# The Picture Taking and Editing Q&A/Tip Thread



## spoowhisperer

Rowan said:


> RileysMommy's thread gave me this idea. I think we need a place to consolidate our photography tips and a place to discuss photo editing (Photoshop, etc.).
> 
> My first question involves lighting. *Everyone *is invited to respond, but I'm going to address two that stand out in my mind.
> 
> *Mama2FourAZ & Spoowhisperer*: how do you get such perfect lighting in your pics?
> 
> *Mama2FourAZ* - your pics of Lilly are always so sharp and crisp (studio shots).
> 
> *Spoowhisperer *- I love the pic of Kai relaxing by the fire in the Raptor thread.
> 
> What camera/lens did you use and do you do any followup editing?



Okay, this is GOOD! Good good thread, I have been thinking of starting this myself! I know a forum is not a photo community, so have been hesitant to address this, but hey, who wouldn't like to take better photos of your 4 legged family members!

I am no expert photographer for sure. After I got my new Canon 7D, I never really learned the technical stuff, so if I get a good shot I'm lucky.
However, I do make use of editing tools to help correct lighting issues, or to get an effect I want for a certain photo.

I use Aperture on my imac for storing my photos and some editing, also have Topaz, and one of my most handy tools is in Picnik, which is a online editing program. I actually use Picnik the most for quick touch ups. If you buy a membership, ALL the tools are available to you. There is a tool I use all the time which is under _Advanced_, it is called Curves. It really helps me correct lighting and it is so easy!

Shoot, want to share more, and I will, but have to help my husband get ready for a icky trip to a place that kind of scares me. Pack pack pack...


----------



## LEUllman

I'm no pro, but I have learned a few tricks over the years.

Generally speaking, you want diffused light, not direct. And if you have to use the built-in flash on your camera, you're probably not going to like the results. Outdoors, this means a slighly overcast day will produce better results than a bright day with the sun high up. I'm pretty sure it's @Mama2FourAZ who has a pro studio portrait lighting setup with a softbox to diffuse the lighting --hard to compete with that!

As for cameras, the biggest problem with most point and click models is shutter lag and processing speed. It just takes too long from the time you press the shutter to the time the image gets exposed, and then too long to store the image before you can shoot again. Any decent Digital SLR will excel in this area, not to mention better optics, lens choices, etc. If you can, get a "Prosumer" SLR rather than an entry level model. Last year's Prosumer model can be a great deal, with discounts that bring the price down to this year's entry level.

Most cameras have a "Sports" mode that favors shutter speed over aperature. My Canon aging but still great 30D has a Shutter Priority mode that is great for stopping fast action against a blurred background.


----------



## Rowan

LEUllman said:


> I'm no pro, but I have learned a few tricks over the years.
> 
> Generally speaking, you want diffused light, not direct. And if you have to use the built-in flash on your camera, you're probably not going to like the results. Outdoors, this means a slighly overcast day will produce better results than a bright day with the sun high up. I'm pretty sure it's @Mama2FourAZ who has a pro studio portrait lighting setup with a softbox to diffuse the lighting --hard to compete with that!
> 
> *As for cameras, the biggest problem with most point and click models is shutter lag and processing speed.* It just takes too long from the time you press the shutter to the time the image gets exposed, and then too long to store the image before you can shoot again. Any decent Digital SLR will excel in this area, not to mention better optics, lens choices, etc. If you can, get a "Prosumer" SLR rather than an entry level model. Last year's Prosumer model can be a great deal, with discounts that bring the price down to this year's entry level.
> 
> Most cameras have a "Sports" mode that favors shutter speed over aperature. My Canon aging but still great 30D has a Shutter Priority mode that is great for stopping fast action against a blurred background.


This! This is so my problem. I wasn't sure what the technical terminology was to explain this but now I know. (Thanks!) My parents are getting me a new camera for Yule (I think) and my mother is really picky about the flash aspect.  

*Spoowhisperer*: when you have time, please walk us through the Kai by the Fire pic. I LOVE that one. I hope your husband isn't going where my "people" often have to go. Not a good place.


----------



## Countryboy

I have no problems taking my limited little pix. My camera's an old Fuji Finepix. But I would like to share a simple way of resizing pix before they go into a post. Just so that it doesn't widen the thread so we have to scroll from side to side.

Any image editor will do . . . but, if u don't have one, Windows has a series called Powertoys. The Image Resizer is what I use. Available HERE for XP . . or HERE for Windows 7.

Very easy to use. Simply right-click on an image and choose yr size. 640 x 480 works perfectly in a forum. *My 'Frank's Gang' sig is 600 pixels wide.*

Spoospirit . . Spoowhisperer . . . who can tell the difference, eh?  lol


----------



## Rowan

Countryboy said:


> I have no problems taking my limited little pix. My camera's an old Fuji Finepix. But I would like to share a simple way of resizing pix before they go into a post. Just so that it doesn't widen the thread so we have to scroll from side to side.
> 
> Any image editor will do . . . but, if u don't have one, Windows has a series called Powertoys. The Image Resizer is what I use. Available HERE for XP . . or HERE for Windows 7.
> 
> Very easy to use. Simply right-click on an image and choose yr size. 640 x 480 works perfectly in a forum. *My 'Frank's Gang' sig is 600 pixels wide.*
> 
> *Spoospirit . . Spoowhisperer . . . who can tell the difference, eh?  lol*


Bolding is mine!

LOL--I fixed it. I always get them mixed up (screen names). Heck, they both take great pics!


