Working with sunlight

[Petracsr]

I'm practicing taking photos during the middle of the day, working around the sun, working with just my camera and built-in flash. The only thing I've done to this photo is Auto Levels with PSE6. I tend to over do things in PS, so I thought I would ask for suggestions before messing with it. I'm pretty happy with the colors except the brightness on her face. What's the best way to get better color on her face without it looking funky?
Settings were 1/200, f5.0, ISO 400, flash fired.

Thanks, Petra

[Petracsr]

Sorry, can't get the image to load! Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Using tinypic, says it's successful, but no image

[Sahil]

When the tinypic is done with uploading, it gives an HTML code. It seems that you are not pasting that code in the reply window. ?

[Petracsr]

Trying again...

[Petracsr]

When the tinypic is done with uploading, it gives an HTML code. It seems that you are not pasting that code in the reply window. ?

Thanks, Sahil. I think I need to go take a nap or something!

[Sahil]

Can see the pic now. I don't think you need ISO that high during day light. You could have had a faster shutter speed. Its a little over-exposed. I guess you could have done without the flash. Well I am no expert. The experts will soon be here with their expert comments
Have a Goodnight!

[Petracsr]

To be honest, I was so focused on getting her entire face out of the sunlight, while being aware of the background, that I didn't check setting except the ap. It's hard when you're old and learning something new! I need to make myself some cheatsheets. I will repeat this shot (and drive my daughter crazy) with a change in shutter speed and ISO. I think I did it without flash, and it was a little dark, but will try that again with different settings.
Thanks, Sahil.
Petra

[Colin Southern]

Hi Petra,

Pretty good

The BIG "stand-out" issue is the fact that the foreground (ie young lady) has been over-exposed by the flash by a couple of stops. To illustrate what I mean I've given the image a quick edit by adjusting the levels as they pertain to the lady so that you can see the difference. I've deliberately let the background go way too dark to help you see that it was a flash issue ... with this kind of shot you have two zones to consider; foreground and background ... the background exposure was initially just fine ... it was just a foreground issue.

Solution is pretty easy ... if the camera does this then all you need to do is dial in a bit of negative FEC - that's Flash Exposure Compensation.

[Sahil]

Here is my little try on your shot. Hope you don't mind.

[Petracsr]

Solution is pretty easy ... if the camera does this then all you need to do is dial in a bit of negative FEC - that's Flash Exposure Compensation.

Thanks you, Colin. I will definitely try this.

Sahil, I like what you did How did you do it

[Petracsr]

Okay. Here is my attempt at a "fix" trying not to go overboard.

And I just want to say, the information you all give makes so much sense when I go back and read the manual, so thank you so much for that. Turns "technical, technical, technical" in "Oh, that's what that means!" Will have to wait until tomorrow to try the FEC.

[Colin Southern]

Okay. Here is my attempt at a "fix" trying not to go overboard.

Hi Petra,

Good job at fixing, but I think this is a great example of how getting it right in camera saves a lot of work afterwards.

[Sahil]

Sahil, I like what you did How did you do it

Hi Petra.

I opened it in ACR. Brought down the exposure. Then filled in little light and played around with blacks, vibrance. Then tried curves on it. Oh yea, also cropped it. Then in Photoshop I selected her top and saturated its colours a bit. Then used Unsharp Mask for sharpening. You have some post processing software?

[Colin Southern]

You have some post processing software?

So much easier to just get it right "in camera"

[Sahil]

So much easier to just get it right "in camera"

True man!
But if we don't get the camera to capture the image right, we can make it up using a s/w

[Petracsr]

So much easier to just get it right "in camera"

Sahil, I have PSE6, which I'm still learning and have tons of questions about. I think I understand everything you did, except I don't have the curves like the larger photoshops. But I agree with Colin. I really need to learn about all I can do with the camera to try and get it right in the first place. I'm taking a class in a couple of weeks that is specific to my camera, and I can't wait. In the meantime...I'll keep practicing.
Thanks.

[Sahil]

I would suggest you to take as many pictures as you can during this week. That ways you will have better understanding of what you will be taught. You are lucky that you have photography classes there. There are none in my city's proximity. I wish I could attend some.
AND learning about Curves would help you a lot.

[Colin Southern]

I really need to learn about all I can do with the camera to try and get it right in the first place.

Just think of any shot that uses flash as having 2 zones; Av mode (aperture priority mode, which is the normal mode for this kind of thing) will expose the background (which you can adjust using EC (Exposure Compensation)), and a foreground zone which the flash illuminates, that you can adjust with FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation).

Once you get those 2 sussed you're already ahead of 90% of photographers!

[Klickit]

Sahil, I have PSE6, which I'm still learning and have tons of questions about. I think I understand everything you did, except I don't have the curves like the larger photoshops.
Thanks.

Petra, there is a website with some add-ons for PSE's. Some are freebies and some you pay for, but one has a curves adjustment.
http://www.hiddenelements.com/elements6_tools.php
A second site to consider has freebie curves.
http://www.earthboundlight.com/photo...ments-4-5.html

[Petracsr]

Petra, there is a website with some add-ons for PSE's. Some are freebies and some you pay for, but one has a curves adjustment.
http://www.hiddenelements.com/elements6_tools.php
A second site to consider has freebie curves.
http://www.earthboundlight.com/photo...ments-4-5.html

Thank you, Klickit. I will definitely check them out. Any experience with either site??