Are you ready for the next Challenge??? (July)

[Fidelis]

Hello everyone!!! Yet again another month has begun which means its time to set our 3rd photography challenge!!! Before I go into explaining it I just want to thank everyone who has taken part in one of our challenges or indeed all of them, your what make the challenges great & we thank you for your participation! You guys & gals take some awesome images!!!

Anyway lets get onto the challenge! I am gonna suggest that from now on you post current images that you've taken for the actual challenges. I realize that many of you do but would like to encourage those who don't to perhaps do so :) . I think that you'll learn more by capturing fresh images than dragging one out that you took donkeys years ago & not remembering any of the tech info about them!!! Of course I have no way of proving that you did or did not take your images recently so that will have to be up to you guys & gals! Also you really need to use the function that we're exploring that particular month, so that you can learn all about it (thats if you have it on your camera).

Anyway less of that & onto this months actual challenge, we're going to be looking at your Aperture Priority function. This function allows the photographer to concerntrate on selecting a particular aperture allowing the user to control DOF (Depth of field) & then the camera selects the right shutter speed to achieve a correctly exposed image. If your not sure of some of the terminology I'm using please look at the Glossary (http://www.peterashbyhayter.co.uk/glossary.html) for more info.

When your using your camera in AP mode you need to make sure that you always watch your corresponding shutter speeds. The camera may select a shutter speed that could require you to use a tripod, otherwise you could risk getting camera shake & we don't want that do we people!!! I would say that you can safely hand hold you camera for shutter speeds from 1/60 & faster, if its any longer than this your likely to get CS. As for choosing your actual aperture simply remember if you want everything pin sharp in your image then you'll need to select an aperture of around f16-22. If you want to have the background out of focus & perhaps just a babys toes in focus for example choose an aperture around F2.8 would be somewhere to aim for.

Is everyone following or is this gonna be a real hard challenge for some??? I think that this challenge is gonna perpare you for when we one day you fly solo & venture into Manual mode, LOL! Anyway for this challenge you can select your own subject but remember it would be nice if you could give us a few technical specifications when you do post your image. I will when I find some spare time write up a couple of tuts about aperture/ shutter speeds etc.

Finally goodluck & take a look at the links I've got for ya!

Emma. :)

Shutter & Aperture
Priority (http://www.camerafever.com/Cam_Aperture.htm)

AP (http://www.mikebird.fsnet.co.uk/aded%20stuff/camlight.htm)

DOF (http://www.hodgenet.co.uk/minpics/depthoffield.htm)

[u.k. lady]

Looks good Em,
I have some I took at Loony's bday yesterday that I would like to post later when I get a chance .I know I cant go in the vote at the end but I would still like to join in :D


Jacqui
xx

[Fidelis]

Thats fine Sis post away!!!!

Emma. :)

[Audrey]

Thanks for another challenge! I'm sure learning a lot from these challenges! I finally figured out how to get some decent night shots of the moon two nights ago. I'll be taking pics for the July challenge, for sure!
Thanks again :)

[Fidelis]

Great Audrey!!! We love abit of enthusiasm! Looking forward to seeing your pics!!!

Emma. :)

[Karen]

Ummmm its very quiet on the photography front this week, everyone must be busy creating for Christmas Week :) perhaps it will pick up again next week!

[Fidelis]

I think your right Karen! Where is everyone????

Emma. :)

[TsMom]

I knew that camera shake would occur especially on speeds longer than 1/60, but I didn't know that it would happen on those faster than 1/125. I'm a novice, but I'm sure I've used faster shutter speeds than that without flash hand held and had good results. Can somebody explain this to me?
LaWanna

[Emma]

I need to start taking notes on my tech info, and was wondering if I can ditch the handy-dandy notebook for digital file specs. My camera has the date and time in the file info, is there a way to include the aperture, shutter speed, and film speed used?

Or am I just gonna hafta write it in my notebook...?

[Fidelis]

Lawanna,

Just saw what I wrote & yes your right you can hand hold your camera for faster shutter speeds but just not longer than say 1/60. Sorry about that obviously wasn't concerntrating that day! Hey & also I'm not perfect & still have stuff to learn about Photography. :) I'm learning all the time.

Thanks for pointing that out!

Emma.

Also thought some people might find this thread useful.

Check this out. (http://www.edbergphoto.com/pages/Tip-handholding.html)

[Angie]

My entry for the aperture priority challenge. This was taken this last saturday morning at about 8am. I was out for a job before work and along the road saw this beautiful little wild rose "bud". I thought it would be a great picture. I went home, cleaned up for work, and stopped on my way to work to get the picture. But, by the time I found it, the rose bud had opened up and little bee's were all over it. It turned out to be a fun picture to get. I had the camera set at f-stop of 4.0, the shutter then fired at 1/100. I had the camera on a small tripod.
Camera is a Minolta A2.
Thanks for taking a look!!

Click here to see "Bee Happy" (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8129)

[Emma]

wondering if I can ditch the handy-dandy notebook for digital file specs.

