This is for Wease, Alpha, NGFL, and anyone else into photography...

[annguyen1981]

I finally took out my digital camera (CANON POWERSHOT S21S) and started learning...

MACROS!!!  Specifically, Super Macros.







I didn't anticipate the stupid shadow from the flash onto the camera though.  I really like the jellybean shot though...  The GS Key was a lot more difficult than I thought, mainly because of the dark surface.

PS...  you can tell which jellybeans I don't like.   

[94suzuki500]

a picture of a bike that gets you no girls, a phone that does you no good because you dont have a girl, and then jelly beans, eat them because you depressed from an ineffective bike and worthless phone.  Haha jk.  I have a sony cybershot and take macro pics all the time, fun thing. 

[annguyen1981]

I was playing around with the color-changing feature.  I turned my cherry file cabinet into a white cabinet, then completely black finish. really cool, but I see no practical uses...  the color swap isn't as smooth as I'd like it (unless there's more settings I haven't discovered yet)

[Alphamazing]

Eh, close, but not true macros, I think. Not enough depth of field change.

I got bored and took pictures of Starburst:





The rest are here:
http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/AlphaFire_X5/Photography/Starburst/

I actually like the orange, pink, and yellow ones the best. I just like to save them for last so it's like a big rush of deliciousness.

[pandy]

I got bored and took pictures of Starburst:

But where are the pics of your new BIKE!?  

[weaselnoze]

nice but watch the shadows.  lighting is everything and its hard as hell to get right.

[annguyen1981]

I got bored and took pictures of Starburst:

But where are the pics of your new BIKE!?  

+1




Here's some more attempts at macro shots...

Here's one that I shot into a mirror.  I tried to catch the wording on the tip of the lens. (and yes... I know the mirror is filthy...)


Here's a beta fish...


more uploading...

[annguyen1981]

Here's a shot of a plant...   I couldn't get the lighting right, but I think I got the detailing of the edges...  This is frustrating.


Another plant...  This time too much lighting...  ARRRGGGHHH!!!!  I didn't even play with the shutter speed on ANY of these!!!  And this plant was in a darker place...


My Lexmark ink cartridge printhead...  Again with that damn shadow...  WHY?!?!?!?

[Chilly Willy]

Do you have a lens hood on your camera?  If so, take it off before shooting with your flash. 

If not, shut off your flash and try to work with available light.  If possible, use a remote flash.  On-camera flashes have their purposes, but they're few and far between.  Most photographers work with a separate flash either mounted onto the shoe, the side, or remotely activated.  Either that or they're working with a lighting set.

Chilly

[annguyen1981]

no lighting hood...  it's the damn lens...  it's too long, and so the flash doesn't reach the subject.  It's a built-ing flash about an inch or two above the lense...  And it's not an SLR, so I can't use another flash.

[Chilly Willy]

What is the speed of your lens (not your shutter)?  Is it a 1.2, a 1.4, a 1.8, or higher?  If the lens is fast enough (1.2, 1.4) you could get away with turning your flash off on most applications.  Your flash is washing out the color on most of the pics you've posted tonight.

Try re-taking these shots with a desk lamp nearby or just your ceiling light and no flash.

Chilly

[weaselnoze]

no flash, tripod, longer exposure on still objects. 

[Alphamazing]

[Chilly Willy]

Never mind on the lens speed question (I just looked again at your mirror shot).  Your lens's fasted speed (widest possible apeture) is a 2.7.  Not bad, but not what you want for a low-light situation.  Weaslenose's advice is pretty sound here.  Use a tripod to stablize the camera as much as possible (if you have a remote cord, that would be great.  If not, you may be able to play with your auto-timer).  Extending your shutter time is going to allow more light to hit your sensor (which will make up for your narrower apeture).

Also, using a desk lamp, play with where your light is coming from.  If you want to drop the harsh shadows, place a piece of wax paper over the lamp face to diffuse your light (just don't let it catch on fire!).  This will help you to get away from the dark shadows that are prevalent in your earlier pics.

Chilly