The value of raw

Shortly after I purchased my first DSLR I began shooting in raw and jpeg.  Jpeg is probably the most common format for images.  Raw is as we saw earlier on the course the image as it is captured without the in-camera processing.

Main reasons for shooting in raw:

1. Modern sensors operate at a higher bit-depth from the JPEG and TIFF formats that are saved, they have the potential to capture a wider range of brightness.  This range may vary from one to two stops. 
2. The original camera settings like white balance and contrast are saved and kept separate from the original capture data.  With JPEGs and TIFFs the camera processor applies the settings you have chosen and removed the other possibilities.  A raw file lets you go back and select any setting you like afterwards on the computer.  

The shooting options for my camera are as follows:

NEF (raw)

TIFF (RGB)

JPEG fine

JPEG normal

JPEG basic

NEF + JPEG fine

NEF + JPEG normal

NEF + JPEG basic

Assignment 2: Seeing like your camera

Here are my images that I submitted for my second assignment - Seeing like my camera.

Overall my tutor commented that he had noticed a definite improvement in my work and that I need to look at tweaking exposure and camera settings to further improve.

Feedback from tutor is summarised below each image.

Street scenes

Perhaps I should have increased the exposure on this shot to bring out the highlights on the left hand side of the histogram

I could have increased the exposure as the highlights weren't clipping using Auto setting.  I could also have tweaked the saturation to bring out the colour in the stones.  

Again I should have tweaked the exposure and over-exposed a little more bring it to -2 stops.  This would have kept all the shadow detail but also more details in the sky and gherkin.

Backlit

Not my best shot.  Suggested that I shoot horizontally to get more of the writing on the street and also exactly where the woman is looking.  I think I shot vertically and had the tight crop to free the image of clutter.  

This is my strongest backlit image.  Exposure was spot on.  

Not the most exciting of subjects or compositions but fits the brief.  

Scenes of varying reflectivity

Maybe didn't need to worry about clipping the highlights of the white shirts.  pavement might have been the only area that would have presented a problem. 

Exposure good keeping both highlights and shadow detail

As above. 

 Dappled light

Not really what dappled light is.  Not tackled as well as the images below.

Good use of white balance. 

Maybe I should have sacrificed the clouds to bring more of the white out in the house. But that really is a personal choice.