Help Me Please!!
Apr 16, 2015 16:13:34 #
When I take pictures of flowers or flowering trees I an not able to get them to pop. What am I doing wrong? Your help is appreciated.
Apr 16, 2015 16:26:36 #
JerR wrote:
When I take pictures of flowers or flowering trees I an not able to get them to pop. What am I doing wrong? Your help is appreciated.
In your last two examples the flowers do pop some, but it might help to isolate your subjects better. I your first example a little change of your position would have made a difference. Shoot from different angles, you choose to shoot the white blooms in this shoot, but the only thing that pops in that picture, is the big white garage door - it easily overpowers the rest of the picture. For something to pop, find a contrasting background, or close in and isolate it with a burred background, anything that will help to separate it from the rest of the picture. It can also help to shoot in manual and play with different exposure a bit, you might be surprised how much difference a little change in shutter speed can create. Just don't take one shot and walk off, take your time and shoot from a lot of different positions and compose with contrast in mind!
Apr 16, 2015 16:29:58 #
You may be able to improve the photos in post but I would suggest that perhaps you could consider different compositions of your photos. In the first photo, that big white garage door overwhelms the beautiful flowering tree. Move around so that the tree is against a darker background. In the second and third photos, I would suggest moving much closer to the subjects, which I assume are the flowers.
Apr 16, 2015 16:32:45 #
Apr 16, 2015 16:36:24 #
I think you will also find allot of that pop is achieved in PP. With your permission I will post the first picture. Time day the golden times, morning and late afternoon. Back ground - providing a better back ground
Apr 16, 2015 16:43:41 #
It's not a "rule" as such, but a photographer once told me...
Just before pushing the shutter button run your eye around the outer edge of the frame. See what else you are grabbing in the shot that may compete with your subject...
Hint:... the house eave and that big white highlight door in the first pic. Hard for the subject to "pop" against all that.
In addition, with most of my camera's, I do not often agree with the meter. I find that setting my exposure compensation down 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop all the time (slight underexposure on every frame from meter reading) gives me better colors and bluer sky's.
If you look through my viewfinder on any of my camera's, you will generally see exposure compensation -.3 or -.7 of a stop
Just before pushing the shutter button run your eye around the outer edge of the frame. See what else you are grabbing in the shot that may compete with your subject...
Hint:... the house eave and that big white highlight door in the first pic. Hard for the subject to "pop" against all that.
In addition, with most of my camera's, I do not often agree with the meter. I find that setting my exposure compensation down 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop all the time (slight underexposure on every frame from meter reading) gives me better colors and bluer sky's.
If you look through my viewfinder on any of my camera's, you will generally see exposure compensation -.3 or -.7 of a stop
Apr 16, 2015 16:48:16 #
In addition to cropping, try playing with exposure, Lighting and contrast. What PP program are you using?
Apr 16, 2015 16:59:47 #
Hey JerR, you've already received some good advice and you'll receive plenty more, but some of this is on you as only you know what you're looking for. To help though where I can -
Light is everything, sure composition and technique count, but without the proper light the rest doesn't matter. In that, you took the first photo at 12:55:44pm. Mid-day's light is straight down reducing the shadows that would add contrast. It doesn't help that you have that big, pure white, garage door competing with you image either.
The second shot was taken minutes later at 12:58:01 and while the Sun is still pretty high in the sky, reducing shadows and therefore contrast, notice how the composition is so much better. The red brick giving a nice background to an otherwise black/brown tree.
It appears you waited a bit before shooting the third image at 14:27:29, but the problem here isn't so much light as subject matter. What's The Story Here? What are you trying to show?
There's a lot to learn, but from your shots here are a few things to things about:
- Light and Shadow versus Contrast
- Composition and Subject Matter
To help with Light and Shadow versus Contrast watch this video
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xt1qdo_photography-lighting-lesson-remember-the-egg_lifestyle
To help with Composition and Subject Matter think about what you are trying to show. Think of being in a football stadium and you want to show a single player. Shooting the field isn't going to do it. You're going to have to move closer or use a zoom.
It's your job to show us what you want us to see!
Good luck and have fun! S-
Light is everything, sure composition and technique count, but without the proper light the rest doesn't matter. In that, you took the first photo at 12:55:44pm. Mid-day's light is straight down reducing the shadows that would add contrast. It doesn't help that you have that big, pure white, garage door competing with you image either.
The second shot was taken minutes later at 12:58:01 and while the Sun is still pretty high in the sky, reducing shadows and therefore contrast, notice how the composition is so much better. The red brick giving a nice background to an otherwise black/brown tree.
It appears you waited a bit before shooting the third image at 14:27:29, but the problem here isn't so much light as subject matter. What's The Story Here? What are you trying to show?
There's a lot to learn, but from your shots here are a few things to things about:
- Light and Shadow versus Contrast
- Composition and Subject Matter
To help with Light and Shadow versus Contrast watch this video
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xt1qdo_photography-lighting-lesson-remember-the-egg_lifestyle
To help with Composition and Subject Matter think about what you are trying to show. Think of being in a football stadium and you want to show a single player. Shooting the field isn't going to do it. You're going to have to move closer or use a zoom.
It's your job to show us what you want us to see!
Good luck and have fun! S-
Apr 16, 2015 17:03:40 #
Apr 16, 2015 22:21:00 #
Apr 17, 2015 09:04:18 #
Apr 17, 2015 09:06:49 #
Apr 17, 2015 09:11:46 #
Thanks so much speters ..... I will give it another try using your suggestions.
Apr 17, 2015 09:13:39 #
foodie65 wrote:
The old mantra "Get Closer", "Get closer", "Get closer"
I agree ... Getting closer should help. Thanks!
Apr 17, 2015 09:17:39 #
Bill Houghton wrote:
I think you will also find allot of that pop is achieved in PP. With your permission I will post the first picture. Time day the golden times, morning and late afternoon. Back ground - providing a better back ground
Thanks Bill. The sun and the garage door worked against me. Your post was quite an improvement.
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