Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

Hello everyone,

I am terrible at editing and i think it's because I just don't want to spend the time to perfect it (I'm horrible, I know).... But I have found that my images aren't as sharp as I would like them. When I take portrait photos, it seems the face is just too dark. Even when I mess with the lighting on Lightroom 4, I still find shadows on the faces which removes some of the important detail. When I try to lighten it, I get blown highlights. I will be looking up videos and such soon to get an idea but anyone have any tips for me? I think my images are alright.... But nothing eye catching just yet.

One more thing.... When I go to order some 8x10's of photos I have taken, I sometimes get a "low resolution" warning.... Is it because of my editing or what am I doing wrong with my camera that it's not letting me tke high resolution shots for larger prints?

Thanks in advance :)

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

To get the best and most accurate response to your questions, you would need to upload a sample photo that you are having trouble with and click the "store original" box. This way we can see the full detail and provide better assistance.

As for the "low resolution" issue, make sure you have your camera set for the highest resolution it offers. Then if at all possible do as much cropping as possible in the camera. When editing do the least amount of cropping possible in order to preserve as much resolution as possible, and when sending files to be printed you will need to make sure to send the full-size files, don't resize them smaller.

Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

Good thinking! I was going to post a photo as a sample but I'm on my iPad and my husband is hogging the laptop ;) I will shortly! Thank you!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

tell him to get off, you have an emergency ...

stretch86025 Loc: Holbrook Az

I had the same problem with the lo-res so what I started doing is go to image size in editing and change the dpi to 300 then it prints without any lo-res warnings.

Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

Too funny! I convinced him that the yard needs mowed....

Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

ok.... here are just two that I found right away... their faces are dark.... losing detail... "underexposed" if you will.... not sure how to fix it without it ruining their face!

Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

THank you! I will try that out if I can figure it out ;-)

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

I don't find the problem to be the darkness of the faces. That could be easily fixed.
The problem here, is how the shadows hit the face. Two perfect examples of where a little fill flash would have worked wonders.
I think you need someone talented with the dodge tool.

Vhopkins25 Loc: Michigan

I was thinking the fill flash as well..... I will be working on that this week and testing it out. Thanks!

deej

Really cute shots by the way!!!

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

If the pictures are synced to your iPad, you can easily upload them.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

They SEEM to be sharp but in the wrong place. In the second shot the tea picture is sharp, but her face/eyes aren't. And the face/eyes should be if you are doing a traditional portrait.

One other thing is this: fill the frame with your subject. If the intended subject is the girl, the tea pictures and her surroundings, then don't expect surgical sharpness when you zoom in. But if you fill the frame with her head/torso...then your sharpness should improve...it's just something to learn.

You filled the frame with her face in the first shot but like I said...you missed focus...it seems to be her shirt.

Use ONE focus point in your camera and put it directly over her eye.



It's because the size of the file. Do you shoot in raw or the largest jpeg that your camera will do?

Each file size has a "max print size" that it will do while still looking good, evidently whatever your file size that you're camera is producing or that you are saving as a jpg isn't large enough to make an 8x10. Set your camera to max file size and when you save the files, save them as large as you can.


ONE LAST VERY IMPORTANT THING: you shot these at f/16 aperture...that's not the sharpest aperture that most camera's will do...try and shoot them at 3 stops above your lens' smallest aperture number (which is largest aperture)

Example; Pretend your lens is a f/2.8 lens...then go up to f/4 (one stop) up to f/5.6 (two stops) then shoot at f/8 (three stops above largest stop)

That should yield sharper shots.

mickeys Loc: Fort Wayne, IN

ask CaptainC he knows.

Camerabuff Loc: Liverpool UK

Try editing with camera raw you can adjust everything as its none destructive