----------



## Jack-A-Poo

I wish I can be of better help here Rowan, unfortunately my husband is the one with the photography talent. When he tries to explain to me the technical details I just zonked out and my mind start to wonder away :devil: I ended up telling him it's ok as long as I have you to take the pics I don't need to know all that LOL!

I can share what I do know though....and that is editing! Never underestimate the power of editing. Every photo that my husband takes he edits them to bring out the best of image. What type of software you use also plays a big role in your end images. For example, if you notice the pics I've posted, some are with my husband's signature at the bottom of the pic. Those are the ones he edited and he uses Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Then there are some pics without his signature and those are the ones I edited using Picasa. The outcome is very different as Picasa has very limited editing functions compared to Lightroom. The ones he edited turns out to be more vibrant and can bring out the mood he wants to project in that image.

He is using Canon EOS 500D and then there are the different types of lenses he has. Depending on the lighting and what sort of images he wants to take there are different lenses for it. A fast movement shot like if he's shooting an agility trial he uses different lens. Not much of a help here as well :lol:

Here are some sample pics. This was shot using a fisheye lens which can capture wider angles. See the first 2 pics below, similar shots but the 2nd pic was edited in a different manner and thus you get a different mood or vibe from it.


__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view











__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view











__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view










Wish I can be of more help but at the end the day, I think no matter how good your camera or lens is, you still need to know how to edit your photos. My husband can take a pic from his iphone and you would never have guessed it came from his phone after he has done editing it :lol:

Some more sample pics, all edited using Lightroom :




















__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view











__
Image uploading. Refresh page to view


----------



## lilypoo

LOVE the fisheye pics--I want a FE sooooo bad. My lens wishlist is really long though so I'm not sure when I will actually get one. Maybe I should rent one for a couple weeks....hmmmm.... LOL

Well I could write a book on this subject!  I've written a few short articles relating to natural light and exposure:

Take advantage of the Arizona sun: Natural light portraits - Phoenix Photography | Examiner.com

Phoenix Photography Examiner - Arts & Exhibits | Examiner.com

My new blogsite (work in progress as I slowly change my main focus from people to pet photography) is at Queen Creek Photography | San Tan Valley Photography | lilypoo | Phoenix, AZ - Phoenix Child Wedding Commercial Photography . FWIW, the shots in the little slideshow at the top of the page are all studio light except for the black and white one, which was natural light.

Most, if not all, of the Lily pictures I've posted here have been studio light. I use a very simple set-up usually--one key light and a reflector for fill, or one key light and a second light for fill (sometimes still use the reflector for fill in this case). 

[This type of set-up can easily and inexpensively be achieved with an off-camera flash (compatible with your camera, there are lots of affordable options) and cheap, white photographic umbrella. I use AC strobes in my studio and off-camera portable flashes on-location.]

Strobe light (AC or portable flash) will freeze action at fairly low shutter speeds which virtually eliminates mild camera shake and subject motion blur, so this is part of getting pictures that are crisp and crystal-clear. 

Proper lighting and exposure also are key with image clarity (this applies to natural or artificial light) because underexposure/low-light will cause more digital noise (or grain, when referring to film). 

This is where reflectors come in, because they help avoid having less clarity in the shadow (or less-lit) areas of your picture.

On the fly, a light-colored wall, ceiling or area of concrete pavement will function as a reflector. A piece of white foam-core is handy to bounce natural light back at your subject and can be used anywhere--around your house, at the park, etc. Anyone interested in improving their lighting results can easily see great improvements simply by learning how to use a reflector.

Then of course there's the post-production. Digital images often need to be processed to look good. Especially if you're using a RAW format and not applying a lot of image enhancement in-camera. Which is what serious amateurs and aspiring pros usually end up doing, because then you have ultimate control over the final image and they camera is not deciding for you.  

I'm a Photoshop person but I now use Lightroom as well. LR has really streamlined cataloging and workflow for my personal images, which is great because I have issues actually DOING something with my images. With Lightroom, you can get an image 100% where you want it, or you can do preliminary processing and then take it into Photoshop for full retouching. 

I recently bought Elements, thinking it'd save me time making layouts and scrapbook pages, but I've been using Photoshop for so long that I am having trouble adjusting to Elements. It'd be great for someone just starting out though! Heck I just bought Paint Shop Pro X4 Ultimate because it was on sale for $25 and came with some great bonuses. I love to play with various imaging software packages but when it comes down to "I have to get this session proofed and then delivered for a client" I *have* to use Lightroom and Photoshop! 

[Yes, I am a loyal Photoshop person but also a little annoyed that Adobe won't support newer camera models and OS as their versions age and I'm forced into purchasing a $200 upgrade (for my $600 software package) every couple years!! Something to think about before you invest in Photoshop or any other Adobe Creative Suite product for that matter!

I'm a loyal Canon person as well. I currently use a 60D and a Rebel XSi. The XSi is an older model of their smaller Rebel line but it's a great little camera and smaller and lighter than the prosumer models like the 60D. I've been with Canon since their G2 point-and-shoot came out in 2002 and the Canon 20D was my first digital SLR and the 60D was my 7th Canon dSLR since 2005. Sometimes I get curious about Nikon but I'm a huge fan of Canon's L (pro-level) glass line-up. 

So my Lily pics are usually my 60D and I've been partial to my Sigma 17-50mm lens indoors these days. (Amazon.com: Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD Large Aperture Standard Zoom Lens for Canon Digital DSLR Camera: Camera & Photo) I've had this lens since March and it's barely come off my camera. It has image stabilization, which helps get those crisp shots as well. It's also got a fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8 so it's also a great natural-light lens, and the wider-angle is great for using inside as well. 

