hi guys. i can't decide which i like better. what's your choice. #1 or #2? if you have any advice for this image...please feel free to share. also, i have problem with DOF. anybody have any good suggestions for nailing DOF. With me, a good DOF is hit or miss. I've done some reading about it, but i just seem to have trouble with this. any simple tips?

#1...original colors but with increased contrast.

#2 i increased saturation here.

This reminds Me of the Probe...and both look so much the same to Me Sheila...perhaps I am still suffering from an Over Dose of Giggle Juice...I feel I am far too Amatuerish to give advice on DOF....when I learnt that DOF meant... "Depth of Field"....I thought it had something to do with Planting a Crop of Potato Seedlings. If You need any Tips on Gardening....I am Your Man/Woman.

I really don't see much difference either! scratches head Are you looking to obtain a blurred bg, is that what you mean by nailing the dof? If that is what you mean just open the aperature all the way and focus on what you are shooting, you will most certainly get a blurred bg!

The two images look about the same to me as far as DOF is concerned. Getting the DOF that you want depends on a few things. 1. The larger the aperture (f stop) of the lens the shallower the DOF will be and the smaller the aperture (f stop)the greater the DOF will be For example a large aperture would be f2.8 and a small f22 This will of course depend on the camera that you are using and or the lens if using an SLR type camera. 2. The longer the focal length of the lens the shallower the DOF will be. 3. The closer the subject is to the lens the shallower the DOF will be. If you are using a compact camera getting a shallow DOF is more difficult than it is with a SLR type camera, however many compact digital cameras have a macro mode which should make it easier to obtain a good DOF with background blur (boken)

thanks guys. i'm lost. i'm at Tedz level. i know DOF means depth of field. i give good cooking tips. LOL. ok...i need to go to photography kindergarten. i will need to do some more basic reading. i'm lost. i use macro mode on my camera. it's a big cam,...by no means compact. i don't know how to set f stop. i'm lost. scratching head.... brenda, simon...i need to go find out in glossery what aperature is. just sec. brian...least i'm not alone....

i know how to adjust shutter speed on my cam. but i don't know how to adjust f-stop. i'll have to find my manual. thanks guys for your help!!!! i have a place to start!!!! Aperture: An opening in the lens that allows a specific amount of light to reach either the film or the CCD at the time of exposure. Almost all better quality lenses have and adjustable aperture setting that is calibrated in f-stop numbers. This in conjunction with the shutter speed and ISO rating of the film, or CCD form the basic controls that allow the photographer to control the exposure. the larger the number, the smaller the lens opening. Return to Top Aperture Priority: One of the automatic modes available on some cameras. When this mode is selected the shutter speed is changes to accommodate the aperture setting (f-stop) the user has chosen

The aperture is like the eye of the lens. If you think of it in those terms the concept is easier to understand. You know how your iris opens and closes in relation to the light. When it's dark it gets bigger to let in more light and when it's sunny it closes up so that you don't go blind? Well the aperture is just like the iris of your eye. You control light in 3 ways.... film speed, shutter speed, or aperture. All 3 work together, but aperture not only controls light but the dof. The f/ numbers in regards to aperture stand for the size of the opening. The larger the number (32, 22, etc.) the smaller the opening size and less light will come through the lens. The smaller numbers ( 1.8, 2, 4 etc.) mean the opening is bigger and lots of light will get in. When speaking in terms of aperture and depth of field together the thing to keep in mind is what Simon mentioned. The focal length of your lens will determine to some degree how the dof works, but the aperture opening is probably the most important. Larger openings (remember smaller numbers) will create a very shallow dof, while smaller openings (the higher numbers) will create a very sharp dof, more or most of the background will be in focus. Another thing to keep in mind is that dof and aperture sizes affect not just the background but the foreground as well. For example using a 105 mm macro lens like mine with an aperture setting of f/2.8 at it's closest focusing distance will create an image with almost everything both foreground and background out of focus, this is due to the longer focal length of the lens, the closeness of the subject, and the aperture being opened all the way. Not to confuse you more but f/stop simply put is the doubling or halving of a numerical value be it, aperture openings, film speeds or shutter speeds. Everything in photography is quantified in f/stops. The image above..... shot on 105mm Macro, at f/2.8, closest focusing distance. Everything is blurred except for a very narrow point of focus. Hope that helped and didn't confuse more. :~)

Looks like I hit the send button a little late...! I'm glad to see you found some info on it......

If you have a better than point and shoot camera you should be able to control the aperture openings. And most cameras have some sort of program modes like aperture priority, shutter priority.

Those modes are great for when you don't want to think to much and get the images. But if you really want to have creative control use manual mode. Edited for spelling errors....

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 00:51

tv

Michelles explanation is spot on and followed up with an excellent macro shot. One of my favourites in fact.

When I mentioned compact camera, I was referring to a camera type that is all in one that doesnt have changeable lenses, rather than its size.

What camera do you have?

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 07:50

Sheila..."You are at My Level?"....My Shrink say's...nobody is at My Level...You trying to make fun of Me Gurl? I hope Your Potatoes get the Blight! How dare You!!! shock.... I grow a fine Crop....My Depth of Field is just perfect....though I may use excessive Nitrogen...it is no reason to get Catty :[

Thanks so much for the outstanding mini tut Michelle :)

just want to thank everybody for your wonderful input here! You guys are totally awesome!!!!!! i will come back and read this more thoroughly later. Yesterday, today, tomorrow...blurry...working almost nonstop it seems like. sleeping little these days. totally exhausted. i really have so much to learn. i should get my new cam within next 3 weeks. I'm gonna see how to play with f-stop. i really want to start nailing DOF...not just hit and miss thing. thanks again guys.... i so much appreciate all this. brian...don't make me stick sardines under your nose.... hugs to all!! sheila

regarding your original two takes at the beginning of this post...i definitely like the #2 one...has more depth to my amateur eye...or something...it just looks more dynamic to me...