Advice on taking Photo's

[Mike.C]

Before I reply to you all, are these two any better

Cheers

Mike

 

[aisuru]

i'd say so.

 

[devonwoody]

Do I detect a red cast on jackie?

Make a freehand selection on that chest area then go to levels, select red and adjust the arrows again!

 

[MrJay]

Actually, I quite liked the original of Mischief, it's a nice shot. I didn't pick on it because I thought it was in special need of attention, just an exercise in going through the process. By being somewhat lost against the background you get a sense of height in the picture, which is sort of nice what with her being all small and on the ground and trying to get up and everything. There's no accounting for taste.

Sadly the photo of Gunner belongs in the bin though. Best not wasting any more time with it and starting over.

Also, what Adam says.

 

[TonyW]

Mike, seems you are getting a lot of advice and opinions from your initial post e.g.
Post processing - Focus - Camera shake - Exposure -Rule of thirds - Use a Tripod - Familiarise with camera - Use RAW not jpeg - Composition - White balance etc etc :?

Generally I agree with the suggestions put forward so far. I do feel however that all this may be a little too much information to try and act on in one go. In my view you need to address the issue you raised in your first post "..the pictures just look "dead" to me. " first. In other words back to basics. Listed below in my view are the key points you need to address.

1. Familiarise yourself with all the functions of the camera. Read the manual then read it again. Take lots of pictures (only show the good ones )while familiarising yourself and have fun

2. Invest in or borrow a tripod and cable release. This will make the world of difference in getting sharp detailed images. Take some pictures of the same subject both on and off the tripod and compare in your photo editing package.

3. Using both manual and auto settings experiment with hand held shots. How slow a shutter speed can you use without noticeable shake? (I always used to be surprised just how many professionals claimed they could hold a camera rock steady at 1/8th second :shock. My preference would be to use a shutter speed of 1/125 second or above where possible for hand held and sacrifice some depth of field. If greater depth of field required or lighting conditions do not allow this - can you use a tripod or can you brace yourself on something?

4. Practice focussing both manually and letting the camera decide -take pictures and check results.

5. Try the various manual exposure modes. Find out exactly what part of the image is being read i.e. is it averaging the whole area? is it weighted to read the bottom of an image? What happens in portrait mode to exposure reading ? Can you use spot metering - if so where is the sensor reading from etc.
Suggest that you may find the Shutter Priority mode your best bet for hand held

To sum up I would say that you should concentrate initially on getting the correct exposure, accurate focus on area of interest, and holding the camera steady. Without these as your firm foundations no amount of photo editing, composition tricks etc is really going to help.

Cheers

 

[Mike.C]

TonyW,

Generally I agree with the suggestions put forward so far. I do feel however that all this may be a little too much information to try and act on in one go. In my view you need to address the issue you raised in your first post "..the pictures just look "dead" to me. " first. In other words back to basics. Listed below in my view are the key points you need to address.

Tony your spot on. When I say I am a novice, I mean I am a complete novice. This is only the second camera I have ever owned, and between the 2 of them I must of taken no more then 100 photos, and most of them were rubbish.

So instead of wasting all of your time, I will try and practise a bit more before I post anymore photos.

Many thanks to you all for your advice.

Cheers

Mike

 

[MrJay]

Actually, I disagree with a few of those things.

The .RAW format has dubious advantages. If you're shooting for print then it's the format to use. By the time you've resampled your images from 10 billion megapixels down to something more appropriate for piccies to post on the web or print out at home though it's advantages are lost entirely. That and .RAW pictures are rather raw. The camera does a lot of post processing like noise reduction when you shoot in .jpg that it won't do with .RAW shots, leaving you with a lot of extra work in post processing. (oh and .RAW piccies eat hard drives for breakfast and if that wasn't enough .RAW isn't a standard format either, each manufacturer has it's own system, and as such is no use for archive).

Share the good and bad. It's the bad one's you learn from and if you can't put your finger on what's wrong with them or how to avoid the problem then you're best asking.

Learning basic post processing is every bit as important as learning the basic camera method. You need both.

Tripod is definitely handy, cable release is optional as any half respectable newish camera will let you set a 2 second fuse, eliminating shake from man-handling the shutter button. Which isn't to say that sometimes a 2 second wait isn't a chuffing nuisance. Cable release is handy if you can find one that'll work with your camera (they're not standard anymore), but not the necessity they used to be (more's the pity).

