i'm trying real hard to learn my new cam. been trying to get a handle on shutter speed. that's been my personal challenge for weeks now. i know i'm gonna have a lot of failures before i get better, but i'm just really getting freakin' frustrated. i don't mind failures if i can learn from them. do ya'all mind to take a look at these two and tell me what i'm doing wrong, where i'm off? i didn't make lighting/contrast changes yet. i appreciate it!

here's the 2nd one.

Guidelines for shutter speed:

1/125 will freeze someone walking.

1/250 will freeze someone running

1/500 will freeze a bike in flight

1/1000 will freeze almost anything.

Keep in mind that the faster your shutter speed the larger the aperture opening must be to maintain the same amount of light for proper exposure, or ISO speed.....

And actually I think these are quite nice, the duck is sharp and nicely in focus in both, except for the wings where you would expect to see movement.

But I'm guessing you didn't want the motion?

Message edited on: 02/27/2005 15:11

I really like #2. Nice flappy-motion to scare off all the rain drops. And of course that evil duck stare. Donald? Donald?

Shelia I must agree with Michelle, the blured wings and the sharp head make these shots better than if it was all frozen IMO Most impressive.

i have to agree as well, i like the first with the ripples in the water. i suppose it really depends on what your vision was for the image, if you wanted static wings then a higher speed setting could give you that. i don't have any data on wing flap speeds to suggest a speed:)

Shelia.. I also think both these shots are real good.. You should look harder at the photos that you did take and not the one you didn,t.. Did that make since :)

Hey Sheila, These images ROCK & you really captured the moment. Both ducks "STRUTTIN' their STUFF" Remember in a few threads down...I said to have PATIENCE...(don't get frustated)! You're gettin' there....just keep it up! Don't sweat the little things...just go with the FLOW! It's all a learnin' process (and many of us (if NOT all) are still go thru the motions! L8r! Joe

i especially like the second shot. the motion is perfect in this shot,Sheila, much more better than a freeze shot. !!!!!!!!!! #:O) !!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much guys for your feedback!!! i think i got the wings pretty much the way i wanted them. i wanted the motion, but i just felt like there was something that was just not right with both of these. It's hard for me to describe, but i just look at both of them and feel like something's just off the mark a bit, and i can't figure out what. I'm thinking maybe it's the water. that's where i'm struggling the most...when i got 2 different speeds in my image...the speed of the bird and the speed of the water. I really hate how the water looks in #2 especially....really hate it! i felt like the focus was not as good as it should have been. you guys seem to think the focus is ok though. i think i could have done better. Michelle, thanks for those shutter speed guidelines. i have to try to memorize these. sometimes i just get REALLY frustrated!!! ok, i'll try to be more patient and go with the flow....don't let 'em see ya sweat!! LOL!! i'm just really impatient and irritable these days 'cause this sinus infection i have keeps getting worse. i have headache, ha-cheew can't breathe, etc....the usual crap! i'll put these away for a few days and look at them when i feel better. thanks guys for your encouragement!!! i'm surprised ya'all like these. hugz sheila

Very nice looking shots. I really like the second one. It is beautiful. I also recently got myself a new camera with a large variety of settings that I have yet to figure out....I'm used to my auto camera that made all the adjustments for me! I also should remember those shutter settings Michelle layed out for you. Hope your sinuses get better soon... -Peace/Jeff :-)

sniff, snort, achoo... me too :]

think you did fine on these sheila... i like the movement!!

can't help you with operating the speed & action, chelle gave you some good tips on that but don't worry about retaining... the more you do & experiment with your settings the more you'll learn & it'll become 2nd nature

to add interest (imo) :], i'd crop the left & a bit off the bottom of the first one, so you're setting up a diagonal dialog tween the duck & the rocks

& in the 2nd, a bit off the right, almost forming a square... so his wings are opening up to the space on the left...

i don't see anything wrong with cropping... but the problem will be when you print & matt something outside the norm dimensions, you'll find it'll need to be trimmed & the matt custom :]

Try shooting both in landscape and portrait, maybe thats whats missing

thanks, Cindy! Thanks so much for your suggestions about cropping! It doesn't bother me to crop as i don't print my pics. i did print out pics i took at our friends' wedding 18 months ago, but that's it. i have been thinking about getting a new printer because i will want to print images after i take pics of those two bands. we'll see though. azy, i really like what you did with duck #2! You make good suggestions too! I've been wanting to shoot different modes, but i haven't tried it yet. Perhaps that will be the next thing i tackle as far as learning my cam is concern!