My virgin experience with a tri-pod!

[Wasso]

Well, since Christmas has now settled down for a few days before new year I thought it would be appropriate to wash the Zed and take her out for a mini photo shoot to learn the next level of photography. I must add I'm still learning how to use the manual settings and learning how to find the best angle. Any comments are welcome to help me along.... but as I was rather proud of my attempt I thought I'd share them for comments.....

 

(I have to say the pics via my laptop look naff in comparison to viewing these on the playstation )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Craigb]

Pics look good,

 

i would use abit longer exposure, play about with the shutter speed, if you're using a tripod then you won't be having any blurry pictures,

 

You can even set a long exposure and create light trails

 

 

[DoogyRev]

Looking good Ian, I like the first pic personally It seems to have a moody quality about it

 

p.s If your going to turn your front wheels, take the pic from the correct side... pic 4 looks rubbish to me as all you see is front tyre The last few look better as you see the alloy

[Clown]

What camera are you using? I think the first thing to notice is that the subject, the car, is under exposed. This means it isn't standing out as much as it should be.

 

The good this is that you're using a tripod, so you can use a longer shutter speed. A good trick is to put the camera on a delay so that you can press the button and give the camera time to stop wobbling before it takes the picture. Night time pictures are always harder so I look forward to seeing some daytime shots

 

[Wasso]

Cheers for the comments, I thought the 4th was really good till you spotted the tyre. I just parked the car and snapped and didn't think to adjust the wheel direction, point taken and will remember for the future.

 

The speed I was using ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 and camera used is a Canon EOS 500D, with standard lens. I received for Christmas a fixed 50mm so I may have a bash with that as well next time but wanted to use my standard lens with zoom.

 

Under exposed, how would I correct that?

[Clown]

Four ways;

1. The easiest way is to increase shutter speed. Your 500D can probably go up to 30 seconds without getting into remote shutter release magic things.

2. Increase the ISO.

3. Increase the aperture (decrease the f/ number).

4. Shine a light wherever you want more light

[Craigb]

Longer shutter exposure, so it lets more light into the lens matey, select TV mode and play around with the shutter speed.

[AK350Z]

Nice pics Ian, but the orangey sodium lights don't do blue cars any favours.

[Wasso]

Superb thanks both, I'll have a play around this week and increase the shutter speed further, but I found in doing so made the surrounding too bright for my liking.

 

Agreed Andy the orange lighting didn't help but I'll search around for some more locations.

 

I'll also have a bash with the torch, as I've seen others make use of imaginative lighting.

 

It will be interesting to see how or if my new lens will make any difference

[Dblock]

Which lens do you have. I also have a 500d

 

IMO you need a longer exposure time, since there is lights there ISO 100 and change your white balance so it takes away the orangyness. You need to go into manual mode for this. But play around see what works and what doesnt.

 

The niddy fiddy will be be better at taking quick snaps @f1.8.

[Wasso]

I was using the standard lens that came with the camera, but have a fixed 50mm which the Mrs got me for crimbo, as advised by her friend who is a photographer, maybe I should drag her along for some photo guidance

 

I did check the ISO and it was set to Auto, but everything else I set manually.

 

Thing is, there's so many options to play with, focal length, ISO, Aperture, shutter speed it's like trying to do 4+ things at once ending up with a mess lol.

 

Why the Auto function doesn't just do as I ask I don't know I wouldn't have to mess around with manual instead.

[Dblock]

Auto can be great sometimes. Where ever you have optimal condtions.

 

Try this White balance on tungsten, f11 for 15-30secs iso 100-400. That's a decent starting point.

 

The nifty fifty is an awesome portrait lens and among other things but for this type of stuff I've had better luck using different lens. I usually use a cheap 55-200 tammy and its decent for this stuff. The zoom is really handy when you cant be bothered moving the tripod all the time. The 50mm is an awesome lens it will spoil you. Also read up on the rule of thirds.

 

Since your car isnt moving you can set a long/slow shutter speed. That way the sensor is getting more light for longer so you can make somewhere dark correctly exposed. But when its open for a long time moving things become fuzzy. This is good and bad. Take football for example. If you had a long shutter speed it would be a blur. But if you got a tripod and its dark you can make light trails and allsorts of awesome things.

 

If you have a driveway practise there first.

 

Also if your lens has IS and its on a tripod turn it off

[RisingPower]

Don't think I've really got much to add, but as said, lower iso, slower speed, lower f stop, possibly a remote shutter release like this (I found this made it much easier using a tripod personally):

 

http://www.digitalmediastore.co.uk/came ... C-WSCCAN-D

 

Colour balance wouldn't necessarily bother me as much, you can always alter that in RAW's.

[Dblock]

Don't think I've really got much to add, but as said, lower iso, slower speed, lower f stop, possibly a remote shutter release like this (I found this made it much easier using a tripod personally):

 

http://www.digitalmediastore.co.uk/came ... C-WSCCAN-D

 

 

Fancy, mine is a wired remote with a lock on it. £1.18 delivered from Hong Kong!

 

1 reason I suggest lowering the ISO than making it higher is that when a picture is going all noisy it looks very mobile phoney and you could just keep the shutter open longer. IMO of course though

[RisingPower]

Fancy, mine is a wired remote with a lock on it. £1.18 delivered from Hong Kong!

 

That's not mine, I had a nikon d50, now got a d3100 courtesy of santa claus. However, I had a nikon infra-red remote shutter release for the d50 (wonder whether it'll work with the d3100).

[Dblock]

I dont get nikons structure of models. Canon is simple the higher the number the better 500d 550d 600d. Less numbers is better 50d 60d. Even less numbers are better 7d. 1 number with numbers after it are awsome 5dmk2 1dmk4.

 

So how does nikons work. I know the d3x? is ment to be awesome.

[RisingPower]

I dont get nikons structure of models. Canon is simple the higher the number the better 500d 550d 600d. Less numbers is better 50d 60d. Even less numbers are better 7d. 1 number with numbers after it are awsome 5dmk2 1dmk4.

 

So how does nikons work. I know the d3x? is ment to be awesome.

 

Same with nikons aside from the much older ones no? D50 is quite old now.

 

Seems there's a d90, so I don't really have a clue then why I can't see myself ever needing anything like the d3x or eos 1d mk4.

[Wasso]

Great a load of tips, I'll have a bash tomorrow night then!

 

Coldel pm'd me with tips also - great forum as always

[captain]

A remote release is essential. Nikon ML-L3 - about £12.

 

 

A good tripod and head is essential. Manfrotto are good and £100 should sort you out.

 

Don't forget flash as well which you can trigger either as the shutter opens or just before it closes, depending on what effect you want.

 

Here's 3 different exposures all with differing ISO, shutter speeds and f stop so you can see what differences there are.

 

ISO 200, 5.6, 1/8 sec

 

 

ISO 220, 5.6, 1/4 sec

 

 

ISO 100, 7.1, 1.6 sec

 

 

I wouldn't go too open with the aperture. Here are 2 pictures with very different apertures.

 

 

 

The first was f8 and the second f4.2. I think for your shots f7 and ISO 200 would be fine and then play with the shutter speed. Don't forget to turn on the long exposure noise reduction (if the camera has got it) and set the WB to Auto. Also play around with fill flash (again if your camera allows)