How can i improve my photos

dgiglio3087

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So i bought my camera the day after thanksgiving, then just before xmas i bought a canon 100mm macro lens and ive been trying to improve over the past 3 months, and this is where im at, my photos look a little washed out and not as crisp as other peoples photos. I use very little edit in my photos, mainly just a crop, resize, and thats it. Tell me what you think. thanks

new231255.jpg
 

kuyatwo

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Do you shoot with a tripod?

Either use timer function or remote as that little jiggle will some fuzzy picture.

Shoot in manual focus, shoot in live mode and magnify a coral polyp and use the manual focus ring to focus on the polyp

Shoot in raw and use a raw editor. As cameras jpeg compresses the picture so you lose some quality


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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dgiglio3087

dgiglio3087

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Do you shoot with a tripod?

Either use timer function or remote as that little jiggle will some fuzzy picture.

Shoot in manual focus, shoot in live mode and magnify a coral polyp and use the manual focus ring to focus on the polyp

Shoot in raw and use a raw editor. As cameras jpeg compresses the picture so you lose some quality


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey thanks for you tips, I do use a tripod, shoot in raw, and shoot in live mode. Could water clarity be to blame for the fuzzy appearance?
 
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slugwall

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I think it looks great! What kind of camera are you using... I am looking at the Nikon D5100
 

returnofsid

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Actually, for macro photography, which comes with it's own trials and tribulations, the above photograph is excellent. Especially considering your using a very slow shutter speed. It's very well focused, possibly just slightly over exposed, which may wash out some of the color. Maybe try the same photo, with a slightly faster shutter speed, keeping the F13 that the above photo was shot with. This will result in a slightly darker photo, that may show the color a lil' less washed out. If the color doesn't appear right, you may try adjusting the white balance, of the RAW photo, in post processing, OR if shooting in Jpg, setting a custom white balance, to the tank.
 
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dgiglio3087

dgiglio3087

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I think it looks great! What kind of camera are you using... I am looking at the Nikon D5100

Thanks a lot! I thought it looked great but the more I look at other better photos the more I feel like my photos look like Im using a disposable camera lol. But it's actually a canon rebel t3 , got it on black friday with lens bag memory card and all for either 500 or 600 bucks, can't remember.
 
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dgiglio3087

dgiglio3087

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Actually, for macro photography, which comes with it's own trials and tribulations, the above photograph is excellent. Especially considering your using a very slow shutter speed. It's very well focused, possibly just slightly over exposed, which may wash out some of the color. Maybe try the same photo, with a slightly faster shutter speed, keeping the F13 that the above photo was shot with. This will result in a slightly darker photo, that may show the color a lil' less washed out. If the color doesn't appear right, you may try adjusting the white balance, of the RAW photo, in post processing, OR if shooting in Jpg, setting a custom white balance, to the tank.

Again thanks for the compliment. I think I'm having trouble with my depth of field , but due to aquarium lighting I was having a hard time getting the exposure just right. But I will continue taking pictures and slowly progressing as I go. I also will try to take the same photo again with a slightly faster shutter speed , as you recommended. Again I've only been shooting for 3 months so either that says how great these cameras are , or I am getting better.
 

Form or function: Do you consider your rock work to be art or the platform for your coral?

  • Primarily art focused.

    Votes: 20 8.6%
  • Primarily a platform for coral.

    Votes: 40 17.2%
  • A bit of each - both art and a platform.

    Votes: 156 67.0%
  • Neither.

    Votes: 11 4.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 6 2.6%
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