<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeyusf2002/529265292/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1227/529265292_d985e458a5_o.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Shoot 7" /></a>

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You know just testing out my skills. The lighting wasn't great and there are a lot more I haven't processed yet but I think it came out pretty dope...for now. I need work on lighting and composition.

PS next week I am working with Ashley again so new nice pics.

 

Not Bad. What lens were you using? That is, if you were using a SLR camera.

 

Nice shots.

A couple of suggestions for the park shots:
- try finding a less distracting/cluttered background
- The side lighting is nice, but you might want a bit more fill flash or increased contrast

 

damn if I didn't try. We were in an area where it was either construction or traffic or homeless people.
This is all a learning experience to me...SIDENOTE! damn it if lighting dark skinned people ain't a bitch! He had a black shirt on a lot of the time and well when it came to those shots.

 

I figured that was part of the reason, but you are so touchy about race I didn't want to mention it. You could still play with the brightness/contrast on those shots. It might even help to wash out the background a bit.

 

One other thing, if you haven't, try some close-ups with larger (lower number) aperatures. That would blur out the background and make it less noticable.

 

Opening up the aperture to shorten up the depth of field and soften the background might help a little.

Also try to avoid having neon signs and trees sprouting out of the subject's head unless it's an effect you're intentionally trying to achieve.

 

I am curious about this because I am so used to event photography that I rarely have to use manual setting. My thing is I don't know the settings for the camera for perfect conditions...any books or good reads on the topic?

 

Understanding Exposure, by Brian Peterson is a really good place to start.

 

^^ x2, That book can be had at amazon.com for $15.00, it's sitting next to me right now.

 

i was going to order that last night but needed some first hand views on it. guess i will order it, thanks.

 

JJ, I was expecting at least 2 dead and one critically wounded from this thread title from you....You disappoint me :shakehead

 

nice pics but i agree with the trees/neon signs sprouting out of their heads...

 

yea that was the first thing i bought after getting my XTi, helped me out quite a bit

 

Just ordered "Understanding Exposure" myself after reading about it. Picked up the Speed Light while there as well. It was $35 cheaper than Ritz. ( to no surprise at all ). I'm looking forward to reading about different techniques and not just the same old drab about how exposure, aperture, DOF work.

 

I'll third or fourth this recommendation. Good book.

 

bought the book yesterday night for 20 bucks at borders.