suzip Loc: Houston

I just got a birthday present from my husband; my first DSLR camera. I took hundreds of photos of my kids, at all different settings, and uploaded them to my PC. On the PC they looked beautiful; gorgeous, high resolution. I was so excited. Then I made the photobooks and ordered the prints. I tried Shutterfly, Costco and myphotopipe. The prints were so disappointing; dull and dark. Let me post an example of 2 prints I thought would be beautiful.
So help! My little canon elf point and shoot did better than this. What am I doing wrong? :cry:

Baby Sara at home


Sisters in matching outfits

ZeeGadget Loc: South Greensburg, PA. U.S.A.

Hi Suzip... I just got a Canon T2i a few days ago and I have more of a problem than you do. Lets get back to your pics. From what you have said it sounds like the problem may be with the people who are printing your pictures and not your camera. Those pics that you posted look GREAT to me. If you want them brighter you can go on page 87 of the manual that came with your camera and go from there. Now here is something you may not know.
This Canon T2i has a sensor in it that causes the lens that you are using to be a different MM than what it is marked as. I bought this camera for LANDSCAPE photography and I alos bought a Canon EF 17mm to 40mm lens. I really wanted that WIDE angle 17mm for those pics. That sensor in the T2i causes that lens to be a 27mm to 64mm lens. Now I have a mid range lens and not a ultra wide angle lens. To find out what your lens is you have to multiply the MM by 1.6. 17 x 1.6= 27.2 or a 27mm and not a 17mm lens. For that lens to work I need a FULL FRAME camera in the camera body alone is $ 2,400. I did find another wider lens. A Tokina 11mm to 16mm and the sensor turns it into a 17mm to 25mm. Oh Well.. 8-(

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

I think you've got great potential as a photographer. You've got a good eye for photography. The other half of digital photography is editing software. It takes time to learn the subtle adjustments possible. Work on your composition. Here's a good starting place.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

Original - Unedited


Enhanced Possibilities

suzip Loc: Houston

Thank you! Do you have any suggestions of people who might do a better job of printing?
I'll watch out for the issue with the lens - I'm still getting used to using the lenses - still practicing.
These 2 were done with my canon elf - lovely and printed fine too.

Ballet - evening


Under shade - halloween

Greg-Colo Loc: Fort Collins,Co

The average person wouldn't notice....you do , I would go to one of the "do it yourself "places. do a test print till you like what you see. maybe get to know a particular machine....my wife says they are better at Walgreen's than Kinko's....Walmart,Target,Sams etc....Your husband likes you a lot to get a DLSR.. read the manual...A good camera is like a good woman.....it takes time to know both.