i want my picture to look like this!

[thehundreds]

canon rebel xti:my pic
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/xlilxgatzx/foralan3.png

nikon d40: his pic
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg273/dunksrnice19/blog/DSC_0035.jpg

how do i make it look like his? my shot seems dark and dull his seem finer and smoother. btw im a super noob

[FlyingPhotog]

Welcome to POTN...

First major difference I notice is that he shot his on a nice, clear sunny day which yields more contrast and the ability to use a higher shutter speed to freeeze the action. His also looks like it's had much more post processing (Photoshop Work) done too.

Judging by the very soft shadows in your image, I'd guess you had a much more overcast day giving you less light with which to work meaning less contrast and the need for a slower shutter speed which has left you with some motion blur.

[thehundreds]

its on 1/20 though

he calls them pano shots whats that? and he says he uses all natural lighting

[Glenn NK]

It's not the camera, it's the photographer.

You used a cluttered background against which the boarder disappears and it seems it was a dull day (no shadow).

He used the bright sky to backdrop his shot, and the shadow adds to the composition.

Keep asking questions, and keep taking shots.

But when you see images you like, analyze what it is you like about them.

[elysium]

First of all, you were standing in a difference place. Second your friend may have processed the picture, difference lighting conditions and person.

If you want good photos, you need to pick the right time to be outside too. Your photo looks dull because there is not enough light due to an overcast day, not enough to really bring the photo alive. Processing can help but you need a good photo to start with.

Looks like that maybe shooting to different times also. Maybe shoot together and see how they look straight out the camera if you wish to see more. Either way, learn to process, compose and that would be a decent start.

[FlyingPhotog]

its on 1/20 though

1/20 of a second won't freeze much skateboard action, sorry...

[n1as]

Some of it is the camera. Out of the box, the Nikon gives more sharpness and richer colors in JPG images. Compare the same shot from both cameras and you'll see a difference. Nikon has done their homework well and has tailored the D40 toward the beginner market giving them a richer / sharper experience. Good call on their part if you ask me.

If you want that level of saturation (rich colors) with the Canon, you'll have to set the default saturation level up a bit in your camera. You might also want to bump up the default sharpness a tad because the Nikon puts a bit more sharpness into images as well.

Or you can use some software on your computer to bump it up a bit.

If you shoot in RAW and post process your images you get to make your saturation / sharpness choices at that time so any difference between the cameras goes away.

[thehundreds]

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/xlilxgatzx/?action=view&current=foralan4.png

this one has the right lighting but still doesn't nearly look as good as his

[Skrim17]

his is 1/4000, big difference from 1/20. The lighting is quite different from one shot to the next.

[thehundreds]

if i put mine to 1/4000 its completely dark but is it cause im indoors?

[Skrim17]

1/4000 is how fast the shutter speed is, you need light to make the shutter go fast.

[shannyD]

i like the second one a lot. i think you did a nice job with it.. the first one looks like it was more of just a yucky day to be shooting.

[Skrim17]

second one isn't his, he wants to know why it looks better than his.

[bieber]

if i put mine to 1/4000 its completely dark but is it cause im indoors?
Yes. Sounds to me like you need to pick up a copy of "Understanding Exposure," and read it. You're pretty much asking us to tell you everything there is to photography, which isn't exactly easy on a forum...

[shannyD]

ahh my bad.

practice and learn. thats all you can do. practice. i would save up for a good lens too while im at it.

[thehundreds]

lol its a 28-135 ultrasonic lens

[shannyD]

i mean faster. like an 85mm 1.8 its fast, probably get a good deal on a used one for about 300 dollars.. or you can pick up a 50mm 1.8 for about 100 dollars new, or sometimes 60 used.

they are faster, and you can use them in lower light. mine are on my camera all the time.

[thehundreds]

thanks

[René Damkot]

Main difference in the images, as said, is light and shooting position:

Slight overcast vs. mid-day Sunny (not necessary the best time)
(so: too slow shutter speed vs. too high (IMO))
No light direction vs. Side / backlit (albeit from the wrong side)
Slightly longer lens vs. slightly wider
Bit higher shooting position vs. lower shooting position
cluttered BG vs. clean BG
Tilted vs. (almost) level
no face visible vs. face visible (yet in the dark)


On a side note: The 85mm would be useless for this kinda shot: you want a wide angle.

Use a higher ISO to get a decent image, mind the lighting and BG, and you're halfway there.

[ghostman]

You'll get better with practice and time. Someone suggested reading "Understanding Exposure". It's an excellent, easy-to-read book with several examples.

As others have mentioned already, you can definitely improve your photo by paying attention to your surroundings and not just the subject. Notice how your friend used a wide angle, which exaggerates the street path, and shot upwards to get more of the colorful sky. Your second photo is actually a lot better composition-wise, but your photo lacks the contrast exhibited in his photo. If that's what you're after, pull the photo into an image-editing program and add contrast and lower brightness. I did this with your photo and it immediately brought out the colors of the skater's shoes and added the POP I think you're looking for. You don't have Image Editing enabled, so I won't post the changes.

[Mark1]

Ill add on to the practice bandwagon. Like everything else you will get better by doing it.

But also look as pictures you like. Try to reverse engineer them. Look at everything, not just the subject...... Where is the light coming from? How strong is the light? What is behind the subject? What is beside the subject? Where is the subject in the frame? etc...etc. You get the idea! just pick apart the shots you like. Then try to do something similar with your own shots. Eventually it will be second nature.

[PhotosGuy]

nikon d40: his pic If you want to show something that you haven't personally shot, you can just post a link to it. © issues?
IMAGE POSTING RULES (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=74718) if i put mine to 1/4000 its completely dark but is it cause im indoors? Probably. You need to understand what the camera is doing.

CAMERA LESSONS by Canon: = Enjoy! Digital SLR camera =
http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

Virtual Camera
http://www.photonhead.com/simcam/
Notice the background change when you use his "Shutter and Aperture" settings!

[jd40]

my guess is that your lens (28-135) is fine, you just need a bright day. His picture has clear background (indicate small f stop) and he owns a Nikon d40 (beginner DSLR) so with those 2 facts, I guess he shot with the kit lens (18-55) and the lens is fairly slow too, but he was able to shoot it at 1/4000th because it was a real bright day (see the light on the side of the skater).

Never mind the aperature, to get a rough idea of what your shutter speed needs to be for that day, set the dial to either "auto with no flash" or "p" or "sport" mode, aim the camera at the sky (or focus somewhere bright) take a picture, then aim the camera at the skater, or somewhere somewhat dark, and take another one. View the info from both images and take note of the shutter speed. Which ever give you a nicer picture, use the shutter speed in that ball park.

[thehundreds]

If you want to show something that you haven't personally shot, you can just post a link to it. © issues?
IMAGE POSTING RULES (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=74718) Probably. You need to understand what the camera is doing.

CAMERA LESSONS by Canon: = Enjoy! Digital SLR camera =
http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

Virtual Camera
http://www.photonhead.com/simcam/
Notice the background change when you use his "Shutter and Aperture" settings!

thanks :D

[mattograph]

its on 1/20 though

he calls them pano shots whats that? and he says he uses all natural lighting


Welcome to the forums! I think you will find this one helpful place; I know I have.

I will take a stab at your "pano" question -- I don't think anyone has yet.

I assume he is describing "panning" which is the art (and I do mean ART) of capturing moving objects in a picture using slow shutter speeds. The easiest example to envision is a race car. Know the photo were the car is crystal clear, but the background looks like its going 200 mph? Thats panning. By tracking the motion of the car with the camera (as opposed to using a blazing shutter speed once the car is in frame), the photographer transfers the sense of speed to the background. The slower the shutter speed, the more pronounced the effect.

A true panning artist (once again, this is one of those skills that you can't program into a camera) can stop a racecar, tack sharp in a photo, at a shutter speed as low as 1/100 or even lower. The truly skilled can do it in a single frame (who need 10 frames per second?!)

These photos are often not appreciated as they should be, as they require a high degree of skill and constant practice.

Panning a single object moving on a constant linear plane (like a racecar) is more predictable than an object or objects moving on multiple or changing planes (like a skateboarder). You can produce some really cool stuff when you freeze one object in a frame while the others are moving, but it takes patience and time. The rewards are awesome.

Of course, if he meant something totally different by "pano", sorry to have wasted your time.

BTW -- his shot was not a panning shot. Since everything is frozen still, panning is unnecessary.

[thehundreds]

i think he meant panoramic shot or something like that

[mattograph]

i think he meant panoramic shot or something like that


Oh, thats different. Never mind!:)

Panoramic = extreme wide angle. Can be created with a wide angle lens (like the 10-22mm for your camera) or with a photostitch type of program.

I don't think you can photostitch action though. So it would have to be the lens.

[thehundreds]

^^^ he uses the stock nikkor 18-55mm lens 0.0

[bieber]

Oh, thats different. Never mind!:)

Panoramic = extreme wide angle. Can be created with a wide angle lens (like the 10-22mm for your camera) or with a photostitch type of program.

I don't think you can photostitch action though. So it would have to be the lens.
I think we're missing the obvious other possibility: that his friend's just full of it...

[mattograph]

I think we're missing the obvious other possibility: that his friend's just full of it...

That can't be true. He shoots Nikon, the camera of integrity!:)

[René Damkot]

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramic_photography) (so it must be true ;)): "Panoramic photography is a format of photography that aims to create images with exceptionally wide fields of view, but has also come to refer to any photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect ratio"

[mattograph]

From Leerburg.com. "Pano is a growth disease which is more common in large dogs."

Hmmmm..........