Lense Help

[Frodo's mum]

will take some of the boy tomorrow ..raining here

I have taken some nice photo just don't seem to be good colour...maybe it's my setting

I see the other photo's on the thread and they are so clear....I really want to get right into taking photo's of the dogs as they are all so beautiful....Frodo gets so excited when I picked the camera up bounces and races for the door ....I want to do him justice after all his excitement ......lucky he can't look at them

have had a couple of goes with the 50....I'm just soooo use to the zoom catching them doing something across the yard LOL

Edited June 28, 2010 by Frodo's mum

[kja]

OK, if it's a colour thing it may be a setting on your camera.

Are you shooting RAW or jpeg? If jpeg, what style is your camera set for?

What software are you using and what are you doing?

Again, please post some photos so we can see and be more helpful

[Frodo's mum]

I'll have a look through my 1000's of photo and find some ..thank

I don't use raw and I don't edit although have been having a play with some of the free one's I found on DOL

I found a dummies book for my camera also

[rubiton]

Put the focus on AI Servo. Put it on high speed multiple shots (the one with the numerous frames and H on the top display - its in the instruction book but I cant remember the name of the setting) Put the ISO on 400, Put the speed on 1/1000th and adjust the aperture as required for the light (any sun will help and make sure its behind you - F8 or F6.3 but if you have to go to 5.6 try it). Point the camera at the grass when checking the light meter in the viewfinderas that will give you a better reading than anything that catches the sky

Once set up pan with the dog (hold the shutter button down and let it take a burst of pics) and as long as the camera and lens are working correctly (yes the 75-300 lens you have) you should get some photos in focus. If the dog is running towards you the camera will find it harder but should get a few focused pics (I find the camera sometimes keeps up with the backend not the front end depending on how fast the dog charges at you).

Don't expect every shot to be in focus but you should get several that work out ok - and remember to keep the centre focus square on the dog (you can set it to the centre focus point but in AI Servo it should default to it anyway. The more sun the better it will work the darker it is the harder the camera will find it to focus especially on darker dogs.

Forget the shallow depth of field to start with as it makes it harder to get a clear shot with action stuff first up.

Edited June 28, 2010 by rubiton

[Frodo's mum]

thank you....I don't have trouble taking the action shots and have taken some nice photo's I just don't seem the get the really nice clear pictures with the good colour.

I took a couple of frodo with the 50mm the other night...will post them to show you guys I'm trying

they came out nice.....ben raing so hard to get outside one's past couple of days

I hope to get stuck into the book I have ordered and with the one that came with the camera

it takes a lot better photo than my other lens in poor light

I have changed the setting to the one's you suggested Krisilin and hopefully get out today

[Frodo's mum]

here are a couple ...they don't seem to have that nice sharp colour...maybe they are over exposed ???

I take some really nice photo's with the lens.......but then I got to the photo thread and just see such nice clear photo's....I start thinking gee I wish mine were as nice

like I said I really really appeciate the help and tips and will get stuck into the new book and my camera one and start checking the settings more carefully

hope you all don't think I'm a pain in the butt...just trying to improve my photo's

[Kirislin]

The photos you see posted by others are almost never straight out of the camera. They've usually been adjusted in some way, sometimes a little, sometimes alot with colour, contrast, sharpening etc. Even if you dont have photoshop, your camera would have come with a couple of programs which are quite good to use, Zoom browser for jpegs and DPP for jpegs and if you shoot in RAW. Have a little play around with them and see what your photos look like then.

You have great subjects, I love your photos, that one of him chewing the carrot is too cute. Makes me think of Winston Churchill and his cigar

Edited June 28, 2010 by Kirislin

[Frodo's mum]

maybe this is my solution.....edit everything to black and white then I don't have to worry about the colour

they have such great faces to take photo's of I want to capture every little wrinkle

I can't work out photoshop ...darn it

I have been using one of the free one's picnik and have been having some fun

[Kirislin]

Dont worry about photoshop, I cant work it out either, just have a play with the programs that are designed for Canon, the ones I mentioned that are on a disc that came with your camera.

[Frodo's mum]

I took a couple of my bootiful man with my zoom and then had a go at some editing to lighten them

might have over done it with these..but at least you can see his handsome little face

this one I did two to try

[Linda K]

one thing to bear in mind (esp with photographing subjects that are white or black), is that your camera is designed to want to try to expose things as 18% grey. That means that if you rely on the camera telling you it has exposed it perfectly (ie the little lines in the exposure setting are bang in the middle, it is actually making it grey. That means that blacks get turned lighter, and white gets turned darker. The key then is to underexpose (maybe by a stop or 2), black subjects, and overexpose white ones. A better guide is to learn to rely on the histogram within the camera (the little graph thingy), which shows you where you are capturing the information - for black subjects, you should have information to the left, for white to the right, and the key is to try to make sure you do not have the hum pushed hard up against either side (which means then you have clipped details - ie there is just no data there).

In order to work out what you need to set the camera at, you can either just take a test shot, and adjust accordingly, using the histogram, or use a grey card.

The shots above - no 1 you have made challenging by going full sun where you are, and having that to contend with as well, and the background is a bit messy - a couple of steps to the left would eliminate that potentially. I generally try to look for patches of open shade (without dappled light coming through), if trying to take shots during the middle of the day like that, and then try to move my subject so they are getting the best light (watch for the catchlights in the eyes, the thing that really adds that sparkle and life, and stops them being big dark pits. Would ditch the edit on this one.

No 2 though - love it, and the edit you did with the vignette - just great, nice and simple, and love his expression, and great detail on both sides of his face. Definitely a keeper!!!!

[rubiton]

The light needs to be directly behind you and shining on a dark coloured dog. And the photo needs to be taken in the morning or afternoon. I have a black dog and thats the best way to bring up detail.

Only thing is sometimes they will squint if looking into the sun.

The other option is to use flash and take the photo outside but in the shade (makes a different effect).

The one below was with the light behind me and the settings from earlier (F8, 1000th, etc)

For the sun on light like the two you have (to OP) you need to have something reflective on the shadow side of the dog and that will light up the non sun side.

Edited June 30, 2010 by rubiton

[Frodo's mum]

thanks for all the tips...much appreciated

I must say I knewin the first photo the sun wasn't behind me I was taking a photo of Jolie when I saw Frodo standing up so nice I decided to take it and try and edit it