First pics with D80 - Help!

[longroad]

Well these aren't my very first pics, but it's the first time I've taken 100 or so shots in one go.

The subject was my black cat and well I just can't get it right.

When I shoot in Auto mode it wants to use the flash. This is outdoors and it still wants flash.. I'm not a fan of flash at the best of times let alone outdoors during the day.

So I turn off flash and of course the shots are blurry.

Im very very newbie when it comes to this camera.. have only just started scraping the surface with different settings so knowing what settings to use when is hard for me right now.

Most of the shots of my cat made him very dark with little detail to his fur. I realise this can be a problem with black subjects but Im at a loss as to how to work around this. I know its to do with metering (and other things..).
If I use aperture priority mode, what are the best settings to use? I dont want to be using auto all the time.

All of these shots were taken with the 18-135mm lens.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Rooz]

you need to post some exif data for the images. it is a very tough subject to pick though. just a solid black item like that.

[longroad]

Ok i cant write this under the attachments so here it is:

All ISO 100

Pic 1:
f/5.6
1/500
Focal length: 66mm

Pic 2:
f/5.6
1/200
Focal length: 135mm

Pic 3:
f/7.1 (? 7 i assume)
1/200
focal length: 31mm

[Rooz]

you really picked a tough subject to cut your teeth on !! lol

anyway. if you want full auto mode for the time being but don't want the flash, select the P function. that way it sets the ap/shutter for you but you can select the flash to stay down.

the lens is pretty sharp normally, its more your subject combined with the background and lighting that is making a good image hard to get.

[Stoller]

I have been shooting dogs for years. What you are experiencing is a common problem, the black blob picture. Black subjects are the worse. You are expecting the camera to catch detail through very wide tone range from almost black to white in the background. You either get good color in the background and no detail with the black subject or good detail of the black subject and overexposed background. To get around this USE FLASH and light that subject. For more natural lighting use external flash and bouce it off something. Also pick a background that is not so light/white.
This photo was taken external flash of black subject.
http://www.mikestoller.com/photos/136075716-L-3.jpg

[herc182]

If you are not bothered by the background just change the metering mode to "spot" meter the cat.

Although you will probably blow out any detail in the background.

Or use HDR:D

[longroad]

I generally dont care much for the background when photographing pets.

So use of a flash outside is not frowned upon?
I really like natural lighting but if flash is the only way then I guess I have no choice.

I will try spot metering, didn't think of that!

I was using centre weight on all of those.

[tcadwall]

I agree 100% with Stoller, Due to the high dynamic range of the scene, you need to do this with a flash, or make an HDR image... But since you have a live subject HDR would be nearly impossible (unless the cat was stuffed - then it wouldn't be a live subject I guess).

The flash will allow proper exposure of the cat, but won't be powerful enough to over expose the surroundings, so you will get a better shot. Much better than metering for the subject and getting blown highlights, better than matrix metering, and getting no/little detail on the cat (which is how it appears your shots came out to me).

Check out this thread (http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30115), I had posted a similar example of how the fill flash can work in broad daylight.

[Stoller]

I generally dont care much for the background when photographing pets.

So use of a flash outside is not frowned upon?
I really like natural lighting but if flash is the only way then I guess I have no choice.

I will try spot metering, didn't think of that!

I was using centre weight on all of those.

Remember background is an important part of the whole picture that can make the subject pop. I agree sacrafice the background to capture the subject. The photo below the black dog was in a shaded area, used defused flash, backround is overexposed and in sun. I think the picture works because of the good boken. If you don't want to use flash over exposing background with good boken may be a option. Over exposed background with out boken I think just looks like a poor picture.
http://www.mikestoller.com/photos/140177413-M.jpg

HDR? Now that's funny. Can't get a pet to stay still for one exposure now you want to try 3,5,or more...:D

[longroad]

Thanks guys, I'm going to try this again tomorrow with a variety of different methods including spot metering and flash.
What is the range of the standard flash like in the day time? I imagine it wouldn't go too far?

[Prospero]

I personally wouldn't use spot metering on black surfaces. I once did that on a black bird and the result was a picture of a grey bird with the sky and even some parts of the bird blown out.

I agree with the others that flash is the best sollution. I think the onboard flash should give you enough power if your subject is at most 5 to 10 meters away. Alternatively you could consider a reflector (if the subject is not too far away). A reflector is basically a large sheet of reflecting material that you can use to reflect light of the sunlight on your subject. This may be hard if your pet is moving a lot, though.

If you do not want to use flash, or if flash will cause a flash shadow on the background, you could shoot in Raw and expose the pictures in the way you did. Then, with Nikon Capture NX or other software you can raise the brightness of the shadows. Here's what I could do with your cat (with a Raw file much better results can be achieved).

22602

[longroad]

This is my problem... I am totally noob when it comes to post processing.

I can use photoshop for web design but have no idea about photo editing/enhancing etc.

Haven't tried CaptureNX yet. Bit scared to actually since I don't understand it all.

What you did to that photo is amazing. I want to be able to do that!!

[Kellie]

I'm still trying to learn also...

In that situation, wouldn't spot metering and dialing in -1 EV or purposely underexposing by about 1 stop if in manual mode properly expose the black since the meter will want to turn it gray?