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sweet UER decals:
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 this_guy
  
Location: Chicago suburbs
Gender: Male
 |  |  | my first time asking for feedback
< on 3/31/2006 4:23 AM >
|  | | | The following pictures are from a vacant house, taken with my Samsung Digimax 430. All should link to 1600x1200 versions (until I need the space anyway). No gallery tag magic because the images aren't hosted on uer.ca. See below for specific questions.
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One of my big questions is about exposure levels. I don't have much range to work with, and as far as metering goes, I can either do multi or spot. I usually keep multi as the default. In spot mode, I can hold the shutter button, meter on a spot, then move the camera before taking a picture. Unfortunately, I'm also focusing when I do that. I like how 20 turned out, but most of the others with windows are questionable. I almost squint when I look at the attic pictures, for example, but you wouldn't have seen the junk if I had metered on the windows.
2. I don't usually do macro. Should I have gotten even closer and tried to limit the shot to just the switch itself or possibly the Wal-Mart sticker?
5. I know it's blurry; I should have used a tripod. I'm looking more for feedback about exposure and composition in this case.
6. Does anyone know why this shot is so grainy? I blame my camera, but is there anything I can do about it besides buying a new one?
7. I have a version of this one showing a little of the closet door frame, but I think the version without the door frame is better.
8&9; 10&11. Is one better than the other? (Note that 10 and 11 are from opposite directions, but I'm still interested in which is better. 11 looks crooked, but I don't think it is.)
12. Should I have gotten closer to the light bulb?
14. Is the low depth of field good, bad, or indifferent? I wasn't trying for it. In fact, that's actually the smallest possible aperture (according to the EXIF info anyway because I have no control over aperture unless in night mode, as far as I know).
15. I should probably have left more space on the left. How do I break the habit of centering stuff that shouldn't be centered?
16. Was the picture worth taking? Is it too dark?
17. I darkened this picture and then increased the contrast. Is it still too bright? I have a darker version, but the window is still mostly washed out, but the detail that is visible is distracting.
18-22. Comments about exposure and/or metering?
23. Should I straighten this?
25. Would it have been better to only include the hole in the plaster? It also bugs me that I was noticeably off from being perpendicular to the wall.
I have more pictures. I didn't want to post too many.
EDIT: one pic per line
[last edit 3/31/2006 4:25 AM by this_guy - edited 1 times]
"Every sound shall end in silence, but the silence never dies." - from Samuel Miller Hagemen, found written on the wall of an abandoned building |
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Steed
      
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 1 on 3/31/2006 5:12 AM >
| | | | Posted by this_guy
2. I don't usually do macro. Should I have gotten even closer and tried to limit the shot to just the switch itself or possibly the Wal-Mart sticker?
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I wouldn't call that a macro. I'd personally stand a little further back so the lightswitch is more of a perfect rectangle.
6. Does anyone know why this shot is so grainy? I blame my camera, but is there anything I can do about it besides buying a new one?
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Could be the ISO of the film.
8&9; 10&11. Is one better than the other? (Note that 10 and 11 are from opposite directions, but I'm still interested in which is better. 11 looks crooked, but I don't think it is.)
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I prefer 9 over 8, because it's hard to tell the perspective in 8. Ten looks better than 11 because of how the light catches the rafters.
12. Should I have gotten closer to the light bulb?
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You should've tried both.
15. I should probably have left more space on the left. How do I break the habit of centering stuff that shouldn't be centered?
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Take many pictures.
17. I darkened this picture and then increased the contrast. Is it still too bright? I have a darker version, but the window is still mostly washed out, but the detail that is visible is distracting.
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Looks fine. My parents have chairs like that.
18-22. Comments about exposure and/or metering?
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You're taking high contrast photos with brightness outside and darkness inside. It's not a good situation for a photographer to be in.
23. Should I straighten this?
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No.
25. Would it have been better to only include the hole in the plaster? It also bugs me that I was noticeably off from being perpendicular to the wall.
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Might be a good place for macros but it looks better with the floor for context.
I have more pictures. I didn't want to post too many.
EDIT: one pic per line
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And that's my opinion.
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Yehoshua
Location: Ontario
Gender: Male
| | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 2 on 3/31/2006 5:35 AM >
| | | | Just a comment that pic 18 throws me for a bit of a loop by being shot from a bit of an angle, so the lines aren't parallel. Just a two-second touchup if you have photoshop, to correct the perspective 
Our Citizen.
Our Justice.
Bring Omar Khadr back to Canada. |
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this_guy
Location: Chicago suburbs
Gender: Male
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 3 on 3/31/2006 7:11 AM >
| | | | Posted by Yehoshua
I wouldn't call that a macro. I'd personally stand a little further back so the lightswitch is more of a perfect rectangle.
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I guess I'm not sure exactly what qualifies as macro. My camera has a macro mode, but I can't get the kinds of pictures I see from people with macro lenses (for obvious reasons).
Could be the ISO of the film.
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But it's digital, with the same settings as the others. And as far as I know, I can't set the ISO equivalent on my camera even if I wanted to.
You should've tried both.
Take many pictures.
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Two things bother me about taking a lot of pictures. I'm indecisive when it comes time to figure out which to keep, and I'd rather know I have the right shot than hope I can find it among all the others.
You're taking high contrast photos with brightness outside and darkness inside. It's not a good situation for a photographer to be in.
