Try The TIKI Again.

[jpendley77]

Sorry the photo being so small in previous, now maybe this is large enough to critique.

Lens: 55-200mm F/4-5.6 G
Focal Length: 155mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/10 sec - F/5.3
Sensitivity: ISO 100

[Robin Sarac]

If I had taken this photo, I would have it hanging in my media room. If you can reshoot, try focusing on the second tiki...just curious what it would look like.

Love the photo.

[clockdoc]

I guess my first question is, "What did you envision in your mind's eye when you composed the shot in your cameras viewfinder? I don't know how far you were from your subject but you were shooting with a longer than normal focal length but probably at wide-open for that setting. It is difficult to see where you focused but I suspect it was somewhere on the right-most light fixture. Depth of field was very minimal at this setting so very little remained in focus. Recall that depth of field extends forward 1/3 and back or away from the point of focus 2/3. However at wide open you would not have any significant depth of field anyway. Try moving away a bit and don't fill the frame of your viewfinder.

[jpendley77]

Originally Posted by clockdoc

I guess my first question is, "What did you envision in your mind's eye when you composed the shot in your cameras viewfinder? I don't know how far you were from your subject but you were shooting with a longer than normal focal length but probably at wide-open for that setting. It is difficult to see where you focused but I suspect it was somewhere on the right-most light fixture. Depth of field was very minimal at this setting so very little remained in focus. Recall that depth of field extends forward 1/3 and back or away from the point of focus 2/3. However at wide open you would not have any significant depth of field anyway. Try moving away a bit and don't fill the frame of your viewfinder.

In my mind i wanted to have the fixture to the left to be the focal point to off-center the photo and since alot of the colors were so close i used the longer focal length to blur the rest of them out. I see your point about not filling the frame in my view finder though. I like the photo and i think i achieved what i was going for, but since i am so new at this i am starting to see everything else that factors in, or should factor in. Haha. Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated.

[clockdoc]

Hi. The point about not filling the frame was to use more distance and gain additional depth of field. You have to think about how people view a photo. One's eye typically goes to bright/colorful subjects and things that are sharp or contrast against their background. Also they view as they read. Here we read fom left to right and when our composition assists us in moving out of the frame, our eyes and brain follow. You comosition is better here in that it keeps you from moving out too quickly.

If I read your comment correctly you wanted the left-most fixture to be the focal point? You also wanted to emphasize that by placing the other two out of focus? That is OK just be careful not to use too much 'out-of-focus' or the blur will become a distraction.

[jpendley77]

Originally Posted by clockdoc

Hi. The point about not filling the frame was to use more distance and gain additional depth of field. You have to think about how people view a photo. One's eye typically goes to bright/colorful subjects and things that are sharp or contrast against their background. Also they view as they read. Here we read fom left to right and when our composition assists us in moving out of the frame, our eyes and brain follow. You comosition is better here in that it keeps you from moving out too quickly.

If I read your comment correctly you wanted the left-most fixture to be the focal point? You also wanted to emphasize that by placing the other two out of focus? That is OK just be careful not to use too much 'out-of-focus' or the blur will become a distraction.

Thanks Clock for your help and knowledge.