Critiques welcome for newbie

[George Farmer]

Here's a few of my favourite planted tank shots, all taken with a basic compact using aquarium lighting only. I am soon to buy a Canon 350D so hope to improve my skills and results further.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3848/saeag3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6581/ivyxs0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3610/shrimpjf0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/8059/fernbf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6190/platytj2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6442/cardinalsme9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/1756/1257lq.png (http://imageshack.us)
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8756/old1258ca.png (http://imageshack.us)
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5042/gfam1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3572/gf2er4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Cuong]

The first shot is great! The tanks look fantastic, but I feel you could do a little better in capturing them - the angles are a little off putting especially with the black backgrounds. Perhaps try and use a tripod or even put it on a chair and capture the entire tank from directly in front then crop out the void spaces. Or if you insist on shooting at an angle maybe use a little lighting on the tank glass/stand so it doesn't look like the tank is just floating in a black void.

[alanhill]

Such beautiful tanks - and the photos are not bad at all (actually that's good old British understatement, they are very creditable indeed :)). That big Java fern is spectacular too.
The first shot and the last two show a pronounced blue colour cast. Does this tank (or these tanks) have different lighting? You can compensate by changing the white balance setting on your camera (you need to increase the colour temperature), or you can try to post process these shots with Photoshop - but that's probably much harder to get right.

Alan

[George Farmer]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

These were all taken before I really became interested in photography. This reflects the basic cameras (Olympus D-230 and D-435) used and their lack of function. Not even any manual white balance adjustment.

As Alan mentions, you can tell the aquarium lighting differs in a few shots; ranging from very warm fluorescents (3000-5000K) to cooler (6500-7500K). You can see the difference.

I don't own any decent imaging software yet. Any recommendations for the beginner i.e. a nice balance between user-friendly and tools?

[paradise]

George, those are not shots from a "Talentless" beginner :) Those are actually great. Granted the subjects did not move much :) but still very good shots, nice mood and great composition on most.

As far as software, when you start shooting with your 350D you will (hopefully) be using RAW formats which will make it easy to fix White balance problems before the photo is converted to jpg/tiff and goes to editing software, in the RAW processing one.

For software there is only one serious option, IMHO. Photoshop is the most robust piece of software, that is so much of a standard that I dont see many people who are serious using much else. I use a different program for processing of RAW files, but you dont have to, PS will do it for you also. IT's pretty expensive, and I will leave it up to you how to aquire it :) :)

[George Farmer]

Thanks Ed.

I've heard of the RAW format but never understood what it meant.

Do you load the RAW direct onto PC then alter using sofware before converting to jpeg then? Is this "post processing" or do you convert from RAW to jpeg before post-processing?


PS sounds good, I've heard of that a lot! Any particular version ideal for the beginner?

Newbie alert!

[paradise]

George, RAW is a format that takes a photo but does not adjust it for exposure, white balance and other things, but keeps the information in there. Using a RAW processing software (PS has one included, or there are others that are even better, like Rawshooter Essentials) you fix white balance, expsosure, tint and a few other things, WITHOUT loss of any information. See, Photoshop or any other graphics software performs edits, but every time you lose some info. RAW file can be worked on in raw processor without any loss. Once you are satisfied, you convert to Tiff or Jpg and send it to Photoshop where you perform final cropping, burning, and so on.

As far as photoshop, the newest version is 9.01. The newest is truely always the best. It really is the best piece of software around, for any time of graphics manipulation. There are 1000s of add ons sold for it too, and many free ones.

[alanhill]

There is a nice introduction to RAW on the Adobe Photoshop website here (http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html) - download the pdf file 'Understanding digital raw capture'.
Photoshop is the market leader for this sort of software - sooner or later you will want to use it: so I agree with Ed, it's probably best to start with it, although your learning curve will be pretty steep at first. The list price is as much a decent camera: but you can buy it quite cheaply on a well-known auction website (which is very careful with its reputation, so you can be sure it's legal, although I don't suppose Adobe are too happy about the fact).

Alan

[Andreas Werth]

Hi Alan,
i´m not sure about that. Normally, these cheap CS2 version are either educational packages (which are only legal for students etc.) or (more often) contain a legal, sealed upgrade package of CS2 (which is only about a third of the price of a full CS2 copy) and an older "oem" version of photoshop 6. You will find far more of these "oem" versions in auctions than Adobe ever sold with a single product (!) in europe 2001. There is a well-reputated computer magazine in germany which estimated, that nearly 100% of all europe oem copys are fake (http://www.heise.de/ct/05/19/064/default.shtml)

It seems, that Adobe knows exactly about what is going on. As far as i know, they didn´t took legal action up to now. Perhaps because these users are potential buyers of future full versions - or because these users buy at least the upgrade package, that´s for sure better than someone uses a web copy.
Additionally, i´m not so sure about the reputation thing of "auction websites", but that´s another story.

I bought myself a CS2 upgrade package at amazon and an OEM 6.0 version at an auction website, but before my bid i asked the seller to support me contacting Adobe Customer Service to proof whether it is a legal copy.
If someone ever has to contact Adobe and uses his fake "auction oem6-version" for verification, Adobe customer service is able to detect the fake.

So this is my advice here, try to find a legal, old PS version - and contact ACS for verification. An honest seller should have no problem with this. After that, you can buy an upgrade package.

[alanhill]

Absolutely correct Andreas. I think everyone realises you have be careful with these auctions, in English Law there is the a phrase caveat emptor (let the buyer beware).

Alan

[George Farmer]

Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated.

[fish fodder]

george, am i right in saying i have seen some of your photos in pfk?

[George Farmer]

george, am i right in saying i have seen some of your photos in pfk?
Indeed, two or three have been printed so far. Hopefully they'll print some more soon. I have another five articles in the "pot" so they may appear then.

When I eventually get around to buying my 350D they'll be better (hopefully!)

[fish fodder]

Indeed, two or three have been printed so far. Hopefully they'll print some more soon. I have another five articles in the "pot" so they may appear then.

When I eventually get around to buying my 350D they'll be better (hopefully!)


looking forward to your article next month about landscaping! nice to see your avatar in PFK too! lol


you gonna enter in the competition?

[George Farmer]

looking forward to your article next month about landscaping! nice to see your avatar in PFK too! lol


you gonna enter in the competition?
Thanks.

I think I'm one of the judges in the PFK aquascaping contest, so I doubt I'll be able to enter! ;)

[fish fodder]

Thanks.

I think I'm one of the judges in the PFK aquascaping contest, so I doubt I'll be able to enter! ;)

one of the judges eh??? thats good to know. he he he better get my tropica aquacube up to scratch then.

[George Farmer]

Indeed Steve, I'm a mod on a very busy planted forum and I have a feeling there's going to be some crackin' entries. It's about time the UK took aquascaping up to the next level. :)


I look forward to seeing your work.