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  1. #1
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    Several Questions after New York Trip

    I just got back from a trip to New York. One of the many reasons I was going was to get comfortable with my camera equipment before I go on the "real" trip, to Europe.

    Canon XTi
    EF-S 50mm f/1.8
    EF-S 12-22mm f/3.5-4.5

    I had a great time and took some ok pictures but I ended with two questions I wanted some advice on.

    1) if I see a little piece of lint through the viewfinder and it stays in the exact same place (and size) when I change lenses AND it does not show up in the picture, that means that the lint is probably on the prism itself? (also, it's not on the viewfinder) If so, what's the best way to clean it?

    2) I had difficulty capturing scenes with lots of contrast in lighting. For instance, Times Square at night. The camera had enough light to shoot just from the neon signs alone but when I looked at the pictures they were extremely dark (all you could see were just dim hints of the signs). The only way I could "solve" it on the fly was to dial the f stop way up and do a much longer exposure with a tripod. My question is: Is that the only way to get good, even lighting and color? Dialing up the fstop and using a much longer exposure.

    I had the same problem taking shots in the Cloisters Museum, which has examples of Gothic Cathedrals.

    I'm uploading the cathedral problem picture, Times Square with bad lighting, as mentioned, and Times Square with better lighting, as mentioned also.

    Thank you all,
    Derek
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Several Questions after New York Trip-cloisters-bad.jpg   Several Questions after New York Trip-nyc-ts-bad-1-.jpg   Several Questions after New York Trip-nyc-ts-good-1-.jpg  
    ---------
    Derek Jacoby

    Rebel XTi
    EF-S 18-55mm
    EF-S 50mm/f1.8
    EF-S 10-22mm

  2. #2
    project forum co-moderator Frog's Avatar
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    I don't think your museum shot is bad at all, especially with the bright window light which is blown out but don't know what you could do about that and still get proper lighting inside.
    I think the first Times Square one needed an even longer exposure to capture any highlights in the dark areas. The second one isn't bad.
    This is what will happen in high contrast areas and the trick is to find the right balance so the bright isn't blown out and there's still detail in the darker areas.
    Better experts than I can probably give more specific advice.
    Keep Shooting!

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  3. #3
    Captain of the Ship Photo-John's Avatar
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    The Times Square photo is a tricky one. It will require some post-processing. You will not be able to get both the lights and the shadows properly exposed in one image. That is just too much range. I would expose for the lights and then use a Photoshop masked adjustment layer to open up the shadows. You can also use a tripod and make two exposures - one for the shadows and one for the highlights, and then combine those two images to make one with a wider range of tonal values. This is generally called "HDR," which stands for "high dynamic range." Photoshop has a tool for combining the different images and you can also get third-party software. I used to do it all the time just by using Photoshop layers. In any case, it's unrealistic to expect an exposure of Times Square where the lights and shadows both hold detail. Same goes for a shadowy space like the Cloisters. You have to choose to expose for the highlights or the shadows. You can't have it all. At least, you can't have it all in one exposure. But with software you can combine multiple exposures to get the image you really want.
    Photo-John

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  4. #4
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    I get grap on my focusing screen all the time. I use a rocket blower to blow it off. Don't use compressed air!

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...r_Blower_.html
    Mike

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  5. #5
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    I always expose for the highlights. Easiest way is to use the exposure compensation setting and take several shots, checking the rear screen each time. As soon as you begin to see some detail in the highlights, stop. I use Elements 5.0 > Full Edit > Enhance > Lighting > Shadows, Highlights. You can gain quite a bit of dark shadow detail and darken the highlights for more detail very easy and quick. Takes about one minute, maybe two for the whole post processing adjustment. Make sure to save in a version set so you can unstack the changes later if you want something different.

  6. #6
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    In low light without a tripod I would use the 50mm 1.8. As frog stated the museum shot isn't bad other than the harsh light coming from the windows. You will do better if you shoot during the right time of day when the light is good. I rarely shoot mid-day. Try and plan you outings early and late. Use mid-day to rest and eat. Practice with the 50mm and see how well you can do in low light and get a feel for it before you get to Europe
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

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  7. #7
    Captain of the Ship Photo-John's Avatar
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    Histogram

    Quote Originally Posted by rongarrett
    I always expose for the highlights. Easiest way is to use the exposure compensation setting and take several shots, checking the rear screen each time. As soon as you begin to see some detail in the highlights, stop.
    You didn't say how to check your highlights. Your camera's LCD isn't an accurate or trustworthy way to check for detail in a photo. I use the histogram display to check for clipping in the shadows and highlights. Some cameras also have a display mode that will flash in clipped areas. That's a good way to check quickly. But I never trust the image on my LCD. That's just for checking general exposure and composition. Critical checking requires more powerful tools.
    Photo-John

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  8. #8
    light wait photophorous's Avatar
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    These are great examples of why people say photography is full of compromise. Good advice so far. I just want to add my two cents.

    Definitely learn to use your histogram if you don't already use it, and shoot raw files. For scenes like these where the contrast is too high, you have several options. Expose for the highlights and bring up the shadow detail in post processing, use a flash to balance the dark areas with the highlights, or take multiple exposures to combine later. Usually, on vacation, I prefer the simpler route; expose for the highlights.

    It's best to shoot grand night time city scape shots (like your first TS shot) about 10-20 minutes after sunset, when there's still a little bit of light in the sky to lower the overall contrast. This will add a little color to the sky and a little more light to the foreground, but it will still be high contrast and appear to be night. These kinds of shots are very hard to do once it's really dark.

    After it really gets dark, stick with tighter compositions (like you did in the second TS shot) and don't worry if a few of the light bulbs are over exposed. You will have to decide for yourself how much blown highlight is acceptable, but I don't mind a little in a shot like this.

    When I see a scene like your museum shot, I either plan on making a high contrast shot which favors form over detail, or I frame the shot to exclude the problem area (windows in this case). But, If you must find a way to lower the contrast of a high contrast scene, like this one, the easiest way would probably be to expose for the window and bounce a flash off the ceiling to fill in the shadows a little (but not too much).

    Good thinking to practice before your trip. You'll be glad. Have fun!

    Paul

  9. #9
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    Re: Several Questions after New York Trip

    John, your way to check highlights is of course the most accurate, if you have time to do so. Notice I did not say to try and make out all the highlights, but to just look for when some start coming back, and then depending on post processing to give me a passable shot.

    As a further comment, IMHO the only way to really tell what you have is to view the image on a 24" HD screen?

    Bracketing for exposure is another possibility, but in my experience takes too much time to set up if one is in a tour group and pressed for time.

    I guess I get my "hurry up and shoot" attitude from event photography, where timing is very important and a missed shot cannot be made up, {most of the time}. In event venues I try and under expose a little and tweak exposure in post pocessing.

    Thanks for the correction.

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