Need assistance in everything apparently

[firebuffgal]

I can't seem to get sharp crisp photos regardless of body or lens. Everything is underexposed with the D70. Everything is overexposed with the D100. Maybe I need a class and go back to the basics. I shoot in program mode but sometimes it's just easier for me, because I never did learn basic photography when I picked up my manual Minolta 25 years ago. It was just lucky settings on film. Only after getting digital did f-stop and aperture really sink in.

So, does anyone know of a class specific to Nikon in the Plano area that will teach me how to improve? I'm this close to just putting the camera down and walking away but I have a trip to Yellowstone coming up and I really want to be prepared for it... and this is killing me.... Thanks in advane.

Link to photo example: http://jdawgdesign.com/tpf/Bshift1.jpg

[Wes]

The sample that you linked to doesn't really tell me that it's a camera problem. It seems that it's more of a lighting problem. What were you using for fill lighting? Flash? Reflector?

As for a camera class, you might want to look into the Collin County Community College. Not Nikon specific, but I've been told that they have some very good instruction.

[ara.bentley]

I was having the same problems, very same.

The solutions for me, get out of P mode and shoot in Av and Tv (at first just so you can get used to contoling at least one of the factors) and invest in lighting!!!!!!

Lighting is what will allow you to adjust your settings to get sharper images. I don't know of a class but I can't stress enough that the right lighting makes all the difference. I agree with the above - the fire truck photo looks like a lighting issue.

[J Eddington]

Try reading "The Digital Photography Book" and "The Digital Photography Book volume 2". By Scott Kelby Chapter one is "Getting really sharp photos.

[Phototx]

Originally Posted by firebuffgal

I can't seem to get sharp crisp photos regardless of body or lens. Everything is underexposed with the D70. Everything is overexposed with the D100. Maybe I need a class and go back to the basics. I shoot in program mode but sometimes it's just easier for me, because I never did learn basic photography when I picked up my manual Minolta 25 years ago. It was just lucky settings on film. Only after getting digital did f-stop and aperture really sink in.

So, does anyone know of a class specific to Nikon in the Plano area that will teach me how to improve? I'm this close to just putting the camera down and walking away but I have a trip to Yellowstone coming up and I really want to be prepared for it... and this is killing me.... Thanks in advane.

Link to photo example: http://jdawgdesign.com/tpf/Bshift1.jpg

A few things to look at
Focus:
1. Increase the depth of field for sharpness/focus. F8 instead of F4 helps until you get the hang of the focusing points.
2. Increase the ISO/Shutter speed to stop camera blur caused by shake.
3. There is an in camera setting for sharpening. Try setting it to a higher mode and see if it helps.
4. In general until you get good at stabilizing a camera you should shoot at a shutter speed about equal to your lens length. If you are good you can cut these speeds to about 2 speeds lower if your subject is not moving.
Example: 30mm@1/30sec, 50mm@1/60sec, 3000mm@1/250

Exposure:
1. Make sure you have exposure compensation set to 0. If your photos are still light set it to -1 and try again.
2. Use the multi pattern exposure metering mode instead of the spot mode.
3. Make sure you have the appropriate ISO 100-400 for most things.
4. I cant remember if the D100 has Auto ISO or not but it can cause issues also.

Have a great day. Hope this helps.
Glen
http://www.phototx.net

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by ara.bentley

The solutions for me, get out of P mode and shoot in Av and Tv (at first just so you can get used to contoling at least one of the factors) and invest in lighting!!!!!!.

Excellent advice.

Time to take control over your camera instead of the other way around.

What's the worst that could happen?

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by ara.bentley

The solutions for me, get out of P mode and shoot in Av and Tv (at first just so you can get used to contoling at least one of the factors)

Excellent advice.

Time to take control over your camera instead of the other way around.

What's the worst that could happen?

[HotHolly]

You can also look for an Intro to Digital Photography class being offered via your town. They usually cover the basics you are needing, and they dont cost a fortune. Mike (hubby) teaches one here once a year. Most towns offer one b/c so many people have camera and are having the same issues your talking about.

[firebuffgal]

Thank you all for your input. Good input on the lighting and the dof settings. I know to shoot manually and seems when I do, my lighting is worse than when in program mode.

For instance, Ara, I ahd to shoot SWAT the other day so I thought, "Hey, let me shoot in aperature priority" and sure enough underexposed, ugh, got frustrated and couldn't think straight to remedy my settings, so back to program mode I went. Things move fast with what I do, and I don't have the time to think, so program mode works well for me 95% of the time. I don't shoot "people" I shoot incidents. And since the boys have seen me on fire scenes for over 10 years they assume I can take group photos... ugh!

