Nikon DSLR "Picture Of The Day"

[craigyc]

One from yesterday in Kent

[tfa8rva]

That's a sweet shot! How did you deal with the strong sunlight? That's an admirable job with dynamic range.

Thanks. I think positioning it behind the clouds some helped a bit. I had to do a little pp to get it to look right.

[Fiasco]

Happy 5000 Rooz, that bug must've thought you were paparazzi with that "huge camera". You even caught a startled expression on the little guy's mug. Nice shot!

[rawpaw18]

You bitch. I bet you have been sitting filing your fingernails just waiting to use that line.

Maybe just a little

[Geoff Chandler]

commemorate my 5000th post with what else but a bug.
not a particularly good shot but i had to post something.

Not particularly good shot? Not particularly good shot?
I'd love to see what you consider a very good shot!!!
This is sharp and in focus - for me that would be a resulyt with insects as they are just about as hard to nail as birds - they don't tend to stick around long enough!
Congrats on post 5000

[jemr]

here's a picture I took not so long ago. I know it's under exposed, tried editing it, but my skills ... not so good.

[fionndruinne]

Not too bad, just bumping up the highlights will help a lot in this case, I think.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Nice shot Craig. It works for me as a good example of not shooting to a cliched rule of thirds but going with your gut for a central horizon. Nice expose and interest through the frame too.

Rooz belated congrats on 5000. Doesn't seam long ago you were 3000.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

How do all of you pros capture images with so much contrast? I really feel like I'm lacking a lot of contrast and crispness and I'm not really sure why that is.

Since I can't see any answers from the better photographers on the site I'll give you my ideas

Alter your composition, shoot a lighter subject against a darker backdrop by changing your camera position where possible.
Alter your lighting direction eg to get side lighting or prefferrentially lit areas. Eg an off cam flash blasting in from the side will light the subject but not the background thus increasing contrast.
Use the range on your lens where contrast is better, my shots with the 18-200 have cruddy contrast at F4.
shoot in raw and tweak curves in photoshop to increase contrast in the midrange and generally adjust exposure.

I don't mean to be arrogant presuming to answer your question. Your shots on Flikr are better than my shots, I'm just trying to help.

[LBGChris]

Since I can't see any answers from the better photographers on the site I'll give you my ideas

Alter your composition, shoot a lighter subject against a darker backdrop by changing your camera position where possible.
Alter your lighting direction eg to get side lighting or prefferrentially lit areas. Eg an off cam flash blasting in from the side will light the subject but not the background thus increasing contrast.
Use the range on your lens where contrast is better, my shots with the 18-200 have cruddy contrast at F4.
shoot in raw and tweak curves in photoshop to increase contrast in the midrange and generally adjust exposure.

I don't mean to be arrogant presuming to answer your question. Your shots on Flikr are better than my shots, I'm just trying to help.

Uh, my shots on Flickr aren't better than yours buddy. You're sure you looking at the right one?? haha.

Thanks for the tips, I am very new to photography and I didn't know most of that stuff.

How do I know what f stop on my lens provides the best contrast? Trial and error or is there some kind of rule?