Sigma's 10-20mm is also a great wide-angle zoom. Other lenses I'd recommend for natural light would be Canon's 50mm f/1.8 (on a budget) or 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8, Sigma's 30mm f/1.4...there are so many great lenses out there it's difficult to narrow it down but those listed tend to be consistently good lenses, under $500 (or so) and great for natural light because of the wide apertures (to let in more light).

I'm sure I'll think of more to say  but I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully helpful and not too boring!!


----------



## Rowan

OMG, thank you both! Now I must add Adobe Photoshop Lightroom to my list. I have Adobe Photoshop already so hopefully I can figure the Lightroom out.


----------



## RileysMommy

I ordered my T3i today and cant wait to get it! But, I already said that on the other thread. I will also be getting Elements (my husband is getting that for me for Christmas too)....I have never used photo editing software before....so, I HOPE that it's what I want! LOL


Thank you all for your posts! Sounds like a foreign language to me...guess I have a LOT to learn! Maybe a photography class will be in order?


----------



## lilypoo

Congrats on ordering the T3i; I'm sure you'll love it, and Elements too. When you get a chance, you might want to consider picking up the 50mm f/1.8. It's a steal at around $100 and it's wonderful indoors and out for natural light photography.

The book Understanding Exposure as well as Scott Kelby's Digital Photography series are great places to start. JESSICA SPRAGUE.COM also has a great editing class (online) that covers a lot of the basics. Lynda.com has great classes too.


----------



## RileysMommy

I got the camera yesterday and was playing around with it last night! Had to share a pic with you guys! Yes, Riley is in need of grooming (he's going on Friday so he will be fresh for the holiday's with my family in NC)....but I LOOOOOOVE the pics! I'm amazed! I cant wait until I REALLY learn how to use this camera!

Oh! Riley had the "mad face" in the pic! He was growling at the camera! Not a big fan of having his pic taken??


----------



## Rowan

RileysMommy said:


> I got the camera yesterday and was playing around with it last night! Had to share a pic with you guys! Yes, Riley is in need of grooming (he's going on Friday so he will be fresh for the holiday's with my family in NC)....but I LOOOOOOVE the pics! I'm amazed! I cant wait until I REALLY learn how to use this camera!
> 
> Oh! Riley had the "mad face" in the pic! He was growling at the camera! Not a big fan of having his pic taken??


Wow--great pic! I can't wait to get mine next year.


----------



## Jack-A-Poo

Think he was in awe with the new camera hence the expression lol.....nice shot and congrats on the new cam


----------



## idigjars

This is a great thread. I love the pics and tips. Thanks to all for sharing. Paul


----------



## HiSocietyPoodle

*Black Poo blob in pix*

Any secrets you can share regarding photographing a black toy poo? 

My little guy is so black you can't see his eyes and looks like a black furry blob. I just bought a nice new camera (not a point and shoot) one that I can manually adjust the settings and has 16 megapixels. And I love it but, I'm learning to use it. Any help with be greatly appreciated!


----------



## lilypoo

Tips RE: Black Poodle 

Set your in-camera metering to "spot" metering, and take your meter readings off just your dog (i.e. for most cameras, point your focus point at the dog and do a half-press of your shutter button). This will slightly over-expose your background but you can bring that back when you process your images.

You can also bring the dog's exposure up during processing.

Recommend shooting in RAW for this.

Also, getting light in his eyes will help define his face. I.E. you don't want the light behind him or off to the side, but coming more from the front, angled.

If you post an example and let us know what software you're using, then I can give you a few more tips. It's basically something every wedding photographer has to master because of shooting a white dress and black tux together...difficult at first but once you know what to do, not too hard.


----------



## HiSocietyPoodle

*My black toy poodle looks like a black blob*



lilypoo said:


> Tips RE: Black Poodle
> 
> If you post an example


I hope I do this right...http://www.poodleforum.com/members/1758-hisocietypoodle-album774-new-camera-pix-picture5415-guido-wasnt-feeling-well-photo.jpg

Here is another one...http://www.poodleforum.com/members/1758-hisocietypoodle-album774-new-camera-pix-picture5413-guido.jpg


----------



## lilypoo

The first one looks properly exposed. It appears as though flash was used, which is considered "less than ideal" by serious photographers. If it was night, then bouncing flash off the ceiling or a nearby wall is a good alternative. In daylight, you would rotate your pup so his face is lit. Same with the second image. That one is under-exposed and a bit out of focus, which is a common problem for dslr auto-focus...if light is low where you're focusing, they are not as likely to grab perfect focus. Investing in an inexpensive 50mm f/1.8 lens will also help a lot...then you can open up your aperture really wide to let in lots of light while keeping the shutter speed high enough to avoid motion blur. I'm in the process of writing a series of articles on exposure at Hubpages...the first two are up and might help further: lilypoo on HubPages

CUTE Pup!! Love his mustache!


----------



## Sookster

Can anyone recommend specific models of cameras? I'm wanting something that can take decent photos of dogs, obviously, in natural light and that is fairly easy to operate. Something that can get good action shots is a plus.

I also would prefer not to have to do a lot of processing afterward, as I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm mainly wanting decent quality photos to take of my clients dogs as we are working and training to post on my website, etc.


----------



## Jacamar

I would say, the less expensive models of Canon or Nikon digital SLR will be be a great choice. It would likely to do all you want and much more. The more expensive camera bodies (over $1000) allow you to push boundaries like low light photography, super fast frames-per-second (great for pro sports photographers), etc. Thats probably way more than you want/need. For a "budding" photographer wanting great pics of their pet, I would get an entry level DSRL Canon or Nikon, then spend money to upgrade the lens (if you feel it necessary) and possibly a wireless flash.

