Too soft or is it my eyesight?

[candidrachel]

I'm getting more and more frustrated with my Tamron it's just not giving me sharp enough shots!

Took this one of my daughter yesterday at a family park. My questions are:

a) Is it out of focus or too soft to you?
b) How is the compostion? Too centred? I can't get my head round this rule of thirds thing on the fly.
c) Is the white balance too warm. It was a cloudy overcast day so had it set to "cloudy"

Any other advice or feed back would be greeeeaat!!



Camera Canon EOS 40D
Exposure 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture f/4.5
Focal Length 57 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Aperture Priority

[JFSanders]

Your focus point is on the seat. And your DOF is not large enough to include the face and eyes.

Jim

[3bayjunkie]

I can't see this photo right now since I'm at work, but it would help to know if you were using a tripod. Here is a good start at getting a tack sharp photo.

Use a tripod.
Use the highest shutter speed available (although if you are in aperature priority this will be automatic)
set to your lowest ISO (100 or 200 is the norm)
use mirror lock up when available
use a shutter remote release or use your timer on your camera.
set your f stop two stops above your widest setting. for example if you have an f/4 set it to f/8.

That should get you a sharp photo with these settings

[MrJones]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

I can't see this photo right now since I'm at work, but it would help to know if you were using a tripod. Here is a good start at getting a tack sharp photo.

Use a tripod.
Use the highest shutter speed available (although if you are in aperature priority this will be automatic)
set to your lowest ISO (100 or 200 is the norm)
use mirror lock up when available
use a shutter remote release or use your timer on your camera.
set your f stop two stops above your widest setting. for example if you have an f/4 set it to f/8.

That should get you a sharp photo with these settings

I think you're taking things over the edge here.
you can get sharp photos without a tripod, without a shutter release cable or timer and you can get them at f/1.8
we're not talking here about getting a sharp photo in the middle of the night.
all you need to do is know your focus range and use the different focal points to get the one that falls where the focus should be.

rachel, it's out of focus and it feels too tight, the objects in the photo "touch" all sides of the photo and it gives the feeling of a tight box.

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by MrJones

I think you're taking things over the edge here.
you can get sharp photos without a tripod, without a shutter release cable or timer and you can get them at f/1.8
we're not talking here about getting a sharp photo in the middle of the night.
all you need to do is know your focus range and use the different focal points to get the one that falls where the focus should be.

rachel, it's out of focus and it feels too tight, the objects in the photo "touch" all sides of the photo and it gives the feeling of a tight box.

Actually you would be suprised if you just took a photo hand holding with the same focal length and did one like i said, it would be noticeably sharper. I'm just giving good advice, not trying to overwhelm anyone.

[BigFuzzy]

I think it has everything to do with the 1/30th of a shutter speed, especially since hand held.
C'mon Rach.. get that sucker to 1/60th at least. Bumping to ISO 800 would have gotten you that, and there was enough light here for noise to not be so bad.

Also, I think Jim's right in that the focus is on the wood. This often happens because when someone uses the "focus lock and recompose" technique, they don't keep the lens at the same focal plane when they recompose which shifts the focus according to how you move the camera when you recompose.
Make sure you really pay attention when you're using "focus lock and recompose" to think where your focal plane is.

[candidrachel]

Thanks so much guys!! There seemed loads of light at the time and I didn't notice how slow the shutter was until later when I got home and downloaded my pics. I was prety sure I focused on her eyes too but that could also be the focus and recompose problem that Big Fuzzy said. Oh well, yet more practice and practice needed!

Next time, do you think it would be better to switch to TV mode? and set the shutter speed instead of AV especially when shooting active kids?

[ellie mac]

Hi Rachel,

I'd say yes, try using Tv mode - I would usually try for a minimum shutter speed of 1/100th for shooting active kids. And remember the rule of thumb for shutter speed on handheld - longer focal length needs a faster shutter speed - I think most people go for 1/focal length as a minimum speed.

The focus/recompose thing is also going to be an issue with moving kids as it's not just you moving the camera and causing the focal plane to shift, but them potentially moving far enough to come out of the focal plane as well so I try and compose first/then focus.

No one else commented on the white balance - it looks fine to me, but play with the sliders a little each way if you think it's a little warm.

[candidrachel]

Thanks again Ellie Mac. It's amazing how slow that lens goes when I zoom in It just means having to up the iso just so that I get a reasonable shutter speed to hand hold. Its just not practical to lug a tripod around a playground.

Once again thanks to everyone that replied. You rock!

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by 3bayjunkie

Actually you would be suprised if you just took a photo hand holding with the same focal length and did one like i said, it would be noticeably sharper. I'm just giving good advice, not trying to overwhelm anyone.

It's generally true what you say but that doesn't make for good advice in situ.

Shooting portraits, especially candid shots or environment portraits, it's not realistic to do what you suggest.

Especially when more appropriate settings and technique would be the difference maker in this situation.


anyways..

Tight compositions are just a matter of taste. The problem is when you compose in camera then don't like it, you can't do a damned thing about it. Purposefully shoot a wider frame so you have some breathing room to make crops after the fact. Ultimately you may end up with the framing you initially intended but at least you have some wiggle room...

the added bonus is that variable aperture lenses like zooms allow for wider apertures at shorter focal lengths, so a wider shot might allow you to squeeze out extra width.

WB is warm, but that's not altogether a bad thing, again, WB is a matter of taste. You can always change it in post.