Practice Session - Am I on the right track?

[megdh525]

I recently purchased a Canon T2i as my 1st DSLR and have been forcing myself to shoot manual so that I'd learn faster. Last week I took pictures of a friend so that I could practice with my camera. This is my favorite from the session. I like it because it isn't posed and is natural and I like the detail of her eyelashes. It is slightly edited in iPhoto with an increase in boost color. I really want to learn to take good pictures without much editing, so I am working on nailing the exposure. However, the colors in this picture were a little flat without that boost to the color in iPhoto. Is this a common problem photographers have or is there a tip to get that great color/contrast SOOC? I'm thinking this is partly where a good lens would come into play? I currently just have the kit lens. I would appreciate your opinions as far as whether the composition is good (is her head tilted too far back? does that make the photo awkward?) or anything else you might like to add. Thanks in advance!

EXIF information:
Canon T2i
18-55mm f/3.5 kit lens

focal length 18mm
shutter speed 1/80
aperture 3.5
ISO 200
Flash Off

From Photos

[monkeygirl123]

Well done for shooting in manual...I haven't taken that leap yet!

I agree with you...it's a beautiful, natural shot and her eyes look gorgeous. As for the flat colour, I think it could be a few things (I'm not at all an expert, but it's just my guess). First of all, you have a pretty low shutter speed, a 3.5 aperture and also ISO of 200, all of which will give you more light when it looks like no more light was actually needed. I think that's why it's looking a bit washed out. I'd try increasing the shutter speed and dropping the ISO to 100.

As for the composition, if she was facing the camera I think it could have worked better, especially if she was looking towards her left shoulder. But I think the angle of her face calls for more space on her right side and above her, as this is the way she is facing, but there is none there. I think a crop could make this better for you and even it out.

The best part of the photo, like you said, is her lovely eyes. I hope you don't mind but I did a crop and adjusted the colours. It's in no way perfect, but just an idea of what you could do.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by megdh525

I really want to learn to take good pictures without much editing, so I am working on nailing the exposure. However, the colors in this picture were a little flat without that boost to the color in iPhoto. Is this a common problem photographers have or is there a tip to get that great color/contrast SOOC?

When shooting in jpg, and even in raw, the camera is deciding what the color and contrast should be. Most camera have a setting that will allow you to set a bias you prefer such as "normal" vivid","landscape" or others. You can still alter the color contrast etc later in post processing. It is not uncommon to tweak the color or contrast, it isn't in and of itself an indication of a "bad" lens or camera. I would shoot in raw format as it retains the most amount of information. You can try different camera biases to see which one gives you the best "sooc" to your liking.

[megdh525]

Originally Posted by monkeygirl123

As for the flat colour, I think it could be a few things (I'm not at all an expert, but it's just my guess). First of all, you have a pretty low shutter speed, a 3.5 aperture and also ISO of 200, all of which will give you more light when it looks like no more light was actually needed. I think that's why it's looking a bit washed out. I'd try increasing the shutter speed and dropping the ISO to 100.

Thanks for the feedback! Very much appreciated. I have a question regarding part of your comment about exposure. If I dropped my ISO to 100, kept the 3.5 aperture (because I prefer the shallow depth of field) and just increased the shutter speed to a correct exposure on the meter, wouldn't the coloring still be flat? I understand that the 3.5 aperture and ISO of 200 let in a lot of light, but if I adjust the shutter speed to a correct exposure on the meter (metering off of subject), is the color affected? I may be misunderstanding or just have lack of knowledge in this area...but I'm just a little confused by your comment. Can you please explain a little more?

I typically like to overexpose my subject by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop to make their skin tones look a little glowy, but I did notice that I probably overexposed the skin on some of the pictures from this shoot (the skin on her chest was a bit blown out of some other pictures). Do any of you have a good tip or trick to exposing skin tones? Is overexposing by 2/3 of a stop a bit too risky? Thanks again!

[monkeygirl123]

I'm hopeless at writing about technical things - I hope someone else will be able to help you - but have a look at these three pictures to see how just changing the shutter speed effects light (and colour).

Shutter Bracketing ..Contolling light and motion

I don't know what others do but if I'm shooting a person outside, my ISO will always be set on 100. Next I choose the lowest f number I can (for background blur) and then take several pictures with different shutter speeds to increase/decrease light. Alternatively, if I were taking a picture of something moving I would still set the ISO first at 100, then set a very fast shutter speed to freeze the action, but play with the f stops to increase/decease light.

Of course the other thing I change, depending on where I am, is the white balance. This has a huge effect on colour. I used to leave it on auto but now I'll adjust accordingly. In your picture, for example, I'd have probably set it on 'overcast' which may have warmed it up a little.

I hope that helps a little bit.

[megdh525]

Thanks for the help! That does make better sense. I'll have to play around with the white balance settings next time and set the ISO to 100 and go from there. Thanks again

[cherrygirl]

I will address the awkwardness of her pose...I do think it is awkward. It is never good to shoot up noses. Maybe if you backed away from her and had a little higher vantage point, it would work but when I look at this photo I am drawn to her white neck and that it looks like she is really straining.

As far as comp, it would be better to have her on the other third of the photo where she is looking into the photo, not out the top corner.