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I guess that's one of the inherent difficulties of UE photography then.
Might be a good place for macros but it looks better with the floor for context.
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That's reassuring. I try to take the best possible pictures that also document the location. Some people take great pictures but never include any context.
Yes, but before I can post only the best of my pictures, I have to figure out which ones people prefer.
Posted by Yehoshua
...pic 18 throws me for a bit of a loop...two-second touchup if you have photoshop
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I didn't know it was that easy, with the GIMP even. I also fixed 25.
Thank you both for your suggestions.
"Every sound shall end in silence, but the silence never dies." - from Samuel Miller Hagemen, found written on the wall of an abandoned building |
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morgansteph
Location: Washington DC
Gender: Female
| | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 4 on 3/31/2006 7:18 AM >
| | | | I take ALOT of pictures. I mean 2-300 per exploration. I'm not a really good photographer, and I know it, so I compensate with many shots, and see which ones come out the best, and try to build upon them, use the same technique, etc...
Just my way of doing it.
--Danno
"Have you ever tagged a location before?" "Yes, I have. But I also used to shit my diapers... Things change." |
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atomx
Location: Brighton, ON
Gender: Male
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 5 on 3/31/2006 11:17 AM >
| | | | Posted by this_guy
2.
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Yeah, stand back and only use an optical zoom. You'll get more of a squared shape.
And less reflection of you.
[last edit 3/31/2006 11:18 AM by atomx - edited 1 times]
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Richard Cook |
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Steed
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 6 on 4/4/2006 2:45 AM >
| | | | Posted by this_guy
I guess that's one of the inherent difficulties of UE photography then.
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It's an inherent difficulty if you don't use it to your advantage. When you go to a site, you're taking pictures of how light enters the site, not of the site itself. If a window looks cool, but the light coming through it ruins the shot, it's not a good shot. Confucius say cameras can't see objects, only light.
You use external light the best in 10-13, 15, 17, 20, and 22. Also, you had the right idea in 19.
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lasthourstand
Location: Syracuse, NY
Gender: Male
You've got head pigeons!
| |  | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 7 on 4/4/2006 12:02 PM >
| | | | I think they're all a little bit straight-on, which makes them less interesting to me. THe content is really good, but the composition needs some work. I'd say the electrical plug in the carpet, althought straight on and centered, is a really cool piece!
[last edit 4/4/2006 12:02 PM by lasthourstand - edited 1 times]
Today is your way out... |
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this_guy
Location: Chicago suburbs
Gender: Male
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 8 on 4/5/2006 3:10 AM >
| | | | Posted by racetraitor
It's an inherent difficulty if you don't use it to your advantage. When you go to a site, you're taking pictures of how light enters the site, not of the site itself. If a window looks cool, but the light coming through it ruins the shot, it's not a good shot. Confucius say cameras can't see objects, only light.
You use external light the best in 10-13, 15, 17, 20, and 22. Also, you had the right idea in 19.
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Thanks, this is why I included so many pictures. I think I see what you mean. I saw it in 13 even before reading your comment. Now that you mention it, 15 has nice shadows too. 16, 19, and 21 should have been exposed more or possibly less; what I have now seems like a poor compromise.
The human eye also sees only light. The difference lies in the mind. I see white snow under a sodium lamp because I expect the snow to be white. I'll have to remember that the same goes for light intensity. When I took 13, for example, I didn't know it would have such strong contrast. My mind had equalized the shadows and highlights.
Posted by lasthourstand
I think they're all a little bit straight-on, which makes them less interesting to me. THe content is really good, but the composition needs some work. I'd say the electrical plug in the carpet, althought straight on and centered, is a really cool piece!
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What other angles would you suggest? Are 7, 8, 12, 17, and 19 better having been taken from near the floor or ceiling? I think part of the reason they all look straight-on is because I'm also trying to document the location. The other part is habit, like why I centered the chair.
"Every sound shall end in silence, but the silence never dies." - from Samuel Miller Hagemen, found written on the wall of an abandoned building |
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Benjammer
| | | Re: my first time asking for feedback
<Reply # 9 on 4/11/2006 5:36 AM >
| | | | The pictures dont look too grainy to me, i didn't view them all full sized though.
Resized or printed they wont look so bad.
They might be noisier than your everyday outdoor photos because the camera is probably putting the ISO (virtual film speed) higher to compensate for low light levels in the house.
The other guy said dont use digital zoom, thats good advice.
I liked the walmart sticker/lightswitch pic.
I think it wouldn't be as nice if it was just the switch or just the sticker. You were trying to capture them both right?
I like the darkness in pic 16.
You can straighten 23 but youl have to crop off a little, see if it works.
A newer better cam, will help with the noise, but if your happy with that camera for the most part you dont have to go buy another.
But if you do, check Dpreview.com for camera reviews
Taking a photo of a very bright and dark area at the same time is very difficult.
Theres a technique of taking the exact same shot twice, (you probably have to use a tripod for this) with different exposure settings, one for capturing the details in the bright area, another for the dark areas, then you combine them in photoshop, you can do it with old versions of photoshop using layers, not sure wha the best way of doing it is, but Photoshop CS2 (the newest version) includes a feature for doing this and it might be easier.
But I just recommend exposing for what is more important, you want the details in the window, or the details in the room... dilemas dilemas!
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