Bracketting

I set up a little test still life to check out the bracketing on my camera (Nikon Coolpix 3100). The Coolpix does not have an automatic bracket setting; one must dig into the menu, and add or subtract from the exposure. The f-stops are in 1/3 increments, with a total of 2.0 in either direction. I can see this working well in a static setting where you can take the time to make the adjustments and capture another shot, but out in the world it would be harder. I guess it comes down to experience and knowing the camera well, to have a better guess at which way and how far to go with the bracketting. After all, the whole reason to bracket is to increase your chances of capturing the image the way you want to.


expossure set by camera


-.3


-1


-2


+.3


+1


+2

Panoramas

I have produced a few panoramas so far, with varying degrees of success, but nothing I would consider great. The first few were taken on the Brooklyn Bridge on a very cold and blustery morning. With the wind, traffic vibrations, unlevel tripod and my shaking hands, I never had a prayer in getting the images to stitch. It's hard to see on the blog but the buildings jut into the sky at two different angles. I also still need to work on the white balance when shooting outdoors. I could have used the neutral gray (brownish) sky on this morning.



This one's better as far as the stitch goes, but it is far from perfect. If you look closely at the building just to the left of the bridge tower, you can see a ghosted double image where the stitch is off.



Here is my latest attempt: another cold dark morning, this time in the CT. I am still having trouble with the white balance, but the stitch is much improved. I was on solid ground and took a little more time setting up. I think that I gave it a little more overlap as well. I think it's a nice image, albeit a bit dark. Let's just call it moody.




link to the 12.5.mb file

White Balance

Here are a few tests with the gray card. Can you see the difference?







The one on the top was using the gray card, the one on the bottom is with the camera preset. It seems to work, the top photo is a little richer and the color looks deeper. I will try some more with diffrent lighting. The above utilizes all natural inderect light that is coming in through the windows on a sunny winters morning.

Photos I took and I like

Here are some photos I have take with my digital camera, a trusty Nikon COOLPIX 3100. All are taken in the auto mode, so, pure point and shoot. I think they are pretty OK.