Do I blow big chunks?

[loribrown]

I have my camera set to the middle point, I focus and then recompose. The majority of the time I am taking photos of children running around so I let the camera use the face – eye priority to do the work for me, which it says it is. I have read on a number of blogs that this is an issue with this camera, and have spoken to the camera store which says although a great system, it is better for experienced hobbyists and not a professional. I think I will purchase the Nikon D7100 and keep practicing my skills. I do know I have a lot to learn, but thanks to all the advice and constructive criticism I think I know what I need to work on and which direction to go. I think I’m doing pretty well for only having owned a camera for less than 2 years! 😛

I also have a hard time culling photos that aren’t technically good because they are photos of my own kids (which 90 percent of the photos on my page are and I just think that they are so adorable LOL)

[cameraclicker]

Ummm …  Low numbers are wide apertures.  F/1.2 is generally a very large diameter.  F/2.8 is the largest diameter most zoom lenses open to.  By comparison, f/8 and f/11 are sort of middling apertures, and f/32 is a very small diameter.

Depth of field decreases as the aperture is increased (smaller number), as the distance to subject decreases, and as the focal length increases.   Long lenses at short distances with large apertures have a very shallow depth of field.  Very short lenses like the 4 mm lens in a cell phone or P&S camera tend to have almost infinite depth of field because the lens is so short.

An 18-55 mm lens should deliver lots of depth at f/11.

Focus points work with both single shot and servo focus modes.  Single shot works well for people who are not moving or not moving very quickly toward or away from the camera.   Usually one focus point works best if you have shallow DOF.  Otherwise, focus points will select nearest item in the frame.  Lots of active focus points are handy when shooting fast moving sports or wildlife in servo mode where it is very difficult to keep a single focus point where you need it while panning.

Olympus’ page says they can track up to 8 faces and you can choose either left or right eye, to get perfect focus.  My camera has a focus point I put where I want it to focus, then I recompose and shoot.  Possibly simple is better.

[IHF]

“I’m doing pretty well for only having owned a camera for less than 2 years!”

Yes, you are, but that is not what you asked, and that’s not the skill level needed to start charging and base a business on.

(looked it up) I think your OMD is a VERY capable camera, and terrific to learn with and then some.  Understand how to use what you have effectivley BEFORE upgrading/changing systems.  Otherwise you may just end up in the gear trap, and still at a stand still as far as skills.

I know you say you have read that OMDs have focus issues on many blogs/forums, but the same can be said for any camera out there.  Seriously give it a try.  Look up canon 7D focus issues, Mark11 Focus issues, fuji X focus issues, etc etc you will find numerous posts about how the darn things just aren’t/can’t take sharply focused images.  All those people got lemons or…. maybe the user is to blame?

I have looked closely, and listened to all that you have had to say, and seriously… to be as helpful as I can, my best advice is to slow down and allow yourself time to develop.  You obviously are just a beginner with very limited knowledge/skill, and that’s OK.  You won’t be forever, if you keep going, and keep pushing on.  To put yourself out there right now, and sell your services to the public would be wrong at this point in the game, both for you and your photography and your clients.  Nope, you don’t suck, and your photography doesn’t blow chunks, but that doesn’t sound like a very good way to start a business.

[loribrown]

I can appreciate what you’re saying about the gear trap. I had my Panasonic for a long time and I decided I wasn’t going to get a new camera until I at least understood the technical aspect of how a camera works. I know I have a lot to learn about composition, posing, cropping and lighting, but I am just saying that because the OM-D uses contrast phase detection to focus, it focuses in an out constantly and never actually locks on to the subject. That it’s frustrating for me when many of the comments are in regard to what is being focused on. The only other option is to use MF, and that is next to impossible when photographing children.

I really do appreciate the advice and suggestions though, and I am thankful for this site to have the opportunity to ask people who have been in the game a long time for their opinions and advice 🙂

 

[cameraclicker]

… but I am just saying that because the OM-D uses contrast phase detection to focus, it focuses in an out constantly and never actually locks on to the subject.

If auto-focus is constantly adjusting, that suggests it is in servo mode instead of single shot mode.  Definitely, figure out how this camera works and how to get good results from it before moving on.  The Canon 5D Mk III manual says auto-focus is “TTL secondary image-registration, phase detection” and while there are 61 points, and up to 41 cross-type points, the number of available AF points and cross-type points varies depending on the lens.  Auto-focus takes up more than 40 pages in the manual!

I Hate Fauxtography may be correct that a lot of the reported problems are operator error.  Even my Rebel has multiple auto-focus modes but it is not nearly as complex as my 5D.  Understanding how to set it up and how it works goes a long way toward getting good results from auto-focus.

[Bill]

For shooting pictures of kids, I usually give them some Ritalin candies or a tranquilizer first, just top slow them down a bit, jk.

[emf]

Lol Bill!

[nesgran]

You are probably getting soft images from your OMD because of f11 or f1.8. The individual pixels are so small for a 16 mpix M43 camera that you get diffraction very soon, my guess probably anythingsmaller than about f5.6 will start to get softer. This is why one of the FF cameras like a 5D or a D700 will work better. You can stop down when you need lots of depth of field and to make your lenses sharper than you can with one of the small sensored cameras. Wide open most lenses will be a bit softer.

Your main problem looks like it is the camera not acquiring proper focus though

[Jones]

http://www.loribrownphotography.com/Lori-Brown-Photography/i-bj5n65Q

 

Were their eyes really this big? I don’t mean it in a bad way… but I’m aware that people sometimes use liquify to make the eyes a tad bigger (usually in commercial photography) but I can’t help but ask if that was perhaps something that went wrong and it was taken too far?

[loribrown]

No those are their real eyes. The only thing done with that photo was it was made a bit warmer and I fixed a scratch on the little girls cheek.

[loribrown]

I am using an Olympus OM-D which is a fantastic camera! Some of the problems I have noticed with it all revolve around the focusing. The focus points are very large. If I want to make it smaller I have to set one of the options to manual assist, and then double press it and then this whole rigamaroll-but then if I turn the camera off and on again it will revert back to the large focus point size. Also, it doesn’t focus well in low light. So if I have a telephoto lens on which has a maximum aperture of say 4.5 and it is a bit overcast then my camera will struggle. I have looked into the Nikon D7100 which I will likely change to once I have some extra cash.

I have done some more work since my last post and if anyone could give me some feedback on my technique or maybe some things I missed that would be greatly appreciated! I have several weddings booked for this year so I want to hone up as much as I can before I shoot them.

[CoastalTog]

Focus and recompose 99 out of a 100 times ends with a big fail.  The D7100 has 3-D tracking mode.  Learn how to use that instead.

[CoastalTog]

I should add the reason it fails is because newb photographers like to think f/1.8 is the holy f-stop.  When you focus and recompose, the focal plane can shift and if you’re shooting with a wide aperture, you have very little forgiveness.

[Rpg Valentine]

No , you dont blow big chunks . I like your work . your are NOT a fauxtographer

[NotAnselAdams]

Your chunks are not big.  🙂  If you’re getting gigs and people are happy then kudos to you.

Big plus for having a website and not using Fakebook.

I have a problem with this image, http://www.loribrownphotography.com/keyword/p1100305  Hate the cropping and to much junk in the background.

Regarding your equipment, your images would benefit from some  better lenses and dialing the focus points.  You would be better off finding a used D700 or spending a little more to get the new D600,  The focusing is so much faster and much better low light performance that will let you get a way with cheap lenses.

[Author]

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