# How would you improve this photo?



## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

Evening chaps,

Following inspiration from another members thread about night time shots I thought i'd give it ago myself. So, using my Fuji S1500 I headed out to a few places that I knew had floodlights and shot away.

Just got back and uploaded them to the computer and had a flick through and this one is my favourite but could drasticly do with improvements. So, teach me your wisdom .. what would you do differently to improve this photo.

I don't have much knowledge of photography but i am learning as I go along, so heres the photo. It seems to be 'grainy'.


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

The grainy look is just a limitation of the camera's sensor. As far as the subject is concerned lower and close would give a more dramatic image.


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

rmorgan84 said:


> The grainy look is just a limitation of the camera's sensor. As far as the subject is concerned lower and close would give a more dramatic image.


I agree with being closer and lower. So, is there no way to improve the grainy appearance?


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

Andy_Wigan said:


> I agree with being closer and lower. So, is there no way to improve the grainy appearance?


You can run it through something like photoshop or similar software that might gibe a slight improvement, but ultimately it's just down to the camera.

It's all down to the size of the sensor. In layman terms, the sensor in your camera is about half the size of the nail on your thumb. The sensor in a DSLR is anything from 2-3 times the size of a postage stamp. Therefore in the smaller sensor the photo-sites (pixels) have to be crammed a lot closer together, heat up faster, create more interference with each other and the end result is noise (grain) in the pictures.


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## Crafty (Aug 4, 2007)

Have a look at the EXIF data, what was the ISO ? I'm guessing you had the ISO setting on auto so the camera has bumped it up ? 
The grainyness is called "noise", the lower the ISO the less noise you will see.
The trade off for this is it will try and use a longer shutter, which means you need to hold the camera very still - realistically you need a tripod to stop shake.
Bigger sensors are better at handling noise.

Far as the shot itself goes my eye is getting distracted by the join in the tarmac sloping away to the right and the fence doing the same, I can't decide if the car is straight in the pic or not. In general I don't go for head on shots of cars, there never seems enough to "make" a picture. Try 3/4 shots.

Its a good try for first time at night. Find a motorway bridge and do some light trails


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## CupraRcleanR (Sep 2, 2007)

Take that bloody great light off the roof!


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## Edward101 (Jun 5, 2009)

Personally I'd get closer and lower as stated and get a bit of the side of the car in too.
The graininess is due to a high ISO used. Not sure if you have a manual setting on your camera, but dont go any higher than 800 for the ISO, try 400 then lower the shutter speed etc to get a brighter sharper image...


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks for the input guys. Yes, the camera was set to Auto, so i'll get out another night during the week to try different ISO speeds and slowing down the shutter.

I agree with the location of the photo, and now that its been pointed out I can see what you mean about the join in the tarmac and the fence line. The car was straight on to the camera but it was not a level surface and perhaps thats why there is something not quite right.

I've got a tripod, I just wasn't using it at the time, so next time i'll take that to help. Presumably, once a few test shots have been taken to get the right ISO and shutter speed then I should use the time-delay so i won't be holding/touching the camera at time of the shutter?


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

Need to set the ISO low 100 is best, slow shutter speed and small aperture, mount the camera on a tripod and you should get a non grainy shot.

What type of camera are you using?


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

Andy_Wigan said:


> Thanks for the input guys. Yes, the camera was set to Auto, so i'll get out another night during the week to try different ISO speeds and slowing down the shutter.
> 
> I agree with the location of the photo, and now that its been pointed out I can see what you mean about the join in the tarmac and the fence line. The car was straight on to the camera but it was not a level surface and perhaps thats why there is something not quite right.
> 
> I've got a tripod, I just wasn't using it at the time, so next time i'll take that to help. Presumably, once a few test shots have been taken to get the right ISO and shutter speed then I should use the time-delay so i won't be holding/touching the camera at time of the shutter?


Using time delay would be ideal, be prepared for long epxosures 15- 30 seconds.


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## Crafty (Aug 4, 2007)

sounds like you are on the right track andy :thumb:


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

mattsbmw said:


> Using time delay would be ideal, be prepared for long epxosures 15- 30 seconds.


The problem is long exposures = heat build up and again more noise and other sensor related problems.


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

Ive just had a quick go outside in the back garden haha,

I can see what you all mean now by slowing down the shutter and setting the ISO lower :thumb: Unfortunatly, the batteries died half way through testing.

Im using a Fuji S1500. I used to have an S5600 but lost interest in the hobby and sold it, it is only recently ive become interested again and so I bought a new camera.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Being a typical bloke i didnt read the instructions/manual, but i'll definatly be digging them out now to read whilst on breaks and dinners at work this week.


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

Following on from that picture, another taken at the time was this one which is another favourite. The only thing I would change is taking away the rooftop line above the container and again, using the tips from you guys as per the ISO/Shutter Speed etc.


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## Edward101 (Jun 5, 2009)

Much better... maybe crop out a bit of whats on the left as its quite dominating in the pic and get down a bit lower. Just down to experimenting really :thumb:. Nice car btw, fellow GP owner hear


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## mwbpsx (Jun 23, 2006)

a different car :thumb:


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

better. Let the thirds hold it - drop the aperture (towards whatever is the minimum), move away, zoom in some more. Set your white balance because you'll lose the color of the car in the sodium light.

Bret


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## beardboy (Feb 12, 2006)

mwbpsx said:


> a different car :thumb:


Why be such a to55er?

He's asking on improving the image, using post processing/skills - if you've nothing useful to say, don't say anything.

:wave:


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## mwbpsx (Jun 23, 2006)

imho a different car would improve the image :wave:


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

mwbpsx said:


> imho a different car would improve the image :wave:


I wasn't asking for opinions about my car or whatever was in the photo - I was asking how to improve the quality of the photo, but everyone has their own taste I guess. I would have prefered helpful comments though.



bretti_kivi said:


> better. Let the thirds hold it - drop the aperture (towards whatever is the minimum), move away, zoom in some more. Set your white balance because you'll lose the color of the car in the sodium light.
> 
> Bret


I always thought it was best not to zoom in if possible and better to get physically closer to the object?

Thanks for all the advice so far, i'll be putting it all into practice next weekend and will see what I can get.


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

in this case, no. Because of the rules of depth of field. If you're further away, more will be in focus. Combine this with small aperture numbers and you can defocus the left part of the pic without losing the car.

Also, don't take everything from eye level. Take some from low down. Maybe the floor. maybe from up high. Take lots and lots of shots and you'll have something to choose from.

did you already check this thread out? http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=137023

Bret


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## Andy_Wigan (Jan 4, 2008)

Ive just had a read/look through that thread, some handy tips as to angles to take pictures. Again, i'll bear it all in mind :thumb:

Practice makes perfect (or improvements) i guess.


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## Crafty (Aug 4, 2007)

I like that 2nd one !

If you want to read up the book everyone reccomends is "understanding exposure" by Byran Peterson


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

CupraRcleanR said:


> Take that bloody great light off the roof!


I was gonna say take the Fiat out of it 

(JOKE)


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