What is wrong with my photos?- Camera, Lens or myself
Dec 3, 2014 08:17:16 #
bv
Loc: MN
I want to take good photos. But I fail all the time. I exchanged Canon Rebel XSi with 60D, Got about 8 lens. But whenever I take photos they turn bad. My daughters do not trust me and they use their Iphone at the same time whenever I shoot and say they took better pictures.
Recent trip Universal Studios, I used Sigma 12-24 and canon 60D with full auto without flash. But not happy. Same time Iphone photos turned better as the background letters were more legible with Iphone and not canon 60D
When would I improve or where I was wrong?
Recent trip Universal Studios, I used Sigma 12-24 and canon 60D with full auto without flash. But not happy. Same time Iphone photos turned better as the background letters were more legible with Iphone and not canon 60D
When would I improve or where I was wrong?
Dec 3, 2014 08:22:32 #
berchman
Loc: South Central PA
Fill flash would have solved the problem in the first picture of the people being underexposed and would have opened up the shadows on the people's faces in the second picture. To get the letters sharp, you need to use a smaller lens opening for greater depth of field. The iPhone, having a very small sensor, has greater depth of field so it can make the people and the sign sharp.
Dec 3, 2014 08:22:58 #
bv wrote:
I want to take good photos. But I fail all the tim... (show quote)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You are the culprit; not your equipment :)
Your first photo should not had been taken with the background in sunlight and the subjects in the shade. Also, your composition is terrible.
Your second photo is out of focus and you could had used a faster shutter speed as well. Again, composition is not good :)
I suggest that you get yourself a few good books that will teach you photography and after a while, you will begin to do better !
Best of luck and Best Regards,
~Doug~
Dec 3, 2014 08:28:10 #
Focus doesn't seem to be the issue. Were you shooting in Auto? What was the aperature setting? Seems you probably don't have a firm understandIng of the exposure triangle. Get a copy of Bryan Petersons book "Understanding Exposure". $20 at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Great book, easy read, well illustrated- will have you up to speed in no time. ;)
Dec 3, 2014 08:28:55 #
Any camera will take acceptable photos (the iphones probably look pretty deceny) but I believe the person taking the photos make all the difference. The way you see things, the way you use the controls on your csmera etc. Are you completely familiar with your camera? Do you study the works on this forum, the ones you really like and try to find out why you like them? Experience is the best teacher. Reading about photography is good. There is so much information on this forum and on the net. One thing I might suggest is getting closer to yourself subject and hang in there
Dec 3, 2014 08:30:19 #
Part of your problem with the sample photos is that you are shooting both shade and sun at the same time and your exposure isn't good for both conditions at the same time.
Photo #1....get a lot closer and exclude the sunny parts and expose for the shade. Photo #2...shady & sunny; get closer. You should get closer and exclude all the extraneous clutter, nobody cares about all that crap in the background! Your subjects should fill the frame and not have their legs cut off.
Finally,get closer:)
Photo #1....get a lot closer and exclude the sunny parts and expose for the shade. Photo #2...shady & sunny; get closer. You should get closer and exclude all the extraneous clutter, nobody cares about all that crap in the background! Your subjects should fill the frame and not have their legs cut off.
Finally,get closer:)
Dec 3, 2014 08:30:43 #
It's time to put away 7 of those lenses, attach one, and learn all you can about exposure.
Buy Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure." Also read about how to achieve pleasing compositions, learn to avoid distracting backgrounds, and so forth.
As you've discovered, doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result, is not working for you :)
Buy Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure." Also read about how to achieve pleasing compositions, learn to avoid distracting backgrounds, and so forth.
As you've discovered, doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result, is not working for you :)
Dec 3, 2014 08:30:43 #
bratliff
Loc: Atlanta, GA
What everyone else said and stop shooting in Auto mode. Read up and start shooting in Aperture priority. Learn how to use the tool in your hands for what it was designed for. If you only want to shoot auto, sell the DSLR and get the smart phone with the best camera and do as your daughters are doing.
Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures takes work. Becoming a good photographer takes dedication.
Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures takes work. Becoming a good photographer takes dedication.
Dec 3, 2014 08:31:53 #
Zone-System-Grandpa wrote:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ br br You a... (show quote)
You should be using a single point focus and metering as well. In full auto the camera is evaluating everything in the frame and exposes for that. The newer iPhones and most other cell phone cameras meter off a point chosen for focus with a finger tap. Using full auto is way under utilizing your camera's capabilities.
You need to read and experiment with some of the manual modes in order to get better shots from your equipment. Once you do that, your shots will blow the iPhone away.
Dec 3, 2014 08:35:42 #
Get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with what you want to be your subject. look at shot #1...If you filled the frame with those people you would have a photo that says something.
Dec 3, 2014 08:39:18 #
AZNikon
Loc: Mesa, AZ
bratliff wrote:
Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures takes work. Becoming a good photographer takes dedication.
Taking pictures is easy. Taking good pictures takes work. Becoming a good photographer takes dedication.
Well put, can I quote you?
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Dec 3, 2014 08:47:26 #
You've gotten some good advice here so far. I see that the second picture was taken at f/6.3 and 1/50th of a second. That should have been fast enough and enough DOF to get everything sharp/in focus, yet, nothing is sharp. I'm guessing you are not holding the camera properly and have a lot of shake in it.
Dec 3, 2014 08:50:59 #
bv wrote:
I want to take good photos. But I fail all the tim... (show quote)
You have received some good suggestions from others regarding lighting, composition, exposure, etc.
I would also suggest:
Take a short (6-12 weeks) beginners class in digital photography. These are often offered at community colleges, community high schools, local camera clubs/photographers, etc. research what is available in your area. There are also several free courses online. (I personally think you should take a hands on class first, then try internet courses if you wish). I think you would find this invaluable to get you started in the right direction.
30 years ago my husband and I took 2 adult photography courses at our community high school on shooting with 35mm cameras and multiple lenses. We learned a lot of the basics. Then 3 years ago, I took a 12 week class on photography using DSLR cameras. It was invaluable to me. Each week we had shooting assignments based on our lesson for the week. Then our 3-4 best photos were critiqued. I highly recommend it. It gave me a good foundation to go forward.
Dec 3, 2014 08:51:06 #
I'll tell you one thing that you are doing that is absolutely correct: take photos of the things that you love (cause you won't be satisfied with crappy shots, you want great shots of great people) If you take photos of things that you don't care about then you're not gonna care about the photos either and you'll never get better
Dec 3, 2014 08:51:50 #
Pictures are free to take. Take alot of the same thing ( a flower a person what ever) Use different settings and see what ones you like and why. Then look at the settings and try to duplicate them. Some cameras have electronic viewfinders that show you the changes as you change the settings and I find that is a help to compose. I don't think your camera has that option. I think that using a camera that has so much you can do with it can be hard to get good with. There is alot to be said about starting simple and working up to more complex.
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