just a tip on bonsai photography

[barrosinc]

Most of the time the pics are taken with something white in the background, Cameras are programmed to make that white into a grey (called 18% or medium grey or whatsoever), so the best would be to use a grey backdrop to get the right exposure or using the white you are using now and adding some exposure compensation to 1 or 2 stops. It is the same effect that happens with snow

http://oberphotographytips.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/white-compensation.jpg

Most of you have a point and shoot and are hard to set things up... the setting looks like a square with a plus and minus and usually has a bar indicating -2 -1 0 +1 +2

something like this http://godigitalslr.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/MeterScale-typical.jpg


I don't want to sound like a douche here... I hope this might help someone.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I don't want to sound like a douche here... I hope this might help someone.

Too late for that.

 

[barrosinc]

Too late for that.

hahaha sorry... not my intention to hurt peoples feelings.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks. I knew lots of this but have been lazy to use the "proper" backdrop and just grabbed what I got out of convenience. I should pay more attention to these.

I have been meaning to comment about your nice wedding shots and this seem the perfect time...I love them. How I wish my wedding photographer was as good. The way you capture the moment is exhilarating. To me, they are not just a framed picture but tells the story. Kudos.

 

[Vance Wood]

hahaha sorry... not my intention to hurt peoples feelings.

Ever see anyone walk into a spider web from a distance and marvel at the way this individual flails their arms around, spins in circles and brushes imaginary things off of themselves while prancing like a pony that just stepped on a nail? Funny as heck----if it ain't you looking like a douch. Sorry; could not resist, it was irresistible and I am a smart ass adict. I really do appreciate any effort by anyone especially the new people to improve this web site, and I have been a proponent of better photography with bonsai for years. It really is a difficult pastime all by itself.

 

[GrimLore]

Ever see anyone walk into a spider web from a distance and marvel at the way this individual flails their arms around, spins in circles and brushes imaginary things off of themselves while prancing like a pony that just stepped on a nail? Funny as heck----if it ain't you looking like a douch. Sorry; could not resist, it was irresistible and I am a smart ass adict. I really do appreciate any effort by anyone especially the new people to improve this web site, and I have been a proponent of better photography with bonsai for years. It really is a difficult pastime all by itself.

I have a difficult time holding a beer and taking a picture as is... now we are setting standards - lol! Honest though it can be tricky at best to get a good photo. I do not have the space here as I did at the old house and am experimenting with black foam board as a background but need to find larger pieces. To me with proper lighting I see more with a flat black background *shrugs*

Grimmy

 

[Fangorn]

I have a difficult time holding a beer and taking a picture as is... now we are setting standards - lol! Honest though it can be tricky at best to get a good photo. I do not have the space here as I did at the old house and am experimenting with black foam board as a background but need to find larger pieces. To me with proper lighting I see more with a flat black background *shrugs*

Grimmy

For what it's worth I prefer a black background too

 

[barrosinc]

For what it's worth I prefer a black background too

the thing is, with a blackbackground the camera will try to make it the same medium grey and will over expose it, some times when over exposing you will get a blury picture because you cant stand still for short shutter speeds.

 

[barrosinc]

Thanks. I knew lots of this but have been lazy to use the "proper" backdrop and just grabbed what I got out of convenience. I should pay more attention to these.

I have been meaning to comment about your nice wedding shots and this seem the perfect time...I love them. How I wish my wedding photographer was as good. The way you capture the moment is exhilarating. To me, they are not just a framed picture but tells the story. Kudos.

thanks a lot!!

 

[Vance Wood]

the thing is, with a blackbackground the camera will try to make it the same medium grey and will over expose it, some times when over exposing you will get a blury picture because you cant stand still for short shutter speeds.

I let nature furnish me with a black background.

I have yet to find a better method of getting a cheap and quick photo of a tree. Of course there are much better ways to do this but this one works if you wait till the right time of day.

 

[lordy]

barros, I went to your site and looked at your photos. Your work is VERY good. I particularly like your use of depth of field, and lighting. I strive to take better photos all the time, they just dont come as easy as they did with 35mm SLRs. The DSLRs are way more capable, I simply have yet to get it all figured out.

 

[Vance Wood]

I am the one that's a douche---I just went to your web site and you sir are an artist. Wonderful photography.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Si. Si. ¡Mucho bueno sabor, amigo!

 

[Vin]

I hate to be so specific but what shade of gray works best?

 

[barrosinc]

I hate to be so specific but what shade of gray works best?

it doesn't really matter if its white grey or black, but you have to know how to over or underexpose.

Just a rule of thumb:
black BG- over expose (if the pic is dark)
grey BG - nothing (check if it needs up or down)
white BG - underexpose (if the pic is bright)

(this will not always work), just look at the screen if it looks dark add +1, if it is very dark +2. If it is very bright sometimes blurring, do -1 if it is very bright -2. It will depend on each camera how it measures exposure.

 

[twisted trees]

I have a difficult time holding a beer and taking a picture as is... now we are setting standards - lol! Honest though it can be tricky at best to get a good photo. I do not have the space here as I did at the old house and am experimenting with black foam board as a background but need to find larger pieces. To me with proper lighting I see more with a flat black background *shrugs*

Grimmy

I use a black top sheet I got at Walmart for $10.

 

[jk_lewis]

it doesn't really matter if its white grey or black, but you have to know how to over or underexpose.

Just a rule of thumb:
black BG- over expose (if the pic is dark)
grey BG - nothing (check if it needs up or down)
white BG - underexpose (if the pic is bright)

(this will not always work), just look at the screen if it looks dark add +1, if it is very dark +2. If it is very bright sometimes blurring, do -1 if it is very bright -2. It will depend on each camera how it measures exposure.

And, of course, if you have good software -- like Photoshop or PhotoFiltre, you can fix exposure problems like these on the computer.

But PLEASE post the trees in an upright position.

 

[Vance Wood]

And, of course, if you have good software -- like Photoshop or PhotoFiltre, you can fix exposure problems like these on the computer.

But PLEASE post the trees in an upright position.

What's a madd'u you no like pictjures of trees on the ceiling or growing out of walls? That really is an issue with this site. If your photo is taken in portrait sometimes the site will post it as landscape. It can be irratating and not your fault.

 

[lordy]

many Phone cameras have Leica lenses these days. They take pictures far superior to many point and shoot cams from 2 years ago. The problem is that people try to take them as vertical format, and those turn sideways. If you just leave your phone wider than it is tall, the pics should come out OK. Email it to yourself and use some resident photo manipulation software, then upload it to Bnut. Then jkl and many others of us dont get all jacked up having to turn our laptops sideways.

 

[Vance Wood]

many Phone cameras have Leica lenses these days. They take pictures far superior to many point and shoot cams from 2 years ago. The problem is that people try to take them as vertical format, and those turn sideways. If you just leave your phone wider than it is tall, the pics should come out OK. Email it to yourself and use some resident photo manipulation software, then upload it to Bnut. Then jkl and many others of us dont get all jacked up having to turn our laptops sideways.

It's parallel parking a train?