photo needs advice or rather newbie needs advice

[nipapa]

hi ppl, This photo i took quite sometime ago. In the evening i took it with flash (i think) pls give me ur comments. coz i think i really need improving. Read ur forums wat composition, lines, flash, colour... cao... really tau gong gong liao.

Thanks

 

[AReality]

Can't see anything...

 

[nipapa]

sorry... wrong upload... i uploaded the thumbnail just now

 

[ortega]

If it was me, I would go for a low point of view (to get rid of the distracting background and enhance the perspective), use a slow shutter speed (to capture movement) and to finish it off with a rear sync flash. Something like my picture of Pat Boone except for the point of view. Of course if subject is the experssion of the girl, then I would zoom into the subject and avoid the background altogether.

 

[nipapa]

hmm... under the sunset lighting would i say smthing like f5.X and shutter speed of like 1/5? will that do? (i'm still trying to learn how to handle apeture size and shutter speed and flash.) Think i still can't like "feel" how to take a good photo.

 

[ortega]

hmm... under the sunset lighting would i say smthing like f5.X and shutter speed of like 1/5? will that do? (i'm still trying to learn how to handle apeture size and shutter speed and flash.) Think i still can't like "feel" how to take a good photo.

For exposure, this what I do, get the correct exposure and then decide if you want it darker of lighter, the decide if you want to freeze motion or not, then decide on the dept of field needed for your composition. And adjust accordingly, personally I like to show motion, of course it depends on your choice of subject.

 

[nipapa]

For Pat Boone you're actually in the merry-go-round with them right? But for my pic, i'm like outside. so if after deciding on the exposure, and i adjust the shutter speed to capture motion, won the facial features of the girl look blur?

 

[ortega]

that is where the rear sync flash comes in to freeze the motion.

 

[nipapa]

huh? i'm really sorry. i don't really understand. what do you mean by rear sync flash?
i'm sorry but i'm really a newbie to photo taking.

 

[ortega]

Thats OK, you are not afraid to ask question and that means that soon you will know everything.

Rear sync flash is when the flash fires at the tail end of the exposure instead of the start. For example: Normal flash, you click the shutter opens, the flash fires, the shutter stays open for the rest of the exposure and then closes.

Rear sync flash: You click, the shutter opens, and stays open for the exposure and just before the shutter closes the flash fires. At the rear of the exposure, get it?

 

[nipapa]

hey... .i kinda get it now. So rear sync flash will capture the last movement, but all other movements behind it will be blur. Hey ortega, you know i really appreciate you teaching me all this but i think you're gonna beat me up or even vomit bloood just like ESPN
coz.... i'm only using an A75! (i don't think the rear sync flash is possible isit?) Sigh... *peng*?
Okok i'm not very rich cannot afford any SLR or stuff.

But can i ask ... i just knew that for those slr flash. some can act as a slave (which, to my understanding, means after my flash fires, then they'll fire too if they are somewhere around my cam. Donno how is that possible)

Ok so if what i said above is correct, so can i say that i can do rear sync flash too. if like i can program the slave flash or smthing.

pls advice poor poor unknowing newbie Thanks.

 

[Witness]

ok....i can finally see the photo....

whether or not ya rear sync flash thing can work or not i dunno, but a simple technique like panning will be able to blur out the distracting backgrd...allowing u to have a stronger composition....

 

[nipapa]

panning ..? eh... u u ... u think i know u, u can use techinal jargon on me right?

Ya you can.... *sobs* wat is panning? i only know photoshop gaussian blur keke

 

[ortega]

All external flase can act as slave, you just need to buy the slave unit and attach the flash to it. But the tricky thing is to set your camera to do a slow shutter speed shot, this is so the when the slave fires the shutter will still be open to capture the flash. Using a slave is fun, you can experiment on different location for the slave unit. Have fun.

In the current subject "panning" will also blur the subject. This is because the subject is NOT travelling in a straight line , but in a curve, so it is quite difficult to get the subject sharp. Maybe if you are lucky, using a shorter exposure to reduce the subject's movement.

Panning is a technique of using a long exposure (slow shutter speed) while moving the camera.

 

[ST_sg]

All external flase can act as slave, you just need to buy the slave unit and attach the flash to it. But the tricky thing is to set your camera to do a slow shutter speed shot, this is so the when the slave fires the shutter will still be open to capture the flash. Using a slave is fun, you can experiment on different location for the slave unit. Have fun.

In the current subject "panning" will also blur the subject. This is because the subject is NOT travelling in a straight line , but in a curve, so it is quite difficult to get the subject sharp. Maybe if you are lucky, using a shorter exposure to reduce the subject's movement.

Panning is a technique of using a long exposure (slow shutter speed) while moving the camera.

sorry... if I hijack the thread. Can I use Slow-sync flash on 300D? :dunno:

Thanks in advance.

 

[nipapa]

In the current subject "panning" will also blur the subject. This is because the subject is NOT travelling in a straight line , but in a curve, so it is quite difficult to get the subject sharp. Maybe if you are lucky, using a shorter exposure to reduce the subject's movement.

Panning is a technique of using a long exposure (slow shutter speed) while moving the camera.

Hmm... how long is long? 2seconds? and so i'll move the camera in like a direction and the subject will leave a trail of colours right?

 

[Witness]

300d does not have a rear curtain function...

 

[davsmiths]

lol! tt's true! no 2nd curtain sync on 300D... my powershot has. agreed with e above. would prefered a motion instead of a freeze. btw, every pic will have room for improvement. :thumbsup:

 

[nipapa]

hey both, wadya mean my 2nd curtain sync ?
and what powershot series are you using davsmiths?

 

[reno77]

hey both, wadya mean my 2nd curtain sync ?
and what powershot series are you using davsmiths?

It means that the flash is fired just before the shutter closes. So if its a 1 sec shot the flash fires at 0.9(?)-1.0 secs so that the last 0.1 secs is clear but the first 0.9 secs will only be seen as a streak.