I recommend Canon or Nikon because not only do they make good cameras, you get the most choices of high quality lenses if you go deeper into the hobby.


Camera bodies: Canon T3, T3i (a step up), or T2i (previous model still available but cheaper than a T3i)

I dont know the Nikon model numbers since Im a Canon shooter.


----------



## lily cd re

Since I am also a birder, I just wanted to tell you I love the little blue heron. What lens?


----------



## Jacamar

lily cd re said:


> Since I am also a birder, I just wanted to tell you I love the little blue heron. What lens?



Thanks lily cd re. You mean youre also a birder in addition to being a poodler? :laugh:

That was with my Canon 70 - 300L. I love photographing the larger birds we have down here in Fl.


----------



## lily cd re

Yes, birder too since I was about ten, suppose I should update my profile since that predates poodler, the spoonbill is even nicer.


----------



## Sookster

I believe I'm getting a Nikon D3100 in about a month. I'm going to need an editing program, though. Any suggestions? I need something fairly user-friendly and for a "hobbyist" not a professional. I also use a Mac.


----------



## Jacamar

Adobe Lightroom is far less expensive than Photoshop. I dont know how easy it is to learn. I own it, but havent installed it yet. I bought it just because there was a deal where you could buy Lightroom and get a $400 off coupon for Photoshop. So now I own both but havent had time to install either yet. Will probably install photoshop later today. I know the two apps take a much different approach to photo editing.


----------



## PoodlePowerBC

Can someone explain to me why my pics always show up small when I post them? Obviously I'm doing something wrong


----------



## Jacamar

PoodlePowerBC said:


> Can someone explain to me why my pics always show up small when I post them? Obviously I'm doing something wrong


Is this an example?

http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/17592-snake-necklace.html

It looks plenty big to me. (Yep, thats what she said.. haha)

When you post a pic as an attachment, your post just shows a "thumbnail" image that expands when you click it. The other way to post is to put your pic on a photo site like flickr.com or photobucket.com, then post a link to the image by clicking the picture image (looks like a mountain and sun) on the message toolbar.


----------



## PoodlePowerBC

Jacamar said:


> The other way to post is to put your pic on a photo site like flickr.com or photobucket.com, then post a link to the image by clicking the picture image (looks like a mountain and sun) on the message toolbar.


Ok ... I do use Flickr, and I tried grabbing the link to the pic and pasting into the picture image spot, and it didn't work  What am I dong wrong?? :ahhhhh:


----------



## Jacamar

PoodlePowerBC said:


> Ok ... I do use Flickr, and I tried grabbing the link to the pic and pasting into the picture image spot, and it didn't work  What am I dong wrong?? :ahhhhh:


I can't see your attempt so i don't know what you did wrong. try posting the pic to this thread.

make sure you're using the link to the picture itself, not the flickr page that displays it.
in flickr, right-click the image. a menu pops up. Choose large size. then right click the large image that comes up, choose Copy image address. paste that into your poodle forum post by using the image button on the toolbar.


----------



## PoodlePowerBC

Here goes nothing


----------



## PoodlePowerBC

Quad | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Another try .... I feel so dumb!!!

This one was done 2 ways ...by pasting the url in the message body and by using the Insert Image icon.


----------



## Jacamar

PoodlePowerBC said:


> Quad | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
> 
> Another try .... I feel so dumb!!!
> 
> This one was done 2 ways ...by pasting the url in the message body and by using the Insert Image icon.


Dont feel dumb, computers frustrate me too and I work with them for a living!

I edited my last post to add instructions but you may have replied before my edit and not seen it. 

You need to use the link to the picture itself, not the flickr page that displays it.
in flickr, right-click the image. a menu pops up. Choose the size you want (usually "large" or "original"). Then when the picture re-loads in that size, right-click it, choose "Copy image address" (or whatever your browser says that means the same thing) and then paste that into your poodle forum post by using the image button on the toolbar.


----------



## PoodlePowerBC

Thanx Jacamar









Another try


----------



## Jacamar

Nice pic! Looks like an adventurous poodle!


----------



## Lou

Rowan said:


> RileysMommy's thread gave me this idea. I think we need a place to consolidate our photography tips and a place to discuss photo editing (Photoshop, etc.).
> 
> My first question involves lighting. *Everyone *is invited to respond, but I'm going to address two that stand out in my mind.
> 
> *Mama2FourAZ & Spoowhisperer*: how do you get such perfect lighting in your pics?
> 
> *Mama2FourAZ* - your pics of Lilly are always so sharp and crisp (studio shots).
> 
> *Spoowhisperer *- I love the pic of Kai relaxing by the fire in the Raptor thread.
> 
> What camera/lens did you use and do you do any followup editing?


NOW.... I HAVE TO SEE THOSE WONDERFUL PICTURES THEN.... hehehehe please post them! I love being "THE photographer" and Lou loves to be the model...LOL but I have not edited her photos, even though sometimes I wish I did, to show her actual color, that is not show accurately on the pictures... Im just lazy I have photoshop, maybe I will edit them sometime... please post these awesome pictures! :-D


----------



## Sookster

SO excited. I finally got a decent camera! My family all pitched and and presented me with a Nikon d3100 for my birthday last weekend. 

Great right? Well, yes except that I still don't have much of an idea on how to use it except for putting it on auto and snapping away. But I'm learning and reading tutorials and guides like a madwoman. 

