2017 Project 52 - 2nd QTR - Sandy(Skitterbug)

[Wavelength]

Both the images are class... i like the expressions of those turtles very much

[skitterbug]

Both the images are class... i like the expressions of those turtles very much

Thank you! The big one does look like he might be "smiling"!

[vaez]

nice done

[Geoff F]

Good exposure on both of these shots.

[skitterbug]

nice done

Thank you Vaez.

[skitterbug]

Good exposure on both of these shots.

Hi Geoff ~ Thank you for looking at the photos and expressing approval!

But I have a question about ISO settings that has been bothering me...... So on both of these I used ISO1600 because I've found that if I set it there and then have my depth of field the way I want - in this case f/5.6 - and leave the rest of the settings for the camera to decide, I generally can get a decent picture without blur. How do people set theirs for ISO100 or ISO200 and not have any blurring of motions? This has really baffled me and I have got to figure it out to be more comfortable with the settings I choose. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

[Geoff F]

Higher Iso settings will produce more image noise, particularly in the shadows.

I generally limit myself to 800 max and 400 usually works with no problems. Maybe I will push it to Iso 1250 in good light where I specifically need a very fast shutter speed. But a high Iso in poor light will increase any noise issues. Which is unfortunate because it is in those poor light conditions where you really need a higher setting; so compromises will always be necessary.

Some people keep their Iso at 100 or 200 max and work around any potential aperture/shutter speed problems which may occur. Most auto camera options will deliberately choose as low an Iso as possible which often results in unacceptably slow shutter speeds and motion blur.

Take your bracket fungus shot for example. You have a shutter speed of 1/4000 which I would consider to be suitable for high speed scenes, such as fast flying birds. For your fungus image I would use somewhere around 1/200 to 1/500 which should be ample for a hand held shot, and slower could be used for tripod shooting. That would allow you to reduce the Iso to somewhere around 400 with less noise risk and the ability to capture fine detail; particularly if you used a slightly narrower aperture.

For me, the first thing I do, when faced with a static scene and ample thinking time, is to look around the area and identify any potential problems which might limit my options. For example, is it hand held? That makes me think about 1/200 minimum shutter speed, although slower is possible with care. Is there any movement in the scene? For example leaves blowing in the wind or people moving around. That would push my shutter speed up to somewhere around 1/500 to 1/800 for relatively slow movement. Somebody running would just about fit within the upper end of that speed bracket.

Next, comes aperture. Do I require a narrow aperture to give as much focus depth as possible (say F11 to F16) or do I want to blur out part of the background and concentrate on a main subject, such as a single person? Which may mean somewhere between F8 and F4 or even wider with a suitable lens.

Once I have decided on my shutter speed and aperture requirements, I start to look at the Iso and choose the smallest option which will fit within the aperture/shutter speed requirements. This is where some compromise often has to be made.

This is why I set my 'default option' to have an Iso of 400 which is a good average for the type of shots which I normally shoot. However, I always try to think about this exposure triangle and continually wonder if one of the options requires changing as the scene alters.

Which is why when I am 'chasing a scene' and move into a different angle with altered light or increased movement I sometimes find myself concentrating too much on the composition and fail to notice that some of my original settings are no longer within the optimum bracket. Instantly recognising any potential issue is part of what separates a true professional photographer from we average mortals.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff ~ Your reply is a "keeper" for me. You tackled my questions perfectly! And I actually understand your answers! So I must be making progress - I think? Anyway - thank you! I really appreciate your help!

I didn't see this reply before running the following experiment but I think maybe it does follow some of what you said. The one thing that I haven't done yet is set my own shutter speed. I have allowed the camera that chore since I didn't fully understand how to manage it. Based on your reply, I may move into manual mode and start choosing my own ISO, speed and aperture for landscape pics. Not sure I'd be brave enough to do that when I'm trying to catch grand-kids on the move or honeybees in motion, etc.

Today wasn’t especially windy so I haven’t settled the issue of how to set ISO, shutter speed, etc. to stop blur but with Geoff's explanation maybe I understand that part better! However, I think I now understand why I should pick a certain ISO.

I processed the first pic before I decided to run my experiment. So I copied the PP settings I used and pasted them over the second pic so none of my PP adjustments should be different between the two. The difference is the noise in the pics. #1 definitely shows more of it than #2. And I am pleased with the results of #2.


