Wheather conditions (light, etc.) vs. good images

[CGNKlaus]

It's funny. On some days I got very good pics with my Rebel. The other day I wonder because some are not so sharp as I expect (and I don't know why).

So one reason for that could be the weather condition. F.e. if it was a rainy day the air is very clean. So if the sun comes out or if it's cloudy there are better conditions (better light, etc.).

Perhaps nothing new for you.

What do do ? Do you wait for the perfect light to shoot ?

[Mark_Cohran]

Different light is good for different things, and should not have any impact whatsoever on how sharp your photos are. Overcast days are good for outdoor portraiture with a bit of fill flash. Sunny days can be good for action photography. Partly cloudy days are best for landscape photography. The goldern hours (1 hour after sunrise and 1 hour before sunset) are magical times with golden light and long shadows. Of course, I wait for the appropriate light for the images I want to take, but I know that the sharpness of my photo is dependent on my knowledge of my camera, my photographic skills and my technique-- and how well I apply them to the situation at hand.

Mark

[paulhillion]

I'm currently on a 7 month vacation touring around the US & I've so far I've got over 1500 'keeper' shots. Amongst these very few of them are what I'd call perfectly sharp when enlarged in PS. I'm guessing this is caused by my not using a tripod, even though I have one with me usually all the time. The lesson learnt from my recent trip is very simple...I MUST ALWAYS USE MY TRIPOD!.

Regards.

[Persian-Rice]

It's funny. On some days I got very good pics with my Rebel. The other day I wonder because some are not so sharp as I expect (and I don't know why).

So one reason for that could be the weather condition. F.e. if it was a rainy day the air is very clean. So if the sun comes out or if it's cloudy there are better conditions (better light, etc.).

Perhaps nothing new for you.

What do do ? Do you wait for the perfect light to shoot ?

The distance between you and the subject also plays a large factor, especially on a smoggy/hot day.

Air pollution does have quite an effect on image quality, so try to get as close to the subject as possible. There will always be a slight haze but, the farther you are the more the haze has an effect. It has a direct effect on image sharpness, contrast and saturation of colours.

Cheers

[Mark_Cohran]

Air quality will only have an impact on the sharpness and quality of the image if you're talking about landscapes or photos taken in which your subject is a significant distance from your lens. If the problem is when you're shooting subjects that are close to your camera (people, macro, etc.), then it's probably more a matter of technique than weather.

If you are talking about landscapes, then haze or smog can have an effect which is more pronounced with the distance between camera and subject. On those days, you may have to decide whether it's worth your time and effort to shoot. Of course, a good polarizing filter can help cut some of the haze and improve the color saturation of the shot, but you will lose about a half to a full stop of light, so be aware of that.

Good shooting,

Mark

[chris.bailey]

Loads of factors come in to play. On cloudy days you will tend to be using the open end of the aperture range and with many lenses this is not their best. Different cameras also handle low light situations differently. A low light level shot on a 10D will be duller and softer than the same on a 1dMkII. Up the ISO and suffer the noise penalty if it allows you to close down a stop or two. All lenses have a sweet zone, try to keep to it. A RAW file will have more data and therefore more contrast than a jpg if processed properly allowing you to get a little more detail, colour range and contrast from a dull looking shot. Sunlight creates contrast which makes picture look sharper.