Mexico (WS) Question - Updated with Photo #14

[makinorlando]

Okay - I REALLY want to get a good picture of the volcano temple view when dining in Mexico tomorrow night for Cinco de Mayo (before I indulge in the "killer" margarita!).

So, has anyone been there that might be able to help me? I will be either sitting at a table of right outside the restaurant where there is a wall that I can use for stability.

Do I go totally manual, or use one of the other settings - oh flash or no flash - since I'm not real close?

I'm thinking I want ISO - 200 or 400, a low f stop (2.8ish) and what shutter speed - something slow - but not too slow - 1/60 (I think I read that should be about the slowest without a tripod?)

I'm trying here gang - I get the "pieces" but still get befuddled when I have to put them all together! I just want a good picture inside of Mexico tomorrow and I will be SOOOO happy!

Thanks so much! I will be forever grateful for any advice.

 

[boBQuincy]

Step 1 - your camera's meter thinks everything is a gray card and will set the exposure accordingly. In order to preserve the mood you will have to set the exposure to 1 to 2 stops less than what the meter says (as a start). Depending on your camera this may require manual settings.

Step 2 - How steady can you hold your camera on a wall? I have gotten away with 1 second - sometimes. A tabletop tripod is always an option.

Step 3 - disable the flash. Even if it has the power to illuminate the volcano the results will look like a flash photo, not the mood you seem to want.

Step 4 - ISO 400 or 800 should be good, if your camera has low noise. If not go for ISO 100 and be prepared for a long exposure.

Step 5 - after the killer Margarita I always set the camera to auto (or P) for the rest of the evening! By then it's much smarter than I am.


boB

 

[Kelly Grannell]

For your camera, Mak,

1. ISO 400
2. Zoom OUT as much as possible
3. Tv (shutter priority) at 1/30 seconds and also try at 1/15 seconds.

 

[Daisy57b]

I'm jealous! Have fun tomorrow!! Can't wait to see your pictures!

 

[makinorlando]

Thanks... I should have mentioned the camera I have (S2-IS) - of course Kelly knows because I've bugged her before!

Kelly, I have your setting written down - at least I had the ISO 400 right!

My hand is pretty steady, I have a table top tripod - and will experiment with that too.

Above all I will enjoy the "rita - but only one I have to drive!!

 

[WillCAD]

You mean like these?
click pic for full-size view


I take these on just abot every trip.

You need a tabletop tripod. Put the camera on the tripod and set it on the wall just inside the entrance. If you have the infrared remote for the camera use it, otherwise set the camera's auto time to avoid shaking it when you press the button.

I simply put the camera in Program AE mode and let the camera determine exposure. Exposures will be anywhere from .5sec to 3sec.

 

[makinorlando]

Show off.... JUST KIDDING! I admire you work and your website! I visited it long before I really started coming to the the photography board!



Yes, just like those! You saved me the work (again - just kidding), now I can have two margaritas!

I have never used the table tripod, it will finally be of use!

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

You mean like these?
click pic for full-size view


I take these on just abot every trip.

You need a tabletop tripod. Put the camera on the tripod and set it on the wall just inside the entrance. If you have the infrared remote for the camera use it, otherwise set the camera's auto time to avoid shaking it when you press the button.

I simply put the camera in Program AE mode and let the camera determine exposure. Exposures will be anywhere from .5sec to 3sec.

I agree that's how I got my shot there, I think my settings were f4, 10 sec, ISO 100 on a 17mm lens.

 

[manning]

If you can do manual settings (you may also have a setup on your camera to do it for you) do this

1. shoot the picture the way the camera meters the scene

2. then take two more shots. one shot 1 stop over exposed the other one stop under exposed

example

your camera indicates f5.6 at 30th of a second. this is your first shot

then you set the camera at f4 at 30th of a second and shoot

then you set the camera at f8 at 30th of a second and shoot



You can do it the other way too leaving the f stop the same and change the shutter speed

Example

your camera indicates f5.6 at 30th of a second this is your first shot

then you set the camera at f5.6 at 15th of a second and shoot

then you set the camera at f5.6 at 60th of a second and shoot

the iso setting is not changed for all the shots

This is called bracketing

Your camera may have a setting to do this automatically

 

[YEKCIM]

As manning suggested, bracket like crazy...that is, shoot several shots, both above and below the camera's 'correct' exposure. One of the best features of digital photography is the ability to take many photos of a subject. At a later time, when you can view the different shots more critically, on your computer, then choose the best one(s). I would experiment with different shutter/aperture combinations, as well as various ISO settings. I would *not* use flash, as it probably would not reach, and if it did, *would* ruin the lighting effects of the scenes.

Also, some sort of tripod will help immensely, if you can use one.

~YEKCIM

 

[ducklite]

You mean like these?
click pic for full-size view


I take these on just abot every trip.

Beautiful! I just don't have the eye for this kind of work. My photo's of landscapes and architecture just don't capture what I'd like them to. :::Heavy Sigh:::

Anne

 

[WillCAD]

Beautiful! I just don't have the eye for this kind of work. My photo's of landscapes and architecture just don't capture what I'd like them to. :::Heavy Sigh:::

Anne

Yeah, but my piuctures of people don't seem to capture what I'd like them to.

In fact, most of my pics outside of WDW seem pretty flat and lifeless.

 

[ducklite]

Yeah, but my piuctures of people don't seem to capture what I'd like them to.

In fact, most of my pics outside of WDW seem pretty flat and lifeless.

Have you ever tried converting photo's of people to B&W? Sometimes that is what it takes.

Normally I use color for my band shots as shown in the top shot--the original. This guy is Ed Hamell, a hysterical singer-songer writer/accidental comedian. In this case somehow the B&W just seems to work better--it captures an essence that's missing from the color.

Anne

 

[makinorlando]

Okay - here's my picture - not great, but better than last week. Our table made it impossible to use the table top tripod, and being Cinco de Mayo it was crazy in general! I know it's "noisy", but with practice, and patience I will get better.

Taken with Canon S2-IS

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Mak, all you need to do is use Imagenomic Noiseware CE (freeware) and choose "night scene" preset and you'll get rid of the noise. You may want to bump the levels a bit so it's not too dark. But overall, a very nice picture indeed.

Ducklite, have you tried Alienskin Exposure? It emulates tons of B&W and Colour film stocks from the 35mm film era. It's sure worth the money. I have a thread with samples of some of those film emulation, just search for AlienSkin Exposure on the photography forum.

 

[makinorlando]

Mak, all you need to do is use Imagenomic Noiseware CE (freeware) and choose "night scene" preset and you'll get rid of the noise. You may want to bump the levels a bit so it's not too dark. But overall, a very nice picture indeed.

Thanks Kelly, I was trying to remember the name of that without looking through posts. I googled and found Neat Image (or something - it's on the other computer) and I was playing with that and this image.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

here's a quickie I did with the settings I mentioned to you.

BEFORE

AFTER

let me know if you want me to discard it and I'll do it immediately.

 

[makinorlando]

Thanks Kelly! It looks great! No need to discard!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

BTW, Mak, if you use a tripod, you don't need to use ISO 400, just use ISO 100, set it to Av (Aperture Priority) at f/8, and the shutter speed will automatically adjust to that. Use a self timer (to avoid camera shake while pressing the button) and you'll get a far less grainy picture.