I'm almost giving up!!

[Edmack]

Gary, this has a lack of punch, Take the same picture, not necessarily this one, and use all the camera settings, this will perhaps "explain" the differences to you, Landscape, would perhaps suited this one. What, if anything, did you do in CS5,

Again 4/5 mts, CS4, which I did not find easy to understand initially, still a bit of a mystery. Cheers. Ed.

[Gratris]

I just adjusted the saturation, I think, at the end of the day I have to try anything to improve my shots. The outcome may be good, maybe bad but it'll educate me eventually...lol

[Edmack]

Keep taking, and Read and Digest, the Camera Instruction Book. And, post results. Ed.

[Gratris]

Will do, thanks guy's.



Regards
Gray

[Jediboy]

Originally Posted by wavemachine

A very similar story for me and I still can't

Seriously Mark has hit on a good point here, one of the things that I think Mark will agree has helped us is entering the weekly comps, there are challenges which will sometimes push you out of your comfort zone which is fun and you get feedback on your entries.

There are some very experienced photographers on this forum so it is a superb learning resource as I hope you are already finding

I can only echo this. The comps are a good way of getting stuck into a particular theme and the feedback from the ups and downs is a good way of learning, and hopefully the next time you go out you can eradicate any mistakes that have been pointed out.

[goon]

I'm no expert myself and like you am rarely happy with my own photos,out of 100 there will be 6 or 7 that you think wow its a good one.Keep snapping,keep learning,we all are really.

[OldBoy]

Try using curves, as it's the quickest way to fix a picture.

[LouiseTopp]

Is this book good for beginners please?

[John B.]

Originally Posted by Gratris

This here photography lark ain't as easy you think is it?
I have a new camera, new lens, a beautiful surrounding area and still can't get it right!

The camera is just a tool, and like any tool, the user has to learn to use it skillfully. A cheap point & shoot in the hands of a professional is more likely to produce a good photo than the most expensive camera in the hands of a novice. Some of the ads can be misleading, that if you buy this camera, you will produce this kind of photo... but that photo was taken by a pro!

Personally, I don't see a need for a tripod everywhere you go. Lugging one of those around with you can soon discourage you. If your lens has a vibration compensation (or optical stabilizer) switch on it, make sure it's turned on. If not, even a monopod will serve to stabilize your camera, too, and it won't tire you out lugging it around.

If you are using a zoom lens and are zoomed right in, there is more likelihood of getting camera shake and a slightly blurred picture. During daylight hours, the optical stabilizer should take care of that, but it also depends on the aperture you are using. A tiny aperture will need a longer exposure which could lead to blurring. A wide open aperture leads to a shallower depth of focus, thus putting some parts of the photo out of focus. You can find the 'sweet spot' (optimum aperture) on your lens by taping a piece of newspaper to the wall, set your camera on the tripod and take a series of photos from the smallest to the largest aperture. See which photo shows the sharpest newsprint, and that aperture is your sweet spot. My Sigma 18-250 lens is about f/11.

Learning exposure is also a good thing. There are some excellent books on exposure (Brian Peterson's 'Understanding Exposure') is a great book, but there is also a wealth of information on the Internet.

Just one more thing, if your camera has a 'Landcape' option in the shooting menu, it makes a difference.

[StephenBatey]

The assumption here is that the only reason to use a tripod is to avoid camera shake. It isn't. And I always wonder very seriously how many people really are capable of hand holding a camera at the speeds that they claim to be able to do. I also suspect that very few have actually scientifically tested to see what they can manage.