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UER Forum > Archived UE Photo Critiques > Abandoned Power plant (Viewed 659 times)
NAN 


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Abandoned Power plant
< on 4/6/2006 1:42 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I have been wondering if my photos suck. I took these of a beautiful abandoned power-plant in an asylum complex a few weeks ago. Anyhow. I just though that rather then me being all egotistical about my camera and equipment I would post these for some criticsm. I used a digital rebel for these with the canon 17-85mm lense.

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2.
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6.
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7.
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NAN 


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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 1 on 4/6/2006 2:56 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I don't know if no criticsm is good or bad. I mean I usually post in the photography forum but I thought maybe some feedback would be helpful because I would really like to improve my photographic skills.
[last edit 4/6/2006 3:00 PM by NAN - edited 1 times]

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 2 on 4/6/2006 4:04 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I'll take a stab at this one, Nanguz
I like the content field of view in # 5
try and take some close-ups of the objects you have your eye on, #4 and 6 particullary.
I'm no expert, just my $.02!

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 3 on 4/6/2006 4:22 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Do you use photoshop, specifically cs2? If you do, you need to take every shot here and run them through the perspective correction filter, set the barrel distortion slider to about -2, sometimes -3 if you're shooting right at 17mm (I use the same lens on a Rebel XT).

Also, either your compression or sharpen settings are a little messed up (or the camera's over-sharpening when you shoot). Everything looks oversharpened, which has the contradictory effect of making all of the shots look either out of focus or low-rez. Are you shooting raw on the Rebel, or jpeg?

Specific to each of the photos, keeping in mind that the barrel distortion thing applies to all of them:

1. No clear subject, and no reason for that blown-out window to be there at all. That funnel-shaped thing in the bottom right looks intriguing, maybe would have focused in on that.

2. Decent overall shot, but the blown-out windows kill it. Take a few shots, exposing for the windows and the main space, and learn about hdr in cs2, or learn how to use adjustment layers, or use another method to sandwich the two exposures.

3. Good idea, poor execution. Barrel distortion is exceptionally bad on this one, and it needs to be shot straight-on, not from a slight angle. Also the horizontal axis is a few degrees off, and you could easily get away with cropping everything outside of the green beams out.

4. Again, nice shot. The lens distortion kills it (look at the floor grate in the bottom, I'm guessing that was straight in person). If you had taken a step to your right you could have avoided that bit of blown-out window light in the left side background.

5. This one is killer. No distortion correction needed. I love the balance of white on one side and dark on the other, with the mid-tone walkway between the two. Very metaphorical of you. Technically, if you shot raw and have cs2, convert it in photoshop, and in the raw conversion, reduce the cyan/blue halo showing up on the bottom right railing. Beautiful photo.

6. This one really doesn't do anything for me, but then these are all just my personal opinions.

7. Good idea, but it needs a subject. Otherwise it's just a variation on a New England peeling paint asylum hallway, and god only knows uer doesn't need any more of those.

Overall, I'd say you've got a pretty good eye, but you're lacking in the technical department. Get cs2, and learn how to use it (luminouslandscape.com and the adobe website have tons of great tutorials available).

yep.
NAN 


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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 4 on 4/6/2006 5:05 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Thanks for the tips! This is what I really need. I was wondering about that barrel distortion but I really didn't know what to do about it. I have this feeling that there is more to the lense then just focusing on something and taking a picture. The Rebel has died and has been replaces by a 20D. I do have Photoshop CS2 but I have barely Scratched the surface of it. I need to spend more time learning it. I will make an attempt to filter out the distortion on the same pictures.
Also I have shot all those pictures in JPEG mode. I am going on a trip next week to do some exploring and photo shooting and I really want my next batch to come out decent.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 5 on 4/6/2006 5:53 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
#5 WOW very nice shot.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 6 on 4/6/2006 5:58 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Where was your focus spot on no. 4? It looks like the grate on the floor. That yellow piece, or somewhere towards the middle would have been a better focus point. Maybe stop the lense down more too, what was your aperture setting on that shot?

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 7 on 4/6/2006 6:00 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
awesome site .. love the crooked catwalk

I climb stuff!

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NAN 


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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 8 on 4/6/2006 6:10 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I think I was shooting at f 10 for most those. I was trying to avoid really long exposures. I had set the ISO at 400. I didn't want the person I was with to get really bored with super long exposers. It is a great place, 5 stories of catwalks and completely untouched!!
[last edit 4/6/2006 6:11 PM by NAN - edited 1 times]

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 9 on 4/6/2006 6:49 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by nanguz
I think I was shooting at f 10 for most those. I was trying to avoid really long exposures. I had set the ISO at 400. I didn't want the person I was with to get really bored with super long exposers. It is a great place, 5 stories of catwalks and completely untouched!!


The site looks great, make them wait and take your time if you don't have to worry about security! Lots of shots there, and clean sites are hard to come by!

f16 would have been better, but the focus point is wrong unless you want the grates to be that. If you have Canon Zoom Browser loaded see where your focus point(s) were. You may want to play with the focus point and/metering method. Try the same shot with different settings.

If you poke around on the web you can find a Java based blur graph that will give you a cool 3D blur map for your lense. Knowing the lense's sweet spots and optimum aperture settings are helpful.

If your not, try shooting in full RAW format; that will allow you to dabble with to exposure and other electronic parameters more latter on. I shoot in RAW mode 99% of the time.

Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 10 on 4/6/2006 7:00 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Thanks everyone! These are some very helpful tips! I've only had my 20D for two weeks and I am a little overwhelmed at the moment.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 11 on 4/6/2006 7:18 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by nanguz
Thanks everyone! These are some very helpful tips! I've only had my 20D for two weeks and I am a little overwhelmed at the moment.


I forgot you had a 20D. Read the manual, and try learn everything that applies to what your trying to do. Try setting a single focus point at a near object you wish to use in the composition in Ap mode, and stop it down to f8-18.

Canon is helpful too; 1 800 ok canon. If the entry level tech can't help ask to talk with a senior tech. here's more links:

http://photoworksh...m/canon/index.html

http://photonotes....rticles/eos-flash/

http://photonotes....r-faq/cameras.html

http://www.normank...Tutorials/MTF.html


Have fun shooting!

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 12 on 4/6/2006 7:35 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Your lens is the Canon 17-85 with the Image Stabilizer, right? If it is, that lens actually performs best at f8 or f11. f16 will give you more depth of field, but it actually loses sharpness in the corners.

Quick tips for CS2:

filters>distort>lens correction - generally, if you shot at wide angle with the 17-85, pull the barrel distortion slider to about -2 or -3. If you shot at the mid range (around 35mm - 50mm), -1 will work. At 85 you shouldn't notice too much distortion.

Also, shoot raw. Buy more flash cards and always shoot raw. You'll be amazed the detail you can pull out of what seemed like a write-off, but not if you shot it in jpeg mode.

For blown-out highlights, you can either bracket 2 or more shots (on a tripod), or if it's just barely out of range, process 2 versions of the same raw file, 1 for highlights and 1 for shadows. There's some good tutorials here:
http://www.luminou...tal-blending.shtml
Use the layer mask method.
You can also find good tutorials on Adobe's website, although it's a bit hard to navigate. Or just google 'photoshop tutorial.'

As for not making someone wait, did you shoot handheld or on a tripod? If you were setting up on a tripod anyway, they won't know the difference between 2 seconds and 8 seconds, since setting up the shot should take longer than actually taking it.

Oh yeah, if you're using a tripod and shooting anywhere between 1/10 and about 10 seconds, use the mirror lockup.

That's the end of my semi-useless tips for now.

yep.
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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 13 on 4/6/2006 8:14 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
They aren't useless at all, I'm looking for tips, even if just a couple sink into my thick skull before next week that will be cool. I also bookmarked all the sites from black hawk and you for review. When I was on the catwalks I didn't use the tripod. I was shooting at 5.6.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 14 on 4/6/2006 11:11 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by nanguz
They aren't useless at all, I'm looking for tips, even if just a couple sink into my thick skull before next week that will be cool. I also bookmarked all the sites from black hawk and you for review. When I was on the catwalks I didn't use the tripod. I was shooting at 5.6.


I have the same lense your using I think; Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. it's not a bad lense for the 20D, it's light and handles flaring well. It needs a 67mm UV Filter to seal out dust, get this if you don't already. Always use one on this style of Canon lenses.

This lense can be stop down to f16 without too distortion; at 35mm@f16 it's actually quite good. The blur chart below is the one I told you about, Java Script needs to be enable for full function of the 3D blur graph. Check it out!

http://www.slrgear...rt/2/cat/11/page/1


If you don't need that great of a field of depth by all means use a smaller f stop and get a sharper image. You may wish to go to f8-11 for maximum sharpness, you should experiment; look at the graph to get an idea of what changes at different f stops/mm settings.

Use the file data to see what your settings were, and where the focus point(s) were at when you view your pics on the CPU.

Remember to go through the custom settings on the 20D, learn what they are, and set as need be. Don't be afraid to go above Iso 400, you can get acceptable results @ 1600, even "H" if need be. Enable "H" in custom settings, and enable noise reduction. This will increase processing time for the camera, but normally for what you want to shoot this is not an issue. it will increase pic quality. This is the lense I took my Dick Dale pics with in a less then perfect light. Most were at Iso 1600, and Iso 3200. They look good , I'll share sometime.





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NAN 


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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 15 on 4/7/2006 1:53 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I did get the UV filter for the lense very shortly after I purchased it. I really thought it would be necessary since I got into some pretty nasty places. Thanks for the link to the charts. They are pretty cool! I have a lot of stuff to digest now but I'm really glad I asked for advice this time instead of just posting pictures. It's been really helpful!

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 16 on 4/7/2006 3:44 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
5 is killer

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 17 on 4/7/2006 7:38 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I ve been shooting with wide angle lens for years and if I really wanted to get rid of the distortion I would just shoot with an 8x10 camera!

But I wouldn't use them the way I like to for commercial work.

So it is really a matter of deciding what you like doing when you are doing it for yourself. There are a lot of rules on what works for commercial purposes but they mean diddly when it comes to you expressing yourself. But it s not a bad thing to know the difference.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 18 on 4/7/2006 10:50 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I love the color saturation on number 4! I think the weakest is the last one, just typical and straight forward.

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Re: Abandoned Power plant
<Reply # 19 on 4/7/2006 1:59 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I have a question about the barrel distortion. It looks to me like the outer objects are bowed out. Wouldn't that mean when I put it through the distortion filter is CS2 that I would have to use +2? I hope I'm not being really stupid here.

Through the darkness of future's past
The magician longs to see
Once chants out between two worlds Fire, walk with me
UER Forum > Archived UE Photo Critiques > Abandoned Power plant (Viewed 659 times)
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