Project 52 by Wendy (ScoutR)

[Maritimer1]

Hi Wendy,

I'm going back a couple of shots ago to the horse and buggy. LOVE the last two. That horse has certainly pegged you as a monster waiting to jump out and eat it The questions about focus on the first shot: You said you put the car in park. You mean it was still running? If it was, the vibration could have caused slight motion blur in your first shot, espcially if you had your elbow on the bottom of the open window for stability. The car now gets turned off when I shoot from it for that reason

Myra

[Dave Humphries]

The questions about focus on the first shot: You said you put the car in park. You mean it was still running? If it was, the vibration could have caused slight motion blur in your first shot, espcially if you had your elbow on the bottom of the open window for stability.

This is a 'good spot' Myra.

Another mitigating action would be to use the lens VR in "Active" mode (assuming this was the Nikon) to counter the vibrations, but switching off is better.

Cheers,

[Bunty Plumchip]

That is just so delightful. He looks like he is bouncing! I am new to looking critically at other people's photgraphs, and am even more new to knowing how to improve them and making suggestions. I like the way here that there is a full contextual frame and also a focussing frame that follows the shape of the bird. It is almost suggestive of a Japanese woodcut with the twig formations suggestive of calligraphy.

[Steve S]

It looks to me , the camera simply focused on the tree branch. 1/640s is a little light on the shutter speed, but it looked like it would have been ok, if the focus locked onto the bird.

Your feeder, doesn't look like it is in a photo friendly environment. Perhaps if you were to 'set up' the shot, you will get what you're after. Place the feeder in a position with good lighting and a clean background.(keep it about 15 feet from the background so you can blur it to a smooth colored background.) Something as simple as a tree branch with a plywood base screwed to the bottom , to hold it upright, would work just fine.(you could move it around to different locations untill you get the photo you're after. Just a thougt. (didn't know photography would involve learning carpentry, did you

[ScoutR]

Hi Wendy,

I'm going back a couple of shots ago to the horse and buggy. LOVE the last two. That horse has certainly pegged you as a monster waiting to jump out and eat it The questions about focus on the first shot: You said you put the car in park. You mean it was still running? If it was, the vibration could have caused slight motion blur in your first shot, especially if you had your elbow on the bottom of the open window for stability. The car now gets turned off when I shoot from it for that reason

Myra

Hi Myra, the horse certainly saw me. I was quite far away though so I don't think he was going to spook - Just checking things out.
Very good point about the car and I will have to remember that when shooting from the window. The car was running for these shots and now that you mention it I'm sure the vibration didn't help.
Thanks again

Another mitigating action would be to use the lens VR in "Active" mode (assuming this was the Nikon) to counter the vibrations, but switching off is better.

That sounds like a good idea if I find myself in this situation again. Of course the only problem will be me remembering on the fly to do such a thing.

It looks to me , the camera simply focused on the tree branch.

Yup, I think you are right. I thought it was motion blur either from shaky old me or the bird moving, but the branch is pretty sharp and the feeder which wasn't moving is blurred too so that partially cancels out motion blur as the problem. (I think)

Your feeder, doesn't look like it is in a photo friendly environment.

Steve the feeder in this shot is along part of a trail that I hike so I can't do much about it. I have been trying to set things up better in the back yard though. I think I have some decent spots, but I have too many feeders out there. When I am sitting and patiently waiting by one feeder the birds just go to the other one.

That is just so delightful. He looks like he is bouncing! I am new to looking critically at other people's photographs, and am even more new to knowing how to improve them and making suggestions. I like the way here that there is a full contextual frame and also a focusing frame that follows the shape of the bird. It is almost suggestive of a Japanese woodcut with the twig formations suggestive of calligraphy.

Thanks Carolyn, I liked the comic bouncing aspect of the shot. I'm glad you think the context is OK. I was wondering about that, too me it seems a bit busy, but then I'm always going for a nice blurry background to set off the subject. It's not always possible though. I think I'd be happy with this if the bird was sharply in focus.

I know where you're coming from with print sizes. I've found that with some of the family and portrait shots I've done when it comes to getting them printed, I need to pay more attention to how I do the cropping of shots.

