2 new pics with my new camera

Ashleigh80 · Jan 11, 2011

Yes I know these are no great pics but maybe with some cc I can at least learn to make better pics and they are both pp and done with just my fuji point and shoot. And yes I know my watch picture is over exposed ?

bmp14 · Jan 11, 2011

I'm new here, and to photography. I would just say maybe wipe down the surface the the lighter and cig are on, get rid of the dust and whatnot. (pledge it)

Patm1313 · Jan 11, 2011

Well it seems that you're having some issues with focusing. Your camera doesn't even have a viewfinder, which may be why you are unable to focus in on what you need to. I've never been able to have much sucess getting properly focused shots with an LCD screen. While i'm not saying that you can't do anything with your camera, I do highly suggest looking at a new camera if you are going to be serious about taking photos.

I know your camera has a manual focus mode, maybe you could try playing around with that.

bigtwinky · Jan 11, 2011

Step 1 - read up on composition and what makes and image interesting. A good starting point is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson

Step 2 - find something interesting to shoot. A watch on a table is not very interesting

Step 3 - shoot it. Shoot it again. Shoot in 8 more times from different angles, focal lenghts, settings.

Want to take nice watch photos? Check out flickr or google for image inspiration.

rateeg · Jan 11, 2011

use a clean table.

Ashleigh80 · Jan 11, 2011

Thank you folks except for the last cc that was just useless and did not find helpful at all.

BIG PAPPA · Jan 11, 2011

clean table... check.

Bitter Jeweler · Jan 11, 2011

What would you like CC on?

Are you trying for product shots?
Help with composition?
A reminder to check your backgrounds?
Unless a dirty table lends itself to the images "story", a clean table or other background would be nice.

In your watch image, there is that white area in the upper left. Is it important to the image? Is it a distraction?

lyonsroar · Jan 11, 2011

Patm1313 said:
Well it seems that you're having some issues with focusing. Your camera doesn't even have a viewfinder, which may be why you are unable to focus in on what you need to. I've never been able to have much sucess getting properly focused shots with an LCD screen. While i'm not saying that you can't do anything with your camera, I do highly suggest looking at a new camera if you are going to be serious about taking photos.

I know your camera has a manual focus mode, maybe you could try playing around with that.

What are you talking about?

Focusing on an LCD is fine. Canon makes a big deal of their "live view" shooting mode for a reason. It's even a feature on dSLR's!

OP, does your camera have a macro or close up mode? If so, use it.
Also, clean the table.

...oh and...find an actual subject...:thumbup:
:greenpbl:

KmH · Jan 11, 2011

Learn and apply the fundamentals of visual image composition.

Rather than re-invent the wheel, tap into the 4000+ years visual image composition has been experimented with already. Some of it has proven to work, and some of it has been proven a fail. Guidelines for Better Photographic Composition: Introduction

http://www.photoinf.com/
http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/adv_comp/adv_comp.htm

point
line
shape
form
tone
light
texture
color
balance
contrast
scale
proportion
pattern

Study color theory which has a psycological efffect on how pleasing an image is perceived. Color theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Study the elements of graphic design and how they can be applied to photographs.

Patm1313 · Jan 11, 2011

lyonsroar said:
What are you talking about?

Focusing on an LCD is fine. Canon makes a big deal of their "live view" shooting mode for a reason. It's even a feature on dSLR's!

I thought the new camera is the Casio Exilim? Anyhow, it's just that autofocus isn't always very accurate, and trying to manually focus a shot on an LCD screen isn't going to work very well.

reznap · Jan 11, 2011

Ashleigh80 said:
Thank you folks except for the last cc that was just useless and did not find helpful at all.

It was blunt and snarky but technically it's a good point. The marks/dings on the table are a bit distracting. If you're aiming to take product-style photos, you want to make sure your background is not distracting. A white piece of posterboard laid against something (to shape a curve, like a quarter-pipe) will give you a nice seamless background.

kundalini · Jan 11, 2011

Ashleigh80 said:
Thank you folks except for the last cc that was just useless and did not find helpful at all.

The majority of the work involved in a good photograph is in the preparation. It was a valid comment.

lyonsroar · Jan 11, 2011

Patm1313 said:
lyonsroar said:

What are you talking about?

Focusing on an LCD is fine. Canon makes a big deal of their "live view" shooting mode for a reason. It's even a feature on dSLR's!

Click to expand...

I thought the new camera is the Casio Exilim? Anyhow, it's just that autofocus isn't always very accurate, and trying to manually focus a shot on an LCD screen isn't going to work very well.

I think she's talking about the Fuji...

I never had an issue with my old P&S's AF except in low light situations. On P&S's isn't the manual focusing mode a little tedious anyway? On my old one there was nothing to rotate, there was a little button that moved a slider on the screen up and down. Took way too long and at least IME, entirely unnecessary.