Adobe Photoshop LE question?

[nko51]

Took a members advice on shooting macro, I am working my way up slowly!

[amanda]

I'd say pretty darn good! Did you use a tripod?

[Gaijin]

Wow! I have been trying hard and listening to the photo advice here. You just blew my efforts away. Nice Job!

[nko51]

Originally Posted by amanda

I'd say pretty darn good! Did you use a tripod?

No tripod needed yet! Here I zoomed in even closer!

[Hellcat65]

It looks really, really,close........LOL..

Looks great..nice job!

[JJ Irani]

Nice shot, but just increase the BRIGHTNESS with the help of the computer software. Increase the GAMMA effect a wee bit and the picture will stand out better!!

[amanda]

Originally Posted by nko51

No tripod needed yet! Here I zoomed in even closer!

You'll get a sharper image with use of a tripod, less camera shake!!

Good work tho!!

[roadcarver]

Nko,

How's the quality of that Orient daydate?

[SLRdude]

It looks ok.
JJ is right though... try increasing the contrast or check your colour levels. It was a bit dark. I don't know what software you use so I can not give you advice on how to do it.
Also, I noticed that you took my advice and increased your dpi to simulate the macro effect. You went up to 450 from 180, and that is a bit too much. Anything more than twice and you will lose sharpness like crazy. Your original image at 180 dpi was not bad, and after looking at the 450 version I am not sure that a tripod would make a big difference. Your image data tells me that you had a short exposure time, so a tripod was not really needed.

there isn't much I can do to increase the softness created by the 450 dpi, but I did attempt a level correction. You also might want to give your images a border so you can give them a better definition.

[SLRdude]

Another thing...
this just hit me after I made the other post.. LOL
It looks to me that you are shooting at high ISO number. ISO is the sensivity of the "film" or sensor in your case. The higher the number, the more sensitive it is, and the more "noise" you pick up. Those little red green and blue dots that are found in your image are caused by that.
what happens is as follows: you shoot in Auto mode, and your cam is designed to be used hand held so it will basically adjust all other setting to allow for an exposure time fast enough to be used handheld. In order to do so, it increases the sensivity of the sensor.

If you follow Amanda's advice and use a tripod, you will get better results, and this is how.
Your camera probably has a dial that sets the exposure type. It probably has Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Macro... etc.
On a Canon you might have something called Tv and Pv or something like that. One of those is Exposure priority. Look in the book to see which one that is.
Set your cam on a flat surface, focus on the watch, and turn the dial to Exposure priority. Pick a value around 1 second or so. That means that your shutter will be open for one full second. Please note that you can not do that long of an exposure hand held. Once you pick that 1 s (or more) exposure time, your camera will automatically pick the right apperture (how wide your lens will open) and your sensor's sensitivity.
with a one second exposure or longer, your cam will pick a low sensitivity ISO, and a high F number (apperture, and high F means a tiny lens opening as opposed to a small F number which means a wide opening) which in return will give you a better depth of field. Low ISO means LESS noise.

I hope this made sense to you.

However, you are doing really good, now you just have to do some fine tuning.

[nko51]

Originally Posted by comatox

It looks ok.
JJ is right though... try increasing the contrast or check your colour levels. It was a bit dark. I don't know what software you use so I can not give you advice on how to do it.
Also, I noticed that you took my advice and increased your dpi to simulate the macro effect. You went up to 450 from 180, and that is a bit too much. Anything more than twice and you will lose sharpness like crazy. Your original image at 180 dpi was not bad, and after looking at the 450 version I am not sure that a tripod would make a big difference. Your image data tells me that you had a short exposure time, so a tripod was not really needed.

there isn't much I can do to increase the softness created by the 450 dpi, but I did attempt a level correction. You also might want to give your images a border so you can give them a better definition.

Thanks Chip! You have made macro shooting really a real satisfying
experience.

[vh_bu98]

I'm curious, are you using a macro lens? True macro is a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. People often misuse the term for close-up.

[SLRdude]

I use a 1:1 ratio macro lens.

[President]

Great pics!

[nko51]

I use Adobe Photoshop LE, can anyone tell me the steps required to put a border around my high resolution macro pic's?

[SLRdude]

Open your image then go to your Layer menu. Select New Layer, and leave all the other setting alone.
After that, go to your paint bucket tool, pick the colour that you want and fill your image with that ink. You should now have a solid colour image.
Next step... go to your rectangular area selection tool, which should be the first icon on top left. Click in any corner about where you want the thickness to be, then while holding the left mouse key down drag until you make a nice rectangle that will look like the frame you want. When at that point release the mouse key, then Apple+X on a mac, or Control+X on a PC.