I could use a little advice on the following: 
1) Do you have any recommendations for great books/tutorials? Especially pertaining to dog/animal photography? (links please!)

2) It came with an 18-55mm lens. I can't afford to go out and spend $500 on lenses right now, but does anyone have any recommendations for what would be the next best purchase for this camera, or any specific filters/add-ons I should look into? (links to best products would be helpful) 

3) I'm looking at editing programs. I am moderately competent with basic photo editing software (have used Corel PSP and Photoshop Elements extensively in the past) and clueless when it comes to programs like the Adobe CS line. That's really all that I'm familiar with. I'm operating on a macbook and looking for something reasonably priced (in the $1-200 range) to use to do basic photo editing. Any suggestions? 

Thanks! I'm super excited to learn more!


----------



## Jacamar

Congrats on your new camera!

Whether you need another lens depends a lot on the photos you take and what you do with your pics. You dont have much zoom with that lens, but you may not need it. Will you mostly take pics of your poodles at close range? If so, then no need to buy a long zoom lens. Long zoom lenses are good for sports photography and wildlife photography (and dog agility). 

If you print out your pics as large prints, a higher quality lens than the "kit lens" you got with your camera will give you much better results. If you tend to only look at your pics on the computer, or make small prints, a better lens will still give you better results, but it wont make as much difference because you'll be looking at reduced versions of the pics and that makes the less quality less evident.

Dont forget to make copies of your pics and edit the copies, so you have unaltered originals to go back to if you want.


----------



## Sookster

Yep, mainly just photos of the poodles. Probably not a lot of really long distance stuff. I'm still trying to decide on an editing program. I'm contemplating giving Lightroom a test run and seeing if I like it at all. Any thoughts?


----------



## Jacamar

I got lightroom a few months ago but havent ever installed it. I bought it because it came with a coupon for a few hundred off photoshop. I know lots of people like lightroom though. Ive seen demos.. You use "brushes" to make changes, like a lightening brush, or a smoothing brush or whatever. So its very different from photoshop. I dont think there is a way to select and work with a specific set of pixels, but I could be wrong. I think you can download a free trial off their website. Other than photoshop, it might be the best editing program out there.


----------



## Darcy

*pic's*

I can't seem to upload pic's..I wait for them to upload, then I don't know what happens


----------



## Jacamar

Darcy said:


> I can't seem to upload pic's..I wait for them to upload, then I don't know what happens


That usually means the pic youre trying to upload is too big. Make sure its in .jpg format, then make sure i's under the file size and image size maximums ( 195 KB file size, 2000 x 2000 pixels max.) If its too big, use photo editing software to shrink and/or crop the image. Saving the file with lower quality makes the file size smaller too.

If you have an account at flicker, photobucket, or some other hosting site, you can post the link to that image in your post, then they show up in your post as bigger pictures instead of just "thumbnail" images that people have to click on.


----------



## PoodleRick

Those of you looking for a photo editor should consider Photoshop Elements 11. If you're new to photo editing it has a "guided editing" mode, which pretty much walks a novice through the editing process, and you can also do more advanced edits as you learn. It also has the ability to covert RAW format and work in layers which may mean nothing to you at this point but I think it's pretty important as you learn. And it's only a hundred bucks. Lightroom is good also, though I personally don't like it, but that's just me. Lots of people love it.


----------



## Ciscley

*Lightroom free trial*

Be sure to check out the 30 day free trial on Lightroom if interested and search their instructional forum for videos and tutorials.

I actually find the limited functions in Lightroom help keep me from trying to save every photo vs Photoshop or Paintshop Pro. It also cuts down on the over editing which never looks as bad on the screen as it does when you go to print something. I am however still a vignette addict and I need a self help program.

Best thing for me @ LR is the photo management aspect and the whole workflow concept. It really helps you process large volumes of images faster and I've used the final steps to make interactive CDs of images for clients before.

Re: gear, I love my nifty 50, but I would probably invest in a good hot shoe flash that you can bounce off the ceiling when shooting casually indoors at night before getting a better quality lens. 

Re: photographing black dogs, I find I have much better results editing the images as Black and White. If you have an image you love but its just "off", give it a try.


----------



## cliffdweller

*On Action Photography*

http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/93825-rain-1st-outing-new-camera.html

http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/95209-rain-chasing-wind.html



Rusty said:


> You always have such gorgeous pictures! One day, if you have the time and inclination, I'd be so appreciative if you would post a technical "how to" about how to get such great poodle action shots! What settings do you use on your camera? Are there particular technical features/specifications that a camera needs to have to get such good, clear pictures?
> 
> All my "action shots" of Begley are out of focus (at best) or completely miss having him in the frame (at worst) because the camera is too slow or I aim it too poorly.


 http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/95209-rain-chasing-wind.html#post1097753

First off, let me say that there are some on this forum who know a great deal more than I about photography, and who produce photographs that I cannot begin to match.

What is needed to capture fast motion ? In a word, light. you have to be able to get enough light into the camera & the camera has to be sensitive enough to capture that light quickly to form an image.

I do almost no flash photography, so I can only address natural light. On the "beach", there is a lot of bright light, direct sunlight, lol. Bright, overcast would be better ... you need good light !

You need a "fast camera" -- a camera capable of capturing sufficient light quickly. Factors that make a difference are :

-- _shutter speed_ : faster shutter speeds capture less motion, and this is what you need for sharp action shots.