But yes, it's a lot to take on board. The best advice is keep practicing the basics and looking and learning from the shots you take. I'm somewhat in favor of setting myself assignments. A week of nothing but dog portraits for example.

 

[TonyW]

Mr Jay, to a degree I agree with some of your sentiments - particularly where a novice is involved but would like to comment on the points you raised

The .RAW format has dubious advantages. If you're shooting for print then it's the format to use. By the time you've resampled your images from 10 billion megapixels down to something more appropriate for piccies to post on the web or print out at home though it's advantages are lost entirely. That and .RAW pictures are rather raw. The camera does a lot of post processing like noise reduction when you shoot in .jpg that it won't do with .RAW shots, leaving you with a lot of extra work in post processing. (oh and .RAW piccies eat hard drives for breakfast and if that wasn't enough .RAW isn't a standard format either, each manufacturer has it's own system, and as such is no use for archive).

RAW format in my opinion should be seen as the digital equivalent of the film negative. Jpeg could then be seen as the prints you would get from your chemist or photo shop. Quote from a great American landscape photographer "I have often said the negative is similar to a musician's score, and the print is the performance of that score. The negative comes to life only when "performed" as a print" (Ansel Adams).
Most professionals and many keen amateurs would prefer to process their own to get the exact image they visualised when taking the picture. Camera manufacturers have done a lot of work on post processing algorithms to produce the normal jpeg you see - most are very good - but as always there can be room for improvement.
I agree with what you say about the extra work involved in post processing, and the large file sizes, and the lack of standard format between manufacturers (perhaps Adobe .dng will help resolve this) but still maintain for the enthusiast who wants to get every ounce of image this is the way to go.
For most however (including me - at the moment) jpegs are generally more than adequate.

Share the good and bad. It's the bad one's you learn from and if you can't put your finger on what's wrong with them or how to avoid the problem then you're best asking.

Agree with this - that's one of the reasons for the success of forums such as this. So share the good and bad with those of similar interest and reserve the good just to impress your friends and relatives

Learning basic post processing is every bit as important as learning the basic camera method. You need both.

You do need both skills to develop your imaging expertise and get the final visualised result but I believe that it is too easy to put too much reliance on post processing to get you out of sloppy habits.

Tripod is definitely handy, cable release is optional as any half respectable newish camera will let you set a 2 second fuse, eliminating shake from man-handling the shutter button. Which isn't to say that sometimes a 2 second wait isn't a chuffing nuisance. Cable release is handy if you can find one that'll work with your camera (they're not standard anymore), but not the necessity they used to be (more's the pity).

Using the kind of flimsy tripod most people buy without using a cable release is asking for camera shake problems at slow shutter speeds. It is all too common to transmit shake in the physical action of pressing the shutter release by hand. If you light the 2 second fuse this will probably not be long enough to eliminate shake 10 seconds or more would be better. Of course by this time anything other than a static subject will have got up and walked away I know that they are no longer standard (and when available expensive!) and some cameras do not have the facility - but I still maintain they should be looked at as a necessity.

But yes, it's a lot to take on board. The best advice is keep practicing the basics and looking and learning from the shots you take. I'm somewhat in favor of setting myself assignments. A week of nothing but dog portraits for example.

Like the idea of setting assignments - after a week of dog portraits I bet you feel a little ruff
Sorry I am getting my coat on now

Cheers
Tony

 

[Mike.C]

Tony, would I be right in saying that a cable release is for want of a better description a wire that is used instead of the shutter button
If so, how do I find out if I can use one on my camera, because it does not mention anything about one in the manual?

Cheers

Mike

 

[Bodrighy]

If you are going to purchase imaging software, I recommend Paint Shop Pro X1.
Adobe elements is all right but the program does treat its users as infants!

If you look in ebay you can often get Paintshop Pro 8 or 9 for peanuts and it'll do anything that you are likely to want. I use it to teach graphic manipulation to hobbyists at college. If it's any use i can see if I can send my notes to you that will describe how to use most of the basics, its one I put together so there's no copyright problem.

Pete

 

[TonyW]

Tony, would I be right in saying that a cable release is for want of a better description a wire that is used instead of the shutter button

Yes it is a wire mechanism either mechanical or electronic that trips the shutter.

I do not know your particular camera but have seen reference to the fact that it has a threaded shutter release to accommodate an inexpensive cable release.

Not sure exactly where this is but looking at a picture of the camera it seems there is a hole in the shutter release button. If it is a hole and threaded then that is the connection you probably require - check it out in photo store just in case.

