Andean Landscape (from my country house)

[Catalina]

I took about 400 photos of the landscapes around my house, I just could not "manage the light". It was either too much or too little.
I also had problems with the electricity cables,they were just everywhere.
Although I wore clothes and shoes proper for working outside,kneeling and geting really dirty was not enough.

I guess I was relying on the "p" mode.

Here are some pictures that I consider the best ones.But they are not good at all.

Now, please tell me how could I get better results.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Catalina,

Can you tell us what the settings were please? For some reason this image does not include the EXIF data as your other recent ones have.

Grahame

[Shadowman]

I've found that cameras set to program or auto tend to overexpose most images, which isn't necessarily bad but it rarely gives you an image like the one you remember. Consider exposure compensation if the image straight out of the camera doesn't appeal to you. Also, check the settings the camera chose when in P mode and try switching to aperture priority to start, set the camera at f/5.6, then switch to M mode and try at the shutter speed the camera chose while in P mode, then experiment with different shutter speeds, going until you either can't handhold at a certain speed or your images come out too dark to be useful (too noisy, no detail).

[Catalina]

Dear John: Only the last day, dared to introduce myself to manual photography. I was working with the "guia de Nikon para la cámara digital". I set it on in manual but started by "p" to give me the idea of a shutter aperture, yes it was 5,6. I had no idea before. I Thought that 8 or 11 would be better, but no.
The shutter speed is not easy to find either, because I ended up with a lot of "wash out" photographs. I let too much light in the camera for the photo.
So The sequence is this
1. put the camera on m. Try with 5.6
2.consider exposure compensation
3. put the camera on p, chose the shutter speed
4. experiment withdifferent shutter speeds going from the light exposures to darker ones (but not too dark)
¿ Did I get it?
Thank you a lot, sincerely,

Catalina.

PS I want to ask a question. In a big landscape as it is how do you manage the horizon line within the exposure. I had stuff near me that I did not want to be in the photo like picket fences, ugly flower parterres, a caw, weeds, etc. And the absolute worst: plastic covering flowers for export.

[Shadowman]

Dear John: Only the last day, dared to introduce myself to manual photography. I was working with the "guia de Nikon para la cámara digital". I set it on in manual but started by "p" to give me the idea of a shutter aperture, yes it was 5,6. I had no idea before. I Thought that 8 or 11 would be better, but no.
The shutter speed is not easy to find either, because I ended up with a lot of "wash out" photographs. I let too much light in the camera for the photo.
So The sequence is this
1. put the camera on m. Try with 5.6
2.consider exposure compensation
3. put the camera on p, chose the shutter speed
4. experiment withdifferent shutter speeds going from the light exposures to darker ones (but not too dark)
¿ Did I get it?
Thank you a lot, sincerely,

Catalina.

PS I want to ask a question. In a big landscape as it is how do you manage the horizon line within the exposure. I had stuff near me that I did not want to be in the photo like picket fences, ugly flower parterres, a caw, weeds, etc. And the absolute worst: plastic covering flowers for export.

Catalina,

I chose f/5.6 because it would allow more light to reach the sensor and still give you an adequate shutter speed to handhold the camera. If you can find a flat surface to place the camera then try other apertures, at least until you get a tripod.

Regarding getting the horizon straight, I'm not the best person to ask as I tend to compose at a slight slant, but you can use your focus indicators as guides by aligning the vertical squares with a vertical object in our viewfinder.

[Catalina]

I have a tripod but the terrain is not flat, so the tripod will not stand still but i will rock back and forth. It would be useful to me because my right hand has a little tremor. I hold the camera as I was taught to, and when I touch the shutter <i don't breath so it won't move

[Catalina]

I took 500 photographies. I cannot find this photo again, and even if I would I wouldn´t know how to post the settings with the picture, but I am going to try .)

[Catalina]

Nikon d 40
2014/01/ 07it
JEPG (8-bit)
image size: medium
color
lens 18-55 f/3.5-5.66
focal lenght 55mm
exposure mode programe
metering mode: multipattern
1/80 sec-f 5.6
Exposure comp o e v
Sensitivity Iso 400
Optimize image:normal
white balance: auto
af mode:manual

Color mode IIIa (SR 6b
tone comp:auto
Hue adjustment o°
saturation auto
sharpening auto
image coment

long exposure nr ff
VR control: off

(more or less) I am not sure if itisexactly the same photo

It doesn't copy and paste

[Shadowman]

You'll definitely want VR (vibration reduction) set to on. It'll help as you are handholding, plus mentioned a slight tremor in your hand.