-- _auto focus_ speed and accuracy; _tracking_, if you are shooting in "continuous mode"

-- _lens aperture_ -- larger apertures capture more light (larger aperture lens = faster lens)

-- _sensor size _determines how much light the sensor uses to create the image; a larger sensor can gain more information than a smaller sensor and produces better images.

-- when shooting stills in continuous mode, the _buffer size_ of the camera and the speed at which the camera can write to the sd card become factors; faster sd cards (the more expensive cards, lol) can make a difference.

When I go out with Rain, I mostly just have the camera set on automatic and for "continuous" shooting (different cameras have different names for this --- the camera shoots continuously for as long as the shutter button is pressed). I think the Olympus TG-1 could shoot full resolution images at about 5fps, which was sufficient. The images linked above, shot with the Nikon AW1, were produced at 15fps.

Resolution is really important if you need to crop heavily, as I do, since Rain is usually quite a distance from me. So, I try to shoot at full resolution.

Illustrative differences among the cameras I have owned :

Pentax Optio WG-1 : "There are two continuous shooting modes on the WG-1: regular and high-speed. The regular mode will keep taking full resolution photos, though at a dog slow rate of 0.7 frames/second. The high speed mode shoots faster (2.2 frames/sec) but 1) the resolution is 5 Megapixel and 2) the LCD is blacked out the whole time, which makes tracking a moving subject impossible." [Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS Review | Digital Camera Resource Page]

Olympus Tough TG-1 ihs : "TG-1 has strong burst-shooting options. At full resolution it can capture at up to 5 frames per second, but if you don't mind dropping to a 3-megapixel resolution, it can shoot bursts at 15fps or 60fps." [Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS review - CNET]

Nikon 1 AW1 : "The high-speed sensor used on the AW1 features built-in Phase-Detect autofocus at 73 points and reads 135 points for Contrast-Detect autofocus. This lets it focus faster than most mirrorless cameras as long as there is sufficient light. This CMOS sensor can shoot continuously at full-resolution up to 60 FPS, when using single-shot AF, or 15 FPS with continuous AF. This is combined with an electronic-shutter which allows shutter-speeds up to 1/16000s." [Nikon 1 AW1 Review | Neocamera]

If you do not need a waterproof camera, your choices will be much wider than mine.

In the hour or two that I am out with Rain, I take _a lot_ of photos (often more than 500).

A few (+/- 20) of these are selected. I crop and make adjustments in Photoshop.

After this first outing with the Nikon, I intend to make some adjustment to the settings, since I am having an issue with blown highlights. Still, the images are a significant improvement over the former waterproof cameras I have used.

I hope this answers your question ?


----------



## Rusty

Thank you, nu2poodles! That's very helpful. Although now it's got me looking at new cameras!


----------



## patk

nu2poodles said:


> After this first outing with the Nikon, I intend to make some adjustment to the settings, since I am having an issue with blown highlights. Still, the images are a significant improvement over the former waterproof cameras I have used.


nu2poodles, you are such a great photographer that i hesitate to ask, but re those blown highlights, have you ever considered using a neutral density filter?


----------



## cliffdweller

patk said:


> nu2poodles, you are such a great photographer that i hesitate to ask, but re those blown highlights, have you ever considered using a neutral density filter?


Hi patk,

Actually, since I had lots of different problems with the former cameras, I haven't gotten very far on solving this one yet -- if I can solve it without creating greater issues. Shooting mid-day, in the blazing sun, there was lots of glare on the water surfaces. 

I did change one setting in the camera, turning on "Active-D Lighting" -- described as a feature to avoid loss of detail in highlights and shadows -- to see how this would work. And my first thought had been to turn this off and see how it goes. 

Then, there are some remarks about this issue here : Nikon 1 AW1 review | Compact system camera reviews: CSC reviews, tests and specifications | Amateur Photographer
"The AW1 produces bright images straight out of the camera, which do not suffer from underexposure. If anything, the camera overexposes just a little and, on occasions when I was shooting towards the light or when scenes had some particularly bright highlights, I dialled in -0.3EV or -0.7EV to guarantee highlight detail wasn't lost. To help preserve extra detail in the shadows of high-contrast scenes, Active D-Lighting can be switched on from inside the 
shooting menu."

So, if I understand this correctly, he is using exposure compensation _with_ the Active D-Lighting. Worth a try.

But, I will certainly consider giving an ND filter a try and appreciate your help very much. 

I am concerned that the issue is dynamic range, so that compensating for the highlights will result in loss of detail in Rain. This would be similar to what I had with the point & shoots, where some compensation for highlights must have been made automatically and I always had to adjust lights & shadows in Photoshop (and deal with awful, noisy, grungy, shadows) to regain detail in Rain. It looks as though the Active D-Lighting may alleviate this.

The camera is capable of shooting RAW, and I think this may help. I have not pursued this yet, since to process the Nikon RAW format (nef) properly will necessitate an upgrade of my computer operating system (it's time ...).

I only have limited experience with photography and have only been practicing this beach/action photography since Rain. I have much to learn .... I am certainly open to all suggestions to improve my photographs within the constraints under which I shoot (e.g., I basically do not have much choice about times, so suggestions about time of day will not be very helpful).

But look here patk, how bad this can be -- and this was not even a beach shot. I often just grab the camera and take a picture (-- it is very rare for me to take any sort of posed picture). This is what Rain's muzzle looked like in that morning shot I posted, before I "doctored" it, & even after throwing the jpg in ACR and adjusting to recover highlights -- a portion completely blown :


----------



## DreamAgility

ok, so now this is my question.
I have a canon rebel EOS t3i. I love my kit lense, its great outdoors, which is great cause I am not an inside person. The pics are beautiful. But, I am also a filmer-meaning I make lot of youtube videos. I want the colors to be bright and the video to be clear. I know how to focus it, but when I do slow/mo its very blurry. Any lense recommendations?


