What happened here?

[VivM]

I got a new camera Sony DSC-H50 last year for Christmas. I am a novice and was at my daughter's house taking pictures and playing with all the new setting. I was wanting to post a few pictures to her bed and breakfast site of how beautiful her house is at the holidays and wanted to use the full photo of this nativity that was my mother's and was hand painted by her best friend. I have two pics, one a close up. I am thinking it is a reflection from the flash by why and how. I thought she might have used a metalic paint but it is not in the close up. Any ideas. First it is wierd but also could be artistic if I could duplicate on purpose. It must have something to do with portrait mode. What would that be?

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[IMG][/IMG]
ImageDescription -
Make - SONY
Model - DSC-H50
Orientation - Right top
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
DateTime - 2009:09:15 07:54:21
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
ExifOffset - 216
ExposureTime - 1/40 seconds
FNumber - 3.50
ExposureProgram - Portrait mode
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 0221
DateTimeOriginal - 2008:12:24 22:15:01
DateTimeDigitized - 2008:12:24 22:15:01
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
CompressedBitsPerPixel - 3 (bits/pixel)
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.71
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
FocalLength - 5.20 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 853
ExifImageHeight - 640
InteroperabilityOffset - 9520
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
SceneCaptureType - Portrait
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal

[IMG][/IMG]

I took out all info that was the same, these are the differences
ImageDescription -
Make - SONY
Model - DSC-H50
DateTime - 2009:09:15 07:53:38

ExifOffset - 216
ExposureTime - 1/50 seconds
FNumber - 2.80
ExposureProgram - Normal program

DateTimeOriginal - 2008:12:24 22:05:48
DateTimeDigitized - 2008:12:24 22:05:48

LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
FocalLength - 6.90 mm


SceneCaptureType - Standard

[BBenson]

Almost seems like you're trying for a product shot instead of a B&B promo shot. Either way, ditch the on-camera flash and light it well, for both the subject and anything behind it in the B&B that makes sense, like what might be a tree off to the right. Give a clear visible context for the promo shots, not sorta black. If its a product shot, same thing, light it so you don't have to deal with on-camera flash. A coffee table isn't always the best photo table, but can work

Bob

[zona5101]

The flare on the angel in the wide shot...humm Divine intervention perhaps??...but looks more like something was on your lens, like a water droplet or something. Besides some external element, I would be at a loss to explain how the electronics in your camera produced that localized effect.

[VivM]

That was not the purpose. First it was taken last year so no redo possible. At the time, I was playing with the new camera, trying all sorts of things at Christmas. Someone on her blog just asked about decorations and I was going to use it as an example of an heirloom decoration and just used the close up, which was fine. When I took it I thought if I used the portrait shot, it might make the nativity in focus and make the background out of focus. But instead I got that blast from the flash. I am just a hobbyist and one of the purchasing features that I wanted was to be able to take indoor pictures without flash or extra lighting. I do have some lamps but I was wanting the Christmas tree lighting effect. I wondered why it only reflected on such a small area when there was no special reflective paint or anything there. Now I would have to guess that it might have to be the focal length. I wonder if the longer the focal length, the smaller the infocus area.

Thanks for your reply, I agree a product shot should have proper lighting. My education is fine arts (oil painting) and the photography and videos are something that I am just learning. No designs on it as an ocupation but I definitely want more control and am hoping this camera will give a chance to learn more.

I will post a couple of more pictures of my "experiments" that have to do with the lighting. Artistically, I think the lighting is an absolute deal breaker and I would need to learn how to get what I want instead of it being "luck". With painting, I can set it up or add it in the technique. I think that is why I have always thought I was such a poor photographer. [/I]