Unfortunately classroom time is not an option at this point in my life, it'll be a book for me I guess. Was really wanting one on one instruction and willing to pay, but oh well.

Off to practice!! Thanks ya'll!

[ara.bentley]

Personally I say - if P mode works for you 95% of the time and it gets the job done- Go for it! you are in a much faster paced field than I am and I know I have to think a lot still about every move I make - so I totally understand. But I would still encourage for on those rare group shots or just slow moments, to shoot one in P mode to cover yourself and then play around with the manual stuff when you have time. You can always switch right back to P if things aren't going smoothly! For some reason it really makes the difference in the quality of the images sometimes!

[Thorpeland]

Firebuffgal, Im not sure how the other pictures you took turned out, but the shot you have posted in the first link is a classic example of a digital cameras efforts to find the correct exposure through an "evaluative" light metering setting. Basically your camera was trying to find the best exposure for bright sky and shade covered subjects. What you end up with is a blown out sky and visible but underexposed subjects. The shot you posted is a tough one for anyone with any digital camera... in any mode. Here's some advice for this situation if you encounter it again in the future. I can't advise on your other shots... i haven't seen how they came out.

First off the sun behind the fire truck really had you shooting into a bright sky and shaded subjects. You would have needed to make a conscience choice... "do I want a great looking sky or do i want a nicely exposed subject?" Of course here, you'd want the subjects looking their best. Now Im a Canon shooter not a Nikon guy but im sure its the same roughly. Using.. say, Av mode pop up that built on flash on your camera and press your shutter button half way to get a focus and exposure lock on your subjects. Compose your shot, snap. Check your view finder to see if its what you're looking for (if you know how to use your histogram, even better!). Your camera will meter and use your flash as a fill light, brightening the subjects. If things still seem a bit dark, use the exposure compensation button to bump it up 1/3 stop and shoot again. But for shaded subjects, a fill flash will do a lot! Also I have no idea what ISO you were set on, but its *generally* safe to keep it on 200 for daylight shooting.

Another great tip for fixing things later on the computer... shoot in RAW! You can fix much more in post processing once you learn to work with RAW files. Don't be afraid, its not hard at all.


Thats my 2 cents.

[blazinphotography]

I would also look at the reflections on the Drivers door from the other crew members standing near you.

[firebuffgal]

Thanks Thorpe. Yea, when I use flash the reflective tape on the truck screams back! :D I prefer natuarl lighting to avoid that and I guess I could have bounce the light but again, I'm not a portrait/studio photog.

My histogram actually read fine, so I felt good about it, even with the backlighting. And prior to this shooting I reset my camera to factory defaults to ensure I had not set something incorrectly. Hence, my LCD making it look lighter than it was. I remember now that I had to "darken" the LCD on the camera to match what i aactualyl came up with.

I always shoot in 200 to avoid grain, except at night (Nikon doesn't go below 100). So it's on 200. (EXIF file is on the pic) and it's in RAW but I get grain when adjusting.

Again, thanks for the tips.

[CSebesta]

Recently when doing people pics in bright sun, or even cloudy, I try to keep the sun to my back.

Just try to keep your shadow out of the picture.

With that much back-light, the best solution might be Photoshop Shadows and Highlights. But that is probably more than you want to do.

I think that pic is less the photog than the composition.

Good luck,

Charles

[Gabby498]

Firebuffgal you are the one that is correct. You need a basic photography course. It has nothing to do with A, S, M, or P mode. The camera does not meter any differently in P mode than it does in the other two. Believe me, if you cannot meter correctly in P mode you are not going to meter correctly in A or S. What is wrong with the photograph is flair, caused by shooting into such a bright light. It's like ten years ago when anything went wrong with a computer it was automatically assumed a virus, now if anything goes wrong with a photograph it is automatically assumed P Mode. Silly.

The posted photo is sharp and the washed out flair area can be corrected. You just needs to know what you did wrong that caused the problem so you can avoid it in the future.

You need to know more about metering than you do about shooting modes. You are shooting a backlit subject while a very large percentage of the image area is devoted to extremely bright backlight. If you meter on the truck the image will be over exposed. If you meter on the sky it will be under exposed. Under the conditions, if the posted image has no post work, it is a darn good compromise. Unfortunately shooting into the light produced a large amount of flair that cut the contrast.

Here is a sizable crop with the contrast corrected and no added USM, which all Nikon shots require. Blown up larger you can read the EMT on the sleeve patch, so there is nothing wrong with sharpness.