I'm shooting with a Minolta 7D. I'm trying to improve the look of my photos in PS Elements, but need some help.

Here are 2 I'm using as an example:

http://www.dphoto.us/forumphotos/data/647/JH5Q8106_Gr_sand.jpg
http://www.indiancenter.org/temp/10000223.jpg?1119294411

When I compare mine to photos like these, I think mine lack the sharpness and color saturation of others.

Here are some that I would like to improve as examples:
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9212
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9210
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=1
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=3
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=17&pos=12
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8731&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8711&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9004&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9037
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9041
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9039
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8966
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8938
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8918
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8906
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8888

Sorry for so many, but I want everyone get an idea about what I'm shooting.

What can I do in Elements to improve them? Or is in the camera??

Thanks!

I'm shooting with a Minolta 7D. I'm trying to improve the look of my photos in PS Elements, but need some help.

Here are 2 I'm using as an example:

http://www.dphoto.us/forumphotos/data/647/JH5Q8106_Gr_sand.jpg
http://www.indiancenter.org/temp/10000223.jpg?1119294411

When I compare mine to photos like these, I think mine lack the sharpness and color saturation of others.

Here are some that I would like to improve as examples:
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9212
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9210
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=1
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=3
http://thegowders.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=17&pos=12
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8731&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8711&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9004&cat=563&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9037
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9041
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=9039
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8966
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8938
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8918
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8906
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/showphoto.php?photo=8888

Sorry for so many, but I want everyone get an idea about what I'm shooting.

What can I do in Elements to improve them? Or is in the camera??

Thanks!

A couple of very quick observations. First, the "good" examples have chosen to concentrate on a particular subject, getting in close to emphasize a particular feature or section of the subject. The ones I looked at of yours are trying to get the entire subject in one shot which makes them look more like snapshots. This isn't camera or Elements related.

A few of your shots look as if the shutter speed might have been a little too slow or you were handholding the camera when it should have been on a tripod. Try boosting the shutter speed a bit or use a tripod if handholding is a problem.

Your pictures lack high saturation and contrast. If you like the high saturation/high contrast look, play with the saturation and curves in Elements. You may be able to boost these things in-camera as well by adjusting paremeters. Consult the camera's manual

It appears that the images aren't as sharp as the should be (different than focus). Some of that is due to the shutter speed comment above but a few appear to just need the use of some of that unsharp mask magic. Most digital images are soft out of the camera. Do the sharpening as your last step.

I hope this helps a bit.

A couple of very quick observations. First, the "good" examples have chosen to concentrate on a particular subject, getting in close to emphasize a particular feature or section of the subject. The ones I looked at of yours are trying to get the entire subject in one shot which makes them look more like snapshots. This isn't camera or Elements related.

A few of your shots look as if the shutter speed might have been a little too slow or you were handholding the camera when it should have been on a tripod. Try boosting the shutter speed a bit or use a tripod if handholding is a problem.

I'll start shooting on a tripod more, that's a good suggestion. The ones of the action though, I shot with a flash. The highest my camera lets me go with the flash is 125. I thought that was a bit slow. How do I make it go higher?


Your pictures lack high saturation and contrast. If you like the high saturation/high contrast look, play with the saturation and curves in Elements. You may be able to boost these things in-camera as well by adjusting paremeters. Consult the camera's manual
I'll try increasing it in the camera.


It appears that the images aren't as sharp as the should be (different than focus). Some of that is due to the shutter speed comment above but a few appear to just need the use of some of that unsharp mask magic. Most digital images are soft out of the camera. Do the sharpening as your last step.

I hope this helps a bit.

What is the unshart mask magic??

Your flash sinc speed of 1/125 sec is the fastest that your camera will allow you to shoot using the flash. If you go any faster than that, your shutter will be closing too fast for your flash, and you will end up with a photo that is half dark, and half exposed with the flash. You might be able to increase the shutter speed in manual mode, but I don't know anything about your camera, but the results will be like I discribed above.

Unsharp mask, or USM is a filter used to sharpen images in photoshop. Go to Filter, sharpen, unsharp mask. For the Amount I like to start out at 125%, Radius I put on 1.0, and Threshold I put on 3. I usually don't touch the radius or threshold. This is a good place to start. Don't get too carried away with USM, as it can be overdone, but don't be afraid to experiment.

Hope this helps.

Is USM just a Photoshop filter or something I can do in Elements?

Thanks

If you are using Photoshop Elements, it has this filter.

I'll start shooting on a tripod more, that's a good suggestion. The ones of the action though, I shot with a flash. The highest my camera lets me go with the flash is 125. I thought that was a bit slow. How do I make it go higher?

The unsharp mask question has already been answered so I'll address the flash. With flash, the shutter speed really doesn't matter if the flash is doing all the lighting. The flash itself is very fast and will freeze the subject. However, if the flash is just filling in the light, its a different story. In any case, the camera has a fixed upper limit for shutter speed with flash so there is nothing you can change there.

The unsharp mask question has already been answered so I'll address the flash. With flash, the shutter speed really doesn't matter if the flash is doing all the lighting. The flash itself is very fast and will freeze the subject. However, if the flash is just filling in the light, its a different story. In any case, the camera has a fixed upper limit for shutter speed with flash so there is nothing you can change there.
How do I know if it is just filling in light or freezing the subject?

Ok, take a look at these. Is it just me or are they just not that sharp?? I haven't taken them through PE. But I have the camera set for Sharpness +2. Should I increase the depth of field?