Juice]

To Juice: I use a tripod a lot for my other photography (emergency scenes) and wanted to try something different with the new photography (all other). I chose to switch off using both cameras tonight with to see what I could do. I do not use the Kodak much so I decided to use that tonight too. I do have some photos from back in October that I took with the Kodak P&S when I had it mounted on my monopod if you want to see those as they are nicer than tonight. The reason why I posted some of these photos like this is to show I was changing my setting on my Fuji when I was using it to see which would work more for this. I am sorry if it didn't impress anyone. Thanks for the C&C.

If you are satisfied with them, then that's all that really matters. However, if you are posting them here, then you are looking for ways to make them better, so you are going to hear about it.

Taking night shots without a tripod is not what I would consider "trying something different", and I'm sure that will be the general consensus here. The key to night shooting is the ability to keep the camera perfectly still, so wavering from that is going to continue to produce photos like these.

If you want to try something different, try different angles, compositions, etc... just keep the damn camera still!

 

[LightSpeed]

Thanks LightSpeed

Don't get all down on yourself.
This stuff isn't easy.

Start paying attention to what some of these cats are telling you.
A year from now you'll laugh about this.

 

[Jake_NN_Bake]

It seems like most of these pictures are from a vantage point seen by any passer-by. Look for the interesting angle, the play of lines, or a line of lights. Something out of the ordinary will make your pictures catch someone's eye. Even if there are technical problems, like underexposure etc, a uniquely composed image will shine through.

 

[cgipson1]

To cgipson1: I did label which pictures I DID USE A TRIPOD on. It is labeled above each shot if a tripod was used or not. So please don't say I didn't when I did on some. Thanks

Ok.. let me rephrase my earlier post... why did you only use tripod on 2 out of 6 shots, even after we all stressed that it would be a good idea?

 

[brush]

Read this blog: How to shoot christmas lights

Those steps are what I followed to do the picture you were asking me about in the other thread. The biggest difference I see in setup (aside from composition) is your exposure time. I didn't see your last thread when everyone was telling you to use a tripod...but I don't think they meant to put your camera on a tripod & then shoot with a 1/45 shutter speed. Leave that thing open for a few seconds. Try setting your ISO to 100 or 200, aperture of maybe 8 or so, that way your shutter will need to stay open long for good exposure and you'll make full use of the tripod. Set your shutter release to timer so that you don't shake it when pushing the release button. then follow all the steps outlined in The Strobist's blog I linked to, time of day, white balance, composition, the whole shebang.

 

[cgipson1]

Read this blog: How to shoot christmas lights

Brush.. that is really nice of you!!

 

[photo guy]

I do have more from tonight using a tripod. I will put some more up in a reply on here if anyone wants me to including a close-up of the gazeebo.

 

[photo guy]

Thank you Brush

 

[Kerbouchard]

I do have more from tonight using a tripod. I will put some more up in a reply on here if anyone wants me to including a close-up of the gazeebo.

Do you know what a histogram is?

It's a representation of the data that you have captured. Generally, they build from the beginning, peak towards the middle, and coast back down...almost like a hill.

Yours go straight up and straight back down...basically meaning, you captured very little detail.

If you do a bit of research on the subject, look at what you are producing, I think you might figure out your issues. Good luck to you.

 

[MTVision]

Shutter speed is way to slow for handheld shots. Night shots should be taken with a tripod - the advice in your last thread was valid!

I'm with Kerbouchard here. You say you are trying to learn more photography of all different areas - which is great. Once you have the basics of photography you can pretty much do any type of photography (to an extent) IMO. As long as you know how shutter speed, aperture and ISO work and how they affect each other then you already have a pretty good foundation. Metering modes are pretty important as well - do you know the different metering modes on your camera? Do you know what they do specifically? Do you know when to use them? Depth of field is important but with a point and shoot you probably have a pretty big DOF anyways.

When you are doing emergency/fire photography how do you take the pictures? Do you use a tripod/monopod? How do you choose your settings or do you let the camera choose them? Why? Are you just going there and snapping away or do you put thought into each and every photo?

From what I've seen on here: You've been photographing for the fire department for around 2 years. This does not mean you aren't a beginner. I've been using a point and shoot (film then digital) since I was 10 - it wasn't until a few months ago that I actually understood how to take a photograph. I was great at taking snapshots - I mean who isn't. A lot more goes into a photograph then just pointing the camera and pushing the button.

Everybody is willing to help you here but you haven't really told us what level you are at.

Compare photo #3 and #4 - In #3 you shot at ISO 800 with a shutter speed of 1/4 and aperture 2.8...now look at #4 ISO 100 f/2.8 and 1/60 and it is really underexposed. Do you understand why these 2 photos came out so differently?

My advice would be to read up on exposure then take your camera and practice what you read. You don't even have to leave home. Go outside during the day, if you can, and play around with manual mode. You don't have to shoot in manual mode but its helpful to learn with.

 

[photo guy]

Here are 2 more that were taken with a tripod on Christmas Day 2011.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Here are 2 more that were taken with a tripod on Christmas Day 2011

This last one you posted is by far your best example. Personally, I would turn it into a vertical crop and get rid of the left and right aspects of the image. Then I would straighten it a bit.

But finally, you have a foreground interest and a subject. Nicely done.

 

[photo guy]

I have read up a little on a histogram but not enough to really understand it enough yet. I plan to keep reading up on it.

 

[photo guy]

Thank you MTVision. I am getting my books back out to reread them this week to help understand some of the basics more. When I am on fire scenes, I used to just keep snapping away but over the last 3 months I have actually put in some thought into my photos to hopefully get some better shots besides some of the kinds that the dept or members like or want. I just received a monopod in late September from a relative who was getting rid of unwanted items and I put it to use in October at the FD Open House when I was able to go up in the Snorkel truck for some ariel photos. I used my P&S on it and the photos came out nice and clear. On regular scenes I used to just hold the camera but have been using my tripod almost all the time now on scenes.

 

[photo guy]

Thank You Kerbouchard. I am going to try and get back down to the park tonight as traffic will be lighter and I can get a little closer to get is straighter. There was a ton of traffic so I couldn't get close without zooming. The park has a large road network in it and I was across the road from the display with my cameras and my tripod but had to stand off the road and on some ice and snowpack so I couldn't get it as straight as I hoped. I will try again. Thanks.