#1 Tulip

ISO1600 – 30mm – f/4.5 – 1/3200ss





#2 Tulip

ISO100 – 30mm – f/4.5 – 1/400 ss

[Shadowman]

#68, nicely done.

[skitterbug]

Hi John ~ As you can see from the moisture on the tulips, it was raining off and on! So trying to test my thoughts proved a challenge! I am glad you like the pics! Thank you!

[skitterbug]

18th week already. The weather conditions aren't looking very good for us so I sorted back through last week's stuff and decided to show this one for C&C. It was windy and overcast that day too, when I took the pic. I was going to go back out and try different ISO settings for it but was discouraged by the horrid weather.

This is a Cherokee Dogwood Brave that we were lucky to find at a decent price. Planted now in our landscape! I hope it survives, grows well and blooms next spring so I can take even more pics of the blossoms!

Settings used: ISO1600 - 29mm - f/4.5 (camera chooses speed) 1/4000ss

[Geoff F]

Apart from some slight background noise this one looks good, Sandy. Exposure on the white areas has been kept below the over expose limit and a nice composition.

Incidentally, when faced with an image like this I often put a simple selection around the main subject, with a slight feather edge then sharpen just that area. Followed by inverting the selection (so it now applies to everything except the subject) and apply quite a bit of noise reduction to the areas most affected by the noise; and doing it that way prevents adding any softness to the subject by the noise control. It doesn't matter if the background gets softened by the noise reduction; in fact that can be an advantage.

[skitterbug]

Apart from some slight background noise this one looks good, Sandy. Exposure on the white areas has been kept below the over expose limit and a nice composition.

Incidentally, when faced with an image like this I often put a simple selection around the main subject, with a slight feather edge then sharpen just that area. Followed by inverting the selection (so it now applies to everything except the subject) and apply quite a bit of noise reduction to the areas most affected by the noise; and doing it that way prevents adding any softness to the subject by the noise control. It doesn't matter if the background gets softened by the noise reduction; in fact that can be an advantage.

When applying this sort of effect I work with masks on layers and gently brush in the adjustment so it blends unnoticed into the scene.

Maybe I now understand more what you were explaining when you commented on the vignette around the crabapple tree in post #41.

It took some time to understand what you meant then and now and I wasn't exactly sure how to accomplish the processing so lots of reading later, I tried using the radial filter tool in LightRoom 6. Even after noting the instructions I found, it was still a battle finding the various sliders, etc. <grin> Manuals and I generally don't get along but use them I must!

So this updated crabapple blossom is what I managed to come to. Does it work?

Also I must say thanks for your nudge. Your suggestions keep me exploring and learning!

Updated Blossom

[joebranko]

The updated blossom is better. It is sharper.

[skitterbug]

Thank you Joe. Verification that I've made improvement is a plus to me. I appreciate you checking out my work!

[skitterbug]

19th Week

Tried taking a picture through a magnifying glass. It is an experiment to see if I can get closer to my intended subject and still keep the focus crisp and clear.

I like the colors but I’m not certain I have it as sharp as I’d like. But I’ll submit this one for C&C.

Begonia
ISO200 – 55mm – f/5.6 – 1/80sec

[Shadowman]

Week 19 nicely done, however flower has a bit of CA around the edges, there does seem to be some fuzziness as well.

[skitterbug]

Week 19 nicely done, however flower has a bit of CA around the edges, there does seem to be some fuzziness as well.

Hi John ~ I wasn't sure if it was just me but you confirmed what I was thinking about this photo. I don't believe my idea is going to work as I'd hoped. Back to the "drawing boards". I want to try getting a decent pic of this begonia before the flowers fade!

Added: I was looking at the flowers and I'm not totally sure but I think that the CA that you see is simply the deeper color of the edges of the flowers. Depending on how I look at them, the edges seem to "shift" their shades of color a bit. But I do like the next picture I posted better than this one!

Thanks for your C&C!

[skitterbug]

Week 19 continued....
So I ditched the idea of magnification by an outside source. Couldn't get my image clear enough using what I'd had in mind. Here's another straight forward try with the S18-55 lens.
ISO200 - 44mm - f/9.0 - 1/25

[joebranko]

Nice! Could you clone out the bit of flower from the top left? I think it would make a better composition.

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