DSLR Photography Forum

Well i dont know what it is . Is it me or Digital? It seems that the past few times that i have shot , my pics dont really " pop " ( for a lack of other tems ) . Mostly all i have to do is click Auto Contrast ( in PS ) and it just seems to work . Is it me or just a digital thing. I will try to find a good example. It just bothers me a little bit. Maybe a WB problem?


......... Thanks in advance for reading ......... Shawn

THere are several things that might be the problem, Drake. Post an unretouched example, and we can look at it for you. Most likely, your white and black points are not set to "true" black and white. In Adjust->Levels, you will see a histogram with 3 grab points, one at each end of the chart, and one in the middle. Move the end points of the histogram until they meet the end points of your photo's unique histogram. This will set the blackest point of your photo to true black and the whitest point in your photo to true white. Adjust the center slider to taste. This will make your photo pop more (although this doesn't look right for every photo).

Reading over this, I see it is very unclear. Go into levels and you will see what I mean.

It can be several things, first things i would check is the camera settings (curve) also diffent lenses produce less/more contrast. But its hard without an example.

/Paul L.

There will be a contrast control buried in one of the menus. Along with the sharpness and saturation controls, this will affect every JPEG you record with the camera. (If you're using RAW mode, it won't make any difference.) You might want to experiment with it until you get a look you like straight from the camera.

Ok well here is a shot that i know will tell you plenty about what i am talking about .


This is SOOC , only thing dont to it is resize .




Here is the same shot with just Auto Contrast. I dont think its the lens , only because i have used my other lenses with the same issue .




I will look into that Matthew . This might help me out , Just more to play with huh?

here is the info on the pic.
1/500th sec ( tv )
iso 400
f7.1
i was prob shooting at about 300 mm . ( but i have to say i have been having the same problem with my other lenses again ) .
WB AUto .

Maybe someone knows what i am doing wrong LOL .
I messed with the levels Toad , not sure that i am doing it wright , but got it to look OK with levels . I just get agrivated knowing its me and this is really the first time ( in a while ) that i couldnt figure it out LOL .



Please help me LOL . ........ Shawn

...and this is it with only the right (white point) slider in Levels adjusted to equal the end of the photo's histogram...

I think that i might have found the problem out . As Mathew pointed out , it was in my settings . I had it on Perameter 2 ( i guess i was playing and didnt realize i chaged it ) . I had been shooting in perameter 1 , It all makes sence now LOL . I guess thats why they send books with the cameras LOL .

I really need to learn more about Levels Toad . So i think i will play with the shots that i took that are " dark " and see what i can come up with . I like what you did , and i will try to put it on my " to learn list " LOL .

........... Shawn

shawn the bird is a little underexposed, what kind of metering did you use ?

Good you found the problem.

/Paul L.

It maybe a little underexposed , I was shooting in TV mode . I think the problem is solved .

Just another lesson , if you are going to play with all the camera settings . Make sure you know what they were before you do anything .


....... Shawn