File :-(, x, )
Help plox Anonymous
Hi hi. I'm in a B&W photo I class this semester, and I'm on our second assignment, Depth of Field (pinhole was our first :P ).
Well, crit is on wednesday and I'm having a little trouble with it,
being that I'm new to photography, and was wondering if I could get some advice.
The assignment is 2 photos depicting great dof, and 2 photos narrow dof.
Most of my trouble comes from trying to salvage a print.
Some I'm not sure if I could (or would) submit as either shallow or great depth of field.
All photos (about 7 total) are from film, and thereby scanned with at the computer lab on campus. Taken with a Nikon N80.
>>>>
This print here is giving me the most trouble.
I don't want to give up on it.
Used the subpar zoom lens that came with camera, at 80mm and f/5.6 I think. (my contact sheet says f/4 but my lens doesn't open up to 4 at 80mm, mustve written it down wrong)
This particular version is printed without a filter, f/11 for 12 secs.
EXIF data available. Clickhereto show/hide.
Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandImage Created2007:10:15 22:48:08Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width2820Image Height2004
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
this is same picture, but using a polycontrast filter #3 at f/11 and 20 secs. I really want that ferris wheel detail to come out, but still have the information at the bottom (individual light circles in sign, and bottom left of picture especially so.)
Sorry I couldn't resize this one! forgot to while was at lab, and paint makes it look funny.

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 22:51:35Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width2844Image Height2244
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Sorry again for lack of resizing.
Pic again with my 1st attempt at burning and dodging. Since I forgot to move around while burning and dodging, you can see where my 'template' thingies were. But it is a good example of all the information I want in the final print.
Here's how it breaks down.
It's all at f/11 no filter.
I exposed the bottom right part at 21 secs. I like the detail here in this print the most. The oval shape is the spotlight, hence whiteness.
The entire part with the old man and snake, plus the flight to mars sign is at 12 secs. Although I can probably get almost the same detail in a slightly less exp. time, the texture of the flight to mars sign (seen most in 'o' in 'to') doesn't come out as well in any faster exp. than this.
and finally I exposed the sky+ferris wheel for 4 secs. This was my main flaw. I wanted the ferris wheel so much at first, that I didn't realize that the sky wasn't a true black at 4 secs. On my second attempt to burn/dodge, I'll probably replace this section using #3 filter instead.

>>>Any advice on darkroom techniques to get the detail of ferris wheel, information where glare is on bottom right, while still having enough range of tones overall?
Also, do you think I could pass this off as great dof? Because of low light, and crappy zoom lens (and lack of tripod, because carrying one around the tx state fair didnt seem reasonable), all i think is mediocre or ok dof, rather than narrow or deep.
simply, would you consider the ferris wheel in acceptable focus?

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 22:54:02Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width2838Image Height1986
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
The rest of the photos are scanned and cropped from my contact sheets, so they're definitely not final.
This one I am planning to submit at narrow dof, and is the best negative I have for narrow dof. Taken at a bar in moderately low light, but by this time I bought a new lens, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, because the zoom lens I had only opened up to f/4.

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 23:06:35Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width469Image Height323
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
I've also found out that my camera likes to overexpose (according to light meter) on full sunny days. This was one taken in full sun, in a creepy vacant lot right next to where i live.
Also, I should mention, that our lecturer has specifically said they don't want us to print too contrasty. While a true black and clean white in every photo is important, they put emphasis on the fact they want a good range of greys in between.

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 23:01:07Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width466Image Height328
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
I forgot to mention that the one above was taken with f/2, with the 50mm lens, 1/4000 of a sec.
--
This one was at a marketplace. 50mm, f/8, at 1/3 sec.
This I am submitting as great dof. My lab instructor was particularly fond of this one in terms of composition and the great range of greys. I'll probably use a contrast filter to best bring out that little true black and white there.

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 23:12:00Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width468Image Height316
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
last one.
This is a portion of one of my contact sheets. I'm particularly curious about the shot of the giant cow. (frames 8&11 are probably best negatives).
Again, my lab instructor was particularly fond of this one as well. Because of that, I was thinking about submitting this one.
However, I'm not sure if I can justify it as either narrow or great dof.
I'm leaning towards narrow, because that was how I tried to shoot it: 50mm f/4.5 for 1st row, 40mm f/4 in 2nd.
Could you consider it narrow dof? Would you think the chains from the side of the cow downwards are out of acceptable focus or in?
If it is more great dof are the tops of the trees in acceptable focus?
If I recall, i was aiming for the eyes as the plane of critical focus.

Camera-Specific Properties:Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS3 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution300 dpiVertical Resolution300 dpiImage Created2007:10:15 23:18:17Color Space InformationUncalibratedImage Width1632Image Height1332
>> Anonymous
Anyway, that's all I have for the time being. Thanks ahead of time for all of your helps! I'm feeling the pressure of wed's crit already.
>> Anonymous
Ugh I hate photo class, I have it too. Too much work for a lazy anon such as myself.
>> Anonymous
>>84146
That does show some pretty good depth of field, especially the sale sign in the back. But it looks like you didn't use a tripod with the long exposure time in market light.