Project 52 - Jan - 2019 - Tri Danimal

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Originally Posted by rudi

is it possible that your focus was not spot on?

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It was really hard to focus on the moon. I was able to use the bright white section in the top left to focus. I couldn't pick up enough details when manually focusing. For some reason my focus magnification was resetting itself often I dont know why, I have the setting set to "timeout: unlimited".

Also,
I have not run this photo through Lightroom. I am struggling to get Lightroom to import the file. I need to spend a bit of time at my computer in the next week to further edit the photo.

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Originally Posted by Tri Danimal

….. I am struggling to get Lightroom to import the file......

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The output images from DSS are saved as 32 bits when you use the 'Autosave.tiff' option. I don't know iff Lightroom can open 32 bit files (I don't use Lightroom…).
In DSS, in the processing tab > safe picture to file...you can change the 32 bit to 16 bit from the output image....HTH

I was finally able to get some time at the computer last night. As per usual, the link between the keyboard and the chair was not working properly. I think I still like to original photo a little more than the edits. I have run the photos through LIghtroom, I tried to use the noise reduction adjustment but I couldnt get results that pleased me. I might try moving the photo #2 in to photohop to see if I can get any better noise reduction. Unfortunatly I think the high clouds on the night of this capture are going to makethis the best I can do, with my current skill set.

Edit #1
http://i65.tinypic.com/2uh1gyd.jpg


Edit #2
http://i66.tinypic.com/vcum8z.jpg


Original image
http://i66.tinypic.com/4j2nua.jpg


I am happy with these photos as I learned a lot about capturing the moon as well as post-processing space objects and importing tif files into LR. I think its time to move onto Week 5.


Thanks for all the help and taking the time to review my photos.

So I went camping with some friends during week three of Jan. It was a cold and rainy weekend which lead to a lot of time around the campfire and lots of laughter.

I was sitting across the fire from a friend of mine and when I looked up I saw her with her scarf wrapped around her head, the first and only thing I thought about was the famous Afganni girl photo. I imeadietly jumped up and grabbed my camera. I fired off several photos, this is what I think is the best one.

pic 1
http://i65.tinypic.com/rli9e8.jpg


you can't call it a camping trip if you don't have a campfire. I decided to try a long exposure to catch that last bit of the Christmas tree needles that were thrown on the fire. They created really cool trails above the fire.

pic 2
http://i68.tinypic.com/35mekck.jpg

Daniel, for my money, both pictures work well — quite apart from the fact that they were taken in challenging conditions.

I’m curious about how long the exposures were.

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Originally Posted by Cantab

I’m curious about how long the exposures were.

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I will look at the original files tonight when I get home. For some reason, I saved a low-quality photo to my google drive to upload.

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I might try moving the photo #2 in to photohop to see if I can get any better noise reduction.

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The noise reduction tools in the newer versions of Lightroom are very powerful, although getting the most of them takes some work, as there are a lot of options. I once read a wonderful, detailed tutorial on using them, but I can't find it. However,here is a brief explanation of the various tools.

Without getting into the fine points, one can often get very good results simply by doing this:

1. Blow the image up to 300% or 400%.
2. Use the color noise slider (just the top one) if needed. I find I rarely need it.
3. Drop down to 100%
4. Gradually move the top luminance slider until you smooth out noise without removing too much detail

You can then play with the detail slider. I find that it is usually fine where it is by default.

In my experience, that's often enough.

Nice efforts, I like the group campfire best, the portrait could be improved with a bit of a level adjustment.

With your #2, the main issue I see is all the veiling flare that comes from shooting into a light source.

Add some microcontrast (clarity / dehaze) and mid-tone contrast to counteract that and you image will clean up quite nicely.

I like the concept and the execution. A bit more work in PP and you'll have an even stronger image.

http://i65.tinypic.com/5cftx3.jpg

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Originally Posted by Cantab

I’m curious about how long the exposures were.

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Photo #1
f/4, 1/10sec, iso-8000, 75mm
taken on the Tamron
Since this photo was taken at iso8000 I'm guessing that's where the noise is coming from.


Photo #2
f/2.8, 4 sec, iso-500, 28mm
taken on tamron

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Originally Posted by Tri Danimal

Photo #1
f/4, 1/10sec, iso-8000, 75mm
taken on the Tamron
Since this photo was taken at iso8000 I'm guessing that's where the noise is coming from.

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ISO 8000 is high but not super high. The image is a lot noisier than I would have expected at that ISO setting.

Noise with a properly exposed image on a modern camera, like yours, is generally quite acceptable. Underexpose the shot and noise can be an issue, especially in the dark areas like the sky. The noise in other areas of the image is also quite noticeable. When I pull up the histogram, the image does look rather underexposed. Getting a wider exposure or using techniques like ETTR (expose-to-the-right) go a long way to controlling image noise.

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ISO 8000 is high but not super high. The image is a lot noisier than I would have expected at that ISO setting.
....When I pull up the histogram, the image does look rather underexposed.

