1st time out = camera great & I suck

[MikeW]

I was able to snap a few shots this past Sat at the SVOTA meeting. Was dang cold outside so no time for shot set up...just point and shoot type stuff.

I need more time with the camera when I can take my time to look for reflections, wait for the right lighting, and make sure I have the dang camera level on the tri-pod (among other things).

I am clueless in the trial version of adobe lightroom and for now like the Canon Digital Pro software for editing... I like the RGB adjustment line in the canon software and cant figure out how to do the same in lightroom.

Here are some that I butchered in lightroom... Taken in RAW no flash.
I will pratice and do better next outing (I hope).

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_.jpg

One of the better ones but not as good as I'd like it to be.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-4.jpg

The rest:( Now be easy you photo pros.. my 1st time out with the camera and 1st time using editing software while shooting in RAW.)

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-3.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-2.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-5.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-6.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-7.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-8.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-9.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-10.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-11.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-12.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-14.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-16.jpg

40D 28-135 IS/USM No filter/hood

[Woody]

:cool: Not bad !

[Sean]

Wow, nice job. Cars look sexy. So what are you using for these?

[MikeW]

Wow, nice job. Cars look sexy. So what are you using for these?

Canon 40D 28-135 IS/USM No filter/hood

thanks .. There were lots of nice rides there to snap at :cheers:

[HemiRam]

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r2/MikeW_Svtoa/_-3.jpg




Just something to think about when composing pics in the future. You have two trees "growing" out of the top of the car in this pic. I've seen avoiding this situation mentioned on many different photo forums. I've been guilty of it. I focus so much on what I'm taking a pic of that I forget about the background.

I am by far no photography expert, just passing along what little I do know. Good start though.

[MikeW]

Yeah Steve I didnt "think" too much about each shot like I should have. In that pic you can also see a reflection of my 98 in the front bumper and the parking lines in the side door. FUBAR shot but we were freezing and I will sharpen my skills for next time. I just needed pictures of something else since I have taken a pic of everything in the house trying to figure out the camera :lol:

BTW Tri-pod worked like a champ.

[josh99ta]

It does take a little time to learn a new camera but you've got a solid foundation. Where was the meet at? I'm not familiar with that parking lot/angle on downtown. I played with the picture a little with some slight shadows/highlights adjustments, some dodging and burning, and some minor sharpening and it helped to make everything pop a bit more. If any of those tools are available in any of your software play around with them and see what you come up with.

[Sean]

Id say try a uv filter. But Im also not a expert, its just what I used on over cast days. The beach pics I hve of my niece where taken on a day liek that.

[MikeW]

It does take a little time to learn a new camera but you've got a solid foundation. Where was the meet at? I'm not familiar with that parking lot/angle on downtown. I played with the picture a little with some slight shadows/highlights adjustments, some dodging and burning, and some minor sharpening and it helped to make everything pop a bit more. If any of those tools are available in any of your software play around with them and see what you come up with.

I will look for those in what I have (PS CS2 ,canon stock software, lightroom) and see what i can figure out.

We met at the Shelby street bridge on the stadium side. YOu have to go through the Titans parking lot to get there but we didnt have any issues. Next photo shoot will be in MAY! :lol: Damn cold "in a van down by the river"


Id say try a uv filter. But Im also not a expert, its just what I used on over cast days. The beach pics I hve of my niece where taken on a day liek that.

Gotta hood and a good UV on order so they should help next time.

[HemiRam]

BTW Tri-pod worked like a champ.

:up:

[LINELOCKSRUS]

bad ass mike i hop mine turn out that good :x:

[SleeperGT]

Not bad Mike :up: I personally like the front end shot of the GT500...would have been particularly cool if you had been a little closer to the car and noticed the 2nd level of seats at LP stadium (blue). But to your point...it was cold as hell out there :D Some nice cars showed up...especially Swifts!

[northtnguy]

Pretty good pictures! The 40D is a great camera, isn't it.

Being able to pick your light and the time of day is something that we all wish for, but don't always get that lucky. Some times, you just have to shoot what's there and I'd say you did a pretty good job.:up:

Play around with DPP. There's quite a few settings you can use for your RAW files before you ever need to open them in PhotoShop. You might want to add a little contrast to the pictures and that would make them 'pop' a bit more. Also, there's a few tutorials available online for the DPP software.

[Slovette]

I like them

[MikeW]

Pretty good pictures! The 40D is a great camera, isn't it.

Being able to pick your light and the time of day is something that we all wish for, but don't always get that lucky. Some times, you just have to shoot what's there and I'd say you did a pretty good job.:up:

Play around with DPP. There's quite a few settings you can use for your RAW files before you ever need to open them in PhotoShop. You might want to add a little contrast to the pictures and that would make them 'pop' a bit more. Also, there's a few tutorials available online for the DPP software.

Yeah I dig the 40D a lot for sure.... I need to remember that the camera knows when you turn it sideways but it does "crop" off some of the edges when you do that. The normal view fro the viewfinder is not as the picture turns out but I think that that is the nature of the DSLR's. It will take some getting use to for sure.

I do like DPP better but on my laptop at home (which sucks) I cannot get the the .CR2 files converted to .jpeg. I do the save an convert and it always errors out. Is that how you convert them to .jpeg? It may be a computer issue and not a software issue if that is how you convert them.

[northtnguy]

Yeah I dig the 40D a lot for sure.... I need to remember that the camera knows when you turn it sideways but it does "crop" off some of the edges when you do that. The normal view fro the viewfinder is not as the picture turns out but I think that that is the nature of the DSLR's. It will take some getting use to for sure.

I do like DPP better but on my laptop at home (which sucks) I cannot get the the .CR2 files converted to .jpeg. I do the save an convert and it always errors out. Is that how you convert them to .jpeg? It may be a computer issue and not a software issue if that is how you convert them.

Yeah, that's how I do it. I convert and save to jpeg and haven't had any problems with it.

I'll PM you my number and maybe we can figure something out.

Don