Been at it for a little while now...a couple os sunsets, and a great model

[jjparson]

Hey everyone. I have been lurking around here a lot lately, thought I would finally throw some of my work out there. I am still pretty new to all this, but I am definitely improving. Happy to hear any comments from the group. I think I have most of the technical stuff figured out, but could use help on composition. I need more creativity....

Thanks in advance.


1.

2.

3.

 

[Provo]

I like the clouds #1 looks overexposed a bit

 

[IgsEMT]

love the clouds.
model is overexposed

 

[Ron Evers]

#1 the face would look better if on the right side of the frame - looking in instead of out.

 

[PatrickHMS]

#1 - Composure, overexposure.

Like both of the shots of the clouds, would have looked better with CPL.

 

[wescobts]

Being a noob myself, explain what is overexposed in pic #1, is it the hard white on cheeks and nose ? Thanks

 

[DennyCrane]

I'd recommend a circular polarizing filter for those cloud shots. It will dramatically cut the glare, give more contrast to the clouds, reduce blown out areas, and deepen the color saturation.

 

[Inst!nct]

I'm not digging the second and third shots for some reason, someone enlighten me if they feel the same way? But for the first shots, composition wise, its already been said, but just the background is very distracting in itself.

 

[jjparson]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I may try to adjust the exposure on the first and see what I can come up with.

As far as the cloud shots go, I did use a polarizing filter, but I am not sure I had it turned correctly. This brings up a good question that I have. Are all polarizing filters created equal? There seems to be huge price variation and I currently own the cheapest. What is the difference between the two.

 

[DennyCrane]

It's simply the quality of the glass. The better glass will offer less distortion. A cheaper CPL will reduce the sharpness... so bad that I've found at long focal lengths, you're simply unable to get the picture in focus.

I'd guess you might not have had the filter adjusted to reduce that glare correctly... or used a lens where the focus turns the outer end of the lens, and when you focused, it rotated the filter out of it's effective range. I've done this a lot... or worse, made the n00b gaffe of setting up the shot in landscape, then moved the camera 90° into a portrait position and forgot to re-adjust the polarizer. Oops.