13 replies to this topic

[Jhlorimer]

I am in the process of creating a website for my business. I am trying to use photos that I take myself as the background, but the photos do not look very good. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong...I am definitely a rookie.
I am using a Nikon D60 with the following settings:
Lens - AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G (VR off and set to automatic)
The knob on the camera is set on Auto
Image quality Raw, white balance Auto, ISO 100, noise reduction and active DLighting off.
Once I download my photos onto my computer, I am uploading them to Affinity Photo so that I can crop them or alter them. I am then saving them as a PNG or JPG to use on my website. I have tried saving the photos at different sizes, but it doesn't seem to matter.
Thank you for any help you can give me!

[Merco_61]

It would be easier to help if you can upload a sample or two with the EXIF information so we can see how they look.

[ScottinPollock]

Affinity Photo does not apply in-camera settings like Nikon software, so a freshly open Nef file is going to look pretty lackluster.

I recommend beginners start with Nikon software for raw conversion as it gives you what you saw in camera as a starting point.

[leighgion]

Without examples none of us can give any worthwhile opinions as the problem could be anything at any point in your process from focus not locking properly to issues in post.

[dcbear78]

Affinity Photo does not apply in-camera settings like Nikon software, so a freshly open Nef file is going to look pretty lackluster.

I recommend beginners start with Nikon software for raw conversion as it gives you what you saw in camera as a starting point.

They are shooting in full auto mode so it will be a jpg.

We really do need to see examples to help with any suggestions. My guess is photos are taken in poor light.

[ScottinPollock]

Auto mode does not force you to jpg, and his OP specifically mentioned raw.

[dcbear78]

Auto mode does not force you to jpg, and his OP specifically mentioned raw.

 

Does on every camera I have used. I only have a D810 and D500 on me now so can't check (no full auto mode). And maybe the D60 doesn't as I have not ever used it. But every camera I have used (Pentax K30, K3 and Fuji XT10), when you select the full auto mode (ie dial to auto, not the semi auto modes) it overrides the chosen settings and shoots in jpg.

[ScottinPollock]

Does on every camera I have used.

How odd; none of my Nikons have ever changed my quality settings with a mode change. Sounds like a recipe for disappointment.

[Merco_61]

Both Canon and Pentax dumb down to .jpg only on green auto. I don't know what the Nikons do as I have never owned one with the "helpful" modes and the first thing I do when holding a workshop is to get the participants to take control of their settings to get predictable results.

[dcbear78]

Maybe Nikon doesn't do this? The only Nikons I have owned are the D810 and D500 so I got no idea. But thought I had read about it. Maybe not? 

[Merco_61]

We are off on a tangent at the moment, but perhaps someone who has a body with the green auto setting can make an experiment so we all know how they work when it comes to raw with Auto. This question is still a tangent and not full-on off-topic IMO.

[ScottinPollock]

perhaps someone who has a body with the green auto setting can make an experiment so we all know how they work when it comes to raw with Auto.

 

As mentioned above, no mode change on the Nikons I have used change "quality" settings. This includes D50, D80 (or D90; I honestly can't remember which one I had), and D3300.

[PebblzNnutz]

We are off on a tangent at the moment, but perhaps someone who has a body with the green auto setting can make an experiment so we all know how they work when it comes to raw with Auto. This question is still a tangent and not full-on off-topic IMO.

 

A photo taken with my D750 in green mode shows it took a raw file.

[dcbear78]

A photo taken with my D750 in green mode shows it took a raw file.

Cheers. Good to know.

Back on topic, still can't help without seeing some examples. And I'm still standing by my original guess and saying it's just poor/average light.

Also now we know they are raw files you need to process them. They need proper adjustment of levels, contrast, sharpening etc. Without any of that done they will look flat. Shooting in jpg doesn't require this as your camera has done these things for you.