A few for my first C&C

[KenC]

The first two are pretty good nature shots, although not as sharp as is usual in this area - I'm guessing no tripod and no IS, correct? Most of the serious nature photographers, even in camera clubs, shoot very sharp images, and usually images lacking in this area don't do well in competitions. I agree with Bus Rider about the crop for the first, and the second might benefit from a little cropping as well.

The distortion in the third isn't helpful to the image, imo. The rock is also a minor part of the image, which is mostly trees. Contrast this with #6, both in terms of depicting scale and the appearance of a rock face. #6 is by far the best of them.

The rake is OK, but I wish it was better separated from the background and the nearer part of it was more in focus.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

In my opinion: The first one, the white balance is off. Also, I think it would look better as a portrait crop... For example somethimg like...

I think your edit's white balance is really off though.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

Thank you for the opinion...I appreciate it. It is interesting to see how other people look at a picture. In my eye, I thought the tree, and the grass in the foreground helped wrap the deer in its environment. As for the white balance, the deer seems a little on the blue side right now, but I was there, and in my eye the PP helped lock in what I saw at the time of the capture. But, it is not always about remembering what I saw at the time, its about making the viewer see a well composed, great shot.

By no means am I trying to say that I don't like your PP. I just want to share a differing point of view. Glad you took it that way... I think you did, anyway.

 

[bazooka]

Rider, it's looking kinda blue/purple now...

 

[KmH]

If #6 had been composed so the climber was at a ROT power point, I think it would have been stronger.

If you haven't already, check out the work of Galen Rowell:

The Vertical World of Yosemite: A Collection of Writings and Photographs on Rock Climbing in Yosemite

Mountain Light Photography: Books

 

[Stobber]

Thank you all for the great comments, all were noted. As for some questions/explanations...not a single of those shots was taken using a tripod. Every one of them was taken on a whim. The Devils tower shots were the only ones that were most scripted, as much as they could be on a quick walk. The deer was taken out of my truck window while pulled over on a road in the Black Hills, I had about 30 seconds to knock that one out before she ran away. Same with the chipmunk, about 15 seconds. The rake was taken last minute when I learned about the local camera club from my neighbor, she said the next meeting was the next night, I had about 20 minutes of daylight to fill the theme which was rust.

I love all of the help you guys give, it will help train my mind, even in the quick capture situations.