Can you tell the edit?

[ajax_andy]

Here's a pic I took of a lovely couple at the weekend... for some reason (I dont know what) I decided to have a narrower aperture than I should have and as a result the background wasn't blurred and really took attention away from the couple.

I used Guassian Blur on the background to give it the feel of a shot taken with a wider aperture... my question is can you tell? Or have I managed to get away with it?

It's the 1st time I've done this so feedback on if and how successful it was would be appreciated.



EXIF Data:
Camera Canon EOS 450D
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash On, Fired
Exposure Program Manual
Metering Mode Multi-segment
White Balance Manual
Lens EF50mm f/1.4 USM

[graciousness]

I think you've actually done a nice job on the edit. You didn't over do it so you can't even tell!

The sky is overblown a bit though and a little distracting but I don't mind.

My problem is that they look like they're about to fall over from the dutch angle you've used. I would really recommend straightening. As it is, it gives you an uneasy feeling when you look at it.

Otherwise, great job

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

I think you've actually done a nice job on the edit. You didn't over do it so you can't even tell!

The sky is overblown a bit though and a little distracting but I don't mind.

My problem is that they look like they're about to fall over from the dutch angle you've used. I would really recommend straightening. As it is, it gives you an uneasy feeling when you look at it.

Otherwise, great job

Hi, thanks for the comments :-)

I tried to not do too much as wanted it to look natural so glad I got it right.

How would I avoid the sky being blown next time? I seemed to get the exposure right for the couple but like you say the sky is blown out.

Hadn't thought about it looking like they might fall over lol! I did a few different versions of this, some straight and some angled... I preferred the angled but its a good point you raised and I might go back and have a look at the other ones again and see if they work better.

Thanks again

[graciousness]

You've used flash already as fill in, which is good and that's why they are well lit. What you needed to do though, is expose for the sky first. Usually when it's so bright like that, you will want to underexpose the sky by way of using faster shutter speed.

Since your aperture was too narrow at f/5.0, of course you would have to adjust that to wider, maybe at f/4.0 would have done it but perhaps one more notch down. ISO would stay the same but I would actually opt for lower ISO at 100. The ISO adjustment alone at 100 would help with the sky. With the setting at manual, I would have started with speed at 1/250 and see if the sky is underexposed enough to the point that the white sky is not overexposed. If too dark, go slower a notch at a time until you get it right; if too light still, go faster a notch at a time till you feel you get it right. And then this is where your fill flash comes in to light your beautiful couple. If you need to use flash compensation, then do so. Of course you want to make sure that the couple does not look too unnaturally lit against a slightly darker background.

There's also the exposure compensation that you can play with to use against the background, of course. But I like to play with in the manual mode to get better understanding with settings until doing so just becomes natural.

Remember that a darker background also helps separate your subjects more.

There's a lot of tutorials on youtube about how to take photos against ambient light/sky - that's how I recently learned how to do it!

I hope this helps. And I hope I got this advice right....

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

You've used flash already as fill in, which is good and that's why they are well lit. What you needed to do though, is expose for the sky first. Usually when it's so bright like that, you will want to underexpose the sky by way of using faster shutter speed.

Since your aperture was too narrow at f/5.0, of course you would have to adjust that to wider, maybe at f/4.0 would have done it but perhaps one more notch down. ISO would stay the same but I would actually opt for lower ISO at 100. The ISO adjustment alone at 100 would help with the sky. With the setting at manual, I would have started with speed at 1/250 and see if the sky is underexposed enough to the point that the white sky is not overexposed. If too dark, go slower a notch at a time until you get it right; if too light still, go faster a notch at a time till you feel you get it right. And then this is where your fill flash comes in to light your beautiful couple. If you need to use flash compensation, then do so. Of course you want to make sure that the couple does not look too unnaturally lit against a slightly darker background.

There's also the exposure compensation that you can play with to use against the background, of course. But I like to play with in the manual mode to get better understanding with settings until doing so just becomes natural.

Remember that a darker background also helps separate your subjects more.

There's a lot of tutorials on youtube about how to take photos against ambient light/sky - that's how I recently learned how to do it!

I hope this helps. And I hope I got this advice right....

