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twofirstnames — Texas Red
Published: 2008-12-04 04:33:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 627; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 20
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This picture was taken spontaneously through my car window. I just aimed the camera at the setting sun driving toward Amarillo in Texas and there you go. I thought it turned out pretty well considering.Related content
Comments: 67
And he's here to do some business with a big iron on his hip.
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Looks like you've gottne sufficient advice on this one, so I'll just say 'beautiful colors dude!'
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ahhh... so beautiful. the color is really intense - i feel warmer just looking at it. 
the distortion around the sun - the oblong shape, rather than a circle - throws me a little but is really interesting.
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Just dropping by after reading randomly chancing upon your journal entry. I haven't had the chance to read the earlier comments, but I do hope I can be helpful here.
Here is some issues that I have with this shot:
1. Flat. (no contrast)
2. OOF (nothing seems to be in focus)
3. Neither land nor the sun is exposed correctly.
Composition-wise, you have applied the 1/3 and the position of the sun is also pleasing, which in my honest opinion makes for some real potential for a great capture even though you were on a moving car.
What I would have done is:
0. Set the white balance to sunset -1 on the D40. (unprocessed Nikon images tend to look very warm to me)
1. Reduce the ISO.
2. Shoot in RAW.
3. Stop down to f8 or f11. (the setting sun is really bright enough for a sharp handheld shot from a moving car even at f11)
4. Set to manual focus to be just a bit less than infinity.
5. Spot meter near the sun.
6. Bracket 3 frames at EV+0, +1 and +2. (you'll have to do this manually on the D40 though)
7. Process on Capture NX! (or Photomatix if you decide to do HDR instead)
It may sound like a long checklist, but it can be done really fast with practice. The last step though, might take a lot more time than the rest. It might also help to pan your camera accordingly to match the speed you're traveling at (and of course, you should also drive slower).
Actually, I think the best thing you could have done is to actually stop the car, get down and take the shot. I wouldn't want to risk wasting a good opportunity if I weren't in a hurry.
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Wow, thanks very much. Your comment has gone down as probably the single most helpful one I've ever received. Thanks so much, I will put into practice some of these things.
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Get your clouds in focus before you shoot. Recompose if necessary after you get your focus (lock it in). Nothing distracts from a cloud sunset like fuzzy or blurry clouds. Go for the greatest dof you can by shooting with the highest f stop you can even if you have to increase the iso.
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Good advice! Very good. I didn't even think about the clouds, so that's something to consider for sure.
What about slowing the shutter speed instead of upping the ISO?? Would that work as well? Or is there an advantage to higher ISO?
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Ys, you could do that assuming you don't have to go with a more open f stop or that the speed is too slow for hand held assuming you aren't using a tripod. I almost never lug one around with me but I'm comfortable to at least 1/30th. Slower than that, I often "borrow" a fence post. Higher iso is "grainer" but up to 400 usually turns out pretty well even on enlargements. I've shot film with as high as 1600 iso with good results. The important thing is not to shoot with too large an aperture assuming you are going for depth of field, details and clarity. The mix of iso and shutter speed just allows you to do this without having to work too hard at it.
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The grains on film are nothing like the grains on a CCD sensor such as the D40's.
Silver halide crystals are much finer than digital noise. Film also has much more latitude for it to be pushed higher than the rated ASA.
I shoot 8 second exposures with T-Max 400, but will never ever do a 8s exposure (again) with the D40 at ISO400 even in RAW.
Just my 2 cents worth.
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That is quite true. Film grain does not have the noise problems of CCD sensors and has far greater flexibility than digital ISOs. About the longest exposures I do in digital are a second or two and that is even pushing it with the cameras I currently have. However, certain things have required at least that to capture so have done it with passingly good results. Yes, digital has many defects compared to the versitility of film but I find myself reluctant to go back since digital is so much easier and convenient.
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Okay, you want critique...
1. If you're not shooting in RAW, start.
2. You could put this in your photo editor software, and increase the resolution to 1000, then decrease the size back to something reasonable. You'll effectively split the pixels and smooth out the aura around the sun.
3. A Polarizer would have helped.
4. Embrace the "exposure compensation" settings. Try to shoot several different exposures.
5 reduce the ISO to 100, you don't need anymore sensitivity shooting into the sun.
6. take the camera off of "auto" and put it on "Flex Program" set the aperture to about f/20 or higher.
7.Pull off to the side of the road and shoot, I've been on west Texas roads, they are a freaking photographers dream!
