Ludington, Michigan Vacation - Pics inside

[Berto]

Just got back from a 5 day vacation/camping trip to Ludington, Michigan. This place is gorgeous and is just as good as going to the beach only without the drive, the crowds, and the salt water. Also, you get to view a sunset on the water without having to go all the way out west.

 

Here are a few pics. Comments are welcome (pics are numbered so you can refer to the number). For some reason I just CANNOT get a clear crisp picture with this camera. Most of these pictures I had forgotten to turn off my VR on the lens which I hear can lead to some blur. Most all of these I've had to sharpen. Not sure what the deal is.

 

Also, I am a total noob at post processing so I still have a lot of room for improvement there.

1

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/DSC_0148.jpg

 

2

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0230.jpg

 

3

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0226.jpg

 

4

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0211.jpg

 

5

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0207.jpg

 

6

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0205.jpg

 

7

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0167_01.jpg

 

8

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0153.jpg

 

9

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0145.jpg

 

10

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0141.jpg

 

11

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0111.jpg

 

12

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0071.jpg

 

13

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0069.jpg

 

14

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0049.jpg

 

15

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/th_DSC_0011.jpg

[TTQ B4U]

Here are a few pics. Comments are welcome (pics are numbered so you can refer to the number). For some reason I just CANNOT get a clear crisp picture with this camera. Most of these pictures I had forgotten to turn off my VR on the lens which I hear can lead to some blur. Most all of these I've had to sharpen. Not sure what the deal is.

 

Turn VR off ? Were you using a tripod? If so doesn't your lens automatically recognize that? Newer Canon's do, not sure about your particular Nikon.

 

I'm out of town not at my home PC where it's easier to view and study exif, but I'd be happy to walk through them when I return.

 

Also, I am a total noob at post processing so I still have a lot of room for improvement there.

 

we're all on the learning curve of life

[TTQ B4U]

I can tell you right now, your aperture on the first pic is at f/29. Way, way, way too far stopped down. I wouldn't go above f/11 ever unless you're shooting a macro on a dedicated macro lens. You're clearly seeing the affects of diffraction on that shot. We can talk through that here. 1/30th shutter on a crop body nikon which has a Focal Length equiv of 45mm on this shot is a little low too. Especially if hand held. Just to clarify was VR on? If so you'd likely be okay.

 

The other pics won't load. Link me to the gallery and I'll do my best while remote.

[Berto]

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/

 

Well I guess thats my first lesson. I always just assumed depth of field gets bigger the higher the aperture. So In my quest on super mega crisp pics I was shooting in with the higher aperture, erroneously.

 

I also had it on aperture priority, which adjusts everything (ISO etc to a manageable shutter speed) I really wanted to shoot with 100 ISO since I had the tripod. I think thats a start.

 

Oh well live and learn, too bad because I really liked those damn pics.

[TTQ B4U]

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/BertoBizkit/Vacations/Ludington%20MI%202011/

 

Well I guess thats my first lesson. I always just assumed depth of field gets bigger the higher the aperture. So In my quest on super mega crisp pics I was shooting in with the higher aperture, erroneously.

 

Easy lesson though and you had fun DOF does get greater as you stop down and the farther from the subject you are. Here's a great little link: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

 

Read up on your lenses too. Each has a sweet spot, which typically is between f/4 to f/8. Some very fast lenses don't take much stopping down. Again, I rarely if ever go above f/11. Even then it's usually if I don't have a Nuetral Density or Polarizing filter with me.

 

I also had it on aperture priority, which adjusts everything (ISO etc to a manageable shutter speed) I really wanted to shoot with 100 ISO since I had the tripod. I think thats a start.

Check with your lens about VR and Tripods. Most of mine are automatic but I usually turn it off if I have a Tripod. All those shots though could be done handheld at F/8 with ease.

 

Oh well live and learn, too bad because I really liked those damn pics.

Easily saved. Just let me know if you want help on any. I can hook you up on CS5 and most of the killer extras for it.

[Tractor]

Very pretty vacation spot. I've been wanting to up that way and look around myself.

 

Some more on aperture and different cameras. A crop sensor DSLR will have a larger DoF (depth of field) area than a Full frame DSLR at the same F number. So a full frame camera might need F/11-13 to get all of a subject in focus where a 1.6 crop could use F/8.

 

Also a Point and Shoot can do even better and get everything in focus at F/4 of that same subject. This is all due to sensor size and lens rear element - sensor plane distance. This also explains why all of us who've switched to dslrs from point and shoots had such a learning curve just to get nice, sharp photos. The point and shoot was way more forgiving. Its also the reason some knuckle heads think the canon full frames can't focus. They simply aren't practiced at using their gear and are blaming the equipment when, to throw in a racing analogy "they forgot to shift".

 

So for vaction type shots and even just serious landscape duty a quality point and shoot with around 10-12mega pixels would be the camera of choice to make very nice 16x20 wall hangers to decorate with.

[Tractor]

Post processing is how you make a picture into a photograph these days. So many can easily take pretty pictures, but straightening, cropping to just the right point of view, color balancing, and tweaking some levels here and there go a long way towards doing something the rest of the people won't bother with.

 

I've seen photogs at trade shows who sell their stuff as "I take the photos and hand you the SD card at the end of the night." That gives me the willies just thinking about anyone seeing my untouched photos. I consider the job about 50% done at the end of the wedding day. I spend another 4-10hrs making everything are nice as possible before anyone sees it. Though I do try to let some sneak peaks out on facebook, but I like letting all the guests upload their snap shots of the event and then BAM, the photogs stuff posts up and its 100X brighter, sharper, and just perfect.