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Thread: Leaf on window C&C and question

  1. #1

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    Gretchen

    Leaf on window C&C and question

    Hubby thought he was being "cute" when he told me yesterday there was a leaf on the window. "Honey, you need to take a picture of this." hrumph!

    I like how the water droplets are clear, but can't understand why the leaf seems fuzzy. Is it the double pane glass? I tried all different settings and flash options, but the leaf was no clearer in any.

    The only PP I did was to spot heal some of the dirt off the glass and to light render the leaf a bit.

    Leaf on window C&C and question

    Thanks for viewing.

  2. #2

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    Re: Leaf on window C&C and question

    Glass is notoriously difficult to photograph through, particularly double glazing. The only hope is to get square on to the glass.

    A bit of sharpening should help with this shot though.

  3. #3

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    Re: Leaf on window C&C and question

    The EXIF data is stripped from your image, so we don't know what focal length and aperture you were using. The EXIF data wouldn't explain how far away you were from the window, but those three factors could be the problem if they indicate that you used a depth of field that is too narrow. Having said that, I actually doubt that depth of field is the problem, though it could be.

    When photographing through glass, it's best to use manual focus, not auto focus. Otherwise, the camera's sensor can select the wrong part of the image to be in focus, such as dirt or moisture on the glass.

    The other issue is that moisture is undoubtedly located between the leaf and the window; it's the moisture that is holding the leaf in place. That moisture could be dirty, which would render the leaf unsharp. The moisture could also be refracting the light a little bit, causing a lack of sharpness.

    I agree with Geoff that increased sharpening will probably do the trick. However, make sure you don't produce a halo around the edge of the leaf, as a slight halo can already be seen on the lower right side of the leaf. In other words, sharpen only the leaf, not the entire image.

  4. #4

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    Re: Leaf on window C&C and question

    Ah, I didn't think of the dirt/moisture between the leaf and the glass. That would explain much.

    Thanks for the input.

    It's difficult to manually focus my camera, the settings offered are few and basically are the same as the pre-sets they offer.
    AT least, that is how it seems to me.

    I've played a lot more with PP when trying to sharpen or highlight items. Stacking and using the opacity feature on layers is a big help. (*someone* here described how to do that--)

    I'm not that experienced with the sharpening feature --here is my attempt:

    Leaf on window C&C and question

    Next time, I think I'll need to clean the window and "re-stick" the leaf
    Last edited by ggt; 23rd November 2012 at 10:05 PM.

  5. #5

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    Re: Leaf on window C&C and question

    I think that looks fine, though I don't know the exact look you're trying to achieve.

    Regarding the idea of manually focusing your camera, that's probably going to be not a matter of ease but a matter of whether or not it's possible; if it's possible, it will be easy to do. Otherwise, use auto focus in this situation and make sure your depth of field is sufficient. In this case, it's apparent that it is.

  6. #6

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    Re: Leaf on window C&C and question

    Thanks Mike, what I am trying to achieve is something that is probably not possible. I'm happier with the clarity of the leaf itself. It's 3 dimensional quality shows better. I never really know what I want until I see it. Not a very professional or scientific way to work, I know. I just play and play, then I know when I'm finished.

    Believe it or not, this forum is a great help. I only hope I can contribute in a meaningful way.

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