My first photo post

Euphillia · Jan 16, 2010

I am VERY VERY new to photography. I've been reading around here for a couple of weeks now and decided I would post a photo. This picture is actually from my Canon Rebel 35mm. I've done no editing.

Vicelord John · Jan 16, 2010

Honestly?

I hate looking at it.

nathanlegiehn · Jan 16, 2010

There's something about it I really like. hmmmm. cant figure it out though ha

Euphillia · Jan 16, 2010

What makes you hate it? The subject, or is there something you would do to it? You can't just say you hate it without some decent feedback.

Vicelord John · Jan 16, 2010

you're right. That wasn't fair of me. I'm at work right now and got sidetracked and just clicked submit before I was finished.

I just don't see any definition between the dog and the snow (not something you could help.) I think the crop is too tight. I just find it very hard to look at for some reason. My eyes want to look away from the computer. I think if you had been back a couple feet and the dogs head wasnt so IN YOUR FACE EXTREEMMMMMEEEEEE! I would like it.

Please post a couple more from the set. The one you are using for your avatar looks like it might be more pleasing to me.

Euphillia · Jan 16, 2010

Thank you, the in your face was actually what I was personally looking for. The photo from my avatar is this one, I used my new DSLR for it. I'm still learning and I like the photo, but I think its WAY out of focus.

This photo was part of the set from the 35mm

Vicelord John · Jan 16, 2010

So it comes down to artistic differences.

Euphillia · Jan 16, 2010

LOL! Yes it does, but thank you

Tulsa · Jan 16, 2010

I think you have potential, keep playing with the camera, thats the best way to learn, if I posted the very first photo I took that I thought was cool, and one now, I think you would see a huge difference, I have only been doing it a few years

RancerDS · Jan 16, 2010

And the Okies keep coming out of the wood-work.

I do like the photo... but then that is a beautiful animal... and the detail of the dog's face is wonderful.

Euphillia · Jan 16, 2010

Thank you Tulsa, I play all the time. I'm glad for the digital...film is now much more affordable! Rancer, my dog is about sick of being my subject. Thank you for the comment

Sbuxo · Jan 16, 2010

The one w/ the dog running down the snow is too flat. It needs some contrast.

ficklepie · Jan 16, 2010

The one with the dog running is underexposed by about a stop. Snow in photos is supposed to be white -- like the snow in the first photo. Not grey. Your first photo is perfect exposure. The dog running photo is underexposed by a stop.

If you tried to increase the contrast with post-processing, it would only make the black fur completely black out (detail is being lost in those areas already). Adding contrast is going to make the whites whiter, but it's also going to make the darks darker -- not what we want in this case, because the photo is already underexposed. Actually, you'd want to try decreasing the contrast. (Though I realize the OP is shooting film, not digital.) I just reduced the contrast of the photo by -25 or -50 in Camera Raw and recovered a lot of detail in the dog's fur with just one slider. You can see individual hairs now, instead of just a black patch. It's brought back detail in the shadows of the photo.

So, taking away contrast instead of adding it would be the right approach, if one wanted to tackle this particular case in post processing. But best would be starting with increasing the exposure by a full stop first. When shooting in the snow, it's often necessary to compensate exposure by 1 to 2 stops, because the camera's meter gets tricked into underexposing the white snow and making it grey.

Some info here:

"PROPER SHOW EXPOSURE" - Nature Photography Techniques & Tips ©1999 Mike MacDonald

That being said, you say you are new to photography and so I think your photos are great! The dog staring right into the camera is neither here nor there, really. It's an intense look, and I'd probably prefer him not looking right at the camera like that, either. But that's your vision, not mine and not anyone else who's reading, and what's important to recognize is that you have some kind of vision. Most people do not and they get snapshots. But the first and third photos you've posted demonstrate to me that you already have some kind of grasp on how to go about achieving your vision through the camera. Just take one look around at the majority of the photos posted here, even from people who have been struggling for a while, and hopefully you see what I'm trying to say. If you're rather new, you're off to a great start, so just keep shooting.

PatrickCheung · Jan 16, 2010

well about your first photo... you cut off the tips of the ears of the dog... and the bottom of its chin. if it were me i'd either crop it tighter... or zoom out a bit to avoid cutting off parts of it's head. and yeah, you can't really tell the difference between dog and snow. but what's really bugging me is the angle of the head. it's very... awkward for me. i think i would've positioned myself so it's straight and not tilted.

but what i do like about it is the "in your face" feel and the fur. sharp images!

i really like the photo of the child though. i would shoot lower to the ground to get rid of some of the fence above his head though. and a closer crop would help.

keep going bud!