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Chinatown - please help and comment!
Posted By: esman7, 05-18-2009, 04:53 PM

Hi Everyone,

Call me a rookie, noob, novice... whatever, but I took my K200D and 50mm FA f1.4 to Chinatown this afternoon.

I just wanted to see if anyone would mind commenting on the below images to help me out so I know what to tweak (if necessary) or if they can offer creative or post-processing advice. Thanks for your help in advance as I know Pentax users are often quick to help each other out.

Btw, the last two's colours were too vibrant to b&w, but I would like to know how one should approach close-ups with a prime lens. As can be seen in the chinese ornament pic, the depth of field is rather shallow with a fast aperture - what f# would be suggested for these types of pics?

Thanks!

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05-18-2009, 06:16 PM   #2
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I like your photos very much. I hope you are happy with them.

The first photo with the silhouette of the women is great.

The second has a beautiful mood. The only thing I would say is the sky is blown out and it would be good if you could bring it back some.

The depth of field in the last two is OK. If you want to control DOF you can use a calculator to understand your DOF at given setting before you shoot. There are online DOF Calculators like Online Depth of Field Calculator or you can buy one for your iPhone or iTouch and take it with you in the field. For your 50mm 1.4 you would get just a fraction of an inch of DOF @ f1.4 and 2” @ f8 so knowing your DOF is critical

Sometimes narrow DOF can be just what you want. In the second color photo catching the two little figures as the only in focus elements is very nice.

One person can always give you suggestions or comments on you photos regarding, composition, contrast, color, sharpness, you name it be what’s more important is what you intended with the photo.

Good luck and keep shooting.

be well,
joe
05-18-2009, 07:34 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by esman7 Quote
As can be seen in the chinese ornament pic, the depth of field is rather shallow with a fast aperture - what f# would be suggested for these types of pics?
!
Last picture; the red ornaments -
If you are absolutely stuck with that particular depth of field, I would have focused on the large top left one. It being out of focus distracts the eye.
If you were able, you also could have swapped positions of the the large one and the one with two characters in the center and focused on that as the more interesting one but moved to the top position. If the vendor would allow it of course!
Nice pictures, great location for a lot of different shots.
Perhaps the silhouette shot could have used a smaller f/stop to keep the background in focus. In this case the silhouette draws your eye to the background that she is looking at so you do want that in focus as well.
Keep taking pictures and keep showing them to us!

-TomK. K200D-
05-18-2009, 08:15 PM   #4
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Thank you both for your comments! I would greatly appreciate more advice/comments

05-18-2009, 08:29 PM   #5
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Pic 1: Great street scene and silhouette. Nice job. This could benefit from a slight crop on the top and bottom. On top, there is something at the upper edge, near the center. A light perhaps, or something overhanging? Just a little sliver of a crop would take that right off. Also, I would take out a small portion of the tiles on the bottom. Definitely right at those 4 tiles that are lighter in color than the rest, as it takes the viewers eye away from the main people in the scene.

Pic 2: Just not sure what the main focus of this pic is. The tree, the building in the background, or the one to the side. The tree just takes up too much of the frame. Perhaps pan the camera to your left to get more of the building that spans the water, and less of the tree (and that person hiding within it).

Pic 3: With there being many different beads in this picture, I would try to get them all in focus, using f22. Use a tripod. Try to take out the paper that is sticking out and fill the shot/frame with the basket, eliminating the stuff creeping into the shot in the upper left.

Pic 4: As these are all the same object, a shallow depth of field would work, but just try to compose a little better. Try rotating the camera counter-clockwise and slightly to the left and get that highest object as the one in focus. Also crop tighter to fill the frame with the bowl, eliminating the green thing in the background. Alternately, you could pan outward, getting more of what is behind this basket in the shot, such as a market scene. Don't remain in between: either fill the frame with the basket and it's goods, or back out and show the basket and goods in it's surroundings. You never want to make someone guess where the object is or what is around it.
05-18-2009, 11:06 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by K-9 Quote
Pic 1: Great street scene and silhouette. Nice job. This could benefit from a slight crop on the top and bottom. On top, there is something at the upper edge, near the center. A light perhaps, or something overhanging? Just a little sliver of a crop would take that right off. Also, I would take out a small portion of the tiles on the bottom. Definitely right at those 4 tiles that are lighter in color than the rest, as it takes the viewers eye away from the main people in the scene.

Pic 2: Just not sure what the main focus of this pic is. The tree, the building in the background, or the one to the side. The tree just takes up too much of the frame. Perhaps pan the camera to your left to get more of the building that spans the water, and less of the tree (and that person hiding within it).

Pic 3: With there being many different beads in this picture, I would try to get them all in focus, using f22. Use a tripod. Try to take out the paper that is sticking out and fill the shot/frame with the basket, eliminating the stuff creeping into the shot in the upper left.

Pic 4: As these are all the same object, a shallow depth of field would work, but just try to compose a little better. Try rotating the camera counter-clockwise and slightly to the left and get that highest object as the one in focus. Also crop tighter to fill the frame with the bowl, eliminating the green thing in the background. Alternately, you could pan outward, getting more of what is behind this basket in the shot, such as a market scene. Don't remain in between: either fill the frame with the basket and it's goods, or back out and show the basket and goods in it's surroundings. You never want to make someone guess where the object is or what is around it.
Awesome advice, all good points taken.

Thanks a lot.
05-19-2009, 04:59 AM   #7
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I can only agree with the previous comments. The first shot is my favourite because, while technically perhaps less than good it captures a great feeling with the silhouette.

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