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Andrew Jackson's Home · 04:39 PM

I was at The Hermitage, which was the home of Andrew Jackson today and took these pictures:

These were taken with my new Tamron 75-300, which I promptly reurned today for another lens. Let me know what you think. The squirel was 300mm away.

vievetrick · 02-09-2007, 04:41 PM

They all seem a little under exposed to me. I like the squirel but you can make this better with some PP work. What lens did you get instead?

xecutech · 02-09-2007, 06:52 PM

What do you mean under exposed? I have only been shooting a week. Could they look underexposed since I made them smaller and lowered the image quality for the web?

I didn't like the tamron, it felt cheap and the images were a little hazy. I had ordered the Pentax DA 50-200 and it came in today. I am swapping out the Tamron for a Pentax 10-17 fish eye, with some extra money.

I am considering getting a bigger zoom, or one of the LTD lenses, but will wait until March to see what Pentax puts out.

clarenceclose · 02-09-2007, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by xecutech

What do you mean under exposed?

Looks as if the low sun angle and the exposure left the photos a little dark. I wouldn't think the reducing for the web would darken them, but I could be wrong. In any case you could use the levels command to lighten them a bit, bringing out more of the detail.

Arpe · 02-09-2007, 07:42 PM

Er, who is Andrew Jackson and how do you get so close (300mm) to a squirrel? (Just kidding with that last question

)

**NaClH2O** · 02-09-2007, 07:51 PM

Hi xecutech, I too think that 1 and 3 are a bit dark, I'd lighten them just a tad, especially the first. Also you have the same problem I do, the house in the first pic is leaning a teensy bit to the left, that can be easily corrected with a .5 or 1 degree rotate to the left. I really like the lighting in the squirrel photo, it gives a nice warm feel to the shot.

NaCl(nitpicky, I know, but the ex civil engineer in me like perfectly horizontal and vertial lines)H2O

xecutech · 02-09-2007, 10:25 PM

Thanks for the tips. I am a noob and trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Oh, and Andrew Jackson was one of our presidents, and he was from TN.
I still don't know what I am doing wrong with the white levels and I guess exposure, is that the same thing?
I have been researching online and have a couple of books, but feel I will learn the most with trial and error. I would take a class, but there are none available where I live. I may have to go somewhere to get some classroom training.

**Sailor** · 02-10-2007, 07:11 AM

Originally posted by xecutech

Thanks for the tips. I am a noob and trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Oh, and Andrew Jackson was one of our presidents, and he was from TN.
I still don't know what I am doing wrong with the white levels and I guess exposure, is that the same thing?
I have been researching online and have a couple of books, but feel I will learn the most with trial and error. I would take a class, but there are none available where I live. I may have to go somewhere to get some classroom training.

Great to see the Hermitage again. The shots do look a bit - but just a bit - underexposed but that can add to the mood. Exposure can vary among lenses; I find that my DA 16-45 yields slightly "darker" images than my other lenses including a DA 50-200, so you may not see the same issue with your new lens.

There's a great book I can recommend if you don't have it already: "Understanding Exposure, Revised Addition" by Bryan Peterson (Amphoto is the publisher). It gives you the basics and is full of ideas on ways to depart from the basics when it's appropriate to do so.

Well, your shots make me miss Nashville (I saw the ones of Centenial park on another thread); I might fly through this spring on my way to visit my daughter, who's a grad student at Ohio State. Vandy's got a new chemistry building I'd like to check out.

Jer

xecutech · 02-10-2007, 06:26 PM

Thanks sailor, I just ordered that book last night along with the dvd on how to use the k10d. If you swing through Nashville, let me know, maybe we can grab a coffee downtown.
I still don't know how my pictures are not coming out better, but I am new, so that's my excuse for now.

**Sailor** · 02-10-2007, 07:04 PM

Originally posted by xecutech

Thanks sailor, I just ordered that book last night along with the dvd on how to use the k10d. If you swing through Nashville, let me know, maybe we can grab a coffee downtown.
I still don't know how my pictures are not coming out better, but I am new, so that's my excuse for now.

The pictures you've posted that I've seen look well done to me. I assume you're shooting JPEG and I don't know what kind of post processing you're doing. I shoot RAW files, but there are others here - Trog is a good example - that really know how to set up the camera and post process for JPEG.

I didn't know there was a DVD on a K10D - where'd you spot that?

BTW, I just saw that Vandy got creamed by Tennessee in Knoxville - so long top 25. I'm not too gloomy, however - my grandaughter (2 yrs, 3 mos) was just here and I got the best hug I've had since my kids were little!

Jer

xecutech · 02-10-2007, 09:18 PM

Try this link for the dvd: JSPK10 JumpStart Video Training Guide on DVD for the Pentax K10D Digital Camera.

I bought it from Amazon, but it looks like they are selling it through adorama.

