Non Wildlife Backlit subject

[Sharna Lee]

I couldn't find any birds to co-operate with me as far as backlighting goes but my windmill always gives me a good pose. I went out this evening to take some pictures of the flowers and saw this and had to snap a few at different angles. This was the best. Too much negative space on the right? Comments and Critics welcome!

Canon 40D
28-135 3.5 IS
Manual mode
f/5.6
ss 1/1000
ISO 500
@135mm

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/ittyboo9358/Windmill.jpg

[Dan Brown]

Very nice sunset colors Sharna! I would like to see the windmill sharper though. With the lens that you used, you could probably have been able to use a much slower shutter speed/smaller aperture combo, which would have increased the DOF, and hopefully produced a sharp windmill. DOF preview would have told the story, but with digital, just shoot and preview works if you can see your display ok (I prefer DOF preview myself). Oh, I agree about the right side, might want to try cropping it.

Dan Brown

[Katie Rupp]

Hi Sharna,
What a spectacular sky! That sunset color is really beautiful and especially the light under the clouds. I think a vertical crop might be better and I agree with Dan; I'd like to see a sharper windmill.

[George DeCamp]

Hi Sharna

I agree the sky is a beautiful color, good timing!

As to the windmill, well it needs to be either all sharp or have a sense of movement if blurry. On a tripod you can set a low shutter speed and catch it moving while keeping some of the parts in focus, this would show movement but still have the stationary parts focused. I think you just may have misfocused a little here.

I think you need a little more of the windmill in the frame as well, it will help your composition!

Keep them coming!!!

[Nonda Surratt]

The sky is wonderful! I agree with George I think just a bit of misfocus.

Is this one you can try again? Has great potential really like what you were trying for!

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Sharana,
I like what you were trying to do here. The placement of the windmill is perfect in frame. I like the subdued mellow marmalade sky, but the windmill needs to be razor sharp...:cool:

[Sharna Lee]

Thanks Everyone! :D
I really wanted to get the clouds in the bg sharp. I probably could have used a slower shutter speed though to obtain movement in the windmill. I thought the sky was beautiful last night. Lets see what tonight brings and I'll try some different settings. Thanks again. You guys are totally awesome. ;)

Sharna

[James Shadle]

"I really wanted to get the clouds in the bg sharp. I probably could have used a slower shutter speed though to obtain movement in the windmill."

Sharna,
You used F5.6 as your aperture. If you had stopped down to say F16-F22 you might have had the depth of field to have the windmill and sky in focus.
By going with the smaller aperture you would also have a slower shutter speed for the motion blur George mentioned.
James

[Sharna Lee]

LOL oh yeah! I sure feel silly now. :D I sometimes forget about the smaller apeture making more in focus.
I hope that lovely sky returns tonight so that I can try it out. I have my tripod all ready. :D
Thanks again everyone for your suggestions. I'll work on them.

Sharna