weekly Sheylara (DSLR Noob) 52 for 2016 - Week 19-22 added

Winter

Winter

Messages
688
Name
Sheylara
Edit My Images
Yes
Sorry I'm lagging behind but I got my first DSLR only 2 days ago!

Am still quite lost at getting the right settings for anything so I welcome all advice on how I could have made this picture better. I couldn't see it on my playback screen then, but I can see now that the parts that are in focus could be sharper. How do I do that? I had natural daylight, I was on aperture priority on f1.4, and I kinda thought everything would just naturally be really sharp if the scene is brightly lit enough. (At least that's how my compact cameras functioned!)

Also, I'm thinking I probably should have made the roller in focus, too. It's just hard to see how to improve a picture when viewing on a tiny screen! And also I still haven't learnt how to manipulate focus points. :p


Week 0 - Old


Old by Sheylara, on Flickr
 
Hi welcome to the 52.

I think this fits the theme really and I like your composition

Where you have gone slightly wrong is using f1.4 - this gives you a really narrow depth of focus - resulting in part of the roller and plant being in focus and almost else being a bit blurred. To prevent this use a higher f number which will put more of the picture in focus.

Basically you have used a technique used to make creative blur or to blur unwanted backgrounds it just doesn't apply to this type of picture when you want everything in nice sharp focus.

I hope that makes sense :)
 
Last edited:
Dark Knight said:
Nice composition and colours, liking the ivy growing up beside too, good start to your challenge (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks for your kindness! :D

Toothie said:
Hi welcome to the 52.

I think this fits the theme really and I like your composition

Where you have gone slightly wrong is using f1.4 - this gives you a really narrow depth of focus - resulting in part of the roller and plant being in focus and almost else being a bit blurred. To prevent this use a higher f number which will put more of the picture in focus.

Basically you have used a technique used to make creative blur or to blur unwanted backgrounds it just doesn't apply to this type of picture when you want everything in nice sharp focus.

I hope that makes sense :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments! :) I did realise after seeing the photo on my computer that I had a too open aperture. I did want a background blur behind the tree and didn't realise a lot of the lawn roller would be blurred too.

What I meant about the image being not sharp pertain to the parts that are in focus (e.g. that round emblem thing with the words and design). When I look at the maximum size version of the photo, that part looks quite out of focus. :(
 
Hi, its a very good composition just a little more DoF, thats a really good start (y)
 
Hi there and welcome ....I'm sure you'll learn a lot in your 52's ....I can't give any technical advice because I still bash on using trial and error to get the effect I want ! I actually like it as it is, I'd just crop the top slightly to remove the bright bit, an excellent choice for the theme.
 
alsjazzera said:
Hi, its a very good composition just a little more DoF, thats a really good start (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks! :) I'll need a lot more practice to figure out how to get good dof!

susiejb said:
Hi there and welcome ....I'm sure you'll learn a lot in your 52's ....I can't give any technical advice because I still bash on using trial and error to get the effect I want ! I actually like it as it is, I'd just crop the top slightly to remove the bright bit, an excellent choice for the theme.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comment and advice! :)
 
I think that's a very nice image and like the narrow DOF that you have used. Good start to your 52, especially with a camera you have only had for 2 days.

Winter said:
What I meant about the image being not sharp pertain to the parts that are in focus (e.g. that round emblem thing with the words and design). When I look at the maximum size version of the photo, that part looks quite out of focus. :(
Click to expand...

From the size on flickr it looks to me like the focus is on the tree trunk, particularly by the ivy at the bottom left of the handle (is there any part that you think is sharp at 100%). If that is the case the round emblem is a bit in front and at 1.4 it will probably already be softening. I've never shot a 1.4 lens but even 1.8 can be extremely narrow. If you have opportunity take a couple of shots of something like this but increase the DOF gradually to see if it helps.
 
SteveSc said:
I think that's a very nice image and like the narrow DOF that you have used. Good start to your 52, especially with a camera you have only had for 2 days.

From the size on flickr it looks to me like the focus is on the tree trunk, particularly by the ivy at the bottom left of the handle (is there any part that you think is sharp at 100%). If that is the case the round emblem is a bit in front and at 1.4 it will probably already be softening. I've never shot a 1.4 lens but even 1.8 can be extremely narrow. If you have opportunity take a couple of shots of something like this but increase the DOF gradually to see if it helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your kind comments and pointers, Steve. :)

And you are right! Now I can see that the focus appears to be on the trunk and some of the ivy. So I've gone back to look at the original and zoomed it to 100%. Totally no sharpness. I've cropped that part out so you can have a look.

I'm assuming that if you take a technically perfect photo and zoom it to 100%, the sharp parts are supposed to look crystal clear sharp. Is that right?
 

Attachments

  • zoom.jpg
    zoom.jpg
    107.4 KB · Views: 17
I'm really no expert and hope that someone else might be able to help you as well. However, it doesn't look as sharp as I would expect.