----------



## Jacamar

DreamAgility said:


> ok, so now this is my question.
> I have a canon rebel EOS t3i. I love my kit lense, its great outdoors, which is great cause I am not an inside person. The pics are beautiful. But, I am also a filmer-meaning I make lot of youtube videos. I want the colors to be bright and the video to be clear. I know how to focus it, but when I do slow/mo its very blurry. Any lense recommendations?


The blur during frame-by-frame video is not a lens issue. Shooting in brighter light may help, Im not sure. You cant expect to take perfect frames from video. If you could, nobody would shoot still photography any more, we would just shoot video and then grab the perfect moment and make a still from that.


----------



## lily cd re

So Jacamar, we need some Panda pictures.


----------



## Wild Kitten

DreamAgility said:


> ok, so now this is my question.
> I have a canon rebel EOS t3i. I love my kit lense, its great outdoors, which is great cause I am not an inside person. The pics are beautiful. But, I am also a filmer-meaning I make lot of youtube videos. I want the colors to be bright and the video to be clear. I know how to focus it, but when I do slow/mo its very blurry. Any lense recommendations?


The more frames it makes/second, the clearer the pictures will be in each frame.... you need a high-speed camera to have a clear slow motion movie.

High-speed camera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## DreamAgility

I always shoot outdoors on sunny days. I think the video footage is about as good as a canon powershot. When I got the camera I was looking for a camera tht took both great pics and colorful,clear footage. My uncle helped me by asking professionals he knew and they all recommended this camera. I have seen beautiful youtue videos taken from the same camera, just a different lense.


----------



## Jacamar

lily cd re said:


> So Jacamar, we need some Panda pictures.


Thanks Lily. I'll have to get some pics together.. :smile:


----------



## cliffdweller

DreamAgility said:


> ok, so now this is my question.
> I have a canon rebel EOS t3i. I love my kit lense, its great outdoors, which is great cause I am not an inside person. The pics are beautiful. But, I am also a filmer-meaning I make lot of youtube videos. I want the colors to be bright and the video to be clear. I know how to focus it, but when I do slow/mo its very blurry. Any lense recommendations?


I know practically nothing about video, but took a quick look around at your camera & its video capabilities. Found this article/review -- re slow motion:

"FRAME RATE: The camera shoots 1,920x1,080 at both 30 and 24 frames per second (fps); 1,280x720 at 24 and 60 fps; and 640x480 at 30 fps. Use the higher frame rates if you want to achieve true slow motion by over-cranking—shooting at a frame rate higher than the rate at which the final video will be played. Shooting video at 60 fps to be played back at 24 fps will yield 40-percent slow motion."

You _can_ increase the amount of light getting to your camera sensor with a faster lens, which will also allow for better images at faster frame rates. What are the specs on your kit lens ?


----------



## patk

nu2poodles, sorry about not getting back to you sooner re neutral density filters. i'm no photographer and really bad on all the issues of lighting, etc, but for awhile i did home videos and used to hang around a videography forum, where i was told to get a neutral density filter to deal with my blown highlights (from shooting outdoors in bright light) complaints. i finally gave in, and it did help. for still photography, what i was told was that blown highlights mean no recoverable detail. an nd filter gives you a better chance of recovering detail, though at first the picture will seem darker. so in "still" photography, i was told to shoot raw and process from there. 

maybe poodlerick, who is a professional photographer, can advise.


----------



## PoodleRick

Heard my name. Sorry it took so long. Been soooo busy lately. Yes shooting in RAW format does allow you to recover detail that you would loose if you just shooting jpgs since a jpg is a compression format. If you camera has the ability to shoot in RAW then you should have gotten software that allows you to manipulate that format. If not there are others like Photoshop, if you want to spend a ton. There is also Lightroom and PS Elements which handles RAW and does cost much. Anyway the RAW converter allows you to recover highlight and shadow detail that is gone in a jpg. You still have to expose correctly but RAW still has a wider dynamic range that allows you to bring them back in so you can see them once you convert to a jpg. Here is a screen grab of a pic I took with my low end DLSR in Photoshop's RAW converter. This is what you would get from a regular camera shooting in JPG. The face is ok but everything else is too dark. The second screen grab shows the same pic with some very quick adjustments and look how much better the pic is. Could still use some more work but not bad for two minutes worth of fiddling. Hope this helps some.

Rick


----------



## Suey61

I used to use picnik but what a shame the site has now closed is there any other good ones which you know of for photo editing thanks


----------



## PoodleRick

Suey61 said:


> I used to use picnik but what a shame the site has now closed is there any other good ones which you know of for photo editing thanks


The photogs over on the Canon forum who don't use Photoshop or lightroom love Gimp. It's a free download and has a ton of support, from what I hear. I've never used it but those guys love it. GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

Rick


----------



## Suey61

Thanks i'll give it a look


----------



## Wild Kitten

I can never get used to Gimp........... lol

It makes no sense to me, some say that it is so much simpler than photoshop...... but to me, photoshop is simple  

paint.NET is very similar to photoshop - even the layout and tools... it is also a free software and got a support forum


----------



## PoodleRick

Wild Kitten said:


> I can never get used to Gimp........... lol
> 
> It makes no sense to me, some say that it is so much simpler than photoshop...... but to me, photoshop is simple
> 
> paint.NET is very similar to photoshop - even the layout and tools... it is also a free software and got a support forum


I've never used Gimp but I also think Photoshop is pretty intuitive. At least for what I need it to do.

