Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Main Photography Discussion
Learning Curve
Page 1 of 5 next> last>>
Oct 11, 2017 16:54:37   #
PatM Loc: Rocky Mount Mo.
 
Hello Ladies and Germs,

I have Been taking photos using manual for a short period of time. I guess a couple months now. I went to a wedding this Sat. with our camera. I had a little hope that the skills I have been studying might show up in the photos I captured. Sadly it was an unhappy result. I was not doing this for anyone but my experience. Nobody was counting on me but me. Most all photos taken in auto were satisfactory to Good. Most of the manual focus photos I took were out of focus blurred or otherwise virtually unusable. When in live view the screen looked acceptable for taking but end result was not. I did not use a tripod at all as I did not want to interfere with the real photographer. I believe there was vibration or movement showing in some of the photos but not all and none when in auto. Needless to say I am disappointed that even a modicum of competence was not displayed in my endeavor. Lighting was horrible but not an excuse. Just venting frustration.
Have a good day

Reply
Oct 11, 2017 17:04:51   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
Well at least you are blaming the root of the problem and not your gear!

Reply
Oct 11, 2017 17:09:03   #
Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA
 
Shooting manual generally means setting your own aperture and shutter speed, sometimes iso as well, not focusing manually. Unless you use a tripod and the live view magnifier to generate a 6x or better magnified view of the focus point there's not much chance your eyesight will outperform your autofocus.

Reply
 
 
Oct 11, 2017 18:02:37   #
papa Loc: Rio Dell, CA
 
Like all things new the learning curve is ballistic. Rumble, rumble, on the launchpad, beginning to ascend, gaining altitude, up, up and away out of sight.
Read carefully you owner's manual, read and use it again and again until all is committed to memory. That's just the beginning. Now, find a current digital photography course for free online or buy a good book on this subject. These will be elementary steps to success. The results will be progressive and hard work pays in feeling pleased. That's LIFE and most things about it, huh?
PatM wrote:
Hello Ladies and Germs,

I have Been taking photos using manual for a short period of time. I guess a couple months now. I went to a wedding this Sat. with our camera. I had a little hope that the skills I have been studying might show up in the photos I captured. Sadly it was an unhappy result. I was not doing this for anyone but my experience. Nobody was counting on me but me. Most all photos taken in auto were satisfactory to Good. Most of the manual focus photos I took were out of focus blurred or otherwise virtually unusable. When in live view the screen looked acceptable for taking but end result was not. I did not use a tripod at all as I did not want to interfere with the real photographer. I believe there was vibration or movement showing in some of the photos but not all and none when in auto. Needless to say I am disappointed that even a modicum of competence was not displayed in my endeavor. Lighting was horrible but not an excuse. Just venting frustration.
Have a good day
Hello Ladies and Germs, br br I have Been taking ... (show quote)

Reply
Oct 11, 2017 18:24:49   #
CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City
 
Bobspez wrote:
Shooting manual generally means setting your own aperture and shutter speed, sometimes iso as well, not focusing manually. Unless you use a tripod and the live view magnifier to generate a 6x or better magnified view of the focus point there's not much chance your eyesight will outperform your autofocus.

Bob said it exactly: Shooting manual generally means setting your own aperture and shutter speed, sometimes iso as well, not focusing manually.

Now, to turn it into a learning experience, look at the EXIF data of your images and see if you can determine the root-cause error to each. Assuming some were not manual focus attempts, should you have used a faster shutter speed (1/focal length or faster)? Or a higher ISO? Held the camera more steady? Did you use a single focus point set exactly on the subject of the image? Other?

Reply
Oct 11, 2017 20:16:02   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
The OP said, "manual focus photos," which could explain why the photos are blurred.

Reply
Oct 11, 2017 20:39:38   #
BebuLamar
 
Like others have said you don't have to do manual focus but I do focus manually often. However, if you want to manual focus you have practice doing it before you going out to an event and photograph it. Same goes for any new technique you want, try it out taking silly pictures around the house, in the garden first.

