I want post my first Image which in reality was an eye opener to me and truly justified the statement ‘ Does a camera make you Pro‘ ! .
I could have somehow rescued this image in sense of adjusting the exposure , sharpening or converting to black & white etc. But
focus on back of the subject rather on head / between the eyes makes this a sure Delete ! In my heart & mind images like these are bound to raise queries ‘What was the reason behind this‘ ?
Honestly, I wasn’t confident to share the image with fellow photogs..May be because this has been shot by top of the line Nikon equipment , but with an undesired result
But for the sake of learning how a Camera mechanism works I did not process this image at all except resizing and JPEG conversion in CS5.
Are these completely blown out results of this image related to the metering modes of the Camera ??
Request members to provide me the real cause for my better understanding
Thank you for taking the time out to look ,and for your valuable comments/critiques .
Species : Sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) Location : Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve ( Maharashtra ) Date : 03 /5 /2012 Time : Evening 12:22:38 pm Equipment : Nikon D4, Nikkor 200-400mm f/4g ED VR II at 400mm EXIF : ISO 800, f/ 4.0 ,1/80s , -0.3 Exp. Comp , Spot – Metering mode , Bean bag on Vehicle
I wouldn't call this a delete. I'd put the bear on its own layer then go to work on the background.
Bringing down the exposure a stop or two should do wonders. The good news is you
didn't underexpose, which would've brought out to much noise if you had to increase
the exposure.
For the bear, maybe bring him down just a little bit on the exposure and remove those
weeds just barely intersecting his face. Then for your last step, sharpen it. Then see
what you have, which I bet will be a lot better than you expected.
As far as why the background is so blown? My only guess is you spot metered on the
bear, so your camera was exposing for that, blowing everything else out.
Well, I think you've answered (and proved) the question whether good equipment make you a pro!
The Eager to Learn forum is the right place to go through a process in recovering as much as you can from a photo. So, start off with Doug's suggestions, repost your pic and repeat the process based on feedback until you've got a much desired result. Welcome to the world of photography and fasten your seatbelts, it's a steep lurning curve for quite some time (at least you've got great equipment to start off with so you don't have to worry about that)!
(PS: there's only one way of getting good in the field - shoot, shoot more and keep on shooting more! Don't be afraid to experiment! Learn as much of the features of your camera as possible! If you get disheartened too much by results like these, perhaps start with aperture / shutter speed priority first (it makes a few decisions on your behalf) until you feel comfortable. Then move to manual with Auto ISO until you feel comfortable. Then move to full manual).
Last edited by Tobie Schalkwyk; 06-02-2014 at 12:11 AM.
Doug I have processed the image ( A.C.R & further in Cs5 ) keeping your suggestions in mind.
I would love to know what do you think.
Just curious about the results if I would have used matrix or centre weighted metering mode in the same scenario ?
Is there any particular metering mode to be used if your subject is black or very dark ?
Essentially metering modes really confuses ! me every time I try to understand them more deeply. Nowdays, I stay on Matrix mode everytime as it works in almost every situation. Is it the right criteria I am following ?
Thanks again for taking out time and sharing your views.
You need to start off with doing the best you can in raw processing. You can't take a JPEG or PS image with tonalities this far from ideal and make it nearly as good as if you processed it properly in raw conversion. You have discovered that digital photography is very different from film. A raw image needs a lot of adjustment because it captures a much wider tonal range then film (or an image shot in JPEG). You need to shoot in raw and process properly in a raw converter, then work on tonalities further in PS if needed. Raw processing will vary with each image -- it isn't something you can just push a button for a reset, or use Auto.
You'll learn how to control focus by choosing one focus sensor and putting it where you want the focus to be, to control depth of field, to get a shutter speed that will give a sharp image with no motion blur (camera of subject), how to expose so that the histogram is as far to the right as possible without blowing out highlights beyond raw recovery, and many more things. You have excellent equipment and this is the place to learn how to use it.
Welcome to the journey!! We look forward to following it!
Your reply was posted as I was writing mine. An improvement, but the image shows the need for better understanding when shooting -- as you know.
