Advice on overcoming red welcomed

[Squidgy]

Just looked at the Sony spec and the DSC-H1 only shoots JPEG or MPEG1 - 5.1Mpix.

[Carole M]

When you shoot jpeg, mostly a -2 compensation is necessary

It is not the camera's saturation that is the problem, but the saturation of the colour of the flower.

Another helpful response; thank you.

I've just been into dpreview and picked up [the other items on the front of the H1 include an AF-assist lamp (which doubles as the self-timer lamp) and the jog dial (used for adjusting manual controls and exposure compensation [-2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV increments], so I'll check that out.

Your red rose photograph is simply superb; oh my ...

[Inkanyezi]

I will give a bit more input on the rose picture, hoping to help understanding the dynamic range and tone curves of digital images, and why some photographers swear to always shooting RAW.

The image was shot in jpeg, and it has been post-processed, to lift the green tones in the shadow a bit. Without post processing, the leaves would have been substantially darker, but the somewhat brighter leaves to the right would show more snap. With more specific processing, it had been possible to avoid the flatter tonality of the leaves to the right, but here, the whole image is treated without separate processing for different layers. However, the tone curve is changed, by lifting the left side of the curve somewhat, to lighten the shadows.

By shooting RAW, it could have had a bit more exposure, and in conversion, saturation of red could be held back, allowing somewhat brighter green tones, with more snap. RAW would also give more dynamic range, saving some tonality in the dark shadows. Professionals often do this PP raindance, for example when a model wears red, in order to maintain balance over the entire image. RAW shooting calls for a more advanced camera and PP technique, and conversion skill has a learning curve. Shooting jpeg is simpler and may render better results for a beginner.

One day you might want to explore the more advanced possibilities of shooting RAW, and it is not necessary to tote a large DSLR to that end. There are also compact cameras that offer this possibility, some of them slim, as Canon PowerShot S95 or bulkier as the G12, but with the added ergonomic features of a tilt screen and more convenient control buttons and dials.

Another thing with the rose picture is that it is shot at an oblique angle toward the flower, with light hitting it obliquely from the right with a whiff of fill from the left by a reflector. It is deliberately put to one side of the image area, thus composing the image with contrasting colours and shapes.

Direct light from the built-in flash cannot model the shape of a flower, but tends to make the image more "flat" - we call that type of lighting, the direct flash from the camera, flat lighting. I rarely use flash, but prefer to use available light, sometimes modeling it with reflectors. An indirect light or a very even light from above can be modeled with a mirror, to cast some light from the side to accentuate shape. I often use a concave shaving mirror for that purpose, but sometimes I just grab a thrown away chocolate bar wrap that some litterbug supplied conveniently.

I am glad you liked the image. It is a little miniature rose that I got for my wife a couple of years ago.

[Dave Humphries]

~ An indirect light or a very even light from above can be modeled with a mirror, to cast some light from the side to accentuate shape. I often use a concave shaving mirror for that purpose, but sometimes I just grab a thrown away chocolate bar wrap that some litterbug supplied conveniently. ~

A couple of very good ideas there Inkanyezi, I have a little concave mirror I use for DIY, now it has another use, I'll move it from toolbox to camera bag

I really will btw.

Thanks,