Hey guys. I know it can be difficult and time consuming to offer constructive criticism, and I know I don't always offer it. However, I would ask that you critique my deviantart gallery. Post here or there, just let me know what you think and I will try my best to tell you what I think from now on. I realize the errors and additions that could be made to a lot of these pictures, but outside perspectives are sometimes very helpful, and I am still learning. http://eccentriceggman.deviantart.com Also, I had a few questions. 1. Is there any way to reduce light flare in your photographs. I know you can use your hand, or one of those things that fits on to your lens like a hat. I also know that better lenses offer better reduction. I know not to point the camera right at the light source if possible. But I am still coming out with flares and they are much too time consuming to get rid of. So if you have any suggestions or techniques, please let me know. 2. I saw some cheap Halogen 'painter's yellow' lights with stand. I was wondering if these worked as well as a $300 set of studio lights. These would also let me be a bit more rough and outdoorsy with them as I could actually afford to replace them if they broke. 3. I am such a qualitycentric person that I don't like taking my camera off of ISO 100. Despite working in low light situations. This usually doesn't matter for normal pictures unless I am in the dead of night. The thing that I would like to take though, is quick shutter speeds, 1/800 and faster without blur. I would definitely go into my ISO 800 with a quality lens, but the lens I have (though I am not expert, this is only my perception) has grainy blurring, and some noise. So if you have any cheap or useful light altering techniques, please let me know. I doubt there is any but I have a few things that work slightly. Thanks.
Have you tried cleaning your lens? You could have a layer of oil on the lens that is causing the glare to show. I normally just use my hands to block glare since I only have a 70mm lens hood (or was it some funny number?). I don't know if it's really worth paying to get a 52mm one... I haven't tried this, but was tempted to at one point: you could fashion a lens hood out of cardboard. It's not waterproof, but neither is your camera . Or you could wear a really big hat. While I don't know much about lights, I know that those lights should work fine. Studio lights are expensive because of the safety equipment built in, among other things, so be careful if you're using something different. They get hot and will burn, especially halogen, which can melt things fairly easily if you're not careful. Graininess from high ISO isn't related to the lens. Because the camera sensor is more sensitive to light, you get the noise. I can't go above ISO 800 on my camera, and generally try not to go above ISO 400. Every camera has different capabilities, so maybe read a review on what people have discovered with your model in particular. There's a certain window where loss of quality is not noticeable, and I'll bet that ISO 400 works just fine on your camera. The D40 can't even go below ISO 200. I'll go through your gallery sometime after I get home from work, or maybe just this weekend. No promises, it just depends what happens.
my favorite one of urs is the ew i stepped on a bug. I dunno it has a nice overall appeal and kind of reminds me of some pic i'd like to see on a calandar or something i dunno. it has a nice feel to it. one of ur pics i wasnt really feeling was the onions one. maybe I dunno that wasnt as appealing to my eye as some of your others.. great work tho. love the quality and the angles and such you get on ur pics makes me want to try things too.
Still waiting Hmm. That is interesting. The only thing I like about 'Eww... I stepped on a bug' is the title. Onions is my first photo in that type of genre but I liked how it turned out. Odd how our opinions differ so much. And thank you, I try to change up what I do every single time I shoot. Trying to be as versatile as I can, and learn as much as I can. I cannot wait to get a macro lens, a telephoto, a wide-angle, and a 300mm prime. I might have to get a few of those in one lens though cause I can't really afford $3000+ in the next few months.