OKay Ive had it...!??!!

[kimberley]

I need to take a class, can anyone recommend a great place to take a class.

I have started this all wrong and Im getting very frustrated I need to start from the begining and take alot of classes.....

I have been going on blind luck and Im hitting a road block and not liking what I have been "getting" lately and Im getting so confused and lost with all the books Im trying to read and understand.


Does anyone here give classes or know someone or somewhere?

Thanks KImberley

[photosbymorgan2]

What road blocks are you running into? Is it studio lighting, outdoor lighting or just the understanding of how to meter and use aperture and shutter together?

[kimberley]

Yep, pretty much all the above.


I dont have any lighting except what God gives me and my camera and one really good lens.

I just cant seem to get it right, I have been very lucky up to this point and Im not happy with the results I getting from my camera. I see what others are getting from their Digital Rebel and mine fails in comparision as far as clarity and color etc. Im not getting that pop Im looking for. Im "okay" with compisition and what Im looking for in a portrait ( the story ) I want to tell, but Im cant seem to get a grasp of what the heck iM doing.


I know I need more equipment as far as a flash and such but my budget wont allow for that now. I want to make use of what I have which is mostly outdoors and available light. Can that be achieved?

Kimberley

[photosbymorgan2]

Originally Posted by kimberley

Yep, pretty much all the above.


I dont have any lighting except what God gives me and my camera and one really good lens.

I just cant seem to get it right, I have been very lucky up to this point and Im not happy with the results I getting from my camera. I see what others are getting from their Digital Rebel and mine fails in comparision as far as clarity and color etc. Im not getting that pop Im looking for. Im "okay" with compisition and what Im looking for in a portrait ( the story ) I want to tell, but Im cant seem to get a grasp of what the heck iM doing.


I know I need more equipment as far as a flash and such but my budget wont allow for that now. I want to make use of what I have which is mostly outdoors and available light. Can that be achieved?

Kimberley

How do you process your photos? Processing the photos plays a part in how they look also.

[snidow]

Hi Kim, sounds like you are pushing for too much too fast. I would suggest getting the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. Here is a link for it http://www.booksellersnow.com/bsnund...ngexposure.htm

You might also post a before post processing photo and the after post processing photo to see from the more experience processors on the board here what insight they might have.

One other thing, 99% of us feels the other person took the better photo, we are all very critical on ourselves. I know the people on this board will help as much as possible to help you achieve the finished product you desire. I am not sure of any classes that I can suggest, sorry.

If you are getting the same results all the time with your camera, could there be a problem with it? Have you considered sending it in to Canon to be checked?

Just some thoughts.

[engstrom]

I'll add to what Laruie said. If you could give us an example of one of your pictures and a picture from a Digital Rebel you think is good, along with a description of what it is about that other picture you like then maybe we can give suggestions on what to do to your picture to get the results you're looking for.

[aggarcia]

When I first upgraded from a PS to a DSLR a friend recommended some basic classes at Leisure Learning www.llu.com . The instructor that I liked the best of the classes I took was Kathy Adams Clark. They are really pretty short, but gives you the information to start you down the path knowing how to use your camera. I would recommend Kathy without any reservation.

[Justin]

As on other threads, I wholeheartidly second the recommendation on the "Understanding Exposure" book. Great book, easy to read and understand due to the excellent accompanying photos.

[kimberley]

I just bought that book on Friday.....I am starting to read it now, but Im going back farther than that I think.

I think my main problem is exposure for sure and then sharpness, I just cant seem to get the focusing right Ive tried Manuel and automatic and neither works for me.

I feel like I am relying on my RAW converter too much, alot of post processing, either too dark or too light or colors are washed out and almost always out of focus or a bit blurry.
I will post an example.

[engstrom]

Kimberly, so the pictures without the frame are yours and the pictures with the black frame are from somebody else? It definately looks like your pictures are front focused. Also, they look a little bit overexposed but that and the saturation of the framed pictures could just be a result of post processing. If I were you I'd perform a focus check and if needed send in the camera to be calibrated.

[kimberley]

there all mine before processing then after.

HOw do I perform the focusing test you mentioned?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

OK not sure on that camera if you can change your metering option but if you can look at your manual and see what meter setting there are and try some of the other ones, same thing with the spot focusing.

I know on mine I can move the spot metering and focusing to several different areas, heck if I don't lock it down sometimes I actually shift it around when messing with the controls so I have to check from time to time if I didn't shift it.

Really looks like your DOF is ending where your main subject is instead of it being equal in front of and behind the main subject.

Try this- set up a chess board or something with multiple objects each say several inches apart and in various layers of depth and shoot focused on the center mid depth piece and see how it turns out.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

http://www.pbase.com/rossw/image/580602
chessboard shot with narrow DOF

[markperez]

Originally Posted by kimberley

there all mine before processing then after.

HOw do I perform the focusing test you mentioned?

Are you kidding me!!! Other then the first one being a bit off on the exposure those are pretty good I think. You aren't going to be MyKey over night so don't judge yourself compared to them. Bracket your exposures then look at the exif data and see what each photo is doing. Based on those photos you certainly don't need to start from the begining.

[Liz]

Kimberley, the two in the black frames are just adorable.