Hi everyone. I've been lurking here for the past 3 months or so and awhile back I posted some camera questions. Well I finally got my first slr a couple days ago and I am on cloud 9. I am having a blast with it. I bought the Rebel xti with a 50 mm lens (per a lot of your suggestions). I have done a significant amount of reading over the past couple months to get myself acquainted with exposure, camera techniques, photoshop, etc. and I am so happy I took the time to do it because I would be lost right now if I hadn't! I'm pretty happy with how I've been able to go straight to manual and not feel overwhlemed.

Anyhoo, since I am very new at this I am first taking the time to learn proper exposure (and currently reading Understanding Exposure). I was hoping I could post a couple pics to get some help. I have a couple quick questions as well (I'll probably be bombarding you all with them as I am trying to figure things out!).

First off, how do you all consistently keep both eyes in focus? I am currently focusing on the inner corner of the eye closest to me but it seems only sometimes they are both in focus.
Those of you with Rebels...do you find you need to overexpose to get an accurate exposure? For me when the meter is centered and seems right the pictures all look underexposed. I'm not sure if there is something else I am doing wrong...
Does anyone have any recommendations on a good gray card? I don't want to get whatever is cheapest but I also don't know what a high quality gray card would be.

Ok so here are some pictures. I am not concerned with composition right now as I am trying to get the exposure down first. I am mainly worried about accurate colors, focus, and exposure (as well as getting good catch lights). Any suggestions would be great. I am not sure how to check my settings so I might have to get back to you all on those but most were shot f/1.8 or slightly higher and all natural lighting.


1.

2.

3.

4. This was taken in the kitchen which seemed to have good lighting but the whole group of pics had a color cast. Any suggestions for how to fix that in photoshop?


The one in my sig is up for cc too if you don't mind. Also, these were only slightly sharpened and the first I think I did a slight bump in curves.

Thanks so much and I just wanted to add all of your pictures are beautiful and inspirational

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Nicole
Caitlyn 10/20/07
7 lbs. 9 oz. 21 in.
Kevin 1/11/05

first i wanna say welcome, glad you joined.
secondly im just starting out myself and understand how the learning process goes. but these are great. i think you have good catchlights and nice lighting. i think the first two are a bit bright, but not bad. the 3 is my fav. looks great to me. and your siggy is adorable, nice color there too. the other ladies will help more than me, i just wanted to commend you on your learning and skills. great job!

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MonicaD(27)
DH CJ (25)
DD Logann (9)
DS Cooper (4)
DS Keoni (1)



http://www.flickr.com/photos/angeleyesstudios/


http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6013042

Welcome!! You will learn so much on here!! Your kids are adorable!!
The color in the first 2 are great IMO, great catchlights!

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Thanks Kristina (Sissy_Mommy) ^

Hi Nicole! I'm fairly new (started about 5/6 mos ago) and I went about things the exact way you did. You really have done a lot of hard work and have wonderful starting pics to show that!
For your questions:
1. With an f/1.8 you will have a harder time getting both eyes in focus when they are on different planes. Try to step down your aperture a bit (increase the f #)
2. I think most of the canon girls agree that you need to overexpose by about 1/3 or 2/3 to get proper exposure. I have the Rebel xti and generally have it at 2/3 over the center line.
3. Not sure about differences in grey cards.

Your exposure in your first three pics looks great to me. There's one little spot by the right of her head in #1 that is blown, but her skin and everything else looks really great! Color looks good as well too. In #4 it may be a tad underexposed. Lights in your house give off an orange cast (and fluorescent will look green) as well as wall color can give a cast. To combat this you can do a CWB (custom white balance) in the camera or shoot in RAW and fix the white balance in PPing. I'm sure there is some way to fix a jpeg file in PPing, as well, I'm not familiar with that, though.

Love your siggy! You got great catchlights in all 3 of these! You are really doing excellent!

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Welcome and congrats on the new camera! I'm new here, too (joined in 2-3 months ago). I agree with everything Amy said. Cute kiddos and great job for jso .

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Holly
Mom to Claire Avery

Welcome!

I love 1 and 4.
4, try to adjust the levels to see if you can get a better white balance in PS.

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Welcome. You will love it here. I've learned so much here in the last few years. I'm new to SLR just got my camera March 15th. And I'm loving it. I was shooting with aperture priority mode on my p&s and jumped right to manual mode when I got my battery charged up. Too bad it was 9pm when it was charged but as soon as the sun was up I was shooting. HEHE

I agree keep the aperture at f/2 and up and the eyes are easier to focus both. I had that problem too but now that I stay at f/2 the eyes are staying in focus better.

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~Melissa




My Toys:
Nikon D80
50mm f/1.8
18/55mm f/3.5-5.6(kit I decided to get anyway LOL)

Welcome!

I think these are good I really like the last one, I think it would be even better with a boost in curves. I haven't shot in RAW as of yet, and have had the colour cast problem too - I usually see what Auto colour does for it, and if not, try and adjust it myself using Colour Balance. But I actually don't think it looks too bad on this image.

Nice composition in #2 and your signature picture and I love the DOF.

All the eyes look fab, and that is something I find difficult to accomplish, so you're doing great!

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Thanks for all of the nice comments and suggestions. I want to soak in as much knowledge as I can

Amy - I didn't even think about the room being the cause of the color cast, I just assumed my settings were off but I was comparing pics from inside the kitchen to just outside of it and the difference was huge. I'm off to go buy a grey card...

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Nicole
Caitlyn 10/20/07
7 lbs. 9 oz. 21 in.
Kevin 1/11/05

Amy get you great cc. I agree with it all. Your kids are darling! Welcome aboard...you're off to a great start.

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My heart belongs to Sam 8.15.06


In loving memory of Evan -
To infinity and beyond...

Eve
Married: 1997
TTC: 3 yrs +
BFP: 1-3-2006!
Samuel David born 8.15.2006