I asked some advice from Brendan @agima re using my on camera flash. I have experimented with using a lighter background, the light is coming from behind the dog. In the image on the left I used the flash, shutter speed of 1/60s, f/5.6, ISO 200. In the right hand image, no flash, shutter 1/40s, f/5.6, ISO 400. For me the left hand image has the better details. Critiques welcome!
On the advice of most who commented I have cloned out plants that were distracting everyone!
I'm from Tulbagh, Western Cape, South Africa. Tulbagh is a small farming community.
Get Pushed Challenge: I have been doing this challenge on and off...
@agima did some experimenting with the on camera flash. Bumping up the ISO more than 400 didn't seem to give me a decent result. Maybe there was still too much natural light. I have no idea, your critique is welcome.
Both are lovely options and it comes down, I think, to what effect you're after. The left image is more saturated in colour and has more detail. The right has a much softer look and I find it more attractive for a portrait of a pet as to me it conveys a gentler feel/relationship. I know these are test shots but in both I find the background distracting.
A high ISO is more forgiving when there is more light. The grain shows up worse the more it has to compensate for low light.
As everyone has said, I prefer the left in terms of the detail. If it were me I'd probably use the left but photoshop the background to make it lighter and less distracting. Either way, nice shot :-)
I like them both! The one on the left, I can really see Kaela's brown eye and the golden brown color of her coat. The one on the right, her coat just looks like fine silk to me. I am completely biased, of course! Hello, beautiful Kaela!
Both are lovely! i do like the one on the left a bit more for the detail and tone in her fur and face. It's really interesting to see the result of flash. I am so afraid to use it but I know i am missing out on a wonderful tool to create the image you are after.
Both lovely portraits of beautiful Kaela!! I prefer the one on the left as the flash has brought out more detail and depth of colour in her fur. I agree with the comments made about the busy background - it just distracts a bit from her lovely face!!
I prefer the one on the left for Kaela's colours but not for the background. Maybe if you'd used the flash in the right it would have made a difference to the tones. I don't know enough about this to offer a fair crit.
I agree with all those who liked the image on the left -- the detail, the relationship of Kaela to the background, and the richness of her fur. Interesting experiment.
Oh yes, definitely better in details as in tones. I try to avoid the flash but your expreriment here makes me really question myself why, thank you for sharing!
Both are great shots! For me I prefer the no-flash shot... the flash does give more detail, but it looks to harsh. I also struggle a lot with my on-camera flash, and seldom really get results that I like...
The only place I have learnt to feel comfortable using the flash is when I'm shooting an already well exposed shot, and am using the flash to bring out clearer details,not for additional lighting!
But this is just me, and my opinion! I have a looooooong way to go before I master the flash!
(The image I just uploaded of the butterfly is an example of when I feel comfortable using the flash, the image was very well lit even without the flash, but the flash helped bring out better details!)
There is definitely more detail in the left (as all have said), but the lighting makes it a little harsh. The one on the right however, does not seem to be as sharply focused- perhaps it's because of the natural lighting- I'm not sure. As far as composition goes though, the left is a little better because Kaela doesn't have a plant growing out of her nose in that one! If the left was a "keeper" I would clone out the two distracting bits of foliage on the left side and upper right hand corner. They draw your eye away from Kaela.
I guess I have come into this after you changed a few things but my first impression before reading anything was how lovely and soft the one on the right is. I do agree that the details and colour are better on the left though. Kaela is a gorgeous looking dog.
A high ISO is more forgiving when there is more light. The grain shows up worse the more it has to compensate for low light.
Kaela is very beautiful :)
The only place I have learnt to feel comfortable using the flash is when I'm shooting an already well exposed shot, and am using the flash to bring out clearer details,not for additional lighting!
But this is just me, and my opinion! I have a looooooong way to go before I master the flash!
(The image I just uploaded of the butterfly is an example of when I feel comfortable using the flash, the image was very well lit even without the flash, but the flash helped bring out better details!)