Ken Shilkun Loc: Central Texas

This is a getaway house, mysterious, almost hidden, no postal address, off of a rural road in the Crabapple Valley.

Suggestions?

White House Crabapple Valley

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

OK, I'll start, please don't cry; this is constructive criticism: The white house has no detail, burned out. It is also out of focus along with the rest of the background. The focus seems to be on the tree in the foreground but that is not quite in focus, maybe camera movement. Did you have the camera set on vivid? In my opinion, the foreground brush and the trees are vividly bright. Did you PP this shot?

Not a lot you can do with this photo, my suggestion would be to shoot again from a new position. Next time, if the white house is the subject, get much closer.

Here's your Exif data: The shutter speed is slow (1/50) if handheld, which may account for shake (camera movement). Try a monopod or tripod or at least some sort of support, with a beanbag, at this speed. Some folks can do it but not all.

Your ISO at 800 is high. Start at ISO100 in Aperture mode and set your aperture to f8 or higher to get a large depth of field for a landscape. I don't know how big your depth of field will go with this 106mm lens setting.

This landscape would be a good candidate for a hyperfocal distance setting with your camera. Check your manual or search online for information on hyperfocal distance

Good luck with your next shoot.

Exif

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

I have nothing to add to Shakey's detailed critique (which I agree with it) except to say that the photograph was composed well. Thanks for the thread Ken, we can all learn from it. 8-)

Ken Shilkun Loc: Central Texas

Thank you Shakey. The white house, I believe, is about a half mile from the camera . The Canon SX50 was hand held, set to Vivid. Post Production: photo shop elements [Smart Fix]. I removed the power pole and accompanying lines too.

I was out for an evening walk looking for a composition with variations in color and composition. I really do not remember most likely I was set to Auto everything. The sun was setting behind a cloud, and there was a lot of haze.

The center of focus was the cedar and mesquite on the left foreground. "hyperfocal distance is a distance beyond which all objects can be brought into an "acceptable" focus." [wiwkipedia] I will do more research on the subject. I find nothing in the hand book

Here is another image that (hopefully) covers a few of your valued points.

Thank you so much!

White House Crabapple Valley

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

You've already got a nice, detailed critique from Shakey that I can't top. So I'll offer some unsolicited advice. I will encourage you to begin moving from full auto both in your camera and your post processing. Your camera is smart, but it doesn't know what you really want your photo to look like and neither does Photoshop. They will make decisions that are contrary to your goals (shutter speeds too slow to handhold, ISOs too high to retain detail). Auto has its place - even after years of shooting mostly on manual, I sometimes shoot on full auto just to see what the camera wants to do, but after review I almost always follow that up with a shot that incorporates the settings I think will improve that. Likewise with the auto develop features of software. YOU can do a better job than the camera or computer. There is something really off in the colors on your first post, toned down (but not resolved) in the second. In the second I think you cropped out your most interesting tree, the one with the bare branches. Fortunately it sounds like you're nearby and can reshoot. Your eye for composing should keep you at this till you master the technical stuff.

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Improvement! But still slightly out of focus. Your studies on hyperfocal distance will help that. Plus, I really think you need a support of some kind. Just to prove the point, set you camera up to take any landscape (Aperture mode, Standard setting at wide angle, f8 or higher - not full auto or vivid) and rest your camera on a firm flat surface or a tripod. Set your self-timer to more than 5 seconds. When you are ready, gently press the fire button and take your hands off the camera. The result will show you how sharp your lens truly is at that aperture setting. As you will know your lens has an optimum aperture setting which will give you the sharpest possible result. Hopefully that is in your handbook.

Keep shooting, you'll get there sooner than you think.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Ken,

I just took a look at your EXIF data and converted the focal length for your camera (which I familiar with) to the 35mm equivalent.

You took the first picture with a 35mm focal length equivalent of 604mm with an exposure time of 1/50 of a section.

You took the second picture with a 35mm focal length equivalent of 1225mm with an exposure time of 1/50 of a section.

You will not be able to get sharp photos at such extreme focal lengths at 1/50 of a second unless the camera is rock steady (tripod) or you increase the ISO to a most likely unacceptable setting (noise) in an attempt to increase shutter speed to a minimum of 1/640 for the first photo and 1/1225 for the second.

Here is a link which may help:

Basic Photo Tips: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
http://photo.net/learn/basic-photo-tips/aperture-shutterspeed-iso/

Ken Shilkun Loc: Central Texas

Thank you for the link! My big mistakes were shutter speed and leaving the tripod at the home. Bluntly, I need to spend more time with the basics with this camera. Relying on the pre settings will only produce snap shots. I must give up the freedom of movement for stability.

I like the ability to reach out with the Sx50 zoom. The stability features of the camera are good but not good enough.

One of the problems I run into with the Sx50 is getting the Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO where they need to be in low light conditions, as encountered this September. I can set two legs of the triangle and the Third will blow! I set the shutter speed and aperture then the ISO goes high. Nail the ISO and Shutter and/or the Aperture will be restricted to unacceptable narrow depth of field or speed.

Again thank you for your wise input.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Yep, I have the same challenge Ken, but getting it all right every now and then makes it all worthwhile. :)

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

OK, Ken. Frustrating isn't it. If possible shoot before 11am and after 2pm but also before the light fades (Overhead lighting is not as good as directional lighting). This will enable you to get control of the triangle.
Start with one mode setting. I'll suggest Aperture with a low ISO. You may prefer a different mode but don't bother with Manual yet, at least not until you have nailed down the other modes.
Begin by shooting with the light over your shoulder. When you get good results try low lighting with the winter sun coming from the left or right. Notice how the scratch light brings out details and textures you never noticed before.
Overcast days often mean flat lighting but you can coax something good out of that with post processing.
Post more photographs, that you like, and we'll advise where required.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

And simultaneously (we don't ask much of you do we?), remember your colors. You're in sRBG color space which is correct, but something about those lime greens, fuschias, and periwinkle colors just aren't believable, especially if shot at this time of year in the northern hemisphere.

I took the liberty of remapping your colors into something more believable. It didn't solve any of the aforementioned challenges, but tamed the colors a bit. Hope you don't mind, I love to play...

remapped

Ken Shilkun Loc: Central Texas

Feel absolutely free to play.

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Please post the copy of the first shot that hasn't been obliterated by your Elements "quick fix". Thanks, Rob.

Ken Shilkun Loc: Central Texas

Thank you winterrose for you interest. Here is the original. I am also submitting the capture before zoom.

This posting has been an interesting experience for me.

My lack of experience, the limitations of camera and software presets have been hammered home quite constructively. However there are a few areas that were not addressed.

1. The Extreme Focal length, Atmospheric Haze, and Diffuse Lighting may also have contributed to less than acceptable focus.
2. Photographers intent with color mapping. Was my intent to match reality here? No.
3. I was hoping for more input concerning Composition.

There is a cold crisp air day coming soon. I will take your suggestions for improvement and apply them.

Stay tuned!

Original first shot post


Capture at 28mm

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Hello Ken, I had a good look at your images and had a bit of a read about your camera. Although it is interesting to have such a huge zoom range available there are considerable penalties to be paid with regard to image quality particularly at the extreme zoom range. I can see a lot of data interpolation and detail recovery processing going on resulting in a considerable loss of IQ. Although these extreme focal lengths are impressive and fun if you do find that you have sufficient interest in gaining better results then you may have to confine your photography to subjects within your own county. I included the edit that I used to clarify the image to assist in my observations. Cheers, Rob.