cristinaberkley Loc: New York

I took this photo this morning of my local flower guy and am finding that like most of my photos, in general, they are not as crisp as I'd like.

I bumped the exposure a bit as well as the saturation.

Canon Rebel xTi.
50mm
f1.8
iso 100

I shoot in Raw and then use Picasa. I notice then when I make any modifications, my file ends up as a jpeg. Perhaps it converts to jpeg and then does the modifications, hence, the graniness? (I'm still a little timid to break out the photoshop).

Is it that I have a Rebel and that's just how it's going to be until I can afford a better camera,

Or is it something else?

Overall, I think the photo turned out well, he is in focus, the passerby is not.

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

The exposure is wrong... Too dark for the subject... You probably would have a much better pic if you had used AUTO and focus on his face...

tk Loc: Iowa

I agree with Don. He is much better at this than me. When I download this it appears the focus point may have been on the top of his apron. I've had this problem for years and when I came here was the first time I realized that I was not concentrating on exactly where the little red dot went. Luckily you can try again.

jimjam Loc: Chicago Area

What was your shutter speed? It looks like the light might have been limited, and as far as the grain goes I really don't see much, the out of focus person to the right is because of your shallow depth of field (1.8)

cristinaberkley Loc: New York

Thanks guys.

Don, yes, I'm sure now that's it. A friend of mine recommended I just shoot in manual to learn faster. Just got a good lesson on exposure. Relying on post processing is not a good idea.

The f1.8 was on purpose, I like that the other guy to the side is blurred out. I'll be fine-tuning my little red dot marksmanship as well.

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Some people have the idea that the only "TRUE" way is to shoot manually.... THAT is pure hogwash in my opinion...
Do I use manual ? Of course, but I'm not that proficent with this new digital world to rely on it totatly.. Some day, I may get to know my digital camera like I did my 35's... (if I live long enough) :roll:

tk Loc: Iowa

I personally love the auto focus.

ace-mt Loc: Montana

Dont get in a hurry for a new camera. A Rebel xti is a good camera. I use mine a lot.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Here's the problem.

You have two separate exposures within the same picture. If you expose for the guy to camera left you blow out the guy on camera right. If you expose for the guy camera right you underexpose the guy camera left. Buy using a low aperture you get graininess when trying to bring up the light in PP. Sharpest pictures are typcially taken between F8- F16 or so depending on lens. IF you want to have a sharp picture, take it in a one shot exposure for the guy on camera left. I think the xti has spot metering. I have an old rebel xt but haven't used it in years. I use a 5DmkII and 5DMKIII. I like the composition! If you want to be a "Real photographer", I would start shooting in AV mode. TV has its place and Manual Mode. without a meter, or a lot of experience, is hard to get the exposure right. Ideally you would have shot this in RAW where neither side was blown out but exposed more for the guy Camera left. You have an even dividing between the light and dark exposure.

How I handle shots like this.

1) expose for the guy camera left.
2) Save this raw file
3) GO back into camera Raw and bring down the exposure on the guy camera right and save second photo.
4) merge the two photos together in post.
5) If you still like the guy Camera left a little dark bring down the light with levels in PS

Having your main subject with the correct exposure is better here and in most circumstances. Its easier to remove light(and retain sharpness) than it is to add light in post!
In a photo the eye always goes from light to dark focus to blur.

Nice composition!

Here's an example with color and two exposure ranges merged. The guy is really in front of this mural. No flash was used to illuminate the subject but he is slightly brighter than the background. One shot was taken.
There's other methods to accomplish this as well. This is just the way I'm doing it at the moment. I did not shoot at a low depth of field here, but the concept is the same. Picture was sharp because I shot at F8 exposing for the person. I did add a slight vignette,(darkening moving out from the man to the edge of the photo.)
The edits took about 5 minutes.

