About 18mm - 55mm Lens

[jin9jun]

Hi. I'm a newbie here. Currently, I'm using D60 with 18mm - 55mm lens. May I know what kind of pictures should I take for newbies like me?

Hm, recently I took land/city-scape or abstract and still life pictures. But the result is always blur or the lighting is not right.

I read and even printed out the notes that is given in this forum. I practice for quite a long time. But I still don't know how and why.

I just went to underwater world to take photos. But how do I take those fishes so that the pictures will be clear and doesn't look like it was taken outside of the tank?

Is photoshop a must?

For example this seahorse:


An example of blurriness: (My hamster.)


An example of wrong lighting?: (My dog.)


An example of micro shot: (I don't know if this consider one? By the way, it's "Lor Mai Kai")


Some night scene:


Any comments are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!

[zac08]

First of all, read on DOF, minimum focusing distance, etc...

your hamster shot should be a issue of the subject within the minimum focusing distance.

As for the tank shots, you need to be as parallel to the glass as possible and shoot with good illumination.

[jin9jun]

DOF = Depth of field right?

Minimum focusing distance?

Parallel as in same height?

Sorry to ask so many question. I appreciate if you could provide me a link or source so that I could learn from there rather than asking so many question and flooding the thread.

Thanks!

[zac08]

Yes...

A good thread to read up :

Photography Notes For Newbies

[karnage]

I think your seadragon (not seahorse) looks ok. Your lor mai kai also looks ok. Night shot also ok what. Your dog, maybe slightly under... and hamster, like what zac08 said, is probably due to minimum focusing distance. Otherwise, most of them are quite ok... Just experiment with your angles and your composition.

[jin9jun]

Okay thanks guys!

Will work on it!

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by jin9jun Hi. I'm a newbie here. Currently, I'm using D60 with 18mm - 55mm lens. May I know what kind of pictures should I take for newbies like me? I just went to underwater world to take photos. But how do I take those fishes so that the pictures will be clear and doesn't look like it was taken outside of the tank?

you can take pictures of anything you want.

the kit range is very nice general range for a lot of common subjects.

anyways, for picture to be clear when shooting through glass, plaster your lens ONTO the glass (be careful when it autofocuses though, let it have space to do so).. and open up wide, to reduce reflections.

if you have bright light source behind you, then do not bother, you will not be able to eliminate it completely unless you have a huge black cloak

[lamergod]

First picture get a CPL

[Octarine]

Originally Posted by lamergod First picture get a CPL

Yeah, good idea to limit the little bit of light even further

[Octarine]

Originally Posted by jin9jun DOF = Depth of field right? Minimum focusing distance? Parallel as in same height? Sorry to ask so many question. I appreciate if you could provide me a link or source so that I could learn from there rather than asking so many question and flooding the thread.

All these questions are very basics of photography. Best you get a good book from library and learn the fundamentals. Next best friend is the camera manual so that you know how to adjust whatever parameter is mentioned. You need to understand what the camera does when taking a picture. Only then you have the chance to change something to improve. Otherwise it's just tinkering and pure luck. The nightshoot and the underwater world pic are pretty ok to me.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by lamergod First picture get a CPL

Where is the problem that needs a CPL to correct?

[MarkNKL]

Originally Posted by calebk Where is the problem that needs a CPL to correct?

TS mentioned something about "how (can he) take those fishes so that the pictures will be clear and doesn't look like it was taken outside of the tank"

I assume hes talking about reflections here which a CPL can cut through, but with the rotating front element of the kit lens, might be quite problematic so plastering the front element to the glass is the best solution

[calebk]

Originally Posted by MarkNKL TS mentioned something about "how (can he) take those fishes so that the pictures will be clear and doesn't look like it was taken outside of the tank" I assume hes talking about reflections here which a CPL can cut through, but with the rotating front element of the kit lens, might be quite problematic so plastering the front element to the glass is the best solution

Think the main problem that you'd get from the CPL is not so much the rotating front element (which can be solved by simply focusing before adjusting polarization) but rather the loss of light.

Most good CPLs will cut you back by at least 2 stops, and a bad one, sometimes more than that, and with such limited light and a limited f/stop opening from the kit lens, wouldn't a CPL be more pain than good?

[MarkNKL]

Originally Posted by calebk Think the main problem that you'd get from the CPL is not so much the rotating front element (which can be solved by simply focusing before adjusting polarization) but rather the loss of light. Most good CPLs will cut you back by at least 2 stops, and a bad one, sometimes more than that, and with such limited light and a limited f/stop opening from the kit lens, wouldn't a CPL be more pain than good?

I've only ever used CPLs in daylight, so the 2/3 Exposure compensation I've never really found to be much of a problem but I understand where you're going here. bump ISO to 800 to increase shutter speed? I have limited experience with aquarium photography so I'm not too sure if ISO 800 is enough

[aspenx]

Personally, I don't see any reflections in the first pic to warrant the use of a CPL.

In fact, I feel that the seahorse was well taken.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by MarkNKL I've only ever used CPLs in daylight, so the 2/3 Exposure compensation I've never really found to be much of a problem but I understand where you're going here. bump ISO to 800 to increase shutter speed? I have limited experience with aquarium photography so I'm not too sure if ISO 800 is enough

I'd think something more along the lines of ISO 3200 to 6400 (or at least 1600) if you are shooting moving subjects in an aquarium.

[jin9jun]

Hm..Okays.. Btw what's CPL stands for? n erm... I'm a she not a he..

[pinholecam]

Some general advise :
1. Borrow a book on photography from the library
2. Be aware of lighting conditions (ie. whether there is enough light for current settings)
a. Just look a surroundings
b. Look at shutter speed
c. review taken picture if in doubt

Sea Dragon - Its actually Ok. Never easy since they are always slowly drifting). Other than the advise given above by others, watch the shutter speed. Increase ISO if necessary.

Hamster - Might be that you are too near for lens to focus. Otherwise might be too large an aperture (f-stop), causing low DOF. Could also be camera shake due to low light (watch the shutter speed again)

Dog - Its ok. Maybe a bit tinted and underexposed.

Lor Mai Kai - Ok

Night Shot - Ok

[jin9jun]

Okays! Hm. Any books from the library?

[clioboy]

the hamster one is wrong focusing..

goto Library asked the librarian and ask her where the photography books are..

then goto the shelves and pick one that u find the easiest to understand..