Help Please

[txfour]

I read some of Bryan Petersons "Understanding Exposure" last night and wanted to try something this morning. So, here is the shot I took. Nothing real fancy, nothing breathtaking. Just wanted to play around with exposing for the sun and have everything else in silhouette.

These were shot with my 50mm 1.8 II.

First off, what are the blue and red rings in the lower left and how do I prevent them. I have a Kenko MC UV filter on the lens.

Secondly, the picture is not very sharp. Appears very grainy but I had ISO at 400. What would you have set differently based on my exif data?

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/OrangeMach/Sunrise.jpg

[txfour]

For some reason my exif data did not show up. Also, I notice it was actually shot at ISO 100 and in AI Servo. Should have changed that before the pic I bet.

File Name 002.CR2
Camera Model Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Firmware Firmware 1.1.1
Shooting Date/Time 12/10/2009 7:39:14 AM
Owner's Name unknown
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/50
Av( Aperture Value ) 22.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 100
Lens EF50mm f/1.8
Focal Length 50.0mm
Image Size 3888x2592
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Neutral
Sharpness 0
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Noise Reduction Off
File Size 10377KB
Dust Delete Data No

[joedlh]

I read some of Bryan Petersons "Understanding Exposure" last night and wanted to try something this morning. So, here is the shot I took. Nothing real fancy, nothing breathtaking. Just wanted to play around with exposing for the sun and have everything else in silhouette.

Not to seek taking on Bryan Peterson -- whose work I have never read -- but if you were going for exposing for the sun, parts of it are still blown out.

First off, what are the blue and red rings in the lower left and how do I prevent them. I have a Kenko MC UV filter on the lens.

You answered your own question. Take off the filter. Sunlight bounced off your lens front element and reflected back off the inner surface of the filter. Or the filter itself diffracted the light into its constituent wavelengths. (Bias note: I'm not a fan of UV filters.)

Secondly, the picture is not very sharp. Appears very grainy but I had ISO at 400. What would you have set differently based on my exif data?


It doesn't look grainy on my monitor. The finer branches of the tree look indistinct, even at f/22. Having the camera set on AI Servo, it probably focused at infinity (the sun) when it would have been more appropriate to focus on the tree and let the sun take care of itself.

Thirdly, the shot is not level. Was that your intention?

[txfour]

Not to seek taking on Bryan Peterson -- whose work I have never read -- but if you were going for exposing for the sun, parts of it are still blown out.



You answered your own question. Take off the filter. Sunlight bounced off your lens front element and reflected back off the inner surface of the filter. Or the filter itself diffracted the light into its constituent wavelengths. (Bias note: I'm not a fan of UV filters.)



It doesn't look grainy on my monitor. The finer branches of the tree look indistinct, even at f/22. Having the camera set on AI Servo, it probably focused at infinity (the sun) when it would have been more appropriate to focus on the tree and let the sun take care of itself.

Thirdly, the shot is not level. Was that your intention?

Yes, the sun is still a bit blown. I have always shot in Auto mode and trying to break out of that box. My pictures are mostly bland and I want to change that.

On the UV filter, point taken. I just put it on the other day. When I bought this 50mm lens last week they sold me one and told me to never take it off. They explained that it was cheaper to replace the filter than the lens. Made sense at the time to me.

For some reason, it just appears grainy to me. Maybe my monitor.

Lastly, I really had no intentions with this pic other than trying to meter for the sun and let everything fall where it shall. Just wanted to test out one of Bryans theories. Yes, it is leaning lol. It was 20 degrees out, I was in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. I flopped the tripod down quickly, metered for the sun, recomposed and shot.

[GorgeShooter]

Horizon it not level. Sun is too much. No detail in shadows.

[txfour]

Horizon it not level. Sun is too much. No detail in shadows.

I understand the horizon is not level. I was trying to get correct exposure not the perfect setting.

Yes, the sun is too much, there is no detail in the shadows. So, based on us agreeing to that, and my exif data, what should have been done differently?

[GorgeShooter]

I understand the horizon is not level. I was trying to get correct exposure not the perfect setting.

Yes, the sun is too much, there is no detail in the shadows. So, based on us agreeing to that, and my exif data, what should have been done differently?

Were you using a tripod?
If yes, then I would have used a larger aperture (f/16 or lower) for max sharpness.
If not then I may have tried a higher ISO at f/16 to get a proper shutter speed for handheld.

This was a difficult lighting situation for sure. A 2-stop GND would have been perfect for this scene. If there was a prominent foreground element you could use an off-camera flash to highlight it, or try painting with light (camera on a tripod of course). I can't tell if there was an interesting foreground element, but that would make an image like this far better IMO.

[txfour]

Yes, I was using a tripod.

Looking back at my exif data, I see a few things that may have contributed.

1. Metering - I set the exposure just to the top and left of the sun (thinking I was in spot) and recomposed for the shot. I am thinking that is why the sun blew out like it did.
2.It show i was in AI focus. I wonder if with the slower shutter speed it did not continue to try and focus thus knocking off my sharpness.
3. I think you are right, I probably had the f/stop to low also contributing to a flat look.

[beano]

A UV filter is good for protecting the front element, but not so good for taking photo's (unless you get a really expensive one). I'd say take it off, but take care of your gear. And on that note... You have a dusty sensor hehe! :D

Even with spot metreing there's a chance the sun will get blown out. Learn to use your camera's histogram, so you can see the over/under exposure and adjust and shoot again.

[txfour]

A UV filter is good for protecting the front element, but not so good for taking photo's (unless you get a really expensive one). I'd say take it off, but take care of your gear. And on that note... You have a dusty sensor hehe! :D

Even with spot metreing there's a chance the sun will get blown out. Learn to use your camera's histogram, so you can see the over/under exposure and adjust and shoot again.

How you know I got a dusty sensor? How do i fix it/correct for it?

[beano]

If you look at the sky, you can see some little black marks (Dust Bunnies) on the right hand side. If you do a search on sensor cleaning, there should be loads of tutorials. But using chemicals and actually touching the sensor should be a last resort. I usually remove the lens and hold the camera face down, then i use a Rocket Blower (http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/32860/Show.html?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Cleaning&Maintenance-_-all-_-all&ovc=) to blow out any loose dust. ;)