New here! - Some of my favorite photos C&C please!

[JenLavazza]

Hello!
I'm new to the forum and to Photography. I just got my D40 in January. Since then I've been having so much fun. I mainly shoot my children and other kids/babies.....some maternity..etc. Although, I wouldn't mind getting more artsy in the future. Here are some of my favorites so far:

[IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3430/3741407672_7ed60e3bf7.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3736823150_7dbe0f276c.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3710091962_255067f7e0.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3635395143_fa31e7cd47.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3413/3636202794_ff4a2dd16b.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3609163756_a02cf0d892.jpg[/IMG]

 

[choudhrysaab]

i like all of them and to be honest not sure what i can tell you to fix on these.
you've done a good job

 

[ocular]

#1 is good, heads a bit cropped though. #3 is overexposed.

 

[bigtwinky]

that last one made me smile

 

[Laika]

Very nice! I really like #1, #2, and #6.

1. Nice lighting, photo is sweet and simple. Watch the fingers, this photo would have done better without them.

2. My favorite of the batch.

3. A bit overexposed.

4. I feel rather neutral about this picture. Nothing wrong with it, but it isn't memorable either.

5. This picture doesn't do much for me. I would have rather seen in vertical including more of the dresser and chopped off flowers (and less of the wall) or a wide horizontal shot including more of the baby and not the top of the dresser.

6. Excellent shot. Bow looks a little bright, but not enough where it bothers me.

 

[shortpballer]

#2 is a great picture...definitely the best one

 

[ANDS!]

Nothing wrong with #3.

Folks should link this thread when they complain that their D40 can't take any good shots.

 

[Bellaboo]

I loved every one of them, they are really good!

 

[StillStories]

I'm absolutely loving them, especially #1 and #5.

 

[Lys87]

wow! i love them all! good job!

 

[thenikonguy]

Folks should link this thread when they complain that their D40 can't take any good shots.

i get great results with my d40..

 

[JenLavazza]

Thanks everyone! I really love my camera!!

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Please number your photos in the future. It makes it easier to C&C.

Overall very nice set. You have a good grasp of the basics of portrait work, breaking the rules when it works. Now, I would say you need to start paying closer attention to the details and learn better light control.

#1 and 2 have the most interesting light to me. You're breaking the rule of not shooting down on children but with those it works very nicely (imo). You slightly cut off both of their heads but for some reason it only bothers me with #1. Now details: no problem in #2 but in #1 those fingers should not be there and the shadows (folds?) in the background bother me. Not that I want to see nothing but a solid background but the darker areas in this case seem too random to make sense.

#3 and 4 are both a bit light but can easily be fixed in pp. Doesn't look like anything is blown out. Could also be a monitor difference (one of the problem of C&C on line). With #4 I wish you had not cut off the ear on the left and I don't like the background falling out of focus in the rear. That's probably a personal thing but for my taste I would have preferred a solid background in this case. The light seems to be straight on in those and a bit boring but nothing most non photographer would think of as a problem.

#5 is a beautiful B&W. I would not have cut off the flowers and would get rid of the switch on the left of the dresser. Once again, straight on light so you have that highlight in the center area of the dresser.

#6 Great timing. The kid's expression is priceless. A bit light but can be fixed easily in pp.

Very good job.

 

[JenLavazza]

Thanks for the thorough c&c!

I don't have any lighting so these are all done in natural light....no flash. Most of them outside or next to my deck doors. The b/w has that light on the dresser from the window behind me. I never noticed her fingers in #1!!! lol So, yes....I need to pay attention to detail. The heads getting cut off is due to my lens. It's a 55-200mm and sometimes I'm just too close It's not a bad crop job, just bad positioning. I'm getting a 50mm 1.4 very soon, so hopefully that helps solve that issue.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Wow, ok. I guess the backgrounds made me think studio style set up. Are you using reflectors though or not even that?

Your photos are quite good so, yes, the next step is details and then, maybe, lights?

By the way your new lens is not going to change the positioning problem. If you get too close with one lens you can still get too close with the next one. But as long as you know you do that you can work at not doing it.

Keep on shooting. That's the only way to learn.