Thank you for all that info, I'll bare it in mind next time... I hadn't considered exposing for the sky. I think I need to practice this as would be worried the couple might end up too illuminated by the flash. I guess its a fine line but if you get it right everything looks natural.

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

ISO would stay the same but I would actually opt for lower ISO at 100. The ISO adjustment alone at 100 would help with the sky.
I hope this helps. And I hope I got this advice right....

If I read this correctly, I think you pretty much got it right, the only thing I'd add/correct slightly is that ISO will affect both ambient and flash exposure so yes, while it'll help with your over exposed sky, you'll have to re-adjust for your flash exposure. It's why she correctly notes to get your b/g exposure correct and remember in advance to keep your shutter speed likely below 250 (200 to be safe) due to synch speeds.

OP just remember these three simple rules when shooting with flash (hopefully on Manual) and it'll all start to click.
Aperture controls your flash exposure
Shutter Speed controls your ambient light
ISO controls both to some extent.

Good luck and PS it's a good image as is though there's always room for improvement and I think the Dutch Angle is one that I'd minimize a bit, but that's a taste thing, so take with a grain of salt.

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

If I read this correctly, I think you pretty much got it right, the only thing I'd add/correct slightly is that ISO will affect both ambient and flash exposure so yes, while it'll help with your over exposed sky, you'll have to re-adjust for your flash exposure. It's why she correctly notes to get your b/g exposure correct and remember in advance to keep your shutter speed likely below 250 (200 to be safe) due to synch speeds.

OP just remember these three simple rules when shooting with flash (hopefully on Manual) and it'll all start to click.
Aperture controls your flash exposure
Shutter Speed controls your ambient light
ISO controls both to some extent.

Good luck and PS it's a good image as is though there's always room for improvement and I think the Dutch Angle is one that I'd minimize a bit, but that's a taste thing, so take with a grain of salt.

Big Fuzz, your name is all bright and red!! You is special!

So glad you've come and confirmed if I was right or wrong...was feeling nervous about the info I gave. So it's good that I have you to keep me in place just in case! Good to know that I'm getting it, too, somehow, all this manual and flash business thing.

What a change to how I was a few months ago when I was freaking scared of using flash!

Thanks Al Yo da man!

[autofocus]

I'm seeing a little posterization / banding on my computer in the sky area. Otherwise, you did a nice job on the blurring

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

Big Fuzz, your name is all bright and red!! You is special!

yeah, I caught something this weekend. Taking penicillin as we speak.

Originally Posted by graciousness

So glad you've come and confirmed if I was right or wrong...was feeling nervous about the info I gave. So it's good that I have you to keep me in place just in case! Good to know that I'm getting it, too, somehow, all this manual and flash business thing.

What a change to how I was a few months ago when I was freaking scared of using flash!

Thanks Al Yo da man!

Glad to hear you feel you're progressing. Once people get over the fear of flash it's not long before they really start seeing progress. We might never be Joe McNally or Neil vN, but at least we can start lighting things properly without having to spend 1000s on pro kit.

Now let's start seeing your creative lighting!! (though some of your recent stuff clearly shows a better understanding of light itself which is nice side-effect of studying flash I find!)

[graciousness]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Now let's start seeing your creative lighting!! (though some of your recent stuff clearly shows a better understanding of light itself which is nice side-effect of studying flash I find!)

Thanks Al I've worn out a few batteries practising flash indoors and the last one of my toddler was all purely flash practice (freaking dark in that part of the house).

I am waiting on a Canon wireless flash trigger/transmitters (or is it receiver??), a 550 EX to supplement my 430 EX, a 36" shoot through white umbrella, mount adapter, light stand. So as soon as I get them, I am going gungho on learning and taking everything I am learning to the next level. I'm so excited and scared at the same time. I'll show them off if I get decent shots.

This is all in preparation for a friend's wedding in January........GASP.

Now that I've just potentially embarassed myself, I'll go now before I completely hijack this thread.....

AJAX ANDY - sorry for the little diversion on my post. Remember to go to youtube and look at all the video tutorials there on outdoor shooting /ambient light! There are heaps of them and they're quite eye openers and inspiring! It took me 15 minutes to learn about learning how to expose with ambient lighting through the videos.