very new into this..

[GMAComics]

hi guys. i just purchased a canon 450d and am very new into photography. with a lot of reading and peeking at some of the pictures here somehow managed to get some of the infos needed however i still find it hard when i shot these images. most of the images i shot were soft focus.

i dont know how you guys get some sharp and clear shots. also it came hard for me because of poor lighting conditions during the rehearsal of my colleauges. hope you can help me coz the event will be this friday.

here are sme of the shots. oh and by the way it was very stupid of me not to shoot on raw.. so dont be harsh on me on c&c.

1
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/gmacomics/dong3.jpg

2
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/gmacomics/allen.jpg

3.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/gmacomics/guitarist1.jpg

4.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/gmacomics/dong1.jpg

5.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/gmacomics/dong4.jpg

[Vetteography]

Have you tried switching to a single focus point? It seems that my pictures have become sharper by using just one, especially in low light.

Since you are new to the camera, please forgive me if I type something you already know. If the controls are the same as the earlier XT, below are instructions on how to change the focus points.

If you are looking at the back of the camera, in the upper right-hand corner, at the top of the grip are two small buttons. If you press the outside one (when NOT viewing a picture on the larger LCD) it will bring up the focus point grid. Then you use the directional arrows on the large central control to switch between focus points.

You can chose any one point on the grid or you can choose all of them. I normally use just the center point.

[GMAComics]

i see. thanks vetteography. id better check it out. i think i know where i accidentally click this feature on canon450d.

[René Damkot]

First two images look pretty sharp to me.
I really like the idea of the last one. Would have been better if his head was a bit more back however; now it almost looks like he has a trunk ;)

[GMAComics]

hahaha. thought on that as well rene. i think i only got 4 pics i got sharp but the rest were all soft focus. thanks by the way!

[johnstoy]

Interesting set and compositions... a bit dark for me though... #3 is my fav.

[SilverHCIC]

I noticed that in the first pic you are shooting ISO 1600, and FL=150mm @ f/5 w/ shutter @ 1/40. ... Lot's going on here:
First, @ 1600 a 450D will have noise issues, and you'll need to clean that up in post, but that's pretty easy.
Second, 1/40 sec for FL=150 is a pretty slow shutter. Use a shorter lens, open wider, and get closer to your subjeect.
Third, estimating your subject distance to be about 25 feet, the DOF for 150mm @ f/5 is only 1.59 feet (0.77 feet of which is in front of your focus point, and the remaining 0.82 feet behind your focus point)

When I checked the EXIF on the first pic and saw that you were shooting fairly long (ie, 150mm), I figured the combination of f/5 and 1/40 contributed to what you got. ... Still, not bad for that combination, especially at ISO 1600.

[GMAComics]

wow thanks silverHCIC. now i know where im going. probably ill use the 18-55mm next time and stay close on the subject. now regarding the iso at 1600, i thought it will help me because of porr lighting conditions though i forgot to edit and clean up some noise on pp. thanks for noticing.

thanks for looking johnstoy. one question though. do you use flash on concerts? sorry for the ignorant question.

[johnstoy]

wow thanks silverHCIC. now i know where im going. probably ill use the 18-55mm next time and stay close on the subject. now regarding the iso at 1600, i thought it will help me because of porr lighting conditions though i forgot to edit and clean up some noise on pp. thanks for noticing.

thanks for looking johnstoy. one question though. do you use flash on concerts? sorry for the ignorant question.

Most often, the venue and the performers prefer no flash photography...

My local venue, (like many others,) has a patented custom stage lighting system... Therefore, it's to my advantage to try and incorporate the colors and light patterns into the pictures...

My flash would have a tendency to *blow out* the colors, and make the artists look like they are in a plain ol' living room setting, instead of a theatrical stage show.

There are ways to use the flash for stage shots, however the circumstances for me, would be unique... especially when everyone is seated in their reserved seats... (and we're trying to shoot from in front of the first row...)

An OK from the band would likely be in order before I would use flash... Instead I rely on the fastest prime lenses I can afford.... The IS lenses help a lot too...

[GMAComics]

thanks johnstoy. looks like id better save up for faster prime lenses. the only problem is stock here in in our place is not that indemand so we have to order it somewhere else. thanks again guys. hoping to learn more here.