first portrait style shot; at random

[Snydremark]

I was down at the park, waiting for the sun to set behind some mountains. When I looked around, I noticed this couple just up the beach from me. Since the lighting was nice and soft, I asked if they'd mind my taking a couple of shots of them. This one came out the best, if a bit soft on focus; what do you folks think? Any CC is welcome!

40D, Tamron 18-270 @ 270; f/8.0, 1/5 sec.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3364044535_8c24e7e317_o.jpg

[skygod44]

Nice idea....but did you heavily crop that as it looks (on my screen, anyway) VERY out of focus, or blurred due to camera shake, or both....?
:confused:

[be_good]

why 1/5 sec??? you will want to be + 1/100 sec for portraits

[egordon99]

Ditto the others, 1/5 second is too slow for anything that moves and/or handheld. It's a nice pose, the lighting is good, but you should have bumped up the ISO quite a bit.

ALWAYS watch your shutter speed. If you like taking shots like this, the 70-200mm f/4 IS would be killer in a situation like this. f/4 even at the same ISO would have at least given you 1/20s, and the IS would have helped alot. And the background would have been a bit smoother.

Good luck!

[Snydremark]

Thanks for the comments.

As for the shutter speed question...Um, well, I really have no idea. I'm still getting used to using an SLR from the p&s world. It's different enough that I still get thrown quite a bit.

To the softness/OOF issue; I'm still a little unsure as to what happened there...<facepalm>...Oh, I probably forgot to turn off the VR function when I stuck it on the tripod :o

[skygod44]

Thanks for the comments.

As for the shutter speed question...Um, well, I really have no idea. I'm still getting used to using an SLR from the p&s world. It's different enough that I still get thrown quite a bit.

To the softness/OOF issue; I'm still a little unsure as to what happened there...<facepalm>...Oh, I probably forgot to turn off the VR function when I stuck it on the tripod :o
:lol:

If you've not been into SLRs (film) before your P&S, then of course, a dSLR is a HUGE leap in "things to think about and twiddle with, before/during the shot".....
Don't worry though, your friends on POTN are here to help.
:D

[Dunno, why I'm saying that, as I'm still learning too. Aren't we all?]

[griptape]

A tripod will do exactly NOTHING when your subjects are human and moving. Even the slightest bit, at 1/5 and 280mm, the tripod isn't really helping. But good job on seeing someone to shoot and having the personality to simply go up and ask them. It shows a real commitment to learning.

[lyttleviet]

Definitely blurry...