So you want to take the greatest pictures in the world but don’t know where to start? Read on to at least find some some starting points. If you want to ask questions of your own see the address at the end of this column.
Question 1: Why do the colors look faded in my outdoor pictures taken with my film camera?
Answer: There can be one or several reasons for this out of many possibilities. Assuming that your indoor pictures with flash look good then the camera might be causing too much or too little light to hit the film. Either problem will cause faded color. If the problem happened on just one roll then the film, for whatever reason, might not have been in the best of condition when you took the pictures. Or the processing lab may have been suffering though a hiccup. However if you are consistently getting poor color then look for an equipment malfunction in your camera or lens.
Question 2: How can I get good pictures of wildlife that will not let me get close enough with the zoom lens that came on my SLR camera?
Answer: In this case the old saying, “bigger is better,” applies. That is, a longer focal length lens is needed to make the image larger and, hence, appear closer. Of course, along with this comes other concerns. A longer lens is more expensive (sometimes a lot!), larger, and heavier. Also more attention has to be given to the shutter speed used. There are some relatively simple rules that can be applied to determine how much focal length is needed for the picture that you wish to make. Then you have to decide if you want to pay the price. Like many other things in life there is no simple answer to this question.
Question 3: Why do my flash pictures look good sometimes and bad other times?
Answer: This is a really vague question but we hear it over and over again. First what is meant by good and bad? If a picture is taken where some people are closer than others then there will be a difference between the exposure of the people closer (lighter) and the people further away (darker). If one is using the flash built into

the camera the maximum flash distance for good exposure is generally not more than 15 to 18 feet. When the picture is printed the processor has to determine which person gets the best exposure because there is a greater exposure range in the negative than in the print. If the near people are great but the people further away are too dark and they are the ones of interest then see if the picture can be reprinted for better results. Of course, if this is done, the near people will now be washed out looking. Many times a far superior picture can be taken if a bounce flash is used. But this is a discussion for another column.
Question 4: Why do my pictures look sharp and clear sometimes and blurry or fuzzy other times?
Answer: Again we have an apparently simple question that has a multitude of answers. If the negative is in focus then the picture should be in focus. First, determine if the negative is in focus. This is done by looking at the negative with a magnifier (or a loupe). Most people prefer a loupe of 8X power. A range of loupes is on sale at Marshall’s Camera starting at $6.95. If fine details in the negative appear clear with the loupe but are blurry in the print then the processor did not have the picture in focus when the print was made. If the fine details in the negative at the point of focus appear blurry then either the lens is poor quality, the focus was not correct, or camera movement was present when the picture was taken

Conclusion: See announcement of photo classes at
MarshallsCamera.com. If you have questions or comments please email us at marshall@marshallscamera.com or write by letter to Photo Questions, P.O.Box 1217,
Auburndale, Fl 33823
Copyright 2004 by Marshall Ledbetter