kd's noob to not so noob thread

King Damager

King Damager

King Damager

Soldato
Joined
16 Nov 2010
Posts
16,513
Location
Swimming in a lake
Ok, so whilst I could continue to keep on posting occasional images in the 'post your picture here' threads, and occasionally get feedback, I've decided perhaps the best option would be to create my own thread which can track my success (and more likely failures).

Hopefully I'll get more feedback, advice, and help etc... this way, and maybe in future, other members can see progression as and how it's worked.

So, I've recently got CS6 and Lightroom 4, so now I have the post processing stuff.

I'm still using my Panasonic Lumix FZ45 (Bridge), as frankly, until I get more into it, I don't see much point investing huge amounts into DSLR's and lenses.

I'm currently reading Understanding Exposure, and have subscribed to DigitalRev's Youtube channel.

The next aim is to get out as much as possible to get photos really. This I'm finding is actually harder than I expected at uni, but I am just trying to take a camera out when walking down to the shops and the such like, to try and get the photos as and when I want :)

I also have a couple of places I want to get to in the near future for shots, so shall see how that pans out with free time.

Then obviously I'll have to spend a reasonable amount of time in Post processing, but have no idea how the shooting/post processing balance should be... If anyone has any advice on this, great :)

The aim really is to not necessarily pile loads of images in the thread, but rather post fewer images, and spend more time explaining the thoughts/processes behind them in this thread, rather than just the standard images.

First shot to follow in a few minutes (want to keep first post clear of photos)

kd
 
Last edited:
So first photo.

This is the first one I've done in RAW, and then edited fully in both LR and CS6.

So here goes:


Light Portrait by King Damager, on Flickr

Original (no Post processing)
T7YNJ.png

Thoughts (Personal)

I was just sitting on the couch when I figured I'd try this. Turns out to be harder than I thought, but I'm sure there are many many better versions of this.

I underexposed the original photo (looking back, I feel far too much), so that I could get the detail in the light itself. I can't quite remember how much I felt I needed to underexpose, but yeah, was a bit annoying.

Then to post processing.

So I brought the shadows up, but tried to maintain the same lighting in the original photo, so that it wasn't 'over bright as such'. Seemed surprisingly hard to get the shadows to come out, but not overbrighten the light itself, and still get the detail in the light (and filament). I still feel the image as a whole is a bit too dark, but ultimately I think it's still quite an improvement over the original.

I'm not fantastically pleased with it, but it was certainly useful to show me the limits of post processing lighting wise, and in fact the power of bringing detail back out of black.

Comments and help appreciated.

kd
 
The white balance is wrong, the photo is wonky, it actually looks unprocessed.

Once you fix the 2 above then start going off a tangent to add the style to it.
 
Raymond Lin said:
The white balance is wrong, the photo is wonky, it actually looks unprocessed.

Once you fix the 2 above then start going off a tangent to add the style to it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, getting the white balance does seem to be quite annoying in that. I think I actually had that one pre-set, rather than just leaving it on auto.

The wonky-ness, looking at the light now, definitely seems, down to the way the light is hanging, that said, it's definitely something I should have sorted out...

Explain the tangent comment?

kd
 
Shooting straight into a very bright light will never really give you a good photo unless you want a silhouette or know how to use flash photography to overpower it and use it to the desired effect. Personally, I'm not sure why you are recovering the shadows on this in the first place. Personally I'd have sorted the white balance out, then increased the black point to quickly turn the shadows black and very dark, bringing out just the light itself as the focal point with no distraction.

If you want to try and photograph the light but have the ceiling exposed properly, you need to use either a reflector or a fill flash, with the former probably giving a better and more natural result, given the bulb colour anyway.
 
I know I am biased! But the monthly competition would probably help you to explore a little with your photography and try new and interesting ideas, techniques and gain some feedback on this, although monthly it maybe good start.
 
James J said:
Shooting straight into a very bright light will never really give you a good photo unless you want a silhouette or know how to use flash photography to overpower it and use it to the desired effect. Personally, I'm not sure why you are recovering the shadows on this in the first place. Personally I'd have sorted the white balance out, then increased the black point to quickly turn the shadows black and very dark, bringing out just the light itself as the focal point with no distraction.

