Cowboys, 'Texas Trio'

[HermanVonPetri]

Rodeo season is coming up again next month and I'm hoping to improve on my technical skills under some very challenging conditions. Here is a photo I took in the warm-up area last year.



Obviously, the focus isn't quite sharp - most seriously for the cowboy on our left. Is the brightness of the rail behind them or the horse's head too distracting? I hate that I had to cut off the arm on the left but there was a rail near me that I had to crop out. Is it a deal-breaker? This was the best shot I could get between people walking by and the lights going up and down.

The more I look at it, the more technical flaws I seem to see, but can they be redeemed? It was semi-candid. They knew I was shooting from a distance as a fan, but they weren't posed or lit specially. So how might I improve upon this in the coming months? Thank you in advance for your feedback.

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Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 200 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias 0 EV
No Flash

[graciousness]

Hi Herman,

To me, the photo is really great. I love the relaxed poses on the three cowboys, and the flag just blurred in the background which adds context to this image (it is the flag of Texas, if I recall). In such scenes like this, it is the candid photos that speak in volumes and documents the life around the rodeo. If you had asked them to pose, the image would have lost some appeal.

I love the lighting on the guys - the light falls just right on their faces where they need to, the shades adding contrast and texture. The colour treatment adds the right warmth to this great image.

But as you've mentioned, it is a little blurry. Have you tried sharpening this a little bit in post processing?

Looking at your aperture, the f/stop is too low. You have three guys that you need to focus on and small apertures just don't work with any image with more than one person in it. You could have increased the exposure compensation on this to add more brightness during the shoot, so this would have allowed you to take the photo with higher f/stop. The bigger the aperture opening is (smaller f/stop), the smaller your depth of field is, hence, bigger blur area on your photo. Maybe f/4 would have been a good start, although I have a feeling that perhaps going to f/5.6 would have done it.

What mode did you use to take this shot?

Don't worry about the rail, it's blurry and not too bright. I hadn't even really noticed it until you mentioned.

If you had shot this in RAW, then I do think you can sharpen this a bit more with editing. Then this issue will be resolved.

It is good that you are a good distance away from them as this would mean that your background would be blurry. If you were closer, then the busy background in such events or places like this would be a bit more distracting.

So for now, practice using AV or manual with higher f/stops (smaller apertures) so that you can get the sharpness on a larger area of your image. This is something I need to keep in mind and practice too

Really great job you've done and looking forward to seeing more in the future!

Cheers,

Grace

[HermanVonPetri]

Grace, thank you for your insightful and kind response.

Concerning the wide aperture, the original file data indicates that I was shooting in Shutter Priority mode. This was taken a year ago and I can't quite remember exactly why I chose this setting, as I would normally have used AV for a stationary portrait. Obviously, the camera assumed it needed as much light as possible and went wide open.

I do remember that the light was very dim and since tripods were not allowed in the arena I was forced to hand-hold my 200mm lens. This was between rounds and I didn't want to disturb the contestants or livestock so I didn't use flash. Also, judging from some of my failed attempts from this shoot I notice a great deal of camera shake at higher f-stops. I can only assume that I was trying to eliminate camera shake as much as possible by forcing a fast shutter.

My camera is an older one, and iso800 is about as high as I feel acceptable without a great deal of noise. But I've gotten better noise reduction software now so I might risk a few trails in the 1600 range. I have since acquired a 28/135mm zoom with image stabilization that might get me close enough for scenes like this. It is limited to a max of f/3.5 - 5.6 across the zoom range, but it sounds like that would have been more fitting for this particular shot anyway. In hindsight, I guess I should have tried bracing the camera against one of the nearby gates so I could stop down the aperture.

You've given me a much better idea of how to approach this next time a similar opportunity comes along. Thank you again for your suggestions!

[graciousness]

You may as well go manual if you are shooting in shutter priority. It's only one more knob to push and you will have full control of the photos. What I would do is start taking a photo or two using P mode, look at the setting it gives you, then let that guide you with the settings you want in Manual.

In cases like this, a tripod would really just hinder your movements. Yes, the rail could have been used to lean on to make you more stable when taking shots. If you find yourself near a wall, rail, fence, chair that you can lean against or prop your camera on, use them. Also, take a deep breath and then push the shutter when breathing out. This will ensure that you are most relaxed when shooting.

That image stabilisation on that new lens will help you heaps!

Remember that if you are shooting a scene with more than two people on it that you want sharp, your priority is to get the wider depth of field to ensure that all the people are sharp. Program mode is not good for that, nor will shutter priority, as I find that those modes will use the lowest f/stop when taking photos. Use Aperture Priority or Manual to ensure that you are getting the right depth of field for the job.

Good luck with your shoot and remember to look for the light and where it falls on!

Cheers,

Grace