[Stagecoach]

Nikon d 40
2014/01/ 07it
JEPG (8-bit)
image size: medium
color
lens 18-55 f/3.5-5.66
focal lenght 55mm
exposure mode programe
metering mode: multipattern
1/80 sec-f 5.6
Exposure comp o e v
Sensitivity Iso 400
Optimize image:normal
white balance: auto
af mode:manual

Color mode IIIa (SR 6b
tone comp:auto
Hue adjustment o°
saturation auto
sharpening auto
image coment

long exposure nr ff
VR control: off

(more or less) I am not sure if itisexactly the same photo

It doesn't copy and paste

Catalina,

I'm confused. This image is one that you posted back in December for which you were given guidance and advice and now post again asking how you could get better results?

It would also not be wise to make any comments based on this shooting data if you are not sure it applies to the actual image posted.

Grahame

[Catalina]

Dear Grahame:

Pardon me for being so...so I don´t know how to put it. I could not take the computer with me to the country house,[I] I could just remember some advise. You are right I should have done it the old way with a note paper where I should have written your wise teachings.

The problem with the ex if information is that I have several photos that looks about the same, and over all they are 400 or 500 (with the flowers and the portraits. I cannot just point to picture project and copy and paste. I had to write all in a note paper and writteby hand for you. Some times I am not sure what I am writting because I have no idea the reason for some numbers and letters.

I am sorry if I am dull or silly or something but I cannot learn everything at once.

But I must have tell you the truth, if it is not for you I would be taking much worse photographs. Everytime I learn and they improve.

I am much grateful to you for your kind teachings, but I guess that you asume that I am more clever and can learn more.

I am an average person andI commit mistakes, I
beg for your pardon

At any moment I intended to offend you, but if I did receive my appologies.


This situation makes me uncomfortable because you have been more than kind and patient to me. I have nothing else to say to all of you, and specially to you grahame thanks a lot.

Cordially,

CATALINA

[Catalina]

I am sure I not asking for advise about the same photo twice, because <i shot this photos last week. On my last week of vacation.
Maybe iam asking the same question twice. I am sorry but I the most absent minded person.
Again what can I tell you? first of all, forgive me forgive me forgive me but at the same time thanks a lot, thanks a lot.
I realize that the level of my photography is much much worse than the levels of the others. I have so much to learn, but let me.
If at any moment I insult you with the quality of my work just let me know that I am in the wrong place.

But with all my heart I hope that this does not happen because I am really learning.

Thank you Grahame for listening to me...for giving me advise... thank you all of you.

Sincerely,

Catalina

[Stagecoach]

I am sure I not asking for advise about the same photo twice, because <i shot this photos last week. On my last week of vacation.
Maybe iam asking the same question twice. I am sorry but I the most absent minded person.
Again what can I tell you? first of all, forgive me forgive me forgive me but at the same time thanks a lot, thanks a lot.
I realize that the level of my photography is much much worse than the levels of the others. I have so much to learn, but let me.
If at any moment I insult you with the quality of my work just let me know that I am in the wrong place.

But with all my heart I hope that this does not happen because I am really learning.

Thank you Grahame for listening to me...for giving me advise... thank you all of you.

Sincerely,

Catalina

Hi Catalina,

You certainly have not offended me in any way at all and whatever the level of your photography if I consider I can assist in your learning it's my pleasure to help.

As for this image I thought I had seen it previously posted earlier here landscape with hydrangeas, La Ceja (Colombia)

As per my comments in the other thread I consider that the best way for you to make progress based on your postings to date is to take some time, forgetting pretty subjects and views, and learn to use the camera in aperture mode taking images of anything around you with the aim of producing well focussed and exposed pictures. Once these basics are learnt we can then progress to more interesting subject and compositions.

Grahame

[Downrigger]

Now, please tell me how could I get better results.

Catalina, you are getting a useful lesson about how the camera will often not "see" the interesting richness of color and light that you think it will. Your eye's data, and the camera's are different. It looks lush and green there, I think that's what you want to show, and the camera isn't giving you any help. That will happen a lot.

I bet one way to get better results is to try shooting in weather that is more clear and light that is more interesting. This looks to me like mid-day light in overcast with a lot of haze in the atmosphere so everything is soft and there isn't much contrast. Some subjects are nice in soft light like this with little shadow but it doesn't help most landscapes. You will learn to recognize conditions that will give your this sort of image and not go out for landscapes in them. You may not do post processing yet, which is fine, but if you did you would be able help this image be more interesting.

For now I would seek opportunities to shoot in widely varying conditions. Seek days when the air is very transparent (or experiment with fog, if you experience that there), and especially try for the interesting light that happens with early morning and late evening. Try to be experimental - explore as many types of light and subject matter as you can. Avoid trying to get a "winner" shot, and instead have fun fooling around.

The P setting is OK for learning about what the camera can do with different situations, but you should also learn how to adjust shutter speed and aperture to obtain different results. The tutorials here, and information elsewhere are worth some study.