Yes, this will be something that I'll really try to pay attention to going forward. On a good note though, I'm more inclined to like flush mounting, I'm not crazy about the glare and heaviness of glassed frames. I believe with flush mounting the backing material can be easily cut to fit the print. Not sure, but I think it's a good idea to plan things right from the start so there are more framing options available.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll be checking in on everyone's projects, but my apologies if I can't spend a lot of time commenting for awhile. I have a sick cat and a sick person in the house right now. I'll pop in when I can and hopefully soon get back to normal.

Wendy

[Dave Humphries]

My project for this week ended up being printing. I have a Cannon iP 4300: not a super duper printer or anything, but good enough to get started. I purchased some inexpensive paper and thought I'd give it a whirl.

I'm not worried about print quality or colour or anything like that right now. I don't really expect that much from this printer, but I've actually been quite pleased with the results. The biggest problem so far has been trying to set it up to print the size that I want. When I have fussed around enough that I think I know what I'm doing and how to work the software, and things still are not going right, I will start a separate thread in the forum to get some help. For now I will keep working on it, and I want to do a search here on anything printing related. I know there have been some good threads on printing but I've never paid too much attention because I didn't think I'd ever try my own prints.

Hi Wendy,

I have the exact same printed, but rarely use it for photos and even when I do, I tend to make and save a jpg for printing, then open the folder where it is and print it effectively from Windows Explorer, bypassing the photo application. I also go into the Canon dialog to set paper sizes and orientations, etc. and from memory, I didn't have any problems. I don't phaff setting ppi, I just ensure I sharpen save with the most pixels possible, i.e. before my usual web downsize.
That's me - reduce the number of variables (like places to set sizes) to the minimum and achieve success (well usually ).

EXIF: 1/640s: f5.6: ISO 800: 200mm

coming in for a landing by Wendy FS, on Flickr

Wendy (ScoutR, or maybe I should change that to Shaky)

You're not Shaky, it was the bird's fault, it moved! Look, see; the branch is nice and sharp
Next time, just pan with the bird in flight

You haven't nagged me - and now my P52 week 3 is two weeks late - I write this here only to ensure I do do it later today!

Cheers,

[sstracke]

I'm interested in the time of day you took these shots, relative to the previous shots. The past year's shot seems a bit "cooler", as if it was taken earlier or later in the day. Have you played with the white balance in your post-processing?

Re: the blurring of the branches in the background, I think you were on the right track! In fact, I would like to see what it would look like blurred even more. The added texture of in the snow works for me, as well.

[Steve S]

Steve the feeder in this shot is along part of a trail that I hike so I can't do much about it. I have been trying to set things up better in the back yard though. I think I have some decent spots, but I have too many feeders out there. When I am sitting and patiently waiting by one feeder the birds just go to the other one.






Then don't give them the option.

[Letrow]

Well, I'm pretty late with my week 3 shot and even then I'm settling. This is a feral cat that I feed and she follows me around now. She moves slower than the squirrels and in this shot I liked the fresh footprints in the snow and her shadow.

EXIF: 1/5000s: f5.6: ISO 800: 44mm: Matrix +2/3 EV: AFC 9 point
Why oh why did I not stop down a bit on this one OR lower ISO???? I'm sure I didn't need 1/5000s shutter speed. My excuse is that I was out tracking squirrels and birds. The cat shot was an afterthought. By the time I get finished with project 52 I will know this camera well enough and have things set up so I think fast enough and make the changes automatically. That's my goal anyway.

Cali by Wendy FS, on Flickr

Wendy

Wendy, are you using the ISO fixed or in its automatic function? This ISO (800) is fine and you could easily go a bit higher if you want. You could try manual settings (shutter and aperture) in combination with the automatic ISO. Just set a ceiling for the ISO that you feel comfortable with. 1600 or even higher works fine on the D7000.
And I just read one post on focus (squirrels), so maybe this has been tried already, but single point focus (AF-S) works ok withg moving animals. You focus, it stays where it is (in AF-A and AF-C it still hunts around) and you click.
Manual focus doesn't make sense to me for a subject like this.

[ScoutR]

I'm interested in the time of day you took these shots, relative to the previous shots. The past year's shot seems a bit "cooler", as if it was taken earlier or later in the day. Have you played with the white balance in your post-processing?

Re: the blurring of the branches in the background, I think you were on the right track! In fact, I would like to see what it would look like blurred even more. The added texture of in the snow works for me, as well.

Thanks for the feedback Steve, sorry about the late reply.