Try not to buy a cable release too short (10-12" should be ok) because there is still a chance of inducing shake when you trigger the release. Something like this should do fine http://discountfilmsdirect.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Cable_and_Air_Releases.html

I prefer the air release type as less chance of transmitting vibration. You can always cut the tube to a reasonable length.

Do make sure it is suitable for your camera though before you try and attach
Cheers
Tony

BTW You mentioned the fact that this is only the second camera you have owned and you have not taken many pictures before. I think that under these circumstances you should be very pleased with your first pics

 

[Mike.C]

Pete thats brilliant, I have set you a pm.

Thanks Tony, you right the shutter button is threaded. I think that I will contact Fuji to make sure I buy the correct cable.

Once again thanks for your help.

Cheers

Mike

 

[devonwoody]

The fuji 9600 does have a screwed socket for the cable release on the shooting button already, but I dont myself know which make of cable is satisfactory, (the threads vary)

 

[Keith Smith]

If this is only your second camera I think you'll find lugging a tripod round and trying to use a shutter release a bind.

My advice like some of the previous posters is to just use the camera, digital shots are free so take loads. I've taken over 2,500 this year with one camera and I'm still learning how it ticks.

As a generalisation blurred shots are primarily caused by too slow a shutter speed; if you are taking hand held shots make sure the speed is greater than 1/60sec. You may need to set the aperture manually to do this, so get the manual out and find out about the different exposure modes. It isn't rocket science and you will soon pick it up.

The other problem that causes blurred shots is depth of field. If you take a close up shot it will have a very short depth of field so the dogs eyes may be in focus but the nose will be out. There are ways to reduce this, the easiest is to stand further back and crop the shot on the computer later.

Just my 2p

 

[gidon]

Mike
Lots of useful advice, but don't worry you don't need a tripod and cable release to take decent photos.
I would find the fully automatic mode on you camera (and ensure exposure compensation is set to 0) and then check that you are happy with the pics - take some outside on a sunny day so camera shake won't be an issue and white balance shouldn't be an issue. With an advanced camera like it will be very easy to change a setting that will make your pics not look quite right.
After you're happy the camera can take decent pics, then play around with composition more - and the thirds rule someone mentioned ealier is a very useful place to start.
After that you may want to look at the advanced features of your camera.
FWIW - when I hand my DSLR to my wife - she always switches it to fully automatic mode and often takes far better pics than me!!
For more specific advice on your specific camera try posting on:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1012
Have fun.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Mike.C]

Keith

,

As a generalisation blurred shots are primarily caused by too slow a shutter speed; if you are taking hand held shots make sure the speed is greater than 1/60sec. You may need to set the aperture manually to do this, so get the manual out and find out about the different exposure modes. It isn't rocket science and you will soon pick it up.

Some members have recommended that I keep the setting on auto until I get a bit more used to the camera. So with this in mind can I still make sure that the shutter speed is greater than 1/60sec, or will the auto mode over ride any setting I make?

Gidon,

I would find the fully automatic mode on you camera (and ensure exposure compensation is set to 0) and then check that you are happy with the pics

Cheers Gidon thats what I will do.

Thanks guys.

Mike

 

[gidon]

Mike in auto mode the camera will most likely use the flash if it can't achieve a decent handheld shutter speed without.
It may also increase the ISO or sensitivity (like using faster film). It varies what you can vary in different modes - you'll need to check your manual - but if auto wants flash and you don't - you may be able to change the ISO. If the full auto mode doesn't allow that there may be a P or Program mode that will. You can also open up the aperture to let in more light - but for that you'll need Av or Aperture Priority mode. (Some cameras will let you change Aperture and Shutter speed in P mode too). Maybe I'm just complicating matters. I'll shut up.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[devonwoody]

Gidon, the fuji 9600 can handle all of that

Its only drawback to me is that it is a very heavy camera.

 

[Keith Smith]

Some members have recommended that I keep the setting on auto until I get a bit more used to the camera. So with this in mind can I still make sure that the shutter speed is greater than 1/60sec, or will the auto mode over ride any setting I make?

If you are in auto it chooses :lol:

You should be able to see the speed setting in the readout, if it looks too slow you can try to get more light on the subject or change the camera settings as Gidon suggests.

I'd go out with the camera and take lots of shots, it has to be a pretty dull day to cause a problem with camera shake.

 

[devonwoody]

If it is dull, set the iso at 400 for a few shots.

When in shooting mode Push the F button (next to the screen) to set different Iso speeds. However higher speeds produce noise, which can be reduced in paint shop pro.