What about a photo advice column?

[mommystieg]

I don't get to DIS as much as I used to and lately I have been spending nearly all of my DIS time on this board. I was wondering if anyone would consider hosting a photo advice column? There is such a wide spectrum of talent posting here so I thought maybe we could start a thread and some of the more talented folks could guide us photo-impaired folks. Maybe we could post a shot that turned out so-so and the experts could tell us what we could have done to make the shot better. Just a thought and I apologize if this has already been suggested/done.....

TIA!!

 

[Master Mason]

Go ahead and start it. It would be my suggestion that the EXIF data from the picture be posted, along with any thoughts you might have had on what you were trying to achieve with the picture.

For example, if you were going for motion blur on a fountain, and you got lots of little drops instead of a flow, it was because the shutter speed was too fast, so folks could make suggestion based on the EXIF data on how to slow your shutter speed down etc.

 

[mommystieg]

Ok...except where do I get the EXIF data from once I have uploaded the photo on my computer? (I warned you that I was photo-impaired )

 

[PixieDust32]

I like the idea. All the help we can get would be nice.

 

[mommystieg]

Question:

Any recommendations on getting good character photos during character meals when your kids are three different sizes? Kid #3 doesn't always want to be in the picture -- they are 15, 8 and 3 and all of my character photos end up with way too much stuff in the background and you can't crop much out cause each kid is so much shorter than the next. Like this:

 

[Master Mason]

Question:

Any recommendations on getting good character photos during character meals when your kids are three different sizes? Kid #3 doesn't always want to be in the picture -- they are 15, 8 and 3 and all of my character photos end up with way too much stuff in the background and you can't crop much out cause each kid is so much shorter than the next. Like this:

First off your EXIF is with the picture, if you open it in whatever software you have on your computer you can view it. In this case your hosting site has not stripped it away either.

Canon XT
Portriat mode
1/60 s
f/4
ISO 400
Flash fired
21mm


As for suggestions, the picture can be croped, top and left side and a little to the right as well. You could put the smaller one up on a chair to decrease the hieght difference, or get down and shoot up at them. I am sure others will have more to say.

 

[MassJester]

Question:

Any recommendations on getting good character photos during character meals when your kids are three different sizes? Kid #3 doesn't always want to be in the picture -- they are 15, 8 and 3 and all of my character photos end up with way too much stuff in the background and you can't crop much out cause each kid is so much shorter than the next. Like this:

ok, my $.02 before heading off to WDW

As the background doesn't add much, I might have gone with a more shallow depth of field. I believe your camera has a depth of field preview button that will help you see what the shot will look like.

The bigger aperture may also allow you to bring your ISO down from 400.

Although portrait shots from different angles can add interesting dimensions to a photo, being a victim of my personal tastes, I find the leaning column distracting.

But what do I know.

The good news is that you have captured the great smiles of two very photogenic young ladies there--KUDOS!

 

[mommystieg]

ok, my $.02 before heading off to WDW

As the background doesn't add much, I might have gone with a more shallow depth of field. I believe your camera has a depth of field preview button that will help you see what the shot will look like.

The bigger aperture may also allow you to bring your ISO down from 400.

Although portrait shots from different angles can add interesting dimensions to a photo, being a victim of my personal tastes, I find the leaning column distracting.

But what do I know.

The good news is that you have captured the great smiles of two very photogenic young ladies there--KUDOS!

Yeah, if it weren't for those awfully cute kids there wouldn't be anything to look at in most of my pics ;-) Ok -- I guess I better dig out the book that came with the camera and try reading the instructions again.....