Motif: Backlit Antelope Canyon entrance

[Cheryl Flory]

Canon EOS 30D
kit lens
1/100
f4.5
ISO 800
28mm
auto exposure
exposure correction -0.33

I took this photo a couple of years ago, with a kit lens and a Canon 30D. It's not as sharp as I would like. If I go back, how can I improve this type of shot?

Canyon walls obviously saturated and highlights on the children and floor darkened.

[Desmond Chan]

Wow, this looks like some color drawing !

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Excellent composition Cheryl. Love the details of the walls.
Congrats

[Brian Wong]

Canon EOS 30D
kit lens
1/100
f4.5
ISO 800
28mm
auto exposure
exposure correction -0.33

I took this photo a couple of years ago, with a kit lens and a Canon 30D. It's not as sharp as I would like. If I go back, how can I improve this type of shot?

Canyon walls obviously saturated and highlights on the children and floor darkened.

Hi Cheryl!

Exposure inside the canyon can be confusing and counterintuitive. When I visited the canyon, I would try metering areas that avoided a really bright (sunlit) spot in the frame. Because it is so dark down there, the camera will try to make it neutral grey. So just like a black bear with a black background, I would start taking away light ... yes go minus 1 or even minus 2! But I think you did very well here with mixed light, and light falling on light skin people in a very dark/shady area. I have also found that a sharply focused image on smooth sandstone ... can have the appearance of soft focus. You didn't say if you brought down a tripod, but it would definitely help in deeper inside the canyon. Hope that helps!

[Cheryl Flory]

Hi Brian,
That does help. I did not have a tripod, my daughter was using it. One tripod and two cameras. lol

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Beautiful colours - I think that you did really well with this!

[Arthur Morris]

If you go back, go alone! For me, the people wreck a pleasing compostion.

[Cheryl Flory]

Zowee!! a comment by "the" man himself! I'm marking this on my calendar, PLUS emailing my daughter! nah nah na nah! lol (She posted her first pic today--it only took her from March to now to muster up the courage to post. OK, she didn't get the courage--I did kind of force her to post).
Yes, I agree, for me, I can't think of many occasions where it is beneficial to have people in a photo. that is why I have many many pics of this canyon with no people.
Thank you for the comment, Art! (Oh, while on my vacation in FL the end of March, I sat in on a presentation you gave at a camera club. Wonderful presentation! Even impressed my hubby which no other photographer has ever done!)

[Arthur Morris]

Zowee!! a comment by "the" man himself! I'm marking this on my calendar, PLUS emailing my daughter! nah nah na nah! lol (She posted her first pic today--it only took her from March to now to muster up the courage to post. OK, she didn't get the courage--I did kind of force her to post).
Yes, I agree, for me, I can't think of many occasions where it is beneficial to have people in a photo. that is why I have many many pics of this canyon with no people. Thank you for the comment, Art! (Oh, while on my vacation in FL the end of March, I sat in on a presentation you gave at a camera club. Wonderful presentation! Even impressed my hubby which no other photographer has ever done!)

Hi Cheryl,

:) :) :) :D Thanks for your kind words. Good job on the kid! Once in a while, folks help an image, but not this one... Am glad that you enjoyed the program and am impressed that I impressed your husband.

[Harold Davis]

agree with artie. the compo would have been great without the people!! nice job with the exposure. looks great.