There is a strong color cast here -- another issue is, do you have a calibrated monitor? And in PS you can clone out the distracting bright leaf on the right.
As Tobie said, it's all experience. Shoot a lot and learning will come.
Doug I have processed the image ( A.C.R & further in Cs5 ) keeping your suggestions in mind. I would love to know what do you think.
If I may: I'd lower the exposure just a tad more. The left side of the bear starts blurring, implying that your f4 was not enough - f7.1 or f8 would have been more preferrable (at least). Unfortunately IME there's no simple way of fixing that, if at all. Having said that - you may want to sharpen the whole image some more. As far as the color cast goes: what WB setting did you use?
Here's a quick one I did, bringing down the exposure a little more. I went past that, but I didn't like
the results, started to look too fake. Also brought down the exposure of the bear just a little bit
more and removed that distracting reed going up the bears backside.
I did sharpen it, but as Tobie mentioned its a little out of focus. From a distance it looks ok, just don't
get real close to it :)
Here's a quick one I did, bringing down the exposure a little more.
Better - now the eyes are getting life in them. But now the red-ish cast is more evident. I'd play with various WB settings to see if I can get away from the abundance of red before perhaps fine-tuning it more. It looks like you might have had WB set on flash instead of 'Sunny' or 'Auto'.
It was my first shooting experience with this new equipment way back in 2012.
Thanks Diane for all the useful suggestions . I would surely keep them in mind .
Presently I am not using any calibrating device on my MBP.
But I have processed this image taking Kerry perkins ( Grey scale pattern for checking color balance ) thread into consideration .
Though not sure whether it fulfills the calibrating requirements completely.
If I may: I'd lower the exposure just a tad more. The left side of the bear starts blurring, implying that your f4 was not enough - f7.1 or f8 would have been more preferrable (at least). Unfortunately IME there's no simple way of fixing that, if at all. Having said that - you may want to sharpen the whole image some more. As far as the color cast goes: what WB setting did you use?
Tobie
I shot this image in a Tiger reserve known as Tadoba -Andhari ( Maharashtra ) India . Above 43 deg. Celsius during peak summers is common here . And due to this intensity this reserve has plenty of yellow faded bamboo trees & shrubs with combination red mud producing some amount of color cast in surroundings .
Manual WB settings when shot & later changed to Daylight in ACR .
bringing down the exposure a little more. I went past that, but I didn't like
the results, started to look too fake.
Doug I completely agree on this
Thanks for much better version .
But , Still my question remained unaswered .
Just curious about the results if I would have used matrix or centre weighted metering mode in the same scenario ?
Is there any particular metering mode to be used if your subject is black or very dark ?
Essentially metering modes really confuses ! me every time I try to understand them more deeply. Nowdays, I stay on Matrix mode everytime as it works in almost every situation. Is it the right criteria I am following ?
You might get didfferent answers here but I'd use spot metering when exposure in a small part of the scene is most important and the remainder not. For example when photographing the moon. You want exposure on the moon to be spot on even if it means that everything around it might be pitch black.
Matrix would probably be the best for your bear scene as there's high contrast between the black bear and sunlit bamboo. The range of light/contrast between the bear & bamboo in your original file would be smaller for matrix than if you use spot. That means that pp should be a little easier - adjustments to the bear won't influence the bamboo too negatively & vice versa. In hindsight (had I taken this pic) I probably would have used my camera's multiple exposures feature to take this pic - where it produces a proper, under exposed and over exposed pic from a single take and combine them to produce the RAW file. Not perfect, but I would have gained a little from the best of both (under & over exposed) worlds. That's my rookie 2c...
(PS: there's obviously tons of info available on Google re. metering modes - when and where to use it & vice versa)
Last edited by Tobie Schalkwyk; 06-03-2014 at 01:03 AM.
One of the things I do is when there's a big difference, for example an oriole on a perch with a white flower is take the
Raw file and create two files out of them, one exposed for the bird and one exposed for the white flower. Then merge
the two.
Of course, this is assuming I didn't blow out the flower completely in the first place :)
One cannot use multiple exposures on a moving subject
True. I mistakingly believed that the d600 could create multiple exposures from a single shot, then combine them into one (never bothered to try it) with marginal benefits, but not so - so there goes that plan...