The first shot (last years) was taken deep in the woods in a sheltered spot just as the sun was setting. This years shots have been taken at various times of the day and are also more out in the open. The biggest difference though, is that I am getting better at exposing for snow when taking the shot. The first shot was terribly underexposed - the snow was very dull and blue so most of the work was done in post processing and there was a lot of it.
This years shots I think are technically better with regards to exposure, but I agree with most that the subject is not as nice. Of all of them from this year, I agree with you that the one with the blurred branch in the background is the best. As you say, it could use some refining but I think the idea of it is the best of the lot.

Thanks again for the feedback
Wendy

[ScoutR]

Wendy, are you using the ISO fixed or in its automatic function? This ISO (800) is fine and you could easily go a bit higher if you want. You could try manual settings (shutter and aperture) in combination with the automatic ISO. Just set a ceiling for the ISO that you feel comfortable with. 1600 or even higher works fine on the D7000.
And I just read one post on focus (squirrels), so maybe this has been tried already, but single point focus (AF-S) works ok withg moving animals. You focus, it stays where it is (in AF-A and AF-C it still hunts around) and you click.
Manual focus doesn't make sense to me for a subject like this.

Peter, I'm using fixed ISO (I set it myself) I know about the auto function, but right now I'm trying to keep everything as manual as possible so I get to know the camera better. When I get it all sorted out then I plan to take advantage of the A B buttons and also some of the other auto features like the ISO one you mentioned.

I plan to keep working on the different focus modes, but right now all I can say is that I prefer what I've been using all along which is single point AFS. I'm probably expecting too much, or picking the wrong type of subjects to track but so far I'm not happy with AFC, AFA, 3D whether it be single point 9 point or 39 point. It will take time and experience for me to know which one to use where, but for now I do a better job tracking a subject myself. (

The squirrels have been quiet latley, but they will be back. I can see the point of picking a spot and pre-focusing manually and then waiting for the subject to go to that spot, especially with all the tree branches at all different distances that the camera wants to lock on to. It will take some practice and time and patience but I think I'll get it before the year is over.

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Hmmm, I think I might be behind a week here, and I'm cheating a bit on this one. This shot was taken Jan. 22. I've been housebound and busy this week and haven't even had the camera out.
Even though the shot was taken earlier, I am going to make it my project this week to try and critique this shot. It's one of those that I like the idea, but the shot ended up being quite ordinary and does not really have any impact.

EXIF: 1/2500s: f5.6: ISO 800: 112mm

MillRace-3561 by Wendy FS, on Flickr

What I like:
1. The idea of a lone person walking down the trail and the symbolism of a shot like this IF it's done right
2. The composition. The subject is purposely placed in the lower left third and I like the way the path veers off to the left. I like the dense woods that frame the subject. The only thing I might change is to stand a bit more to the right so I was not looking straight down the path and so that I could see more of the curve to the left.
3. I like the light. It's not to harsh but there is enough of it to produce some shadows.

What I don't like or what I would change
1. Well, technically the settings are way off. I had enough light to set ISO to 200. I think I would have liked either shallower DOF which I can't do with this lens OR more DOF with everything in focus front to back (then I would have had to up the ISO but....) I guess the main point here is that I did not look at the settings, I just shot. Old habits.... I'm workin on it though
2. focus, does not seem right and I would really have liked it better if the man's cane showed up more. It was his cane that caught my eye in the first place and made me think this might be a good shot.
3. I think I oversharpened
4. In my minds eye I see this same shot with the same lighting but perhaps with a fresh coat of snow on the path and a bit more snow in the tree branches. I would like to get a shot of the first person on the path - only 1 set of footprints. Of course that would have to be in the morning and the sun would then be on the other side, but that might work. The main problem to me is that the environment is not quite right to get the feeling that I want in this shot. It seems I need snow or fog to get any kind of atmosphere in my shots.

5. There is no emotional impact in this shot. The idea is there but it did not translate. Not sure if I could get it there with the above changes or not. I'd love to hear any suggestions and ideas on how to get the feeling into a shot like this.

Wendy

[Geoff F]

Just a thought, Wendy.

To me this scene has a fairly large area of poor focus undergrowth on the extreme right which is just adding confusion to the scene. The road starts slightly on the left then heads further to the left.

My thought was about slightly cropping the right side, somewhere around the base of those small trees which bend over to the left, and a corresponding amount from the top.

I'm thinking this would bring the right edge of the road closer to the frame edge and create a better balance plus connect better with the figure who is struggling through the snow.

