Here's my first try with the camera.....

[almostdiva]

OK everyone,

It took me like 3 weeks to take the thing out of the box, load the batteries and read the manual (still only like 2/3 through it and I uderstand about half of it... ) ANYWAY -- I figured I would test my skills with non-moving targets, BEFORE I attempted to get shots of the tank.

These were all taken with a Sony Cybershot camera, for those who didn't read my "which camera to get" thread. I tried to upload all the pics I took to my Reefland gallery, but it would only hold 2 of them because of size. Anyone care to offer some helpful hints on image resizing?

ANYWAY... here they are. PUHLEEZ don't be shy about making any suggestions on how to improve them. I tried croping the 2nd one. And one of them is my first attempt at taking a MACRO shot.





OK -- I can't upload them, the file sizes are too big. SO how do I resize the? 2 of them are in my gallery. I could't figure out how to insert them in the thread. (I use firefox as my browser, so Mike's sticky didn't help). I guess you guys can go look at them, or someone smarter than me can figure out how to move them!

After looking at southbay's brittle star, I may try to take some of my serpents, Fred, George and Bob, later today.

Rebecca, I put them here for you

Gene

[Poseidon]

What photo editing software do you have?

A good starting point is to set the long dimension to 6" and the dpi to 72....

[SouthBayPhoto]

Yup, use settings like Mike (Poseidon) stated....it also depends on your photo editing software. I'm sure some came with the camera that you could use.

Normally, for my shots I put up here, I just make them 72 dpi and set the longest side to 640 (which usually comes out to be 640 x 480 or 480 x 640 depending if it's a portrait or landscape shot). That'll upload or load no problem here and you won't be blowing any "dial up" users out of the water.

As for comments on these two shots...the first one seems a bit OOF (Out Of Focus). Maybe because you tried to macro too close. Even with it set on macro, you can only get so close with a non-SLR camera (fixed lens). Plus, it's dark, so if you moved your hand at all while holding the camera (camera shake), that could have caused it as well.

Second shot looks better, but still too dark. Since your subject is "backlit" (meaning the bright window behind it), you should use the flash, force it to go off if need be (meaning it will flash), and that will help "balance" the photo.

Sorry to get too technical. Just tryin' to help a bit.

[almostdiva]

Thanks Gene!

Mike,

I have only what came with the camera, and I can't figure out (yet...) how to resize an image, only how to crop one. I think I have to change the menu settings on the camera itself -- I had the photo size set to 6, and I think the other choice is 3.5. I saw info on changing DPI in the manual, but didn't play around with it. I'll try that next time.

Southbay -- I couldn't figure out how to focus to the level I wanted, I think on the first one I was trying to zoom. the camera was set on auto flash, and I probably should have forced it. These were literally the first 2 digital pics I have ever taken, so I have A LOT to learn!

Thanks for everyone's help! More to come (promise...) this time maybe even aquatic subjects (have to clean the glass first....)

Rebecca

[zhenya]

Rebecca,

If I may add one suggeston.., always set your in camera file size to the largest possible it can shoot. If you tell me name of the software that came with the camera I can look it up for you on how to resize images. Having said that, most likely this tool should be somewhere in either tools or some other directory listed in the software. If I don;t know something I always click on help ...

And, if you need a Photoshp Elements I have a copy laying around that came with my printer. It is super nice and has everything one needs for editing images, just not as powerful as the Photoshop CS and such.

Also, I totally agree with Mat on backlit subjects...it is a PITA if you don;t use flash.

[almostdiva]

Gene,

I didn't like the shadows/shading on the pics I took, either -- I just wasn't sure how to fix them! Now, thanks to Matt, I know. I forget what the software is called -- Cyber something -- I'll look when I go home tonight. I think there's a tutorial that came with it. Maybe I should watch it!

Rebecca

[Poseidon]

Hey Rebecca, did you look at that software? PS Elements is a GREAT tool, if you don't have a decent editor yourself. If you really want a fantastic program, get Adobe Lightroom, you can find it for around $100 or so.

You can download a trial version of any of Adobe's programs from their website....

[SouthBayPhoto]

I also agree on Photoshop Elements. It's WAYYYY cheaper than Photoshop CS3 and if Gene can give ya a copy, that's even better yet. I thought I had a copy lying around here somewhere. I'd have to find it. It's very easy to use and pretty straight forward.

I've never used Adobe Lightroom, but heard it's a pretty darn good tool to use for photos. Thanks for suggesting it, Mike...looks like there's another $100 of mine down the drain, cuz now I have to get it! ;)

I believe Adobe's trial versions are 30 days. Gives you a good amount of time to use the "full" version until the 30 days are up...then you just pay for it online and they give you the keycode. That's how I downloaded my entire CS3 suite.

I also agree with Gene to use the biggest file size you can and then "resize" it with an editing program. This ensures you keep as much of the shot as possible. Hard to explain without getting too technical, but you won't lose sharpness or pixels if you use the largest size your camera can handle. Otherwise you're actually letting your camera decide which pixels (part of the picture) it wants to keep and which it doesn't to give you the smaller file/picture size. Not a good thing to do. These cameras now a days are smart, but they aren't THAT smart yet. LOL

No worries about having a lot to learn...that's why we're here...to learn, so take your time and feel free to ask questions. I'm sure none of us mind at all.

[almostdiva]

Mike,

Nope. I was in Brooklyn last night for a lesson. It was FREEZING (like 19) here and super windy (my little VW Beetle got blown down the NJ Turnpike) so it took longer to get home than usual -- 11 pm or so. I will have a chance to see what's what tonight and to play around. I looked for the resizing option, but probably just missed it.

Matt -- I totally get your comment about taking the biggest image I can, then resizing. Makes sense to me.

I will go home, consult the manual, consult the sw, and maybe even try to take some new shots with adjusted DPI, etc.

Woo - hoo!!

Rebecca

[zhenya]

Gene,
I think there's a tutorial that came with it. Maybe I should watch it!

Rebecca

Yeah, that might help actually...

On the other hand, a wonderful friend and a great photographer gave me a dvd on how to work with layers....it;s still in the package... I think it;s been like two years already. No wonder my wife calls me a lazy bum sometimes...

I hope Susan don't read this and asks what I did with the dvd and if it helped..

[SouthBayPhoto]

Nothin' like screwin' yourself over in print, eh Gene? LOL!!! ;)

[charlie]

Hey Rebecca, not much to add here, except the fact that you are in really good hands.
Keep practicing, believe me, it helps. I wish I had more time to dink around with my camera lately!!! Of course, if I got to stay around the house for more than 2 weeks at a time it would help!!!!!
I think I said this before in your other thread, the best thing about a digital camera is the fact that you are not wasting anything by taking alot of pics, if you don't like the shot, or it is bad, just delete it, and keep on learning. Good luck.