Reply
 
 
Oct 12, 2017 05:55:13   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
PatM wrote:
Hello Ladies and Germs,

I have Been taking photos using manual for a short period of time. I guess a couple months now. I went to a wedding this Sat. with our camera. I had a little hope that the skills I have been studying might show up in the photos I captured. Sadly it was an unhappy result. I was not doing this for anyone but my experience. Nobody was counting on me but me. Most all photos taken in auto were satisfactory to Good. Most of the manual focus photos I took were out of focus blurred or otherwise virtually unusable. When in live view the screen looked acceptable for taking but end result was not. I did not use a tripod at all as I did not want to interfere with the real photographer. I believe there was vibration or movement showing in some of the photos but not all and none when in auto. Needless to say I am disappointed that even a modicum of competence was not displayed in my endeavor. Lighting was horrible but not an excuse. Just venting frustration.
Have a good day
Hello Ladies and Germs, br br I have Been taking ... (show quote)


It continues to amaze me that people prefer to shoot in full manual. Auto everything is very fast and near perfect every time. Forty years ago, I had to focus manually and set exposure by matching a needle and a spot. There's no way I would want to go back to that system. My car starts with the push of a button, and it shifts up and down by itself. Why would I want to go back to crank starting and manual shifting?

Reply
Oct 12, 2017 06:04:11   #
chuckrem Loc: Katy, Tx
 
jerryc41 wrote:
It continues to amaze me that people prefer to shoot in full manual. Auto everything is very fast and near perfect every time. Forty years ago, I had to focus manually and set exposure by matching a needle and a spot. There's no way I would want to go back to that system. My car starts with the push of a button, and it shifts up and down by itself. Why would I want to go back to crank starting and manual shifting?



Reply
Oct 12, 2017 06:26:17   #
crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada
 
jerryc41 wrote:
It continues to amaze me that people prefer to shoot in full manual. Auto everything is very fast and near perfect every time. Forty years ago, I had to focus manually and set exposure by matching a needle and a spot. There's no way I would want to go back to that system. My car starts with the push of a button, and it shifts up and down by itself. Why would I want to go back to crank starting and manual shifting?


Just for bokeh (aperature) and ensure maximize exposure with no blur for nighttime sports photography (shutter/ISO at wide open) . In those cases, the cameras auto system cant know whats in your head.

Auto will give you a well exposed, proper white balance shot almost everytime (backlit photos and other scenarios...forget it...) camera cant guess what image I want to capture...

In the end, if you get good at Manual (not manual focus....still use auto 90% of the time),
You will get close to the same keeper rate as auto AND get the image you want not the image the camera thinks you want....

Reply
Oct 12, 2017 06:57:12   #
BJW
 
If the wedding you describe was indoors with low light, achieving sharp focus is difficult for that very reason. A fast lense (1.4, 1.7) and increasing your ISO to as high as your camera will go without producing too much noise might be a way to go. I think you may then be able to achieve better focus.

Reply
 
 
Oct 12, 2017 07:20:41   #
foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC
 
Jerry.....If you are driving a fancy sports car and have an automatic transmission you are considered a wussy amongst sports car enthusiasts. You have a certain amount of control of the car. I use manual almost all the time. but I use auto focus unless it's a macro shot.




jerryc41 wrote:
It continues to amaze me that people prefer to shoot in full manual. Auto everything is very fast and near perfect every time. Forty years ago, I had to focus manually and set exposure by matching a needle and a spot. There's no way I would want to go back to that system. My car starts with the push of a button, and it shifts up and down by itself. Why would I want to go back to crank starting and manual shifting?

Reply
Oct 12, 2017 07:22:33   #
cthahn
 
You need to take some classes in photography and learn the basics.

Reply
Oct 12, 2017 07:23:09   #
fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York
 
jerryc41 wrote:
It continues to amaze me that people prefer to shoot in full manual. Auto everything is very fast and near perfect every time. Forty years ago, I had to focus manually and set exposure by matching a needle and a spot. There's no way I would want to go back to that system. My car starts with the push of a button, and it shifts up and down by itself. Why would I want to go back to crank starting and manual shifting?


I agree Jerry 100%.

Reply
Oct 12, 2017 07:24:05   #
cthahn
 
Germs??????????????????? Very impressive.

Reply
Page 1 of 5 next> last>>
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
Main Photography Discussion
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.