GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

I am in the process of learning how and with what to take professional pictures at home. UHH members have been wonderful in giving advice and I am getting closer every day in taking better pictures.

Now that I have so much learning under my belt, I would like some critique on my latest attempt. I used a tripod, my 3 favorite lenses (I don't think I turned VR off) and an SB 900 speed-light with diffuser attached. I meant to point it up to the white ceiling at a 45 degree angle but forgot. The self-timer was used. We were rushing to make it to the reunion in time (my husband still thinks he is punching a clock! Ha!). I shoot in RAW +JPEG FINE. These are all taken with my Nikon D5000 in Shutter priority. I meant to use Aperture priority but the dang mode dial moves & I am too unobservant. If this dial locks on the D7100, that alone would be worth the price of upgrading!

So many things to remember!!! Here are the problems my inexperienced eye sees: 1) The center-weighted focus point is in the wrong place, 2) Glare on our glasses, 3) Eyes closed at the moment the picture is taken, 4) Glare on the pictures in the background (which can be eliminated by cropping in tight). If I had done all things right, I wonder if I would have gotten a better picture with softer light.

I will be trying this experiment later when I have more time to concentrate on doing things right; but I did learn one thing - the fixed focal length lenses do a better job than my zoom. I cannot justify the expense of the 70-200mm F/2.8 piece of glass YET!!!! Also I would like to try either pointing the flash away from us or taking it completely off-camera and/or getting a continuous strobe light, umbrella (color?), & stand and placing it at a 45 degree angle to us at eye level.

As usual, all advice is taken seriously!!!

85mm F/1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/10s, F/4
Attached file:
(Download)

35mm F1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/8s, F/5
Attached file:
(Download)

VR 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3G lens at 62 mm, ISO 200, 1/8s, F/8
Attached file:
(Download)

aaciolkowski Loc: Sugar Grove Illinois

You need to post your imagrs as jpegs

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Being rushed did not help ;)

IMHO - Overall, I think they will work well for family shots with just a touch of PP...

You covered the items you are not happy with and know how to fix them -

A problem I have is getting the camera to focus on the eyes - so I manually focus on them and that has really helped. Sometimes I use live view so I can see better... Might be something to consider...

Lighting - I'll leave that to the pro's...

I would also recommend saving your desired settings in a user setting (U1 or U2) so you can be assured that all of your desired settings are there.

Another trick is having a small checklist for setup and stuff - that helps with standardization and continuity...

Hope this helps...

ricosha469

:) I'm certainly not a portrait photobug, however, before shooting and after shooting look at your background. Glare from the flash is always distracting. Glasses are always tough to flash. I own the first two lenses, do not have experience with the 18 x 300, but I do no the other two will produce much sharper pics. Might be not focused correctly, auto is not always the best, manual is what I use. Your very close to what that camera can do, keep shooting!

ricosha469

:) I'm certainly not a portrait photobug, however, before shooting and after shooting look at your background. Glare from the flash is always distracting. Glasses are always tough to flash. I own the first two lenses, do not have experience with the 18 x 300, but I do know the other two will produce much sharper pics. Might be not focused correctly, auto is not always the best, manual is what I use. Your very close to what that camera can do, keep shooting!

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

oooh...I really like the checklist idea, and User setting is an awesome idea. I didn't even think of that!

I have tried to manual focus many times, but these old eyes ain't what they used to be. Back in the day, I had perfect vision! I will try it again using Live View. :-)

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

Phooey...I thought the RAW image was a better format to work with, but I am still learning the ins and outs of all things photography and also how the forum works best. Ok, here they are:

85mm F/1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/10s, F/4

(Download)

35mm F1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/8s, F/5

(Download)

VR 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3G lens at 62mm, ISO 200, 1/8s, F/8

(Download)

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

Phooey...I thought the RAW image was a better format to work with, but I am still learning the ins and outs of all things photography and also how the forum works best. Ok, here they are:

85mm F/1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/10s, F/4

(Download)

35mm F1.8G lens at ISO 200, 1/8s, F/5

(Download)

VR 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3G lens at 62mm, ISO 200, 1/8s, F/8

(Download)

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

I didn't think my first post with the jpegs worked, so now there are TWO of them. HAHAHAHAHAHA

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Sometimes it takes a while for the posting upload to work, it is a temptation to click it again when you don't see it appear.

Actually the RAW are better to work with, in Post Processing. But to post on UHH they need to be GIF, JPG, BMP or PNG. Shoot in RAW, save a copy in RAW, work with a copy in your software you use for PP. Never do anything to that saved RAW file, always copy it to do PP. Most PP programs make a copy in the format they work with.

If you keep the original copy in RAW isolated then no matter what you do you will always have the original to fall back on and start over.

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

Yes, I think I knew that! I shoot in RAW +FINE so I can post them on a common web site to share with family. I pick my favorites and open them in Ps or PSE to make them better. Sometimes I include my improved versions (after saving in JPEG, of course), on the common web site. The jury is still out between PSE & Ps for me. I know Ps is better...I'm just not comfortable with it.