Firstly, let me say that I have binned more shots with blur/missed focus than I would like to admit and while the image at 100% that you have included does look a bit blurred the image as a whole is a good one so don't be to disappointed.

Other than shooting a f1.4, the other thing that could be an issue is camera shake. Was this a handheld shot? The exif on flickr says it was shot at 1/80 which should be ok to avoid camera shake but is also slow enough that you might have got a bit. For a shot like this you could use a tripod or maybe up the shutter speed a bit to ensure that you do not get shake.
 
SteveSc said:
I'm really no expert and hope that someone else might be able to help you as well. However, it doesn't look as sharp as I would expect.

Firstly, let me say that I have binned more shots with blur/missed focus than I would like to admit and while the image at 100% that you have included does look a bit blurred the image as a whole is a good one so don't be to disappointed.

Other than shooting a f1.4, the other thing that could be an issue is camera shake. Was this a handheld shot? The exif on flickr says it was shot at 1/80 which should be ok to avoid camera shake but is also slow enough that you might have got a bit. For a shot like this you could use a tripod or maybe up the shutter speed a bit to ensure that you do not get shake.
Click to expand...
Yes, it was handheld. I haven't got to the stage where I'm even thinking of working with a tripod yet. :p And thanks for the suggestions what I might do next time. It's very helpful! :)
 
The narrower the DoF the less forgiving to things like "micro AF adjustment required". Basically there can be manufacturing tolerances in the lens and body and the narrower the DoF the more pronounced they become. This can then result in missed focus. It is also worth noting that "poor" camera control can do the same, rocking back and forwards during shooting, recomposing, or indeed the camera focusing on the wrong point. Or even camera shake and sometime IS/OS needs a little time to settle, or it can blur images too (a favourite of my Sigma 17-50). Anyway, if you hadn't said anything about the image, I would have just said "I like that", a dreamy look back in time.
 
J Veitch said:
The narrower the DoF the less forgiving to things like "micro AF adjustment required". Basically there can be manufacturing tolerances in the lens and body and the narrower the DoF the more pronounced they become. This can then result in missed focus. It is also worth noting that "poor" camera control can do the same, rocking back and forwards during shooting, recomposing, or indeed the camera focusing on the wrong point. Or even camera shake and sometime IS/OS needs a little time to settle, or it can blur images too (a favourite of my Sigma 17-50). Anyway, if you hadn't said anything about the image, I would have just said "I like that", a dreamy look back in time.
Click to expand...
lol, thanks for both the compliment and the camera tips!
 
Nice composition Sheylara,
As already mentioned you did miss the focus though, are you using single point focus?
that is just one dot illuminated in the view finder?
If you use multi points, you will find the camera will "grab" the nearest and or the largest object.
By using single point you are telling the camera what to focus on.

Great start though (y)
 
Cobra said:
Nice composition Sheylara,
As already mentioned you did miss the focus though, are you using single point focus?
that is just one dot illuminated in the view finder?
If you use multi points, you will find the camera will "grab" the nearest and or the largest object.
By using single point you are telling the camera what to focus on.

Great start though (y)
Click to expand...
Thanks for your comments, Cobra! :) I haven't changed any focus settings on my camera. I think it has multi points because when I half-press to focus, sometimes I get one dot, sometimes I get several dots. I don't really know how to shift the focus besides doing lots of half-presses until the dots appear on where I want it focused. :D
 
Winter said:
Thanks for your comments, Cobra! :) I haven't changed any focus settings on my camera. I think it has multi points because when I half-press to focus, sometimes I get one dot, sometimes I get several dots. I don't really know how to shift the focus besides doing lots of half-presses until the dots appear on where I want it focused. :D
Click to expand...
Have a browse though the manual ( i don't know what camera you have) and select single point, but then again I'm guessing you are using full auto settings?
In which case you can't select one, try AV ( aperture priority) for this type of shot, and see how you get on. (y)
 
So... I'm having trouble with Metal - taken 5 different subjects of metal and hate them all so they've all gone to the bin. :p I'm gonna try and find more subjects later this week when I'm out and about. In the meantime, thought I'd post Captive first, which I'd shot yesterday.

As usual, lectures on everything that can help me learn are very welcome. And do feel free to say it's absolutely rubbish, too. :D

Week 2 - Captive


Captive by Sheylara, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Cobra said:
Have a browse though the manual ( i don't know what camera you have) and select single point, but then again I'm guessing you are using full auto settings?
In which case you can't select one, try AV ( aperture priority) for this type of shot, and see how you get on. (y)
Click to expand...
I was using aperture priority on that shot! :p I have SO much to learn, basically everything, so I'll eventually learn how to do focusing and stuff, but in the meantime, I kinda have to hack it. lol.
 