I almost always use matrix metering but then I check the histogram on the back of the camera and adjust as needed to expose as far to the right as practical without blowing out highlights -- you can go until they are just blinking a little in small areas. The histogram is a light meter on steroids. In constant light I'll then go to M exposure with those settings. That will give me images I can adjust (as well as possible for the light) in raw conversion. Experience will teach you how to adjust exposure as the situation changes. In changing light I'll usually go to aperture priority and watch the exposure indicator in the viewfinder and adjust as necessary. It's a matter of experience. Bracketing is a good idea for a scene that isn't changing fast. You might not be able to combine the exposures but you will probably get one that is more optimal.
Monitor calibration is important but my 4-5 year-old MBP is better without it! (And if tilting the screen back and forth gives a lighter or darker image, be sure to keep it at 90 degrees to your line of sight.)
Calibration is more for tonalities than color. Color casts are a matter of learning to see them. The white balance in the camera is only a guess but usually a good one. I leave it on auto and adjust as needed in LR / ACR raw conversion. I will usually compare the as shot and auto settings, then fix it with the sliders as I like. The other presets are usually awful. Shooting the "same" scene at somewhat varying compositions can give different in-camera white balances. Nik's Color Efex Pro has a color cast correction in the Pro Contrast filter.
You might get didfferent answers here but I'd use spot metering when exposure in a small part of the scene is most important and the remainder not. For example when photographing the moon. You want exposure on the moon to be spot on even if it means that everything around it might be pitch black.
Matrix would probably be the best for your bear scene as there's high contrast between the black bear and sunlit bamboo. The range of light/contrast between the bear & bamboo in your original file would be smaller for matrix than if you use spot. That means that pp should be a little easier - adjustments to the bear won't influence the bamboo too negatively & vice versa. In hindsight (had I taken this pic) I probably would have used my camera's multiple exposures feature to take this pic - where it produces a proper, under exposed and over exposed pic from a single take and combine them to produce the RAW file. Not perfect, but I would have gained a little from the best of both (under & over exposed) worlds. That's my rookie 2c...
(PS: there's obviously tons of info available on Google re. metering modes - when and where to use it & vice versa)
Manual WB settings when shot & later changed to Daylight in ACR .
Changing to Daylight in ACR is always a disaster for me. Correct by eye with the sliders, or use the gray eyedropper if there is something in the image that should be gray -- but it may not be perfect.
I like the B/W! It definitely solves the color cast problem. I'd consider darkening the area on the left that is out of focus.
Lastly regarding this Image I am eager seek opinion on the black & white version.
I actually like it - it might be your last resort in trying to get something useful from the shot. Having said that - I might be tempted to crop the animal much closer for B/W (depending how much noise it introduces).
Welcome. It seems that you are getting lots of good advice above. Did anyone mention that the bear is as cute as could be. Part of the problem here is that you are trying to repair a house that was poorly built. In order to become a good photographer you need a solid foundation to build upon. I would humb;y suggest that you get yourself a copy of each of the following and start sutdying:
Doing so will give the the basic education needed to become a skilled digital nature photographer. I only wish that these materials had been available when I began 31 years ago :)
Best of luck on your journey.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
Hi Bhai,Welcome. It seems that you are getting lots of good advice above. Did anyone mention that the bear is as cute as could be. Part of the problem here is that you are trying to repair a house that was poorly built. In order to become a good photographer you need a solid foundation to build upon. I would humb;y suggest that you get yourself a copy of each of the following and start sutdying:The Art of Bird PhotographyThe Art of Bird Photography IIDigital BasicsDoing so will give the the basic education needed to become a skilled digital nature photographer. I only wish that these materials had been available when I began 31 years ago :)Best of luck on your journey.
Arthur Sir,
Thanks for the suggestions.
I will surely keep all crucial advices in mind and will soon purchase the copies
Thanks and best of luck. Especially important for you is the stuff in the Exposure Simplified section of ABP II.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
My 1'st Image
Originally Posted by Saurabh Singh
