trying to look good at taking pictures

[JoeliusZ28]

too bad they are grainy as hell lol. these were taken at GVSU yesterday evening.

 

[AutoEuphoria]

Lower ISO (100 or lower if you can), tripod, smaller aperture (higher f/ number), and longer exposure will help. Good composition, but make sure you get the angles right (some are clocked a bit when they should be straight).

Overall, good pictures..just keep at it!

Not sure what kind of camera you're using, but if it's a DSLR turn off the lens stabilization also when you're using long exposures.

 

[JoeliusZ28]

thanks for the tips. this was my first attempt at night shots and a friend told me the only time to use high ISO is night shots - so i just assumed i should use 400... clearly not lol.

the angles i can usually fix in photoshop in a few seconds, im just being lazy haha.

The camera is a Canon S2 IS mini-SLR and yes it does have image stabilization.

I was using a tripod but its kind of a POS.

 

[AutoEuphoria]

As a general rule, you want to use the lowest possible ISO. Use a high ISO for night shots if you're shooting without a tripod, or trying to capture something that's moving. But for a stationary object with a tripod, always use the lowest ISO possible and compensate with a longer exposure.

Think of ISO as film speed...the less light is necessary to expose that picture. However, on a digital camera, a higher ISO will also mean more grain unless you have a super-camera with a sensor that is able to take crisp pictures at high ISO settings.

So for taking those shots I would:

1) set up tripod and compose the shot
2) turn off image stabilization
3) switch to the lowest ISO available
4) switch to manual mode
5) use a medium aperture setting (stay away from the extreme f/ numbers)
6) set the shutter speed to allow a 0EV picture
7) set the automatic shutter for 10 seconds
8) shutter in half way to focus
9) shutter in full to set off timer
10) allow camera to count down and snap the picture

Use of the timer will eliminate shake from releasing the shutter which can cause blur with a longer exposure

Then take a few more pictures at +1EV, -1EV, +1/2EV, -1/2EV, etc so you have some to choose from. The more pictures you take, the more chances you will have a couple that turn out good. For instance, I took over 2000 pictures on my trip to AZ and ended up with about 500-600 keepers. Always easier to delete a bad picture than to try to make a bad picture good.

 

[Marc@AutoLavish]

^ i know who i'm coming to for advice on photography... I enrolled in a class at OCC this Fall as I want to really learn how to take good pics. It'll help throughout my life, but especially in detailing where a good photographer and a freshly detailed car compliment each other well.

 

[JoeliusZ28]

As a general rule, you want to use the lowest possible ISO. Use a high ISO for night shots if you're shooting without a tripod, or trying to capture something that's moving. But for a stationary object with a tripod, always use the lowest ISO possible and compensate with a longer exposure.

Think of ISO as film speed...the less light is necessary to expose that picture. However, on a digital camera, a higher ISO will also mean more grain unless you have a super-camera with a sensor that is able to take crisp pictures at high ISO settings.

So for taking those shots I would:

1) set up tripod and compose the shot
2) turn off image stabilization
3) switch to the lowest ISO available
4) switch to manual mode
5) use a medium aperture setting (stay away from the extreme f/ numbers)
6) set the shutter speed to allow a 0EV picture
7) set the automatic shutter for 10 seconds
8) shutter in half way to focus
9) shutter in full to set off timer
10) allow camera to count down and snap the picture

Use of the timer will eliminate shake from releasing the shutter which can cause blur with a longer exposure

Then take a few more pictures at +1EV, -1EV, +1/2EV, -1/2EV, etc so you have some to choose from. The more pictures you take, the more chances you will have a couple that turn out good. For instance, I took over 2000 pictures on my trip to AZ and ended up with about 500-600 keepers. Always easier to delete a bad picture than to try to make a bad picture good.

wow awesome thanks. i dont know what half of that stuff means but im going to look into it!

 

[PaysoProductions]

As a general rule, you want to use the lowest possible ISO. Use a high ISO for night shots if you're shooting without a tripod, or trying to capture something that's moving. But for a stationary object with a tripod, always use the lowest ISO possible and compensate with a longer exposure.

Think of ISO as film speed...the less light is necessary to expose that picture. However, on a digital camera, a higher ISO will also mean more grain unless you have a super-camera with a sensor that is able to take crisp pictures at high ISO settings.

So for taking those shots I would:

1) set up tripod and compose the shot
2) turn off image stabilization
3) switch to the lowest ISO available
4) switch to manual mode
5) use a medium aperture setting (stay away from the extreme f/ numbers)
6) set the shutter speed to allow a 0EV picture
7) set the automatic shutter for 10 seconds
8) shutter in half way to focus
9) shutter in full to set off timer
10) allow camera to count down and snap the picture

Use of the timer will eliminate shake from releasing the shutter which can cause blur with a longer exposure

Then take a few more pictures at +1EV, -1EV, +1/2EV, -1/2EV, etc so you have some to choose from. The more pictures you take, the more chances you will have a couple that turn out good. For instance, I took over 2000 pictures on my trip to AZ and ended up with about 500-600 keepers. Always easier to delete a bad picture than to try to make a bad picture good.

+1 Nice info