Halo effect on photos??

[Pooh_Girl]

So I recently went to my neice's belt testing and I need some help on an effect that was occurring in some of the pictures.

I was shooting in aperture priority with my Pentax K100D. 1/180 of a second and f/1.4. I was shooting with my 50mm prime. Can anyone explain why the picture came out this way and if there is a way to correct it in post processing? THANKS!!!

 

[AndrewWG]

I am far from an expert here but it looks like it just happened to pick up the focus on the back wall and the f1.4 gives such a short DOF that the subject is out of focus. Just my 2 cents.

 

[VVFF]

I am far from an expert here but it looks like it just happened to pick up the focus on the back wall and the f1.4 gives such a short DOF that the subject is out of focus. Just my 2 cents.

Bingo, focus point is in the reflected mirror image. Sorry, no way to fix it post processing

 

[Pooh_Girl]

Boy, talk about feeling like a rookie. That image was cropped in, so I was shooting from a little bit back. It was just so hard to focus on her because she was moving around so much. (And I don't trust manual focus; my eyes stink.)

 

[pointandshoot]

She looks cute. I assume she is doing her form. I shoot alot of martial arts. Looks like your focus locked on the mirror.

Couple of suggestions. Try selecting a single focus point instead of multi-point. I somtimes use my center focus point. That way you know what you are focusing on and the camera does not get tricked. Not knowing your camera, make sure you have a constant focus mode on to track the moving subject.

Push your ISO to get a fast shutter speed to freeze action. Your really need to get the shutter up past 500 or more. With aperature priority, you may be using a more shallow depth of field that you need making it a more difficult shot. Watch your shutter speed and use both ISO and aperature to manage exposure.

Also, use a flash; just watch out for the mirrors that wll give you a hotspot. Also need to watch out for the large amount of light that comes from the glass frontage these places tend to have. As the student moves, they will shift to different lighting levels. I try to pick a spot and wait for them to move to it than track them.

Hope this helps. Glad to answer any other questions.

Chuck

 

[Pooh_Girl]

She looks cute. I assume she is doing her form. I shoot alot of martial arts. Looks like your focus locked on the mirror.

Couple of suggestions. Try selecting a single focus point instead of multi-point. I somtimes use my center focus point. That way you know what you are focusing on and the camera does not get tricked. Not knowing your camera, make sure you have a constant focus mode on to track the moving subject.

Push your ISO to get a fast shutter speed to freeze action. Your really need to get the shutter up past 500 or more. With aperature priority, you may be using a more shallow depth of field that you need making it a more difficult shot. Watch your shutter speed and use both ISO and aperature to manage exposure.

Also, use a flash; just watch out for the mirrors that wll give you a hotspot. Also need to watch out for the large amount of light that comes from the glass frontage these places tend to have. As the student moves, they will shift to different lighting levels. I try to pick a spot and wait for them to move to it than track them.

Hope this helps. Glad to answer any other questions.

Chuck

Thanks for the tips! You're right, she was doing her form. And now for the proud aunt comment; she's the youngest high-orange there (at 6 y/o) and was just invited to join the black belt club that night!

 

[pointandshoot]

Thanks for the tips! You're right, she was doing her form. And now for the proud aunt comment; she's the youngest high-orange there (at 6 y/o) and was just invited to join the black belt club that night!

Congrats! My entire family tested for Black Belt last March (Dad rehabbing from knee surgery as a result of the test). My daughter started at that age. I think it is very important for young girls to be taught self confidence and learn how to take care of themselves.

Though the picture was blurry, I could see her determination and focus. Very cool. You should be proud. It is hard work. Go shoot a class or two. That is a good way to practice before the next belt test.

Chuck

 

[Groucho]

I would set the camera to AF-C (continuous autofocus) if she is moving around a lot and try to keep her right in the middle of the frame as much as possible. Also, F1.4 is awfully narrow - I would lean towards F1.7/F1.8 (I don't remember which the next option is with the 50mm) and a slightly slower shutter speed, or maybe bump up the ISO to 1600. F1.4 is great but the nature of such a fast aperture means that you're more likely to get a slightly "ethereal" look to the photo due to chromatic aberrations, etc. Stopping down just a little can make a big difference.