How can I improve these photos- Shooting in a dark room?

[amela_s.]

<p>This is my second post here already (and one more is coming soon). I got some great tips on my fprevious post.<br>

My dad asked me to take some pictures of my parents restaurant so he can put it on his webpage. The room had poor lighting (well for taking photos).<br>

How can I improve these photos? Any comments are welcomed. This was taken from balcony. <br>

I took these with my Nikon D90 + AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR with camera's flash. I forgot to bring tripod (I tried to steady the camera on a little wall) Since then I purchased SB-600 TTL external flash. <br>

Thanks,<br>

Amela</p>

[amela_s.]

<p>Info: 1/3, F3.8 ISO 200 21mm, EV +1, with flash -0.7, WB auto</p><div></div>

[amela_s.]

<p>One more photo...</p><div></div>

[phule]

<p>Next time bring the tripod and turn off the flash. :)</p>

<p> </p>

[amela_s.]

<p>Second photo info: 1/3, F3.4 18mm ISO 1600, I put the camera a wall, no flash...</p><div></div>

[mike_connell1]

<p>Tripod!</p>

[carbon_dragon]

<p>As others have said, use a tripod and a cable release. Control the depth of field carefully, either with a depth of field scale or a table or simply inspecting the resulting image on the display very carefully in magnified mode. I think you want everything as sharp as you can get it here. I sense that someone good with strobes could light this better but I don't have the experience to advise you. Love the second picture -- the vantage point, the way the restaurant is lighted. Very nice.</p>

[hughes]

<p>Amela<br>

these images really need some sort of enhancement to the lighting, In my opinion turning off the flash is poor advice what you need is more light not less. I would study your flash manual and learn how to use the flash off the camera, but also can you open any curtains or doors to let in some natural light, take the pictures when there is optimum available light, you have control of the situation remember so you do not have the constraints of say a professional photographer.<br>

You can also buy some photofloods that plug in to light sockets or just some very much brighter bulbs in place of the ones in there, if you use your flash off camera try to bounce the light if you have a nice white wall or ceiling. Here's another tip put some people in the restaurant for the shot even if it's just your friends the quality of the photography is secondary to the ambience and atmosphere you can portray in you photos. The last thing you want are pictures of a gloomy dark empty restaurant.<br>

Now how about that chicken tikka masala<br>

Steve</p>

[railphotog]

<p>I suggest a combination of flash and longer exposure with the camera on a tripod. Set the camera to a slow shutter speed, say 1/8 sec or so, and let the flash adjust itself. I've done this in a former roller skating building now used for bingo games. Images do not look like flash, the building is well lighted.</p>

<p>Try different shutter speeds, above and below what I've suggested. That's one of the great benefits of digital - you can see right away what the results are.</p>

[douglasely]

<p>Hi Amela,<br>

Attached is a Lightroom edited file. I'm not good with computers but I'm hoping that what you see you can simply cut and past for your family website. If you like the difference in the image and this computer transfer works, please feel free to send additional pictures directly to my photonet address and I will post process them for you and your family. I'm a foodie and have a very soft spot for restaurants and dinning. </p>

<p>Wish I was there, Doug </p>

 

[douglasely]

<p>Hi Amela,</p>

[douglasely]

<p>Hi Amela,<br />Attached is a Lightroom edited file. I'm not good with computers but I'm hoping that what you see you can simply cut and past for your family website. If you like the difference in the image and this computer transfer works, please feel free to send additional pictures directly to my photonet address and I will post process them for you and your family. I'm a foodie and have a very soft spot for restaurants and dinning.</p>

<p>I just realized that a small resolution image is required by photonet and most likely your family restuarant's website as well. attached is a smaller file. If you need a larger resolution file let me know and I will forward it to you directly.</p>

<p>Wish I was there, Doug</p>

[douglasely]

<p>Hopefully a picture will be attached this time.</p><div></div>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>Turn up ISO for faster shutter and sharper image! Add hot-shoe mounted flash and bounce off ceiling or use Joe Demb's flip-it! <a href="http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/">flash reflector</a> , in addition to ceiling bounce.</p>

<p>Although a flash reflector is often used for portraits, it can make for great lighting without the flash-lit look.</p>

[vick_vickery]

<p>If you are going to be doing this type of shooting on a regular basis, invest in a copy of Norman McGrath's "Photographing Buildings Inside and Out". He explains alot about gear, lighting, etc. A tripod is needed for sure. </p>

<p>You can do alot of perspective correction in Photoshop as well as lighting correction such as Mr. Ely did in your entry shot, but its always better to do it in the camera if you can. All of your shots would benefit from straightening the walls, the "leaning" look caused by tilting your camera downward in each instance. This is why most of us doing architectural photography still use view cameras...the back can be kept level and the lens lowered to keep the walls straight on each side in shots like these.</p>

<p>Your general setups appear to be very good...with a little study you will turn out to be a pretty good architectural photographer; you seem to have a good eye! :-)</p>

[johnmyers]

<p>The best thing you could possibly do without spending more money would be to simply use a tripod and either a self-timer or remote release (I don't think the D70 has housing for threaded cable use). You could do a mix of tripod-used slow shutter speeds and bounced flash off the ceiling. I'm not sure how powerful the SB600 is for higher celings, but it should certainly have enough power for the smaller rooms. In my opinion, keeping flash to a minimum (unless really well used) is good for shots like this, since your dads customers will want to know what kind of atmosphere (which is mostly lighting anyway) they can expect when they dine there. Using a longer shutter speed for the majority of the light for the shot and adjusting for any color shifts (does color shift on digital like film? I can't remember...) will represent the lighting the owners chose for a reason. This is just my opinion and others may view it differently. The second shot of yours looks pretty good, though I'd take Vick's advice and try to fix the "leaning" walls through editing software.</p>