How can i get it right?

[Eagle355]

I tried to photograph two friends in a hotel room just for fun. Indoor photography is what i do mostly. However once again i got it wrong.. I think the photos are not correctly exposed. I never had these issues with my old compact canon ixus 700, i used to turn it on programme mode and just played a bit with the flash and the photos were ok. Now i have my canon 500d with the kit lens 17-55 is f3.5-5.6 and am struggling to get a correct exposure photo. I can't understand what i am doing wrong.. I choose an f5.0 and in another photo i think it was f.4.5 had the camera on M-manual mode, white balance set and followed the camera;s metering mode for a correct exposure indication,(changed the aperture and shutter settings a bit to get a correct metering indication) also had my flash on iso 400. I don't know what i did wrong since the camera showed that everything was ok. Also i took an introductory class to photography and read a few books, but nobody is saying those simple things that really matter..for example indoor photography,,use this Aperture,..this Shutter Speed and this white balance/iso combination and you will have it almost correct. Are these simple things such a great well kept secret that nobody can just poin out with simpicity?
Is really frustrating to know that the camera can do it so much better but you can't figure out how to do it

[Eagle355]

I forgot to include the settings i've used for each image:

1st photo (image 544)
File Name IMG_0544.JPG
Camera Model Canon EOS Kiss X3
Firmware Firmware Version 1.0.9
Shooting Date/Time 3/6/2010 3:54:06 μμ
Owner's Name
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 400
Auto ISO Speed OFF
Lens EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Focal Length 21.0mm
Image Size 4752x3168
Image Quality Fine
Flash On
Flash Type Built-In Flash
Flash Exposure Compensation 0
Red-eye Reduction On
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
FE lock OFF
White Balance Mode Tungsten
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Long exposure noise reduction 0:Off
High ISO speed noise reduction 0:Standard
Highlight tone priority 0isable
Auto Lighting Optimizer 0:Standard
Peripheral illumination correction Enable
File Size 4973KB
Dust Delete Data No
Drive Mode Single shooting
Live View Shooting OFF



2nd photo ( image 539)
File Name IMG_0539.JPG
Camera Model Canon EOS Kiss X3
Firmware Firmware Version 1.0.9
Shooting Date/Time 3/6/2010 3:24:52 μμ
Owner's Name
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 400
Auto ISO Speed OFF
Lens EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Focal Length 18.0mm
Image Size 4752x3168
Image Quality Fine
Flash On
Flash Type Built-In Flash
Flash Exposure Compensation 0
Red-eye Reduction On
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
FE lock OFF
White Balance Mode Tungsten
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Long exposure noise reduction 0:Off
High ISO speed noise reduction 0:Standard
Highlight tone priority 0isable
Auto Lighting Optimizer 0:Standard
Peripheral illumination correction Enable
File Size 5093KB
Dust Delete Data No
Drive Mode Single shooting
Live View Shooting OFF

3rd photo (image 534)

File Name IMG_0534.JPG
Camera Model Canon EOS Kiss X3
Firmware Firmware Version 1.0.9
Shooting Date/Time 3/6/2010 3:22:15 μμ
Owner's Name
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 400
Auto ISO Speed OFF
Lens EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Focal Length 33.0mm
Image Size 4752x3168
Image Quality Fine
Flash On
Flash Type Built-In Flash
Flash Exposure Compensation 0
Red-eye Reduction On
Shutter curtain sync 1st-curtain sync
FE lock OFF
White Balance Mode Tungsten
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Long exposure noise reduction 0:Off
High ISO speed noise reduction 0:Standard
Highlight tone priority 0isable
Auto Lighting Optimizer 0:Standard
Peripheral illumination correction Enable
File Size 5011KB
Dust Delete Data No
Drive Mode Single shooting
Live View Shooting OFF



Your help and even some guides such as books etc that can point out what the best possible settings can be in a given situation will be greatly appreciated

[Cmoon]

There are several things that I can think of that would help to pull together the picture. First off check your backgrounds and uitilize the rule of thirds. Each of the images have a cool tone to them and could be brought to life with a warmer tone. The models/ friends look like they are bored (or without instruction). Also you can tell the lighting is harsh, casting shadows and such. If you are using and external flash you should try to bounce the light to the ceiling. I hope that this is the feedback that you are looking for. Please remember these are just opinions. The greatest learning tool is practice. Know your camera's limits and try different techniques. Best of luck, Thanks for sharing!!!

[Nicole]

What looks to be most of the problem on these is really just the white balance. It's turning everything too blue. Getting the right WB can be difficult, so you might want to read up on how to set a custom one if you're really struggling.

[autofocus]

Just a quick thought...probably would be better off shooting scenes like this in P mode with your flash up. If you are new to the camera, and it sounds like you are, trying to do everything in manual mode with flash can be tricky. There will be plenty of time to learn manual shooting once you get more familiar with the camera. You also had your white balance set to tungsten...if you wanted to manually select this it should have been on flash, and not tungsten. I suspect that's the reason for the very cool tones in the image. Hope this helps

Vinnie

[IABoomer]

You have the white balance set for tungsten, but the flash fired which is what made everything blue like that. Change the white balance to flash when shooting with the flash, or tungsten if shooting with incandescent lights without the flash and you should clear up the color issue.

As to the composition, the third one is the least distracting. The first one has too much clutter on the bed in the background. In the second one, the differing floor textures and the wall-mounted painting are distracting.

[kirbinster]

Also why such a slow shutter speed -- lucky no motion blur. Why not shoot in auto or program mode and see what the camera does and how it looks, and then adjust from there.

[Eagle355]

i was shooting the two girls just for fun so i didn;t bother with background-forthground etc. My question is clearly on the colour-exposure i know i could have made a much better angle for background forthground etc. As for the white balance setting my camera does not have a flash white balance mode? it has the tungsten incandense (whatever is called) sunny cloudy and custom and ofcourse the auto. Did the metering made any differnce? i used evaluative

Also my other question that nobody answer so far, is again for any reference-books etc. Is there any book that can give this insight guide on what settings to choose for each photo? for example indoor, outdoor cloudy..nighttime...specific guides-suggestion on what the aperture should be,,what the iso what the shutter etc. ?

[LeeR]

Here is the quick and dirty method for correcting you color. Open levels in either Photoshop or GIMP and pick up the little eyedropper with th ewhite liquid in it. Move the dropper over to the wall behind the girls and BINGO, instant color correction! Actually there are a couple more steps involved to get it perfect, but this will get you close enough for now.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by Eagle355

i was shooting the two girls just for fun so i didn;t bother with background-forthground etc. My question is clearly on the colour-exposure i know i could have made a much better angle for background forthground etc. As for the white balance setting my camera does not have a flash white balance mode? it has the tungsten incandense (whatever is called) sunny cloudy and custom and ofcourse the auto. Did the metering made any differnce? i used evaluative

Also my other question that nobody answer so far, is again for any reference-books etc. Is there any book that can give this insight guide on what settings to choose for each photo? for example indoor, outdoor cloudy..nighttime...specific guides-suggestion on what the aperture should be,,what the iso what the shutter etc. ?

The first and best book to read is your camera manual, and I hate to inform you, but your camera does have a flash white balance setting

White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Flash • Custom