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02-09-2007, 04:41 PM	#2
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	They all seem a little under exposed to me. I like the squirel but you can make this better with some PP work. What lens did you get instead?

02-09-2007, 06:52 PM	#3
xecutech Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nashville Photos: Gallery Posts: 223 Original Poster	What do you mean under exposed? I have only been shooting a week. Could they look underexposed since I made them smaller and lowered the image quality for the web? I didn't like the tamron, it felt cheap and the images were a little hazy. I had ordered the Pentax DA 50-200 and it came in today. I am swapping out the Tamron for a Pentax 10-17 fish eye, with some extra money. I am considering getting a bigger zoom, or one of the LTD lenses, but will wait until March to see what Pentax puts out.

02-09-2007, 07:18 PM	#4
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506	Originally posted by xecutech What do you mean under exposed? Looks as if the low sun angle and the exposure left the photos a little dark. I wouldn't think the reducing for the web would darken them, but I could be wrong. In any case you could use the levels command to lighten them a bit, bringing out more of the detail.

02-09-2007, 07:42 PM	#5
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Er, who is Andrew Jackson and how do you get so close (300mm) to a squirrel? (Just kidding with that last question )

02-09-2007, 07:51 PM	#6
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Hi xecutech, I too think that 1 and 3 are a bit dark, I'd lighten them just a tad, especially the first. Also you have the same problem I do, the house in the first pic is leaning a teensy bit to the left, that can be easily corrected with a .5 or 1 degree rotate to the left. I really like the lighting in the squirrel photo, it gives a nice warm feel to the shot. NaCl(nitpicky, I know, but the ex civil engineer in me like perfectly horizontal and vertial lines)H2O

02-09-2007, 10:25 PM	#7
xecutech Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nashville Photos: Gallery Posts: 223 Original Poster	Thanks for the tips. I am a noob and trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Oh, and Andrew Jackson was one of our presidents, and he was from TN. I still don't know what I am doing wrong with the white levels and I guess exposure, is that the same thing? I have been researching online and have a couple of books, but feel I will learn the most with trial and error. I would take a class, but there are none available where I live. I may have to go somewhere to get some classroom training.

02-10-2007, 07:11 AM	#8
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,203	Originally posted by xecutech Thanks for the tips. I am a noob and trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Oh, and Andrew Jackson was one of our presidents, and he was from TN. I still don't know what I am doing wrong with the white levels and I guess exposure, is that the same thing? I have been researching online and have a couple of books, but feel I will learn the most with trial and error. I would take a class, but there are none available where I live. I may have to go somewhere to get some classroom training. Great to see the Hermitage again. The shots do look a bit - but just a bit - underexposed but that can add to the mood. Exposure can vary among lenses; I find that my DA 16-45 yields slightly "darker" images than my other lenses including a DA 50-200, so you may not see the same issue with your new lens. There's a great book I can recommend if you don't have it already: "Understanding Exposure, Revised Addition" by Bryan Peterson (Amphoto is the publisher). It gives you the basics and is full of ideas on ways to depart from the basics when it's appropriate to do so. Well, your shots make me miss Nashville (I saw the ones of Centenial park on another thread); I might fly through this spring on my way to visit my daughter, who's a grad student at Ohio State. Vandy's got a new chemistry building I'd like to check out. Jer

02-10-2007, 06:26 PM	#9
xecutech Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nashville Photos: Gallery Posts: 223 Original Poster	Thanks sailor, I just ordered that book last night along with the dvd on how to use the k10d. If you swing through Nashville, let me know, maybe we can grab a coffee downtown. I still don't know how my pictures are not coming out better, but I am new, so that's my excuse for now.

02-10-2007, 07:04 PM	#10
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,203	Originally posted by xecutech Thanks sailor, I just ordered that book last night along with the dvd on how to use the k10d. If you swing through Nashville, let me know, maybe we can grab a coffee downtown. I still don't know how my pictures are not coming out better, but I am new, so that's my excuse for now. The pictures you've posted that I've seen look well done to me. I assume you're shooting JPEG and I don't know what kind of post processing you're doing. I shoot RAW files, but there are others here - Trog is a good example - that really know how to set up the camera and post process for JPEG. I didn't know there was a DVD on a K10D - where'd you spot that? BTW, I just saw that Vandy got creamed by Tennessee in Knoxville - so long top 25. I'm not too gloomy, however - my grandaughter (2 yrs, 3 mos) was just here and I got the best hug I've had since my kids were little! Jer

02-10-2007, 09:18 PM	#11
xecutech Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Nashville Photos: Gallery Posts: 223 Original Poster	Try this link for the dvd: JSPK10 JumpStart Video Training Guide on DVD for the Pentax K10D Digital Camera. I bought it from Amazon, but it looks like they are selling it through adorama.

Andrew Jackson's Home

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