Can anyone help me with these photos?

[cazzie]

Does anyone have any ideas as to why some of my photos have come out like the ones below. I tried all different settings on my camera but for some reason some of them came out like this even though it was normal daylight.

File Name: DSCF3728.jpg
File Size: 211 kb - 1024 x 768
Camera Make: FUJIFILM
Camera Model: FinePix S8100fd
Date/Time: 2008:12:17 14:28:28
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 4.7mm (35mm equivalent: 28mm)
CCD Width: 5.95mm
Exposure Time: 0.0012 s (1/800)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO Equiv.: 64
Exposure Bias: -1.00
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: program (auto)

File Name: DSCF3191.jpg
File Size: 231 kb - 768 x 1024
Camera Make: FUJIFILM
Camera Model: FinePix S8100fd
Date/Time: 2008:12:16 13:35:00
Resolution: 768 x 1024
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 4.7mm (35mm equivalent: 28mm)
CCD Width: 5.95mm
Exposure Time: 0.0017 s (1/600)
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO Equiv.: 64
Whitebalance: Auto
Exposure: LandscapeMode

 

[Steve's Girl]

Your camera was exposing for the sky. So, the sky is exposed correctly and everything else is quite dark. With a DSLR, you can use spot metering, use your exposure comp. to overexpose, or use manual settings to compensate for this. Then, of course, the sky will be blown out and the rest of the picture will be exposed properly. I noticed in the exif data of your first photo that the EV was -1. You should have had that to at least +1 or even +2.

 

[cazzie]

Thanks, I thought it must be setting for the sky but I did think if I uesd auto settings it would set it all automatically but unfortunately it didn't.

 

[Golf4food]

I would also guess that you have your exposure metering set to full frame. Somehwere burried in your menus you can set it to center weighted (ignores most of the outside edges and meters more for the center with just a bit around the center), or spot metering (a tiny spot in the very center is used for metering and everything else is ignored). Using either of the other two and focusing in on the tree or one of the buildings, then pressing our AE Lock button and recomposing the shot would have metered for the darker areas instead of the bright sky - your buildings/tree would be visible, but the sky would be a washout. One of the joys of photography. Sometimes you have to put up with a washed out sky in order to have other, more important, things visible (assuming you aren't using lots of filters or really getting fancy in your settings - you mentioned having it on Auto, so I'm guessing those wouldn't be involved.)

 

[ukcatfan]

Thanks, I thought it must be setting for the sky but I did think if I uesd auto settings it would set it all automatically but unfortunately it didn't.

Unfortunately, auto mode is not intelligent. You were expecting too much out of it. If it worked in every situation, why would anyone even need the manual settings? If you really want to avoid things like this in the future, I suggest investing in a good book like Understanding Exposure and getting out of Auto mode.

 

[EnnEss]

Im not sure that fuji will have the metering settings on it. The easy but not always work way to get around this with point and shoots on auto is point it away from the sun at something dark with a similar focal length and then hold that, shoot your picture, see how it comes out. Its quite easy with pictures like you have because what you're shooting is pretty distant. Manually adjusting the camera will get you more sure fire results, but take longer. Knowing how to do it though will be really handy in many situations and let you know if when you're tryign to shortcut it as I described if you're getting the best out of your camera, or something acceptable for it anyways.

 

[cazzie]

Thanks, I think it has 3 metering postions so I will have to read more about them. Meanwhile I will try and understand the camera a bit more.

 

[wdwwishes]

You may try a little exposure correcting on your computer to see if that helps out any. I always copy the picture I'm trying to correct because sometimes the original "off" photo is better than my attempt at correction.