Winter said:
I was using aperture priority on that shot! :p I have SO much to learn, basically everything, so I'll eventually learn how to do focusing and stuff, but in the meantime, I kinda have to hack it. lol.
Click to expand...
LOL ok fair enough, generally when people are using multipoint, they are also using auto, so I "assumed" that'll teach me :D
 
cracking camera, and lens good combo,
revisit shoot if you can keep in A mode, try F8, and single point focus, when you half push shutter, focus point will light in VF, aim for plate with writing, compose shot then take, as long as you have shutter speed above focal length you shouldn't have blur,:)
 
wallyboy said:
cracking camera, and lens good combo,
revisit shoot if you can keep in A mode, try F8, and single point focus, when you half push shutter, focus point will light in VF, aim for plate with writing, compose shot then take, as long as you have shutter speed above focal length you shouldn't have blur,:)
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll try that, although will have to wait a week to be at that location again.
 
Captive - it very much gives a feeling of looking through bars, I find the corners where the bars are different lengths at the top a little distracting though although the bg looks very enticing
 
Really like the old pic :)

I like the captive pic. Give the feeling of looking through bars :)
 
Toothie said:
Captive - it very much gives a feeling of looking through bars, I find the corners where the bars are different lengths at the top a little distracting though although the bg looks very enticing
Click to expand...

SamTD said:
Really like the old pic :)

I like the captive pic. Give the feeling of looking through bars :)
Click to expand...

Dark Knight said:
Liking the Pic, although my OCD wants it central :D - but that's just me, lovely bokeh through the bars, and dead on theme for me... Nice One (y)
Click to expand...

posiview said:
Indeed, yup the bokeh is wonderful.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Pinkbikerbabe said:
Hello and welcome to the challenge, I hope your enjoying your camera. looking forward to seeing what else you come up with through out the challenge.
Click to expand...

Thank you all for your lovely comments! :) I'm enjoying the challenges and can't wait for the next one (although I still have Metal to do).

Yeah, I get that my are not symmetrical and properly straight. I tried to get it right but it was hard because I had to do like a quarter squat to get the right angle, which made it hard to hold the camera steady. I guess it's times like this when I could really use a tripod, huh?
 
I like the Captive shot but wonder whether b&w would create more drama and give it greater impact. Nicely conceived.
 
Carl Ayling said:
I like the Captive shot but wonder whether b&w would create more drama and give it greater impact. Nicely conceived.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your kind words! I've made a b&w version just to see what it looks like. It does change the mood! Looks more hopeless and futile, which is cool!
On the other hand, the colour photo, with the greenery in the bg, evokes a more poignant feel, like, freedom is so near yet so far.
 

Attachments

  • b&w.jpg
    b&w.jpg
    58.8 KB · Views: 13
Hi I like the old roller... you have framed it very nicely great shot.

And captive good idea gives the feel that you are locked up.(y)
 
Winter said:
Thank you for your kind words! I've made a b&w version just to see what it looks like. It does change the mood! Looks more hopeless and futile, which is cool!
On the other hand, the colour photo, with the greenery in the bg, evokes a more poignant feel, like, freedom is so near yet so far.
Click to expand...
Good on you for trying it out. You are absolutely right about b&w changing the mood - can see exactly what you mean about the presence of greenery evoking a different emotion. Spot on.
 
SteveSc said:
Love the bokeh, it does work in B&W but I much prefer the original colour version. helps the background seperate from the bars much better for me.
Click to expand...
Yeah, what you said is true and I quite agree. Thanks for the comment! :)

tyrex1 said:
Hi I like the old roller... you have framed it very nicely great shot.

And captive good idea gives the feel that you are locked up.(y)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the nice comments! :D

Carl Ayling said:
Good on you for trying it out. You are absolutely right about b&w changing the mood - can see exactly what you mean about the presence of greenery evoking a different emotion. Spot on.
Click to expand...

Well, thanks for showing me I can change the mood by changing the colours! :)
 
I like both - colour and B&W version. I'm a beginner too so won't comment on techniques but I think you have done well so far. Keep on.
 
dankabass3 said:
I like both - colour and B&W version. I'm a beginner too so won't comment on techniques but I think you have done well so far. Keep on.
Click to expand...
Thanks for commenting! As a beginner, I feel a bit shy commenting on other people's photos but I think I will try to do more!

LC2 said:
Hi Winter.
Captive - Is that the back of a chair? Very clever idea if it is...
As others have said, great bokeh. :clap:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Tim! It's actually the top part of a small gate! I had a hard time framing it - if I went too high, I could see past the tip of the gate and if I went too low, the bars ended and it didn't look like a "prison" situation anymore, lol.

posiview said:
Hi, dreamy bokeh. As stated symmetry would take it up a level.

Cheers.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the comment! I wish I'd taken more shots to try to get the symmetry right. At that time, looking at the LCD screen, I felt I could get away with it being kinda artistic without the symmetry, but looking at it on the big screen, it's different and a bit annoying, I guess. :p
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top