Rick


----------



## mullyman

I noticed quite a few pics are posted sideways. I use this site for my image hosting...

Postimage.org - free image hosting / image upload

Easy as 1,2,3. They even have a rotate option right there for ya.

Hope this helps.
MULLY


----------



## fuzzymom

Anyone using Instagram?


----------



## PoodleRick

fuzzymom said:


> Anyone using Instagram?


I have it but I never use it.


----------



## Carole B

*Great thread.*

I am a new member of this forum and a relatively new Spoo owner. This thread is wonderful. I am a photography hobbiest and read many photography how to articles and some of the comments here are every bit as informative as many of the tutorials I have read. Thank you.


----------



## FiggyPlum

I think most of the comments on this thread are way above my head and way beyond me in talent, but I do have a question. It's probably a rather silly one, but here goes. How the heck do you take pictures of a little black never still ball of fuzz? Honestly. If I use the flash she looks aweful and if I don't she has no eyes. I am also just using my phones camera. I have a nikon coolpix something or other as well...but it takes photos so slowly that my subject matter is out of frame before the shutter is finished snapping the dang photo. So far, I have only had luck taking photos of her if my son holds her or if she's sleeping but that's it. 

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


----------



## PoodleRick

FiggyPlum said:


> I think most of the comments on this thread are way above my head and way beyond me in talent, but I do have a question. It's probably a rather silly one, but here goes. How the heck do you take pictures of a little black never still ball of fuzz? Honestly. *If I use the flash she looks aweful and if I don't she has no eyes.* I am also just using my phones camera. I have a nikon coolpix something or other as well...but it takes photos so slowly that my subject matter is out of frame before the shutter is finished snapping the dang photo. So far, I have only had luck taking photos of her if my son holds her or if she's sleeping but that's it.
> 
> Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


Hi Figgy,
The problem with flash and dogs, or most animals for that matter, is 1, phones and most point and shoot cameras have the flash right next to the lens. 2, dogs, and most animals have a highly reflective coating on the backs of their eyes which is why they have this demonic glow when you take a picture of them with a flash. 

There really are only a couple of remedies for this. Two of which require some moderately spend gear. First you need to use a camera with a separate flash so you can move the flash away from the lens and won't get reflections off the back of the eye. That camera should also have the ability to shoot in RAW format that lets you recover these dark dark areas known as the black poodle. The other remedy is free but not convenient and that is to shoot in really good, bright light. Usually outside in bright light
Here are some examples:
iPhone pic with flash. Typical result: Blacks gone and demon reflections


















Indoor with a RAW capable camera and a flash that is about a foot away from the lens


















And outside in what is known as "Cloudy Bright"










Outside bright sun










Outside in "The Golden Hour", which is about and hour after sunrise or and/or before sunset










And finally a combination of outside in sun with the with the sun behind the subject and a flash to brighten what would normally be in deep shadow.










I hope some of this is helpful. I know photography can be a bit overwhelming especially if you're trying to shoot something that matters to you and it's difficult to shoot.


----------



## FiggyPlum

Wow! Great response, examples, and explanations! Thank you. 

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


----------



## Jacamar

Great suggestions by Rick.

Also, try to avoid having too much contrast in the shot. A black poodle against a white wall will be more likely to turn out underexposed than a black poodle against, say, a brown couch of medium lightness. But that can vary if using a cheap/old point & shoot or phone.

When photographing indoors, open the blinds and turn on all the lights in the room, but dont have any light sources in the shot.

Good luck.


----------



## skipa-za-ko_13

This! This is so my problem. I wasn't sure what the technical terminology was to explain this but now I know. (Thanks!) My parents are getting me a new camera for Yule (I think) and my mother is really picky about the flash aspect.


----------



## skipa-za-ko_13

skipa-za-ko_13 said:


> This! This is so my problem. I wasn't sure what the technical terminology was to explain this but now I know. (Thanks!) My parents are getting me a new camera for Yule (I think) aaudacity temp mail originnd my mother is really picky about the flash aspect.


The problem with flash and dogs, or most animals for that matter, is 1, phones and most point and shoot cameras have the flash right next to the lens. 2, dogs, and most animals have a highly reflective coating on the backs of their eyes which is why they have this demonic glow when you take a picture of them with a flash.


----------



## lilypoo

Rowan said:


> *Mama2FourAZ & Spoowhisperer*: how do you get such perfect lighting in your pics?
> 
> *Mama2FourAZ* - your pics of Lilly are always so sharp and crisp (studio shots).
> 
> What camera/lens did you use and do you do any followup editing?


I missed this somehow and have since changed my username (trying to be more private online but gave up years ago) but found it interesting!! I have always used Canon DSLRs and wide prime lenses (fixed focal lenght, large aperture i.e. f/1.2-2.8), or professional lenses. The studio shots are easy to get crisp and clear because the studio strobes flash and freeze motion. Settings still count, but it's easy to figure out. Crisp+clear in natural light is still all about light. Ever taken a selfie and rotated around until your face looks best, and there's no odd distortion from shadows? It's the same concept...have the subject face the light source, look for filtered light (but not spotty of dappled...in a shadow but right at the edge works well) and you can manipulate until the light source is more off to the side 45-90 degree angle from the subject) if you want more drama and some shadows on one side of the face. Dogs (especially dark ones) photography best in "flat" light i.e. they are facing the direction your light is coming from.


----------

