First try at this!

[tzimmerman]

Hi guys.

I know you usually don't get people as new to digital photography as me posting in the critique forum, but I think that the opinions you guys have really will help me out. Literally this is my first day with my Digital Rebel XT, just learned about aperture and ISO and shutter speed and what they all do. I was using the 18-55 kit lens just messing around seeing what I could do with the aperture and ISO settings in my dimly lit kitchen....and to my surprise I took one picture that I was kinda happy with. This was at 1600 ISO and the aperture full open with this lens at 5. I was working too close for this lens I think, auto focus wasn't working well and I need new contacts so I have trouble manual focusing at the moment :P, plus the shutter speed was slow and I was holding the camera so it was hard to get a good focused picture. The only light I had was one of those energy saver florescent bulb that is suppose to equal a 65w incandescent bulb. I can't believe I got this kind of picture with that little of light just by adjusting the settings on this camera.....now I get why people love these digital cameras. I do know I messed up the white balance....the whole picture came out kinda yellow, but I did a remove noise and color correction in photoshop, also something that I have messed with in the past, and I think it corrected things pretty well.

Sorry this is so long, I really would like to have others critique my shots so I can learn to look and be aware of more things as I shoot and I will probably post here often in the next couple weeks as I get a chance to mess with it more and take some shots.

[clockdoc]

Hi,
I am glad to hear you are enjoying your new Rebel XT. You are doing the best thing, that is, taking pictures and experimenting with the camera settings. Your first shot came out well considering your newness to the camera. I'm not quite sure what you meant by the lens being at "5" and shooting wide open. Keep shooting! I look forward to seeing more of your shots with your new camera.

[tzimmerman]

When I say 5...that was the smallest number aka the widest aperture setting that this lens will allow.

I believe thats how it works....you can get lenses with wider apertures...looking at getting the fixed 50mm lens with the aperture of 1.8 for portraits and close up work.

Let me know the correct terms....or if I am just barking up the wrong tree when I say that 5 is the widest it can go

[clockdoc]

Hi and thanks for the quick reply. What lens are you using with your XT? The number 5 just didn't seem like a typical f/number. If you have a kit zoom lens, that should do fine for portraits and other close-up work. The speed of the 50mm prime lens, f/1.8 is nice but you seemed to hold good depth of field with your shot of the dog. For portraits you will want something a little longer than the 50mm (for example a 105-135mm 35mm equivalent focal length would be useable).

[tzimmerman]

The lens I am using is the kit lens that came with it...like 18-55mm one? I really need to figure out the model numbers on those. We got it as a gift...so I haven't done as much research as I should have.

EDIT: Its the EFs 18-55 kit lense...and I figured out why it would only go to 5.....it changes with zoom....I didn't know that. When I was zoomed in, the aperture would only go to 5 at that length....when you zoom out...it will go to f/3.6. Cool, i love having and epiphany!

[ShadowyFigure]

I think that is a really good shot. I'm new to photography also and have been told to do this one thing. Keep Shooting!

[purplepixie]

Lovely shot - he is adorable. Congratulations on being brave enough to play with the manual settings on your new camera. Looking forward to seeing more.

[enc]

you could try removing overexposition to the right from dogs head. i think that should even-out all the color contrasts in whole picture.

nice shot as for the first time!

[jiminyClickit]

tzimmerman, Welcome

Go celebrate, whether the shot is a surprise, or your 100th, it is what it is, well-shot, processed into better light, and a portrait a dog would identify with, serenely.

[tzimmerman]

Originally Posted by enc

you could try removing overexposition to the right from dogs head. i think that should even-out all the color contrasts in whole picture.

nice shot as for the first time!

Any suggestions of what to do in photoshop as to deal with the overexposed part? I hadn't noticed it before...but now that you point it out I would like to use it as a learning experience as to how to deal with it in the future.

Feel free to edit this image and repost in this forum if any of you would like.