Bring out the color!
Points to remember.
1) Shoot AV until you improve and learn the camera.
2) Expose for the subject and learn how to spot meter with your camera. (I think the xti can do that)
3) Understand your depth of field. Lenses are at there sharpest typically between F8- F16. This varies by lens but is my general rule for sharpness. Pushing the lower or higher range of your lens aperture, you make sacrifices.
4) Its easier to remove light than to add light in post. Some plugins(add light) do this fairly well.
5) I always color correct and enhance in post. I usually use levels to add contrast. I typically do not sharpen subjects but for backgrounds it works. I like to sharpen by increasing the contrast of color not by the PS sharpener or plugins.

If you want to shoot with a low aperture to blur the background you still need to expose for the subject. The picture will still be sharper if you want to tone his brightness down.

In your particular shot I would have like to see the Subject brighter with the blurred background slightly darker. I know that wasn't what was happening. Every photo is really a fake. Your eye sees in HDR. (9 stops or more) The camera does'nt. I'm not from the photo journalism school so my opinion will vary depending on who post. IF you want to shoot in automatic just go get a point and shoot they basically do the same thing. IF you want to get creative stick to AV mode for a while.

Russ

One final note it is almost always better to use fill flash. Keep it dialed in just below 1-2 stops below the sunlight so that it just fill not the primary light(When sun is from behind the subject).

Light that is completely blown out cannot be recovered! I usually check my histogram after each shot.

Both of the shots below were taken last week.

Graffiti Man


Here's what happens when you add fill light.

Gavin Robert Loc: Isle of Wight UK

And sometimes opinions count Don.

Using auto and semi auto is a way of getting the users head around to fully manual. Lets not taint fully manual as some sort of hard task because it isn't.

No one here has asked what metering the camera was set to, but why? Does anyone here understand digital camera metering and manipulating it?

Forgive me for being a little direct but I feel most replies are from little knowledge scraping the surface of digital camera capabilities.

Had this image been correctly metered then the focusing mechanism would have had succeeded.

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

"Does anyone here understand digital camera metering and manipulating it?"

Read my second point in the prior post. I think I specifically mention spot metering as opposed to say average metering.

I do agree basically with you. Scott Kelby Av for shots like this. Actually almost every pro on his site shoots primarily Av. It's a great place to start(when your learning)and a great place to end. In studio I shoot almost exclusively manual.

cristinaberkley Loc: New York

Thanks everyone, I think I just learned at least 5 things I didn't know.

Love the breakdown you gave Russ. That will be very helpful very soon.

I was using partial metering. The rebel has 3 settings that I can tell: evaluative metering (I think that means spot metering?), partial metering and average metering.

Here is my second attempt at this type of shot. I think this turned out a bit better. The right side is blown out a bit but way less graininess on the left.

iso 100
shutter 1/100
aperature is 3.36 and f number is f/3.2 (isn't the aperature the f number? - I thought these would be the same)
partial metering

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

My best advice to you is take all that has been said here and practice practice practice- then my little Butterfly You Will be doing just great - why - because your heart is in it already.
Smooches - & keep clicking.
Grampa Harvey

PalePictures Loc: Traveling

Very nice Cristina! Nice touch on the reflection.

You have a good eye for composition.

Yes Aperture is the Fnumber.

Yes Partial metering will work. I keep my focus point typically on the center of the frame. Most DSLR you can change this. Focus on your subject(Portraits usually the eyes.) Push your shutter half way down. This locks focus(Provided you've set your camera up to do this. I think its the default on your camera.) Recompose the subject and shoot. The focus will be at the point when your shutter realease button is pushed half way and will remain till you push it all the way down.

Here's the Wiki Page on metering. You can equate what the manual with your camera says to here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metering_mode

Evaluative metering is the default on your camera. The camera evaluates the whole seen and determines the exposure for you.
Here's a specific link for canon cameras. It looks like your exact camera and lens for the example!

http://digital-photography-school.com/metering-modes-explained

Enjoy

nitejdp53 Loc: ATX

Using manual mode really forces you to read your scene. If you have time it it worth it. But the program modes do a great job if you have to grab a pic quick. If you shoot in raw you have a tremendous amount of post production room. Focus is the one thing you have to get right. Get very use to using your focus points and place them where you want them and focus is not a problem. Camera shake is also a big problem. Make sure your shutter speed is at least as high as the focal length.