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I suspect that is the long and short of it. I haven't ever used an A7iii, and I am guessing that it is more robust to ampilification (increases in ISO) than any of my cameras. However, the tests that I have done with my 7D--a moderately noisy camera by today's standards, I think--showed that image quality in well-exposed areas is quite robust to increases in ISO but that shadow areas are not. This makes sense; the ratio of signal to noise is far lower in shadow areas, so the amplification of noise is more apparent. All that surprised me when I did the test, given the camera I used, is how robust the well-exposed areas are.

Moon shots limit exposure time because of the earth's rotation. However, this is why for other night photography I recommend a long exposure that will ETTR and allow a low ISO. One can then darken in post, at no cost to image quality.

The past few nights have been pretty cloudy so I haven't been able to get out and shoot any of the waning moons nor the pair of planets close to together (Jupiter and Venus). I decided to take a capture of the delicious White Russian I had made. I hadnt tasted this one but I have been perfecting the reciepe for the last few months.

Photo to come. for some reason, Tiny Pic doesn't like my JPEG file it wants a JPG file.

**Update**
It turns out Lightroom mobile only exports JPEG files. I haven't found a way around this. I have used an online converter to convert the image to a PNG file for uploading to tinypic.com. When I get home from work I will use the Lightroom app on my PC to re-edit and export a full size file for your review.

**UPDATE #2**
Finally got to my computer to get the photo exported in a proper file type for tinypic.com.

http://i63.tinypic.com/153o7ya.jpg

After posting the photo to this site I looked at it and I wasn't happy. I made a few additional edits that I think really make this photo better.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2py6n1z.jpg

Daniel,

What I immediately notice is that there is too little in focus on the subject. My eyes are drawn to the handle which I suspect was not your intended focal plane but I suspect the shot would have worked better with the forward liquid line being sharp.

It's also looking underexposed and flat. Why ISO1000, if it had been taken on a tripod you could have dropped the speed, and ISO and gained on DoF to produce a well exposed and higher quality image with far more impact?

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Originally Posted by Stagecoach

Why ISO1000, if it had been taken on a tripod you could have dropped the speed, and ISO and gained on DoF to produce a well exposed and higher quality image with far more impact?

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I almost always shoot in Manual but I wanted to try shooting in Shutter priority and Aperture priority modes. I need more practice in these modes to feel comfortable with them. It is really weird giving up control, but I can see how it will make making the photo quicker if shooting in a hetic enviroment.

This weekend is supposed to be 70% + chance of rain. I will retry these shots. That means more White Russians :D :cool:

Also, to my eye, it looks like the ice cube is in focus. The ice cube does look to be in the same plane as the handle, as you have pointed out. Should I be trying to get the leading edge of the liquid in focus for these kind of photos?

TinyPic has been acting up a bit, as it seems to do from time to time. I had no issues using it yesterday, but not so much a bit earlier this week.

Sorry, this image is not working at all for me. Significant colour cast (glass generally does not have a warm colour cast), focus issues (i.e. insufficient DoF for the subject) and significant underexposure (the liquid in the glass has significant amounts of blocked shadow detail); look at the histogram for this shot.

A general rule of thumb on focus is that anything in front of the subject should be in focus, while the background can be soft. I would have thought that the mug was the subject, so having it sharp, at least to the middle of it would have been important to making this shot work.

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Originally Posted by Tri Danimal

I almost always shoot in Manual but I wanted to try shooting in Shutter priority and Aperture priority modes. I need more practice in these modes to feel comfortable with them. It is really weird giving up control, but I can see how it will make making the photo quicker if shooting in a hetic enviroment.

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From the Exif, if correct, this appears to have been shot at - Auto bracket exposure, Manual, 1/6 sec, f/5, ISO 1000, Compensation: -2

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Originally Posted by Tri Danimal

Also, to my eye, it looks like the ice cube is in focus. The ice cube does look to be in the same plane as the handle, as you have pointed out. Should I be trying to get the leading edge of the liquid in focus for these kind of photos?

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If I were shooting this subject (a static close subject using a tripod) I would start at say f/8 and adjust my focus to be mid way between the front (liquid line) and the ice cube. Check the result, adjust aperture and focus plane as necessary to try and achieve front to mid sharpness.

Hey guys and gals, its been a crazy few weeks, I have been able to photograph a tiny tiny bit but I havent really be able to get to the computer to edit anything. In the next few days I should be able to post some photos from last few weeks. Please stay tuned and thanks for all the encouragement to keep photographing.

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Originally Posted by DanK

The noise reduction tools in the newer versions of Lightroom are very powerful, although getting the most of them takes some work, as there are a lot of options. I once read a wonderful, detailed tutorial on using them, but I can't find it. However,here is a brief explanation of the various tools.

Without getting into the fine points, one can often get very good results simply by doing this:

1. Blow the image up to 300% or 400%.
2. Use the color noise slider (just the top one) if needed. I find I rarely need it.
3. Drop down to 100%
4. Gradually move the top luminance slider until you smooth out noise without removing too much detail

You can then play with the detail slider. I find that it is usually fine where it is by default.

In my experience, that's often enough.

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I won't say anything more but this sounds like pixel based editing.

George