learning curve: shooting star tree orchid. What did I mess up, do wrong, or miss?

[JBW]

[Manfred M]

I'd start with the exposure. This shot is significantly under exposed; just look at the histogram. I don't know what colour these are supposed to be, but the image definitely has a purple colour cast as well, so you might have missed on the white balance as well.

[JBW]

I'd start with the exposure. This shot is significantly under exposed; just look at the histogram. I don't know what colour these are supposed to be, but the image definitely has a purple colour cast as well, so you might have missed on the white balance as well.

the histogram is not unreasonable for one bright area in an otherwise dark shot shot on shutter priority? I know you have more sophisticated equipment than I do but as you can see in this snap I moved the colours towards yellow.

[Shadowman]

I would crop tighter, the orchid looks lost in a field of green.

[JBW]

I would crop tighter, the orchid looks lost in a field of green.

that's worth a try.

[Saorsa]

I think you need a slightly different angle and a lot more DOF. Far too much of this image is out of focus for the parts that are in focus to stand out.

[JBW]

I think you need a slightly different angle and a lot more DOF. Far too much of this image is out of focus for the parts that are in focus to stand out.

ok

[Manfred M]

Brian - there is no substantive data above the mid-point of this image. I see what appear to be specular highlights, so I would expect to see a reasonable amount of data banging on the right hand side of the graph, where there is none. The image definitely shows significant highlight areas.

When you read a histogram, you have to look at the image in conjunction with the histogram to get a view on it (i.e. you can't read a histogram without understanding the context of the image it represents).

This image is underexposed.




The other thing that we commonly see in scenes where there are a lot of leaves is a predominance of a greener look. Mageneta is the complimentary colour to green, so when I see that in an image with a lot of leaves, that suggests a white balance issue to be (probably a bit too much blue or even cyan as well).

I suspect this is probably a bit closer to what is growing in your garden.

[joebranko]

It is so dark! Could you not have increased the lighting?

[Urbanflyer]

I agree with Manfred about your read of the histogram. This photo needs more exposure. If you learn through reading, then you might find value in the tutorial on this site about understanding histograms:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...istograms1.htm

If you learn by doing, then shoot the same scene three or four times at progressively faster shutter speeds (1/30,1/90, 1/100, 1/500 for example) holding all else constant, and then study the histograms of each shot. Don't worry about anything else in these shots except how the histogram changes with increased length of exposure.

Your photo also suffers from color temperature (white balance) issues. However, my photography improved a lot when I stopped my world and concentrated on understanding one element at a time by doing the kind of experiment I suggested above. I definitely learn by doing--but I needed to focus that doing in order to make meaningful sense out of it.

I am glad you keep at it.