What did I do wrong?

[babygiggles04]

Hi I am new here and so glad I found this site!!! I took this pic of DD today and not sure what went wrong! I am beginner BTW looking for critique! big time!!! it seens that when I use the flash the pic is too bright and when I dont is toooo dark! I been reading a lot but I guess I am stupid cause I dont get it! thanks!



Nikon D40
55-200 mm
ISO 200
F 5
1/250

SUNNY DAY with flash!

[msakbar]

see, the key here is to understand what exposure means. DPS has some awesome posts on the exposure triangle.

you're picture isn't 'too bright', it's overexposed. perhaps you can try taking a longer exposure picture without the flash, you've got your speed set 1/250.. i donno about others, but i can comfortably take still pictures all the way up until 1/20 as a shutter speed.. with that in mind, you want to decrease the aperture as well..
they key to learning is not in reading (although it's very very helpful to know what's happening), it's in trying every possible combination until you get what u want.. eventually you'll know exactly what to flip to in the present lighting conditions.

[babygiggles04]

Originally Posted by msakbar

see, the key here is to understand what exposure means. DPS has some awesome posts on the exposure triangle.

you're picture isn't 'too bright', it's overexposed. perhaps you can try taking a longer exposure picture without the flash, you've got your speed set 1/250.. i donno about others, but i can comfortably take still pictures all the way up until 1/20 as a shutter speed.. with that in mind, you want to decrease the aperture as well..
they key to learning is not in reading (although it's very very helpful to know what's happening), it's in trying every possible combination until you get what u want.. eventually you'll know exactly what to flip to in the present lighting conditions.

Gotcha! Will try one day when my kiddos are sleeping!

[Gromguitar4]

Don't forget to try and use your camera's bracketing function as well. That might help you see various exposures of the same picture. Usually it is a little better to under expose (someone will correct me if I am wrong ) and fix that in Post production.

Also you might want to consider when you shoot. Mid day is harder to get a good, clean exposure without blowing out the lights. Try a shot like this in the morning or later in the evening.

Good luck!

[Benji]

Originally Posted by msakbar

see, the key here is to understand what exposure means. You're picture isn't 'too bright', it's overexposed. perhaps you can try taking a longer exposure picture without the flash, you've got your speed set 1/250.. i donno about others, but i can comfortably take still pictures all the way up until 1/20 as a shutter speed.. with that in mind, you want to decrease the aperture as well..
they key to learning is not in reading (although it's very very helpful to know what's happening), it's in trying every possible combination until you get what u want.. eventually you'll know exactly what to flip to in the present lighting conditions.

One thing everyone must be careful about is listening to "experts" on the internet. Unfortunately some people who got a P&S camera last Christmas are now "experts" in all things photographic and don't know an f stop from X synch.

Your image is too bright because it is overexposed. Overexposure is caused by:

1. Too long a shutter speed
2. Too large an aperture,
3. Too high an ISO. (Or any combination thereof.)

This image was lit by direct sunshine. Direct sunshine simply cannot be used as a main light source in portraiture. It is too bright, too specular and leaves hard harsh shadows. If you MUST use sunshine in a portrait at all use it ONLY as a background and hair light and DON'T allow it to get onto any skin. I seldom use it until late in the afternoon and then only if I can add a powerful flash to illuminate the face and bring the sunshine and the flash lit portions of the image closer in exposure to one another. If you don't you will have a massively bright background and hair.

Benji

[msakbar]

Originally Posted by Benji

One thing everyone must be careful about is listening to "experts" on the internet. Unfortunately some people who got a P&S camera last Christmas are now "experts" in all things photographic and don't know an f stop from X synch.

