My first photo attempt, small objects - could use your help

[Samanax]

Okay, the link in your last post works. Is this a 100% crop (it looks like a crop to me)? Or did you reduce the original size down in a photo editor? Just how are you resizing your pictures?

So your camera is set to ISO 200. You appear to have good lighting (the Speedlite or the two lamps). Aperture is f/18 (you might want to open up the aperture a bit...try f/8). And you're using the highest quality JPEG setting. What was the shutter speed? And what shooting mode are you using?

For some reason the image looks weird...kinda grainy under the pen and the colors seem washed out. Sorry, but I'm not sure why it looks the way it does. Someone with more experience will have to help you with this problem.

Good luck.

[Robb]

Shutter speed was 1/60th and exposure bias +1.3
All I did out of Camera was crop in Photoshop and reduce image size. Saved using 80% quality JPEG out of Photoshop