Pink Begonia

[Heidilyn]

A pink begonia. Practicing shooting in manual. What do you think? Feedback appreciated

f 5.6
1/200
ISO 200

[HockeyFan]

Nice. It's been a while since I've seen one of these. I'm so busy nowadays. I really do need to take time out and go for a nature walk, as well as maybe go through a formal garden or a park or something like that. It's just so busy right now.

[MrJulius]

It might be the sizing, but it isn't very sharpfocus?

[Heidilyn]

Originally Posted by MrJulius

It might be the sizing, but it isn't very sharpfocus?

The whole flower isn't in sharp focus...I was focusing on the center.

[Hayward Taylor]

Hello Heidilyn - I am not sure what kind of camera/lens you used for this shot but I find that at f/8 and a shutter speed of 125 you get very good results when shooting in manual mode..also you can try the "sunny 16" rule.

you may also want to try the Critique thread to really get some constructive answers to your questions..

it's a pretty shot

[Heidilyn]

Originally Posted by Hayward Taylor

Hello Heidilyn - I am not sure what kind of camera/lens you used for this shot but I find that at f/8 and a shutter speed of 125 you get very good results when shooting in manual mode..also you can try the "sunny 16" rule.

you may also want to try the Critique thread to really get some constructive answers to your questions..

it's a pretty shot

Thanks for the suggestion. I have a Nikon D40 with a kit lens and also a telephoto.

What is the sunny 16 rule?

[Hayward Taylor]

Hi Heidilyn...here's a brief explanation of the "sunny 16" rule..it's geared mostly to film but you can apply it to digital if you're shooting in manual mode.. hope it's helpful...


In photography, the sunny 16 rule (or, less often, the "sunny f/16 rule") is a method to estimate correct daylight exposures without using a light meter.

The basic sunny 16 rule, applicable on a sunny day, is this:

Set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed (reciprocal seconds) to ISO film speed.
For example, for ISO 100 film, choose shutter speed of 1/100 second (or 1/125 second)

The elaborated form of the sunny 16 rule for more general situations is:

Set the shutter speed to the setting nearest to the ISO film speed
Set the f-number according to the table below:
Aperture Lighting Conditions Shadow Detail
f/16 Sunny Distinct
f/11 Slight Overcast Soft around edges
f/8 Overcast Barely visible
f/5.6 Heavy Overcast No shadows
f/4 Sunset
[1]

[jiminyClickit]

Heidilyn, Welcome

Good subject and color combination. The sharpness seems confined to the bloom's center, very little of any petal showing much detail. Very narrow DOF could account for that, but EXIF doesn't seem to agree. Were you in any Macro or other mode?

If you imagine blooms as faces, and treat the image as a portrait, your subject is looking right, and is on the right side of the composition. Your viewer follows that look out of the frame, again and again. In the viewfinder, just before the shutter completes your shot, is the time to move that face to a position that arrests your viewer, makes them stay and enjoy it. That increased sharpness is important for the same reason: for a longer, more enjoyable viewing.

Cropping is sometimes the last chance you have to get better composition. If this is how you framed in camera, you're left little choice but to go in closer for a tight center shot. If you get in the habit of leaving "breathing room" around all your bloom's petals, they are a more relaxed sight, and it leaves you the option of a different composition. I have to wonder what you saw as you took this? Did you notice just the edges of some petals were clipped?

[Heidilyn]

Originally Posted by jiminyClickit

Heidilyn, Welcome
Were you in any Macro or other mode?

I have to wonder what you saw as you took this? Did you notice just the edges of some petals were clipped?

I wasn't in macro, just up as close as I could get with the lens that I had. I do realize that I should have had the flower on the left side since it is facing to the right, that makes sense. I'll have to compose that differently next time. Yes, I noticed that the petal edges were clipped...kinda the effect I was going for (it wasn't cropped that way).

Thanks you so much for your suggestions. I have a lot to work on

[Heidilyn]

Originally Posted by Hayward Taylor

Hi Heidilyn...here's a brief explanation of the "sunny 16" rule..it's geared mostly to film but you can apply it to digital if you're shooting in manual mode.. hope it's helpful...


In photography, the sunny 16 rule (or, less often, the "sunny f/16 rule") is a method to estimate correct daylight exposures without using a light meter.

The basic sunny 16 rule, applicable on a sunny day, is this:

Set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed (reciprocal seconds) to ISO film speed.
For example, for ISO 100 film, choose shutter speed of 1/100 second (or 1/125 second)

The elaborated form of the sunny 16 rule for more general situations is:

Set the shutter speed to the setting nearest to the ISO film speed
Set the f-number according to the table below:
Aperture Lighting Conditions Shadow Detail
f/16 Sunny Distinct
f/11 Slight Overcast Soft around edges
f/8 Overcast Barely visible
f/5.6 Heavy Overcast No shadows
f/4 Sunset
[1]

Thanks for the info!!