Your image is too bright because it is overexposed. Overexposure is caused by:

1. Too long a shutter speed
2. Too large an aperture,
3. Too high an ISO. (Or any combination thereof.)

This image was lit by direct sunshine. Direct sunshine simply cannot be used as a main light source in portraiture. It is too bright, too specular and leaves hard harsh shadows. If you MUST use sunshine in a portrait at all use it ONLY as a background and hair light and DON'T allow it to get onto any skin. I seldom use it until late in the afternoon and then only if I can add a powerful flash to illuminate the face and bring the sunshine and the flash lit portions of the image closer in exposure to one another. If you don't you will have a massively bright background and hair.

Benji

well said benji,however, i fear you sit on a throne that's quite high.

i did recommend that said person read the articles on the exposure (i.e. iso, etc. etc.) and also did recommend that they use a longer shutter speed, and combine that with a smaller aperture to try and get a better picture.

i don't see where i recommended anything a) wrong, b) different from you

if i did, please excuse my ignorance.

[PhotogChic]

The good news is, it's fixable! Play with recovery settings, decrease your exposure in Photoshop or another program that is simila. Overexposed photos are more fixable than underexposed photos! It still may be overexposed but it still can be usable!

[Benji]

Originally Posted by msakbar

well said benji,however, i fear you sit on a throne that's quite high.

i did recommend that said person read the articles on the exposure (i.e. iso, etc. etc.) and also did recommend that they use a longer shutter speed, and combine that with a smaller aperture to try and get a better picture.

i don't see where i recommended anything a) wrong, b) different from you

if i did, please excuse my ignorance.

I guess I'm curious how using a longer shutter speed will render a better picture. She used 1/250 shutter speed which will freeze any subject movement, and assuming she used the lens at 200mm without a tripod she MUST use 1/250 to prevent camera shake so using a slower shutter speed would be the wrong thing to do. Then she used f/5.0, which gave her some really nice bokeh, so assuming if she took your advice and used a smaller aperture like maybe f/11 what would be the advantage? A sharper background? Who wants a sharp background when it is boring like this one? No one I know.

Benji

[msakbar]

Originally Posted by Benji

I guess I'm curious how using a longer shutter speed will render a better picture. She used 1/250 shutter speed which will freeze any subject movement, and assuming she used the lens at 200mm without a tripod she MUST use 1/250 to prevent camera shake so using a slower shutter speed would be the wrong thing to do. Then she used f/5.0, which gave her some really nice bokeh, so assuming if she took your advice and used a smaller aperture like maybe f/11 what would be the advantage? A sharper background? Who wants a sharp background when it is boring like this one? No one I know.

Benji

the point wasn't about getting a boring picture or not, the question was how to not have her picture so 'bright' i.e. she wanted to get a better exposure.

in order to be able to get a better exposure in the present conditions (i'm assuming she doesn't have extra flash kits and is using her on-camera flash as she very clearly pointed out she's new at this).. i suggested she experiment by having a slower shutter speed (one that will be manageable without a tripod and camera shake) and increasing her aperture..

tips on how to get a sharper/out of focus background was not what she was looking for.

having had no clue about my previous experience with photography, and having jumped to conclusions about me having bought a p&s last christmas speaks very highly of your ignorance.

[archersdad]

If you do shoot in direct sunlight, which is fairly difficult to do unless you wait until sunrise or sunset, you really need to use a MUCH faster shutter speed. Someone mentioned a 1/20 shutter instead of a 1/250 which is going the wrong way. You want to be up around 1/800-ish (or more) at f/5. Don't worry about using a flash. Place your subject with their back to the sun and use a white reflector (white foam board works well enough) to reflect some light into her face. A second, smaller piece could also be used on the opposite side of the camera from the primary reflector to fill in some shadows if there is still too much contrast in the face. Whatever you do, don't close down your aperture unless you want to add a bunch of detail to the background. I often shoot with my 50mm 1.8 in bright sun at 1/2000 or faster shutter speed with nice results.

Having said all that, your best bet is going to be to find a nearby tree and shoot in the shade. The strong contrast between your subject and the background will probably completely blow out the background which will add more emphasis to the subject.