most my problem is i can't think straight from terrible pain & itching under cast. i can't concentrate. here are best i do. i know they suck but maybe i make little progress???????????????????????????????????? thanks for advice on how to make these images better!!!

i play with new cam, manuel settings. try to know cam better. here is original shot of candles.

here's postwork version

same as above except crpped. i have more...different effects. i just could not nail ISO or shutter speed. *sigh* i need work harder & concentrate harder!

Well they all look great,your getting the hang of it well. As for the ISO, leave it set on 64, then you have the least noise of all. Also turn on the histogram and adjust your shutter till you get it close to the right without going off. That or you can try to set it till you get 0EV and see how you like that. Just some playing around and you will find what settings you like for things.

Are You sure You are not up to a bit of Black Magic? If not...You should be....I know a Juju Man who can transfer Your pain to Your Neighbor....for a Price.....someone You don't like could get that Itch....and a Chicken Nailed to their Door.

thanks william. i did set ISO at 64. i played with shutter. seemed to work best at 1/10. i keep trying. i like bird but it's not quite right. i can't figure out why i dissatisfied. HC...u nuts!

Sheila - I love shooting candlelight (and shooting subjects in candlelight too). Postwork on flame images can also help to bring out more of its beauty. Hope you don't mind, played with it just a tiny bit (slight blurred, screened layer with a bit of a hit to the highlights to pop the flames a bit).

Shooting by any open flame can be tough. The flickering light makes it a little difficult to judge proper exposure. I think one of the tricks to photographing fire is in your shutter speed. You need to balance it and the aperture so that the you capture flame and that beautiful light, but don't lose all detail in the fire. It's hard to strike that balance sometimes.

As for the bird ... hmmm ... the lighting on it looks a little flat.

-=>Donald

thank u donald!!! i take pic of bird with verrrrry little light!!! i not see light in 1 week since i broke elbow & work 1st shift. only tiny light when i get home from work. i run to cam!!! how i make light not flat??? i like make it better. i lost in this dark world of mine. i not be here before. challenging. frustrating. i girl of light. sunshine girl. what the hell is light????????????????????????????? i like u play with flames. looks great!!!!! verrry hard shots for me. i got go work now. thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH SHEILA........... I DIN'T KNOW U ALSO USE CANDLES.:p:p

first a wand then the candles......... hmmmmm.....

Light... you cannot touch it, you feel the warmth but close your fist and it's gone! Painting with light, that's pure art! Keep trying Sheila, your cam has many possibilities and Donald shows how you can make this picture glowing, radiating right off the screen! Feel the glowing warmth of it! :) Wanna have lectures about light? Einstein-look in eyes I could even add that German touch in explaining it :) Keap on goink, ggirl, you make wunderful picgtiears!

The purple one are so cool. As are the other post works. And you did this with one amputated arm hunh. Great job. Get well soon. Bsteph

Flat lighting is usually caused by even lighting across the image. That means there are no shadows. You know how it looks outside on a really overcast day? Everything looks flat and dull. Looking at the bird again, I take it back. That's not the problem. I think the flat look comes from it being a bit blurred. Especially the feathers. Were you using a tripod? If so, what shutter speed were you using? -=>Donald

snakey, what ARE you talking about????? u been drinking some potent flower nectar or what??? LOL!! :) bsteph, thanks so much!!!! donald, i agree, those feathers are blurred. i go back to the drawing board...try to fix. yes i was using a tripod. shutter speed...no idea. maybe it was automatic. past 3 days i used automatic setting only a couple of times. i think this was one. thanks everyone!!