Nisei Week Festival, Little Tokyo, L.A.

[Rider in the Sky]

Program-mode: f/6.3, 1/60, ISO200, Nikon D7K, 18-105mm lens.

I'm not sure why its focus is off. I set it to AF-A, Area-S. I aimed at her before she took a step and I saw the green dot. I thought the focus would follow her. Maybe the focus changed to the tower?

Perhaps I should use Aperture mode: f/8.0; AF-C and 21pt area next time.
and/or practice holding the camera steady. Do the same for the two
pictures below.



Not enough ambient light. I tested a shot @ ISO6400, but it didn't come out nice.
So I used camera flash.
Nikon D7K, 18-105mm, Program mode: f/5.6, 1/80, ISO1600




Nikon D7K, 18-105mm, Program mode: f/5.6, 1/80, ISO640

This is the Nebuta. Their giant lighted mobile lantern.

Thanks

[Shadowman]

Nice efforts, some very challenging subjects to practice your skills. Try setting the focus mode to AF-C and take multiple shots. The shutter speed for the first shot was a bit too slow and you'll only be able to keep the subject in focus if you pan in the direction the subject is moving.

2nd image isn't bad, if you resort to flash consider decreasing the intensity so you can avoid red-eye and slightly formless captures as shadows are somewhat reduced; notice how well lit the subjects are and they don't cast any shadow which makes them appear to float.

The third looks fine.

[Rider in the Sky]

Will keep your tips in mind next time. I guess the shutter spd was slow. Maybe try higher shutter spd ex. 125 and adjust ISO/opening.

Also practice using AF-C. The flash was TTL. I will take pictures with adjusted flash intensity and see the difference.

Thanks John.

[IzzieK]

Nice try...I love the colours very much...

I wish you will take time to fill out your profile so we know what to call you apart from "Hey!" I am not a horse so I hate being called "Hey!" Also, please tell us from where you are located. Most of us have the details to our names. It does not have to be the longish version, just a nickname...please...

[rpcrowe]

I would guess that your camera shake caused the lack of sharpness in image #1. I would boost the ISO a bit - to at least ISO 400 and open up the aperture. This would increase the shutter speed as well as allow you to blur the background which would separate the main subject from the background...

#2 is a difficult shot because of the lack of light. The camera flash is not really the best source of light. If I needed to shoot in relative dark, I would try to get the flash away from (over would be best) my camera. This could be accomplished with a hotshoe flash either holding it high with one hand and firing the camera with tho other hand or using a flash bracket which could hold the flash high over the camera lens. Using some sort of diffuser would also help.

I really like the last shot very much.

[Dave Humphries]

Hey,

May I wish you a warm welcome to the CiC forums from me.

From your self-critique/questions, it sounds like you are at the point where you should be moving from P mode to A or S (Aperture or Shutter priority), as appropriate for the subject and conditions - and using Exposure Compensation (EC) when necessary.

#1

I'm not sure why its focus is off. I set it to AF-A, Area-S. I aimed at her before she took a step and I saw the green dot. I thought the focus would follow her. Maybe the focus changed to the tower?

I have Nikon bodies and never trust AF-A to make the decision for me, if I know I need AF-C, as you did here, then that's what I set and if I don't need that, then AF-S is the mode to use - it should be simple to change on the fly on your D7000. However, as the focus is on the tower, perhaps you were not panning with her and the single focus point slipped off her, on to what was behind, just as the shutter fired.

Compositionally this one fails because the main subject is now walking 'out' of frame and the person on the left is already being clipped. I can sympathise, since - at that short range - if people are doing a 'step-pause-step' type of walk/march, it can be tricky to predict their movement. Ask me to clarify if my comments don't make sense.

#2

Not enough ambient light. I tested a shot @ ISO6400, but it didn't come out nice.
So I used camera flash.

Others have covered the use of flash, so instead I'll note that this one suffers from an unfortunate positioning of the performer's arms; obscuring their faces, whether a shot a second or two later would have had them angled more towards your side of the street, I don't know, but it would have helped. I appreciate it may have been difficult to see (and time this shot) at night though.

#3 is, as others have noted, very nice - good exposure and the composition works too, although a little more of the animal head on right might have been better still.

So, nothing to be ashamed of, more practice will undoubtedly bring better results next time, so get out and shoot

Before you go forth, could you do us a favour please?
Could you click Settings (right at the top),
then Edit Profile (on left)
and put your first name in the Real Name field (e.g. Mitz?)
and where you are (roughly) in the Location field (e.g. L.A., USA?),
then click the Save Changes button below and to right,
this helps everyone give you more personal and relevant answers - thanks in advance.

Thanks in advance, Dave

[rpcrowe]

I wondered how this image would have looked with the main subject isolated by: cropping and blurring the background. I also sharpened the main subject just a bit.

I used the spot healing brush tool to remove the portion of the light fixture that was jutting near her head...

If I wanted to spend more time on this as a project, I might have played around with the pagoda and lamp post upper right...

[Rider in the Sky]

Hi Richard, Your edit really gave a new perspective, i.e. editing to improve the image. It does look better. Following your tip, I'll do some edit with your ideas.

Backreading your posts, I saw your DIY diffuser. Maybe I'll try and make one too.

Will take special note of your observation about camera shake and practice more.

Thanks.

ps. will post edited photo like yours.

[Rider in the Sky]

Hi Dave,

Yes, you're right. Time to move on into the challenging "A-mode" realm.
and start using Exposure Compensation (EC)

#1. Next time, will check out your AF-C and AF-S. Also panning with the subject.
Yes, her position was too much on the left "going out of frame". Maybe I have one with the subject somewhere on the right moving towards the middle. If I get you right, I should "anticipate" the direction of movement of subjects in such an event so I can place the focus correctly? It was catch-n-go because of the bustling crowd , so I just had to do what I felt was the best in whatever position I was in.

#2. Yep. I did notice a lot of other fotogs used YN off-cam flash. Maybe I'll get one too.

Will do as you said "practice, practice...."

Thanks for all your advice Dave. Really appreciate it.

[IzzieK]

#2. Yep. I did notice a lot of other fotogs used YN off-cam flash. Maybe I'll get one too.

Will do as you said "practice, practice...."

Thanks for all your advice Dave. Really appreciate it.

While you are waiting to shoot with a flash on your night shots, you can use the existing light on your subjects by changing your WB to Daylight. Throughout my readings and research, I find that our camera are arse about when it comes to White Balance -- I use Daylight WB at night and Cloudy WB during the day. Then adjust your EC to suit. Google Exposure Triangle to make use of changing your Shutter Speed as against Aperture as adding some light or darkening via Exposure Compensation when you learn to shoot in RAW ...

And btw, I like your original shots, it just need a bit more pp...or lesser. There is nothing wrong with them as they are very colourful. Thank you for sharing with us...