My first picture. Feel free to destroy it.

[Steve_BB2]

This picture was taken in the late evening with no flash.
It was taken in a Nature Walk kind of place that has statues like this, but of different subjects, dotted about the place. There was still a little bit of light but this statue was underneath a tightly knit canopy of leaves and branches.
I took the picture like this to test out the camera's infra red capability. I should also say that I am not in any way, shape or form putting this picture forward as an example of how such pictures should look. It's just that it is my first picture with this camera other than a few of the TV remote just to check that it actually worked.

[Anbesol]

Infrared? So, did you remove the IR filter from the sensor?

I'm not typically one for rules, I don't think things need to be off-center. I dont however, think that being centered is working in this image. It also looks a little soft, otherwise - good exposure and subject choice.

[Steve_BB2]

Gadzooks!! ... My very first critique and already I'm confused.
So, did you remove the IR filter from the sensor?
There are two, what look like LEDs under the glass at the top edge of the lens. There does not seem to be anything to remove. The LEDs are fired up by a Mode setting kind of action.

I get what you mean about things being centred and I guess that's where the total amateur in me shows up. I still have to learn about "Framing" a shot.
I also need to learn the vocabulary because words like "soft" have no meaning to me as yet.

Cheers for taking the time.
Steve

[OldClicker]

What Sony camera are you using. I would like to try a relatively cheap one with IR capability. How does it work? What Anbesol was refering to - with a DSLR, you have to have it converted to IR (remove parts from the sensor).

Google 'rule of thirds' for a start, but don't think of it as a Rule - just something to think about when framing a shot.

Soft means 'not sharp', as in somewhat blurry. There are several things that contribute to this. For most new shooters, camera movement is the culprit - especially in low light. At the 1/30 of a second shutter speed used for the shot above, keeping the camera steady enough without a tripod would be very difficult.

TF

[Steve_BB2]

My camera is a Sony DSC-F717 that I won last week on eBay.
To switch between taking normal images and taking shots lit by infra red there is a 3 position switch on top of the camera. One for OFF, one to frame the shot using infra red but then use flash to take the picture and one to frame and shoot the picture in total darkness. I guess the last one would be best used to take pictures of wildlife in your garden without scaring them off with the light.
I was guilty of not having a tripod with me when taking this and other photographs last night. But I'll use one in future.

Many thanks for the info,
Steve

[OldClicker]

In this review of the DSC-717, I'm not seeing anything about IR??? - TF

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscf717/

[Steve_BB2]

Hi again,
Your review site may not show it but it gets a small mention in Steve's Digicams reviews.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/camer...17-review.html

Below is a picture of my own camera showing the night scene options.
(picture taken using a Canon Powershot A700)

[Steve_BB2]

Plus, I just noticed that on the review page you showed there is a picture of my camera. If you look closely at the front of the lens, at about the 11 o'clock position, you can see one of the LEDs. There is another one at 1 o'clock.

[Frog]

I've seen some very effective ir photos but generally not a fan.

Yours seems to be just a very green photo which lacks detail. It is also cut very close at the bottom. I think using a flash on the subject would have worked better.
Worth the experiment, though.

[Steve_BB2]

Hi Frog and thank you for your comments.
I'm the first to admit that it's a green photo with not much detail, but in fairness, there wasn't a great deal of detail to get. There were scales on the fish that don't show up well but that's about all there was. As for being cut off abruptly at the bottom, I have an excuse for that as well. I was with a Camera Club meeting (my first) and there were about 30 guys taking pictures of this statue including some that are out of shot by an inch or so at the lower edge.
I take the point that flash would have given a better picture but I was holding a new (to me) camera and certainly the first camera I had ever owned with infra red capability and I wanted to give it a shot.
Cheers,
Steve