Need Help

[tajmahal250]

Total noob here. I just moved to Glendale a few months ago, and i started spotting out at Luke. A lot of my pictures are coming out like the attached photos, though. Im shooting an olympus e-420 at ISO 100, F 7.1-8.0, shutter speed 1/640-1/800. Thanks in advance.

[Anna M. Wood]

What specifically do you not like about the photos?

Are you shooting RAW or JPEG images?

What software do you use for your post-processing?

If you are shooting RAW can you post your RAW files somewhere for us to take a look?

[Bill]

Those shots look a bit under exposed to me, although it is difficult to tell without seeing a histogram. It might also be useful to know what metering mode you are using and whether you are using aperture priority, shutter priority or manual mode.

[tajmahal250]

Sorry, should have been more specific.  They look too dark/underexposed to me. These were shot RAW, in manual mode. I'm currently using PS Elements 14.

[Joe Copalman]

I'd say back away from using manual.  While it's typically good for static subjects, manual locks you into a single set of settings that do not change as you follow a moving subject through a scene, resulting in shots within a single burst that may be a mix of overexposed, underexposed, and just-about-right. 

For moving subjects, stick with either aperture value or time/shutter value.  This way, you'll have two constants (ISO and either aperture or shutter speed), giving your camera the flexibility it needs to use the single variable you allow it to adjust for proper exposure.  To avoid underexposure on darker subjects against a lighter sky, try increasing your exposure compensation by 1/3 or 2/3.  Shots with a more right-bias but not-blown out histogram will give you more data in a RAW file to make adjustments without adding as much noise as a more underexposed shot would.

[Bill]

I agree with Joe with one exception that I will describe later. The problem with all camera light meters is that they are measuring the light reflected by the scene, not the amount of light striking your subject. Therefore, the light meter has to make an assumption about the percentage of light that the scene reflects and that assumption is 18%. If you photograph a scene that reflects more than 18% (the classic example is snow) it will be underexposed because the camera will reduce the exposure to make the scene look like it was reflecting 18% of the light that struck the subject. If you photograph a scene that reflects less than 18% the camera will overexpose the scene. When you take a shot look at the histogram shown on the back of the camera. It should be near or just barely touching the right edge if it is also touching the left edge. A histogram that does not touch either edge is also fine. If you expose this way you can adjust the exposure to your taste in Adobe Camera Raw without loosing details in either the highlights or the shadows.

The exception I mentioned earlier applies only if you own an incident light meter and are shooting a subject that is back lit in light that is not changing. In this case you will get a better exposure if you can stand near the subject of in the same light as the subject, point the incident light meter toward the camera, take a reading and use that reading in manual mode. This works because an incident light meter measures the actual amount of light that is falling on the subject.

Bill

[Anna M. Wood]

To add to Joe's comments.

For speedy, fast jets I usually shoot in Aperture Priority.  For prop planes I switch over to Shutter Priority.

If you want to control both aperture, for depth of field, and shutter speed, to get nice motion/prop blur, work in manual but with your ISO set to auto.  ISO will then be the flexible parameter of your exposure triangle.

Shoot for a histogram bias to the right.  Kiss the right side of the histogram without blowing out the highlights.  There will be more data gathered by the sensor.  You can bring the exposure down in post.

Post your raw file.  You actually look to have quite a bit to work with.  We can show you our Lightroom settings panel to give you an idea on where you can push your sliders to pull more detail out of the image.

[tajmahal250]

Dumb question, how do I post RAW files? Photoshop won't let me "save as" RAW.

[Joe Copalman]

You don't.  Best way is to send them to an individual using a service like Dropbox that allows you to move bigger files like RAWs.

[Bill]

You can also email large files using Gmail. When you attache the file Gmail will prompt you to use Google drive to send the file.

[Anna M. Wood]

The raw file is the one that came directly off you camera's media card.  You do not save as a raw file.

The file will have a .ORF file extension.

You will need to use your favorite file sharing service and post a link to it here.