New Camera, New to Photography

[TheSenator]

I've had an on-off relationship with photography and I finally got a new camera. I've started off with shooting some birds in our yard, but I'm not totally sure of what makes a great photo. I know one when I see one, but shooting them is a completely different matter. Anyways here are 3 that I shot and cropped give me critical feedback of what is right or wrong. (forgive the high compression I used)
http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/12-21-BlackCap.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/12-26-Cardinal.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/PC260003-copy.jpg

[gus]

Welcome to the forum TS...no advise from me others will have a better idea. What is the camera/lens ? Hell you people live in some cold arse places ..i just couldnt do it. How long does the ice last ?

[cmr164]

I've had an on-off relationship with photography and I finally got a new camera. I've started off with shooting some birds in our yard, but I'm not totally sure of what makes a great photo. I know one when I see one, but shooting them is a completely different matter. Anyways here are 3 that I shot and cropped give me critical feedback of what is right or wrong. (forgive the high compression I used)
http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/12-21-BlackCap.jpg




Folks seem to think that my images are too flat so if *I* think yours need some help with levels and saturation it is probably true. Also if you are doing a "save for the web" in Elements try doing the resize manually and use "save as". It will be less destructive of your image and it will leave the ICC profile and exif data intact.

Levels and saturation boost:

[TheSenator]

I didn't have the money for a DSLR so I went with the C-740. Read some nice reviews, loved the olympus brand for most of my life, and it's cheap ($200). Lens is what is built in, no telephoto or wide angle attachments yet. And yes, this is a very cold place, its Wisconsin... I shot these through a window because it was -10 F with windchill. And I wouldn't be caught dead with Elements, I use photoshop 7.

[wxwax]

If TheSenator from Wisconsin will yield... :D

Nice shots all, Senator. I might suggest the Rule of Thirds to help your composition... check out the threads in our Hall of Fame and you'll see it there.

That first shot is excellent. Now imagine the pipe and the bird in the right hand third of the frame, with the bird looking left into the empty area. That would be even stronger.

[cmr164]

I didn't have the money for a DSLR so I went with the C-740. Read some nice reviews, loved the olympus brand for most of my life, and it's cheap ($200). Lens is what is built in, no telephoto or wide angle attachments yet. And yes, this is a very cold place, its Wisconsin... I shot these through a window because it was -10 F with windchill. And I wouldn't be caught dead with Elements, I use photoshop 7.
The "save for web" in CS stills strips out the profile and exif just like Elements.

[TheSenator]

If TheSenator from Wisconsin will yield... :D

That first shot is excellent. Now imagine the pipe and the bird in the right hand third of the frame, with the bird looking left into the empty area. That would be even stronger.
I think that you are right, here is the link of it recropped. Pic1Recrop (http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/BlackCapThirds.jpg)

[pathfinder]

I think that you are right, here is the link of it recropped. Pic1Recrop (http://www.geocities.com/thesenator4914/BlackCapThirds.jpg)


Welcome Honored Senator. Shooting pictures in the snow on overcast days can try your patience and the accuracy of your in camera light meter and the Average White balance setting. But is also can be great fun with a little understanding of what is going on. :D

In your first image much of the snow is overexposed and blown out - by that I mean the color data in many snow pixels reads 255,255,255 - Check them yourself in your PS 7. They are all at the maximum the digital medium affords and hence there is no detail present. The snow needs less exposure to avoid being blown out as digital sensors do not react like film, more like highly contrasty slide film.

Camera exposure meters are designed to assume an average grey tone of about 16-18%, but of course snow is way beyond 18% grey, being bright white. Usually snow scenes need about one or two stops more light than the exposure meter says, but in this case your snow is already overexposed so you needed less light.

Your histogram on your camera probably showed a large spike to the right of the histogram indicating overexposure. Michael Reichman of the Luminous Landscape has a great article about using the histogram here http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

The short version is that you want your histogram to the right of center, but not at the right edge. Kind of tricky to do at times - Like shooting in the snow.

I find the AWB setting works poorly in my Canon 10D - if the day is very snowy, especially if it is overcast, I find the color much more satisfactory by setting the color balance setting to overcast or cloudy.


Shooting snowy scenes can try the best of us - You have a good first start and now have a few more things to think about to help your winter pictures in Wisconsin. Snow can make for great images... Take your camera outdoors with you as you go for a walk in the cold. It will refresh your mind and your shooting eye also. :D

Shot from inside a covered bridge at about 9 degrees Fahrenheit
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/13234393-L.jpg

And from outside one also...
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/13234392-L.jpg

If you look at these images in PS, the snow never gets higher then 240 to 250 - High but not 255,255,255 so there is always some discernable detail. This may be hard to see on the images displayed on the web, but is true when seen on my monitor or print.:thumb

I now yield the floor to the Senator of Wisconsin.

I see you are from NE Wisconsin. I used to ski Big Powderhorn almost every winter for years in the 80's. Love it in da Yupper!