If you want to try and photograph the light but have the ceiling exposed properly, you need to use either a reflector or a fill flash, with the former probably giving a better and more natural result, given the bulb colour anyway.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yeah, I had no idea how well it would go. Great to know this now though :)

ichabod crane said:
I know I am biased! But the monthly competition would probably help you to explore a little with your photography and try new and interesting ideas, techniques and gain some feedback on this, although monthly it maybe good start.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll be looking into this starting next month. I've been thinking for a few days about triptych, and haven't come up with anything yet. XD

But yeah I'm thinking :)

kd
 
Not sure why people are focusing on getting the WB right in this type of picture. This is just the sort of photo where id throw white balance out of the window and see what happens.

If you want to experiment with white balance mix two light sources in the same scene or shoot people under indoor lighting but don't obsess over what is or isn't technically "correct"
 
Perhaps people are focusing on the white balance issue though because, to be quite a frank and harsh critic, the photo doesn't really say much to have anything else to comment on.

It's just a picture of a bog standard ceiling light, its just a snap shot and does nothing for me.

If I'm understanding you right... was this more just a test to see how you can shoot something bright while dealing with the rest of the image?
If that's the case, I think it would have been a far better test to have shot something a bit more meaningful, say a whole room and then see how you can recover the details, as that is both a test and you could try and create a more pleasing image.

If it was about just stylising the image in post-processing, then it does leave a little to be desired, it would be possible to get something more creative with Instagram filters that don't even require any skill.
 
Nexus said:
If I'm understanding you right... was this more just a test to see how you can shoot something bright while dealing with the rest of the image?
If that's the case, I think it would have been a far better test to have shot something a bit more meaningful, say a whole room and then see how you can recover the details, as that is both a test and you could try and create a more pleasing image.
Click to expand...

Generally yeah, just trying to see what was possible. Admittedly yes, something more imaginative from an image perspective would have probably been a better choice, but yeah, was just trying to see how it would work. I'm well aware it's not anything that makes you go wow really, and that's not what it aimed to be.

At the moment, I'm not expecting the subject of photos to be particularly fantastic. I'm restricted by weather at the moment it seems... So at the moment, I'm just trying to nail the technical side of things. Picking something simple as an image seemed the easiest way to mean I had to focus on the technical side. Hopefully this won't take too long!

kd
 
Last edited:
You could take a picture of something indoors that is backlit, say from a window, with your camera set to automatic to see how your camera evaluates the scene. You're almost certainly going to get a silhouette with a nicely exposed view of outside from the window. Now set the camera to manual and over ride what the camera is suggesting to get your subject properly exposed.

These are the sort of things I would suggest on a rainy day. I use an old figurine of an elephant which is great as a subject because it has lots of texture and an interesting shape.
 
Being restricted by the weather doesn't really exist as you can just get a rainproof cover for your camera + lens and get out into the thick of it! If you insist on staying in, have a look at still live macro or abstract macro photography as both of them really make you think about what something might look like from a "none human" perspective. On indoor photography, just ambient lighting usually isn't enough, especially in older houses or rooms that have small windows or windows that face away from sunlight etc. Due to that, getting to know your flash inside out is a good idea. Off camera flash photography can give some really nice and interesting results, often to the point where you can't really tell its been used if you use it correctly combined with available light.
 
Ok, so this one's a few days old now, finally got time to going over stuff, and looking what I've taken in the last few days.

Again nothing spectacular. This one I fiddle with tone and stuff a bit. Nothing major though. More an experimentation with Aperture than anything else.


Rear Garden Parasol-1030255 by King Damager, on Flickr

kd
 
Last edited:
Why don't you take a picture of something with alittle more life in it, Best way to learn is just go out on the street and take Photo's, You'll learn a lot faster that way.. :) ?
 
jorzeh said:
Why don't you take a picture of something with alittle more life in it, Best way to learn is just go out on the street and take Photo's, You'll learn a lot faster that way.. :) ?
Click to expand...

Ah, that is actually the next plan. Either go to the massive graveyard across the road and try and find some wildlife, or head down to campus and turn up the super zoom. Also going to centre parks this weekend, so hopefully there will be something to shoot there!

Out of interest, does anyone have tips in taking street candids/random portraits of people? Just a bit worried that I'll take a photo of someone and they'll become all aggressive and such like....

kd
 
Last edited:
Saturday market is great for learning your camera inside out, its AF system and metering will shine and fail here because people are constantly moving, the lighting may also shift depending on if you're shooting under a market tent or whatever else. You have to think quickly or you miss a shot as well.

There's quite nothing like going in deep early, it's rewarding :p

You'll soon figure out correct composition and then learnt to ditch those rules for the right photo too. Processing can be an afterthought as far as white balance/colour goes because those can be fixed in RAW later but it always helps to see your final image in your head before you even release the shutter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom