What could have caused this? I was trying to take a pic of a pic I took (say that 10 times) that I had framed at a specialty shop...the first one I had that done to (usually I use a...

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

I was trying to take a pic of a pic I took (say that 10 times) that I had framed at a specialty shop...the first one I had that done to (usually I use a Walmart frame that cost about 10% as much, but I think it's worth it) I posted it/will post it, fixed, under "Prior avatar." Anyways, I had the pic illuminated by a fluorescent lamp and the camera decided on its own to use the flash. My question is why, besides the color difference, would there be a distinct horizontal demarcation at the midpoint of the photograph???

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

If I had to guess, I would say the fluorescent and the flash clashed (say that fast) where the fluorescent got the better of the top half the flash compensated for the bottom. Change your setting to something other than Auto or turn off your flash and try again then report back and let us see the difference.

Oath Loc: newark,DE

come to learn...thank for the topic

JoboX Loc: Liverpool UK

St3v3M wrote:

If I had to guess, I would say the fluorescent and the flash clashed (say that fast) where the fluorescent got the better of the top half the flash compensated for the bottom. Change your setting to something other than Auto or turn off your flash and try again then report back and let us see the difference.

Could it be the shutter speed too fast or aperture too small as its a flat surface you could stop down to F2.8 to F8 - ISO 100 - 1/90 shutter speed and flash if required if your camera allows flash control try varying,,, if over exposed increase shutter time to 1/180 or increase to f11

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

My second attempt was much better (see "Prior Avatar"). I set the camera to "no flash" and it came out nice and even. The white balance was still way off, which I corrected as if by magic in Picasa using the neutral color picker feature. I had never thought of setting the white balance, although I've occasionally played with it...I can't afford an F 2.8 lens....

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Dont forget fluorescent lights flicker, lower your flash speed on the camera to about 1/90th

lightchime Loc: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

JoboX wrote:

quote=St3v3M If I had to guess, I would say the f... (show quote)

I think this is the correct area of reasoning. I do not remember the details of how this happens.

Check your camera manual and flash manual for "first curtain sync vs rear curtain sync".

I think the comment about florescent light flickering and causing this problem is unbased. Flickering or not, light travels too fast to have this happen. It is a problem of timing and duration of the flash with regards to the opening and closing of the two shutters.

The web is replete with information, but it usually involves a moving object.

jeffsutain Loc: Staten Island NY

Hi first off, you are shooting a glass frame, put your camera on a tripod, step up your ISO no flash use a remote, with a longer exp. time, take a lot a test shots, untill you got the shot your looking for

JoboX Loc: Liverpool UK

jeffsutain wrote:

Hi first off, you are shooting a glass frame, put your camera on a tripod, step up your ISO no flash use a remote, with a longer exp. time, take a lot a test shots, untill you got the shot your looking for

the longer exposure time would of course negate the need for high ISO and resultant noise would it not???

thewags Loc: Phoenix

I have tried several times to photograph pictures that I have framed in glass. While the colors and all come out ok, the photos never look sharp. There's something about the glass that I just can't figure out.

allen finley photography Loc: Sunshine State.

thewags wrote:

I have tried several times to photograph pictures that I have framed in glass. While the colors and all come out ok, the photos never look sharp. There's something about the glass that I just can't figure out.

To shoot through glass/reflections use a CP filter.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Well, it seems everyone is skirting the answer to the problem.

That line, coming across the middle of the frame is caused by the shutter speed being one stop above flash synch speed. Most cameras synch at 1/250 second and if that is true for your camera you shot at 1/500 second. Shooting above your synch speed causes this problem, but shooting under is fine and helps bring out the ambient lighting.

I know you are 1 stop over your synch speed because the line is dead center, 50% faster than synch. If it had been at the 3/4 mark you would have been 2 stops above etc.

Of course (opening a can of worms here) you can use this error to your advantage when shooting sunsets/rises to illuminate the foreground with flash (bottom ½, ¾ of the photo) and still have high ss to properly expose the sky. (much cheaper than a graduated filter) To do this on some cameras you would need to turn your camera upside down when you shoot to get the correct effect, Your camera it seems does not need this extra step as your focal curtain goes top to bottom.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

While what you said may sound reasonable (but I'm too dumb about that stuff to know) I just checked my info in Picasa and found that the bad shot (above) was shot at 1/80 second and my good shot ("prior Avatar" in photo gallery) was shot at 1/30 second, with the flash set to off. For some reason, maybe because of the controls on my AE-1 Program film camera, that the shutter was always going to be set at 1/60 second when using the flash. I've never tried the high (low?) sync setting.

thewags Loc: Phoenix

Use a CP filter thru glass? I have one and will try this today.

Thanks for the tip!

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Please upload the image again and this time check the (store original) box. Make sure to upload the original, not one that you've inadvertently stripped out the EXIF. This will provide us with flash, shutter speed and other info that can help us help you.