Sharpness.

[Feardrops]

Alright, I'm screwed.
I was paid to do a shoot. No big deal, right?
Wrong.
The skater's showed up late, had a really bad setup with props, and I ended up shooting at 9:30 at night. It was a first for me, shooting at night, and I think I failed horribly.

My 70-300 Sigma lens is broke. I had to shoot with my 18-55 MM.
For the next shoot, is there any way I can get a suggestion on getting more clarity in the shot, more sharpness, and less variety around. Here is what I mean:

http://i1.tinypic.com/s41eug.jpg

This shot had potential, but it just isn't clear.

http://i1.tinypic.com/s41h8k.jpg

If you can't see, the skateboarder is blurry.

http://i1.tinypic.com/s41hk2.jpg

Again, the potential is there...but the clarity is missing.

I shoot with the 350D XT, if anybody was wondering.

So...Any chance I could get a step-by-step tutorial on how to achieve that clarity.
(ISO, Aperture, etc;.)

[brivett]

Faster ISO allowing faster shutter speed and greater DOF...

Get the lights off the camera and diffuse thru big screens...

I like the visual concept of the first shot very much....

[Rumjungle]

Could you post up the exif for these shots? It would help.

P.S. I dig the first one.

[tim]

I wouldn't let a little motion blur get you down, those are good shots! If you're shooting at night you really just have to shoot on manual with appropriate lighting, the flash should stop the motion quite easily.

[rlhphotos]

These are all pretty interesting shots. maybe not as clear as youd like, but conceptually they are all good shots...maybe consider getting a fast prime lens or something with alittle fater shutter speeds.

[PhotosGuy]

You can fix them easily if you shoot RAW. Harder if you didn't, but they can still be improved with Layer Masks.
One of the nice things about RAW is the ability to blend two different exposures, and/or two different color balances. I've used several methods in the links below at one time or another, but lately have simplified MY proceedure which works just fine for car pics. I usually don't need to have it work for fine areas like holding detail in tree branches against the sky. (Or a childs hair against anything else.)
Make 2 exposures in RAW conversion.
1 is "normal".
2 is dark to hold the highlights. (Or you could make it a lighter conversion to hold the shadows.)

Open 1, then Shift-drag 2 on top of it. (Shift-drag keeps everything registered.)
Layer>Add Layer Mask / Hide All. (Layer Masks allow you to make non-destructive, reversable, changes)

As long as the mask has a double line around it (may have to click on it to get one) you can use a light colored brush to paint on the pic which removes the mask effect from the 2 layer. I might start with white @ 40% opacity.
Layer masks are non-destructive. If you make a mistake, just paint over it with a dark brush.
NOTE: all Layer> Adjustment Layers have a built in mask, & this works just great with them, too.

Look for more info in the processing stickys. ;)

Take a look at Layer Masks for a non-destructive method to make changes:
Layer Masks:
Dynamic range question...
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135097
RAitch Tutorial - Burn and Dodge with a Layer
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=810581#post810581
Tutorial - Create a layer mask from image detail
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100077
Masks - Lightening
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=977235#post977235
Another example using Masks (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=108256) is here.

Russell Brown Tips & Techniques: Advanced Masking
http://www.russellbrown.com/tips_tech.html
Scottes: Tutorial: Masking for Noise Reduction (Big!)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=48929
The Light's Right Studio: Blended Exposures Revisited
http://www.thelightsright.com/DigitalDarkroom/PDFTutorials.htm

[Issac Brock]

There's lots of links to tutorials in the critique corner I think, or somewhere around here. It's stickied.

[Andy_T]

I really like the (unvoluntary) effect on the skateboarder in the second image :D

Maybe not the idea of jumping over somebody elses head, but the image looks great.

Get a fast wide prime like the Sigma 30/1.4 EX, it'll help you a lot.

Best regards,
Andy

[Emenresu]

the way #2 came out i really like, although i geuss you werent going for that though

[mizuno]

I like them all.

Seriously, I think they are interesting shots. Who wants a perfectly crisp skating shot anyway - skating is not crisp, it's edgy. Shoot for the sub-culture.

[mbze430]

bring studio lights.

[harryb49]

The shots are interesting and the blur doesn't bother me. In fact it gives the photo more impact by showing motion.

Consider simplifying the background so that your attention is focused on the subject, not the clutter in the background. Whatever you show in the background should be something tied to the main subject.