I might even try losing some of the height and crop to something like 5 x 4 ratio in order to concentrate on the person. If there was snow amongst the branches I would agree with more height but I suspect, as it is, a different crop might be worth trying.

[Donald]

Firstly, I think that you've more than satisfied the goals of the week's activity; i.e. to critically appraise your own image. I think you've done that to a high standard.

I agree with all that you've said, but that is irrelevant. It's the fact that you've assessed your image to this degree that's the important point.

On the question you then pose about hw else to treat the image to inject the emotional impact that you feel is missing.

I note Geoff's comments. Looking at alternative crops is certainly part of the process, I think.

What struck me immediately upon looking at the image was that the blacks are, indeed, black. Not just up at the top left and right, but also in the trunks of the trees and in the gentleman's clothing. What is the original histogram like and do you have any room to manouvre and pull back the black point, so that those blacks become dark greys?

Just a feeling I had - That I'd like to reduce the contrast to make the whole thing more muted and less vibrant in terms of the range of tones. Make the whole thing duller and more drab.

Just a thought. Mightn't work, but ...........!

[Snarkbyte]

Hi Wendy.

First of all, I have to agree particularly with your own assessment, and with the suggestions provided by Geoff and Don. For my own part, I keep imagining what this would look like with the perspective provided by a longer telephoto lens (but I don't even know if you have one ). A 300mm, for example, from a slightly greater distance would provide both the compressed DoF and cropping previously mentioned, and would likely make the cane more prominent, as well. Don's comment about the lack of detail in the human subject is dead-on, IMO, so I think perspective and local adjustments are the keys to improving this image. I do feel your frustration, though... I can sense the intent, and I want to like this image, but it just misses the mark emotionally. Basically, that means your eye for a good shot was working well enough... all you need is a bit of practice.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Peter, I'm using fixed ISO (I set it myself) I know about the auto function, but right now I'm trying to keep everything as manual as possible so I get to know the camera better. When I get it all sorted out then I plan to take advantage of the A B buttons and also some of the other auto features like the ISO one you mentioned.

I plan to keep working on the different focus modes, but right now all I can say is that I prefer what I've been using all along which is single point AFS. I'm probably expecting too much, or picking the wrong type of subjects to track but so far I'm not happy with AFC, AFA, 3D whether it be single point 9 point or 39 point. It will take time and experience for me to know which one to use where, but for now I do a better job tracking a subject myself. (

The squirrels have been quiet latley, but they will be back. I can see the point of picking a spot and pre-focusing manually and then waiting for the subject to go to that spot, especially with all the tree branches at all different distances that the camera wants to lock on to. It will take some practice and time and patience but I think I'll get it before the year is over.

Wendy

You know, in all honesty when shooting fast moving objects the Auto ISO function is a really useful tool. We're talking about light capturing capability vs noise, which with moving subjects is less critical than shutter speed and even aperture. And you can set the upper limit as well so you can control what ISO you can go up to so I'd recommend turning it on for your squirrel shots

[Goldcoastgolfer]

So on your Week 5 shot, everyone has given you plenty of technical feedback so I thought I'd focus on the feel aspects. For me, when I look at your image I seem to focus on the branches above the man. They seem to dominate what I'm looking at rather than the man himself. I think perhaps cropping the top to give a landscape frame combined with pulling back a bit on the blacks to mute the branches and add a bit more detail to your subject will work to pull your viewer's focus back to the old man. I'd be interested to see what the scene would be like with a increased exposure just on the snow to whiten it further, again to pull a viewer's attention back to the old man on the path against the branches. The whitened snow might also help to make the can stand out a bit more.

That's all I can think of for the moment. Looking forward to hearing what you eventually come up with.

[jeechu1970]

Hi Wendy........the amount of feedback in your post....is really interesting....i have been benefited a lot.....and hope to get most information...in future as well.....Now ur experiments are also very interesting......i look forward to your posts........girish

[johnbharle]

I am interested in Donald's comment on pulling back the blacks to grey. How do you do that, Donald?

As for suggestions, I don't think that I can add anything to what's already been said. I would, however, like to somehow darken the trees so that you can focus more on your walker.
john

[johnbharle]

I took the liberty of downloading your photo and editing it in SilverEfex Pro. I also cropped it slightly. Hope I didn't overstep any boundaries. Is this closer to what you envisioned? Or did I go completely wrong? :-)

Mod Edit: post with picture moved to a separate thread here