Give it to me straight

Crazydad · Jul 19, 2008

Just getting back into photography with a new D60. Offering up a couple of pics from our vacation (reason wife let me get new camera

) for some helpful review. They were taken handheld on my D60 with the kit 18-55mm lens. It's ok to be brutal, I know I have a lot to work on, but any direction is appreciated.

reg · Jul 19, 2008

1- Exposure wise, it's perfect. The sky is lacking, but you can't exactly control that.

The major issue is the framing. Notice how "dead center" it is. DO NOT DO DEAD CENTER. That is bad bad bad bad bad bad bad. And there's a little something in the bottom left corner (don't know what though).

2- This one has great potential composition wise, but the exposure is way off.Notice the lights are just huge white blobs and there are some shadows w/ no detail.

Both very good beginner tries.

tirediron · Jul 19, 2008

C&C per req:

1. Agree with Reg's comments however, I'll add that you can exercise good control over the sky in most situations through the use of a circular polarizer and/or graduated ND filters. Additionally, watch for things like the security guard in the lower left and the little bit of whatever it is in the very lower LH corner.

2. Again agree. This one would have been an ideal candidate for an HDR merge.

Keep up the good work!

Just my $00.02 worth - your milage may vary.

~John

swmocity · Jul 19, 2008

i like them both

manaheim · Jul 19, 2008

DISNEY!!!

Hey try boosting the contrast and doing a large radius low-percentage unsharp mask on picture one. The former will just give it a bit of pop, the latter may remove some of that haze.

Crazydad · Jul 20, 2008

Thanks for the input everyone. I do have a question about night photography though.

For the night shot above, I had the camera set on AP with max aperture (3.6) and ISO1600 to get the fastest shutter I could, 1/2 sec. Did not have a tripod and had to handhold (braced on a rail, gotta love VR).

I know it depends on the particular shot, but does anyone have some suggestions around getting the proper exposure for night shots (assuming I have a tripod)?

tirediron · Jul 20, 2008

Crazydad said:
I know it depends on the particular shot, but does anyone have some suggestions around getting the proper exposure for night shots (assuming I have a tripod)?

You can try an exposure calculator like this: http://www.robert-barrett.com/photo/exposure_calculator.html but generally, I prefer trial and error; guesstimate the intial exposure, and fine-tune using the LCD display, histogram, and highlight indications.

Computer_Generated · Jul 20, 2008

Good 'ol bracketing

My favorite answer to night photography :lol:

manaheim · Jul 20, 2008

Trial and error here. I set it to manual, set the aperature I want for whatever effect I'm going for, then set the shutter to what the camera thinks is properly exposed (usually on spot metering). Then shoot it, see what it looks like, and go from there... usually I find I want to way overexpose it and then tone it down in photohsop.

Bifurcator · Jul 20, 2008

I didn't read the other critiques yet so this may match or clash with those I dunno.

Crazydad said:
Just getting back into photography with a new D60. Offering up a couple of pics from our vacation (reason wife let me get new camera ) for some helpful review. They were taken handheld on my D60 with the kit 18-55mm lens. It's ok to be brutal, I know I have a lot to work on, but any direction is appreciated.

This is common mistake (mistake? not mistake... ummm "thing") This is a common thing people just getting into (or back into) it often do. We see something pretty, something worthy of a photo and we get square on to it like we're going to take a perspective drawing reference image for study or mathematical evaluation. It's a natural thing - we have a tool (especially a recording device like a camera) in our hand and the left-brain wants to have it's way.

With such a large subject it's difficult to approach the scene from a different, unusual, or unique perspective. If you can though you should try. Something to throw off the centered balance. It can be the inclusion of a foreground object in one of the 4 corners, or the tilting of the camera in a "creative way" or etc.

Every time you take a pic get yourself to recognize the difference between a potential picture-dictionary slash catalogue image and an attempt at "art".

Additionally it needs some post processing as well. Bring it into PhotoShop and start off (with this specific image) by selecting Auto Levels.

Next, I guess one reason you took the picture was that too-early-to-be-awake-yet morning low angle cross lighting that looks so cool so select the Image->Adjustments->Shadow/Highlight tool and play with it till you bring that aspect of the image out.

Next use the Hue/Saturation tool kill and obnoxious tone or blue shadows that popped up their ugly heads during the 1st two operations.

Maybe tweak the green grass and yellow Mickey while you're in there too.

Now run your noise removal tools on it and save it off for the screen. If you intend on printing it I would additionally sharpen it but I wouldn't for the screen version as it'll distract from the cool morning light thing I think you were after.

Here is roughly what I think you saw that morning and were trying to capture (of course only you really know but I get to guess

):

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This also needs the same right-brain attention to framing and composition. I can almost count the balancing components. Tori <-> Fire, Tree <-> Tree, Bush <-> Bush, lightpost <-> lightpost, etc.

Beautiful colors! It almost needs no processing other than noise removal and sharpening.

In all, these are some pretty good images! Great for a crazy dad's 1st post I'd say! I want to see your next batch for sure man!

Crazydad · Jul 22, 2008

Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it.

Bifurcator - Thanks for the PS lesson. Haven't had a lot of time to work with it, so the tips are appreciated! I actually got that shot because we got to go in before it opened and it was a chance to get the shot without tons of people. Just wish I had noticed the guard (and my son's head in the lower left).

anubis404 · Jul 22, 2008

1) Way too centered for me.

2) The exposure is off.

Both have great potential though.

AmberBella · Jul 22, 2008

I think people who think centered is always a no no are going off some weird textbook advice that you have to follow the almighty "rule of thirds". I'm one who thinks that the rule of thirds is not so much a rule, but a hint for those who do not have a natural eye for composition. It is often pleasing...but not the only thing that is artistic or pleasing. I offer up this picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/2035748576/in/set-72057594049344877/

It is perfectly symmetrical and perfectly FANTASTIC! The color gives it the artistic flair. But there are numerous photos of buildings that are square and that's what makes them so powerful.