Still life? - how is it done properly

[Philip Weir]

Hi, haven't been on the site for quite a while, but trust my comments help.
[A] Either go for selective focus or a much DOP as you can, half way doesn't work. Get a bottle of water with a fine spray top and carefully spray some droplets on the subject. It will make them look fresh. [C] move your light source to one side to get stronger shadows, but still soft, then position a mirror on the opposite side to give some rim light to the fruit. That should help. Philip. www.philipweirphotography.com

 

[gsgary]

so a slower shutter speed=more DOF? But presumabely it would be obligotary to use a tripod for slow shutter and a remote if poss?

NO you aperture controls DOF, shutter speed controls movement

 

[gsgary]

Right lets say you set your aperture to F5.6 and it gaves you a shutter speed reading of 1/125, notice F5.6 @ 1/125 in the middle, all the other settings will give you the same exposure

1/000@F2 1/500@F2.8 1/250@F4 1/125@F5.6 1/60@F8 1/30@F11 1/15@F16

 

[bigtwinky]

I assume you are using a digital camera.

Practice various settings and see what their effect is. Learning to shoot in Manual mode (M on most cameras) is the best way to learn how a camera will react.

Basic principles (that I go by) are shutter speed is used to affect your motion and aperture is used to affect your dept of field.

So as said, the fruits are moving, so you should be focusing on aperture. The shutter speed will need to be adjusted based off of how much you adjust the aperture. Take a setting (or use one that the camera gives you from a P / Programmed mode) and then play with the values to see its effect. Remember though that a P or Auto mode doesn't know what type of effect you want to have, it will just give you a standard setting to make the exposure nice.

If the camera gives you, as an example, f5.6 and shutter of 1/200.
Turn your camera to manual and if you use these settings, you should get a good exposure.

If you want more depth of field, turn the aperture to f4.0 and leave the shutter at 1/200. A wider aperture means more light is coming into the lens and onto the sensor so your shot will be alot brighter, often too exposed.

So if you have more light coming in, you need a faster shutter speed. So turn the shutter speed to 1/400, keeping the aperture to f4.0. This should net you a better exposure with more depth of field.

Keep playing with settings, add in the ISO, and learn how the camera thinks.

Learning is all about making mistakes and then figuring out why you made those mistakes.

 

[gsgary]

I assume you are using a digital camera.

Practice various settings and see what their effect is. Learning to shoot in Manual mode (M on most cameras) is the best way to learn how a camera will react.

Basic principles (that I go by) are shutter speed is used to affect your motion and aperture is used to affect your dept of field.

So as said, the fruits are moving, so you should be focusing on aperture. The shutter speed will need to be adjusted based off of how much you adjust the aperture. Take a setting (or use one that the camera gives you from a P / Programmed mode) and then play with the values to see its effect. Remember though that a P or Auto mode doesn't know what type of effect you want to have, it will just give you a standard setting to make the exposure nice.

If the camera gives you, as an example, f5.6 and shutter of 1/200.
Turn your camera to manual and if you use these settings, you should get a good exposure.

If you want more depth of field, turn the aperture to f4.0 and leave the shutter at 1/200. A wider aperture means more light is coming into the lens and onto the sensor so your shot will be alot brighter, often too exposed.

So if you have more light coming in, you need a faster shutter speed. So turn the shutter speed to 1/400, keeping the aperture to f4.0. This should net you a better exposure with more depth of field.

Keep playing with settings, add in the ISO, and learn how the camera thinks.

Learning is all about making mistakes and then figuring out why you made those mistakes.

Why not just set the aperture to F5.6 in manual and take a meter reading and set shutter speed to the correct speed :lmao:

 

[bigtwinky]

Why not just set the aperture to F5.6 in manual and take a meter reading and set shutter speed to the correct speed :lmao:

Mainly because the OP said "Ive only just started with a DSLR."

So I am assuming they are just starting with photography as well. So instead of just giving the right answer to capture the picture, I thought that showing a way to explore how a DSLR works, with the various settings would be good advice.

When I first started with a DSLR, I took the same picture over and over with various settings to understand how they worked (or at least have an idea of how they worked, or so I thought).

:mrgreen:

But its all good.