Photoshop File Browser has ALL the metadata for F-stop, shutter and film speed, flash firing, focus depth, ALL of it! I can scroll through photos where I've used different settings, see the preview and view all my tech data to learn what I'm doing!

I can totally ditch the little notebook, it's all right there! And when downloading others' high-res photos, you can see THEIR tech info too!

This SO cool! You experienced photographers already know this, but I am SO excited to see this stuff! Can finally stop guessing what I'm doing, hunker down and learn something!

[Audrey]

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what's what when we're talking f-stops & aperature value. My camera isn't the fanciest, but it does have this info. Now it's just a matter of trying to figure out what it all means. I never use use the automatic mode when taking pictures. To take close-ups I set my focus menu to "multi AF". That way I can focus on something close and the background goes out of focus. Is that what we're trying to achieve in this month's challenge? I should probably reread this thread and also the extra links you gave. Emma, I also noticed that all that info is available in the PSE2.0 browser. Pretty neat!
Oh, my camera's the Sony DSC-P52 3.2 MP, 2x optical zoom.

[Emma]

Yes, the depth of field is how much of the composition is in focus. A narrow field will give a small portion in focus, like the Bee on the Flower posted by Angie.

Frankly, I haven't noticed ANY difference on my DoF with all my various aperture settings. Very discouraging...

Got some good advice to back up and use the zoom to get a better blur and narrower DoF with my A-priority.

BTW, I'm loving Understanding Exposure book. Easy to understand of lots of great info about this stuff for newbies.

Also, finally downloaded the pdf version of my owner's manual. It never did turn up after unpacking, so I now have that to refer to when reading the UE book. Loving photography life! Now if I could just finish writing classes to make time for picture taking!

:D

Have fun. Hopefully I'll get a photo for the challenge this month!

[Karen]

I'm not familar with your camera Audrey but the f-stop, aprerture thing is the same regardless. Your multi AF setting is setting a large aperture say f4 / f5.6 this means your depth of field is very shallow with only a small degree of sharpness. To go to the the other extent, manually set your aperture to f16 / f22 and have a look at the difference, alot more (if not all) of your image should be in focus. A large aperture f2.8, f4, f5.6 will give a shallow depth of field and a small aperture f16, f22 will give much more sharpness in the frame. Hope this helps :)
A good way to see the difference is to take exactly the same subject using the two different settings, look forward to seeing the results:)

Karen

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what's what when we're talking f-stops & aperature value. My camera isn't the fanciest, but it does have this info. Now it's just a matter of trying to figure out what it all means. I never use use the automatic mode when taking pictures. To take close-ups I set my focus menu to "multi AF". That way I can focus on something close and the background goes out of focus. Is that what we're trying to achieve in this month's challenge? I should probably reread this thread and also the extra links you gave. Emma, I also noticed that all that info is available in the PSE2.0 browser. Pretty neat!
Oh, my camera's the Sony DSC-P52 3.2 MP, 2x optical zoom.

[Audrey]

I uploaded two pictures for this challenge. I have lots with flowers but I thought I'd try something different: http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8368
They both have the same info:
Exposure time: 1/60sec
F-Stop: 3.8
I set the camera to "Multifocus" for the top one & focused on the foreground. Then I set it to "Infinity" for the bottom pic for the focus to be on the background.
My camera is pretty simple but it does the job. BTW, I'm learning lots from you ladies. I just got a few books from the library(although I couldn't find Understanding Exposure), and also dug up the manual for my non-digital Canon AE-1, plus I have also found a couple helpful sites on the internet.
Thanks for the challenge!

[bpalmer]

Ok here is my apeture priority picture. We went to Disneyland this morning to celebrate with the park... its Disney's 49th aniversary today! I always love Disneylands flower beds! It was so pretty this morning I had to take a picture. I think if you look close you can even still see drops of water from when they watered.
white flower at Disneyland (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8456&password=&sort=2&cat=500&page=1)

[Audrey]

Thanks for your explanations Karen.
From what I can see, it doesn't look like I have much control over my aperature settings. Maybe I do, but I still have to learn to figure it out. I will persevere! Is it more difficult to control on a digital than on a film camera? Or do I need a more expensive digital camera? It seems like I can get my pictures to look the same as some of the ones in the gallery, but the F-stop info is different.
Around the lens of my camera it says "f=6.3 - 12.6mm 1:38". Do you know what that means?
BTW, "F & f" are not quite the same are they?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really would like to understand all this.

[Emma]

I use a Nikon Coolpix 5700, and I just learned the large aperture, stand back and zoom in trick for the DoF challenge this month.

Problem, is I can hardly get a focus lock at all. Most of the photos are completely blurry, with just a few usable ones.

The f-stop is about 4 with a full 8x zoom. This camera has slow focus anyway, but I really like this technique and need some help getting it right!

Thanks for any advice!

[emurph2]

I use a Nikon Coolpix 5700, and I just learned the large aperture, stand back and zoom in trick for the DoF challenge this month.

