Your photos 91

Your photos (91)

Take Better Photos

Hints and tips
by Philip Grosset

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with comments from Philip Grosset

"Hello: I was referred to you by a friend, Leigh Green and I really enjoyed your site! I have a picture that Leigh suggested I send you for comments. I had just purchased a digital camera after my German Pinscher, "Shadow" had given birth to her first litter. I saw her laying in the yard by our shed and decided to snap her photo. What you are about to see is a picture of her watching her 13 puppies playing. It is a moment I will treasure and will never forget. Thank you for any comments and/or suggestions you might make." (Susan J. Crawford, Petersburg, Virginia)

You certainly caught the moment you wanted in your photo on the left. The dog's head, though, is a little dark. This is because the built-in meter has been misled by the bright background. You could have got round this by taking a close-up reading of the dog. On the right, I've tried moving in just a fraction closer, and increasing the exposure (unfortunately the background comes out lighter too). It is always difficult trying to photograph a dark object against a light background. Fill-in flash might have helped. This picture would obviously look particularly good if mounted alongside a photo of the puppies, then we'd know just what she was looking at.

Reply from Susan Crawford: "Your modifications certainly "did" enhance Shadow's image! I didn't think about using the flash since it was such a sunny day; however, now I will know better the next time. Thank you so much for taking your time to review and edit the photo I submitted!"

"Here are some pix i took with my Manual Focus canon AE-1Program. I didnt have a tripod and had to use rocks and sticks to stabilize the camera. I was using 200 speed film and I don't remember the aperture and shutter speed. Thank you for any suggestions!" (Andrew Hartung, Tacoma,WA)

By using a long exposure (and rocks etc to hold the camera reasonably steady), you've got just the blurred effect you want in the flowing water in your photo on the left. But the rest of the photo is slightly blurred too, as even the rocks in the stream are not pin sharp. A tripod really would have helped! Also it's a pity the background is quite so black. On the right, I've tried reducing the black area and sharpening the stones at the top.

This seems a less interesting picture. Perhaps it would have been better to have moved further away so that we could see more of the setting. As it is, none of it looks all that sharp, and it's all a bit inconclusive. With a subject like this, don't be afraid to experiment with imaginative camera angles!

Reply from Andrew Hartung: "Thank you so much for the help. I am very new to this, I think that was on my 5th roll I have shot with a SLR camera. I'm only 16 so I have a lot of time to work on my style. :) Here are two more pix that I would love to have your opinion on. The first one of the tree is from my very first roll with a SLR camera. Thanks again, keep up this great site!
P.S. I'm looking into a newer SLR type camera and don't know if I should go with a nikon or a canon. The cameras I'm comparing are the N80 or the Elan 7e or N65 and the Elan IIe. Depends on how much I put into it. Would the Elan 7e be like a way better camera than the Elan IIe? Same with the nikons(N80 vs. N65?!? Any comments would be greatly appreciated!"

Your tree picture benefits from an imaginative camera angle, is pin sharp, and works really well, although the colors are all just a little similar. The waterfall photo gains from the presence of sunlight, and this time the surroundings are really sharp. You've certainly got off to a good start!
I'm afraid I can't really recommend one camera against another unless I happen to have had first hand experience of both.

Reply from Andrew Hartung: "Thank you so much for commenting on my photos .....hopefully with help and time and practice someday I will be able to take the "perfect" pictures! Thanks again!"

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