# Soft candle photo



## photong (Jan 16, 2007)

I don't want it to be soft, or blurry. I've tried everything I could possibly think of to make it shaper including self timer, lights on, off etc.

Only thing I can think of is to take one photo of it not lit (which would be sharp), one lit for the flame and glow and combine the two.

Here's what I've shot recently. I have others that have a nice heart shapes glow around.







Is there too much light bouncing around to get a nice clean shot? It looks shapr in the lens of course so it's not that. :/

Edit: I should mention I need help because I want to turn it into an 11x14.

And unsharp does not help much if I haven't mentioned already.


----------



## auer1816 (Jan 16, 2007)

You might try taking the shot using several different exposures (and shutter speeds) -- assuming you're using a tripod.  A faster shutter speed at a slightly lower exposure might give the flame more definition, while a brighter exposure will give definition to the rest of the image.  Then try combining the two by masking out the "bad" parts of each photo.


----------



## photong (Jan 17, 2007)

I tried that. I went both ways, over, under exposed, & exposure compensation. And it just doesn't look sharp at all. Mind you I'm looking at these at 100% in Photoshop to see if they're in focus, and it's painfully obvious they're not :/

Yes, I'm using a tripod


----------



## ladyphotog (Jan 17, 2007)

Try using a low shutter speed with a little fill flash (but not too much) to balance the ambient light. The problem is the flame is too over-exposed. What F stop are you shooting at? You should be around 8, that will help with depth of field from the flame down to the base of the candle holder. Hope that helps.


----------



## photong (Jan 18, 2007)

This is what I came out with. it looks a bit better, minus th glow on the ground I want. But it's STILL not in focus.

Is it my eyes, monitor etc?

I was shooting at various expsures. This one is F11 at 1/2sec (-1 exp compensation that i didnt know I had on at the time). I had my flash on the least amount of light I could figure out how to do.


----------



## ladyphotog (Jan 18, 2007)

You have to balance the ambient light (the flame) with the flash. Try shooting with the lowest setting on your flash and working up til you get it. It does look better, I think you just need a bit more fill flash. Bring your shutter speed up just a touch, you could have some movement that is causing a problem as well. Good luck and let us see how it works.


----------



## TheCatch22 (Jan 23, 2007)

i say take that first one and put it in photoshop if you dont know PS ill do it, i have some ideas on how to get the effect u want


----------



## TheJudge (Feb 8, 2007)

Did you ever get this one to work out??





Judge


----------



## photong (Mar 18, 2007)

No I never did get it to work out


----------



## xfloggingkylex (Mar 18, 2007)

What lens are you using?  It looks reasonably sharp to me, but I am also looking at the small res size.  I can see the texture of the table, so it cant be too out of focus.


----------