Problem, is I can hardly get a focus lock at all. Most of the photos are completely blurry, with just a few usable ones.

The f-stop is about 4 with a full 8x zoom. This camera has slow focus anyway, but I really like this technique and need some help getting it right!

Thanks for any advice!



I have a friend who had that camera Emma and she used a tripod to get some really beautiful pictures with it. With the shutter lag it's nice to have something to stabilze your camera. I hope you'll try it, you'll really see a big difference.

Erica

[Emma]

Itry it, you'll really see a big difference.

I have a better idea: why don't I just try the D70? LOL!

ah...so many things to buy, so little money...
:D

In the meantime I'll use my tripod, thanks!

[Janet]

Is there a deadline for the contest? No real biggie, but the reason I'm asking is that I didn't think I was understanding the aperature on my camera, that has very limited adjustments on it, but some of the pictures where I thought I was playing with this, but wasn't sure, I actually was. I understand how to do it on my regular SLR camera, but with the digital one, it's not so easy. Reading this thread really helped so I could then ask my hubby (who knows much more about photography than I do) better questions. I'll still have to practice more with this, though!

Janet White
Colorado

[Karen]

Sorry Audrey I must have missed your post, better late than never I suppose:)

No you don't need a more expensive digital camera if you are happy with your results, which it sounds like your are then carry on doing what you are doing, the aperature is no different on a digital or film camera they should both be set the same.
The numbers around the lens of your camera are to do with the maximum and minimum settings when you lens is at normal and fully zoomed (I think) maybe Jacqui or Fidelis can explain it better or correctly:)

What this challenge was working with is the aperature setting you set yourself on the camera. f is what is normally used haven't seen the capital F used at all :)
If you aren't sure on something just ask away, hopefully someone will be able to help, its no problem:)

Thanks for your explanations Karen.
From what I can see, it doesn't look like I have much control over my aperature settings. Maybe I do, but I still have to learn to figure it out. I will persevere! Is it more difficult to control on a digital than on a film camera? Or do I need a more expensive digital camera? It seems like I can get my pictures to look the same as some of the ones in the gallery, but the F-stop info is different.
Around the lens of my camera it says "f=6.3 - 12.6mm 1:38". Do you know what that means?
BTW, "F & f" are not quite the same are they?
Sorry for all the questions, but I really would like to understand all this.

[Karen]

Janet I think it runs until the end of the month maybe Fidelis will let you know for sure next time she stops in:)
Glad to hear your getting a handle on the aperature thing:)

Is there a deadline for the contest? No real biggie, but the reason I'm asking is that I didn't think I was understanding the aperature on my camera, that has very limited adjustments on it, but some of the pictures where I thought I was playing with this, but wasn't sure, I actually was. I understand how to do it on my regular SLR camera, but with the digital one, it's not so easy. Reading this thread really helped so I could then ask my hubby (who knows much more about photography than I do) better questions. I'll still have to practice more with this, though!

Janet White
Colorado

[Fidelis]

The monthly competition runs until the end of the month but I no longer run it due to the fact that I'm no longer moderating on DSP! Sad I know :( but I just haven't got as much time now to sit & moderate everyday. My website is being designed as we speak though which is exciting & things are starting to get going with my business which is my sole focus at present. Anyway I'm sure one of the other moderators will carry on where I left off, infact I haven't been moderating for a few weeks now. Sorry I can't be any more help but I will hop in & out of the site & give my two penneth every so often.

Good Luck everyone & i'll definately come vote for 1 of the entries!

Emma. :) :) :)

[Emma]

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9135

Here's my entry! I'm so silly and excited about this. Not the world's greatest photo, blew out the highlights on it, but the grass is blurry and his hand is in focus, and I think the composition and subject are interesting and arranged nicely.

tfl! Was lots of fun, I'm really enjoying using this feature on my camera! And special thanks to my sister Jennifer, she's really spent a lot of private time with me educating me about photography and giving support. You're awesome, Jen! You know your stuff SO well, have such a great array of equipment to help give me product and technical support, and you have great eye and lots of experience. Thanks so much to her and to DSP for helping me become a more aware photographer.

Can you tell I'm excited?! again, tfl!

[ILoveScrapping]

Thanks for the challenge.

Just any excuse to get out with the camera :)

I was downstairs playing with the camera and the notebook and got back up stairs and read Emma's post about Photoshop File Info and now I am jumping round for joy cause no more notebook falling apart and trying to write something with the wind blowing paper everywhere..lol - thanks Emma!! -

Okay I took this photo of my little man Frazer whilst he 'relaxed' under the car with my Canon S1 IS with a Apeture Setting of 4.5 and shutter speed of 1/80.

Thanks for setting these..Now I have excuses to go out and photograph anything and everything..lol..

TFL : http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9188
Julie

[Janet]

Here's my entry for the July challenge.

http://tinyurl.com/3pb36

Janet White
Colorado