Japan winter January 2008

[Shad0w]

Hello, I'm a newbie, just bought my camera, 400D, end of December 2007. The following photo would be my first try. Photo taken using 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens.

I do not understand what is the right exposure is, usually I just took couple of shots with different exposure then select later. Exposure becomes very-very hard when taking photo with snow all over. The trees/leaves become so dark and it’s black rather than green. In the end I select black and white.

I wish to learn from the experts here, so please comments, critic and advice. Thanks

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavillion) Temple

[U-nik]

The first two pics look kind of out of focus.

[Shad0w]

the second photo probably does, because I'm taking from inside moving bus

[flipfreak]

all 4 pics don't look sharp enough. what were the method and settings used to shoot them? u probably need to use a remote and mirror lock up.

[Shad0w]

What is mirror lock up? Sorry newbie and I'm not using tripot

[flipfreak]

Originally Posted by Shad0w What is mirror lock up? Sorry newbie and I'm not using tripot

mirror lock up is a function on the camera to reduce mirror slap vibrations when u are shooting. u probably shld use a tripod as well to reduce any handshake.

[mumbun]

I personally think you have a great eye for composition. Keep up the good work.

Getting the right exposure is about controlling/balancing these 3 elements:

(1) the sensitivity of the film/sensor (i.e the ISO setting),
(2) the speed of the shutter (e.g. 1/60, 1/80, 1/100, etc) and
(3) your aperture (i.e. f/3.5, f/4, f/11, etc)

to capture the amount of light to create the image you want (not what others want).

Actually, by taking more photos of the same scene at different exposures and selecting the best one like what you have done, you are already learning about exposures, albeit via trial and error. To be more effective, try to observe and understand how changing any of the 3 elements stated above results in a different exposure. E.g. why the scene gets darker when you increase the shutter speed while keeping the ISO and aperture constant (reason: your sensor catch less light because the shutter open and close faster so the scene becomes darker), or why the scene suddenly brightens up when you use a higher ISO (e.g. changing from ISO100 to ISO800) at the same shutter speed and aperture.

Also learn to make use of your camera's exposure meter (see your camera manual if you not sure what I talking about) to measure your exposure.

Different scenes like winterscapes with a lot of white snow, or scenes with a lot of dark colour, require certain compensation in the exposure. For now, it may be information overload so just focus on the basics of understanding how to control your exposures in normal scenes. This knowledge will come naturally through practice and reading up.

Of course it will be good to read up on these before you try it out but no harm going headlong into the practical aspect of learning - i.e. the act of taking photos - and enjoying yourself.

Regarding your question on mirror lock-up, you can read this well-illustrated example from The Luminous Landscape's mirror lock-up tutorial to understand how it works and why people use it, in addition to flipfreak's explanation.

Also probably need to learn proper focus techniques and control of your picture's depth of field. Here's a short tutorial from The Luminous Landscape on understanding depth of field.

Frankly, I see great potential in you

[Buggy]

haha i don't know why but somehow the softness works for me.

[David]

For a beginner, I think your photos are nice. Thanks for bringing back memories of Japan for me.

I'm not too concerned about the "softness" as some said. And for that kind of lighting, I seriously think it's an overkill to be using a tripod.

The softness could be due to the kits lens you are using, and also some sharpening in an editing software can bring the images back to life.

[flipfreak]

#3 and #4 probably looks ok cos its in monochrome and its snowing. but 1 and 2 doesn't.

[Shad0w]

Thanks everyone for the comment.

After David pointing out about editing software, I go back and check the raw photo and I can see some detail lost on the Jpeg file version. Also when I did 1 degree rotation using Microsoft office picture manager, the photo become slightly blur. Lesson learn: never use Microsoft office picture manager again for editing

Thanks mumbun for the link, no time to read it yet though

Thanks flipfreak, will try mirror lock next time and invest on remote and tripot.

[zoossh]

landscape isn't really an easy thing to start with. you are usually not in fine control of vantage, lots of things gets into the way, the sky gives problem of exposure control, and moreover you are dealing with snow....

probably it is easier to start off targetting at single objects with as simple a composition as possible. take a look at asterixsg's thread, apart from his interesting and personalised narration, the idea of exploration with conceptualised vision of what he wants to shoot is there. the concept is what makes a photo impactful apart from its aesthetic factors goes into the subject matter and the activity, either isolated or balanced, all through composition.

and becos there is so few rules taught about composition (or perhaps we are more often taught not to know them apart from one or two), one is often forced to develop his own taste and judgement, with no sure guarantee. so what i may say later, is all my own perception, which whether works or not, u got to try it out.

first of all, breaks up your composition into forms and lines. it is done by estimation becos in most street and travel situations, composing takes just a few seconds. not all individuals are able to handheld or tripod view for very long, thinking and recomposing repeatedly, as it cause fatigue. so it is a very instinct thing, best trained by review, and let it diffuse into practice.

and as said, the nitty details is very individualised. i didn't like trees to right smack in the middle, i didn't like subject and side factors to overlap, i didn't like free branches at the edge unless it has interesting patterns, i didn't like the canopy line to be slightly bent (either straight or really bent), i didn't like the meander to be hidden, i didn't like the too thin electric pole of the landscape to be too near the edge.... but that's me..... does those mean the same to you? if it does, follow. if it isn;t, develop your thoughts on selective areas.

more commonly followed guidelines rather (apart from the rule of the third), is to avoid areas that is uninteresting, messy or lack of character.

for example,

if the sky isn't dramatic, go for the ripples and gradient of the river, and try to expose more details in the banks.

for example,

if the foreground is messy, hard to expose with details, go for the interesting details of the forest on the top right, and the house on the left. if panaroma is a consideration, crop off the bridge and the house and forest can already balance each other in 1/3 versus 2/3 vertical proportions. going 3:2 in aspect ratio, then you got to struggle with the sky on top, the wires on top, and the overexposed snow at the bottom. your choice.

and of cos talk is easy....just sharing my thoughts as another newbie... i wouldn't know if better vantages is possible unless i'm there..... and i wonder if the mind and the fingers works in the freeze..... i also went through the same problems and didn't have any good solutions to some of the technical or physical limitations.

[Shad0w]

Thanks zoossh for the pointer. Honestly I never think of any composition when I took the photo. It's look nice so I took the shot

I'm total newbie, so any input is appreciated.

I just borrow photography book from library and you know what? I just realize it that my camera have light metering which telling me the correct exposure.

[cutecdo]

Personally, i like the monochrome images. Looks vintage!

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by Shad0w Thanks zoossh for the pointer. Honestly I never think of any composition when I took the photo. It's look nice so I took the shot I'm total newbie, so any input is appreciated. I just borrow photography book from library and you know what? I just realize it that my camera have light metering which telling me the correct exposure.

learn to appreciate pictures. the technical part will slowly fall into place. in fact, most of them are for understanding only, and people slowly learn to preset settings and at the moment of shooting, instinct and habits may just take over. i still dun review histogram after 2 years of intermittent photography.