Now you know why I generally don't give too much critique. This is not a "bad" shot. But you frankly couldn't do a lot of what I said above because you were rolling.
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Hey, these are points well taken, and some things I hadn't freakin' thought about!!!
Nice! This is the good stuff! Now I know some things I would have done different.
1. I'm not shooting in RAW... *starts shooting in RAW*
2. I have never even heard of this technique. You're a genius.
3. I have a polarizer on my Christmas list! I borrowed one for the trip, but did not have one for this lens
4. Ah, fantastic idea, hadn't even thought of that. I haven't done much with those!
5. Yes, I need to find out how to force my camera down from 200... the D40 wants to set the ISO to about 5 general settings... gotta figure out how to customize that. *priority list*
6. Good idea to set the f stop higher for a sun shot, huh?
7. I should have taken back roads
Wow, some great stuff here and some things I will try right now! Fantastic. Keep the criticism coming PLEASE!
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You need to go to the menu on the D40, and select the "shooting menu" that's the one with the camera. Then select ISO Setting. The D40 and D40x are about the same. My wife shoots a D40x, I shoot a D80. So I'd have to check her camera to be sure to tell you the correct sequence.
More importantly, here's 2 tips. Look at other peoples pictures and look at the Exif Data. Secondly, take that thing off of Auto. Auto is fine for a picture of a mountain, or your girlfriend at the beach, or Mom and Dad at Christmas. The stuff you're trying to do here is stuff that the camera doesn't really know how to do on it's own.
BTW... Circular polarizer, not a regular linear. [link] is pretty reasonable on them. If you buy 3 you get 33% off. [link]
You on I-40 when you shot this??
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Unfortunately, I just did some reading on the ol' intertubes and in my manual and the D40 is not capable of a lower ISO than 200. Here is what Ken Rockwell has to say:
From Rockwell's review of D40x
[link]
"Per the laws of physics, a 10MP sensor has to run at lower
ISOs for the same performance as a 6MP sensor of the same physical size.
Therefore the D40x' ISO range starts at ISO 100, not ISO 200 as the D40. The
'wider range of ISOs' touted as a feature is actually a downgrade: the D40
didn't need to go slower than ISO 200 for great results, and at ISO 100 the
D40x is more likely to have more blur or shallower depth of field. A 10MP sensor has to run at lower ISOs for the same performance as a 6MP
sensor of the same physical size. "
So on to the more importantly part:
I always look at the Exif when it is provided. I think Exif should be required for all DA photography, but that's just me. Too bad some people don't want to share...
I've been trying to go manual in phases. At first I was shooting all in Progam, now I decide whether I need Aperature, Shutter, or Program. I have done a few things in fully manual... but I'm still a bit slow at changing so many settings. That's tough. 
Thanks so much for the input. I will put in to practice the things you have mentioned and when I move up to a better camera (after mastering this one and abusing it until it has no resale value whatsoever) I will go even further.
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Changing the settings on the 40 & 40x,and D60 is a little more cunmbersome than on the D80 and above. The settings are strictly menu driven from the LCD. That's why my wife shoots the D40x and I shoot the D80. You'll get to where you preset things before the shoot.
One note, when you upload in .png the Exif data is stripped from the image. Also, there is no Exif Data on an HDR. So it's not always the situation of someone not desiring to share info.
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Ah! good to know about the .png and other formats. I wondered what the deal was with that.
I can't wait until I can just feel a shot, know the settings I want, and shoot.
Second nature.
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It will come, you have to think like the camera sees.
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ur welcome mate 
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Thanks very much my friend. Your support means a lot! I couldn't do it without you!
I will keep shooting!
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ur welcome my friend
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Made using one of the new filters you sent... but the red was already there, just deepened it. Thanks for the comment!
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Excellent photo, the colors are beautiful and stunning.
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Thanks so much! I think you mean the "color" LOL! Thanks for the comment.
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sah-weet! I like the mis-shapen sun.
Did you know that the sunsets in Texas are red because of the dust particles in the air?
Take that one to the bank.
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Sahweet! Thanks for the awesome comment sista guurrl. 
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hm.... an alien theory, eh?
not listening.
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WHAT! How dare you sir. How dare you.
We'll just settle this the old fashioned way:
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ok. you win.
[but next time...]
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Disgusting. I didn't want to see that.
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Coming from you, that means a LOT, thanks so much Anto!
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Amarillo...I've heard of that. I was in San Angelo for Thanksgiving
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yeah, according to google maps that's about 5 hours south of Amarillo!
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