C&C on 2 Photos

[KyRo]

First critique and then pick which one you think is better and why. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[Ajlista]

To me, it seems like the second one is out of focus, as well on the first one
In the first one, my eyes are all over the place, not focused on the bee
Make sure you get the focus correct next time
Good try, and keep shooting

 

[KyRo]

Thanks a lot. But I can't seem to focus right. When I'm looking at it before I take it, it looks very clear and focused and then people tell me it isn't focused when I post it. Any tips?

 

[jwbryson1]

Thanks a lot. But I can't seem to focus right. When I'm looking at it before I take it, it looks very clear and focused and then people tell me it isn't focused when I post it. Any tips?

What are you shooting with? What's does the exif file say?

 

[KyRo]

Thanks a lot. But I can't seem to focus right. When I'm looking at it before I take it, it looks very clear and focused and then people tell me it isn't focused when I post it. Any tips?

What are you shooting with? What's does the exif file say?

Nikon L120. That could be the problem right there... What does that mean? I'm very new, sorry.

 

[jwbryson1]

No problem. The L120 is a "point and shoot" camera, as opposed to what many people in this forum likely use which is a "DSLR" camera (a digital SLR). Example of DSLRs are the Canon Rebels, Nikon D5000, D3100, D90, etc. DSLRs are generally much more expensive than a point and shoot and allow the photographer to have interchangeable lenses that can be used on the camera.

For this type of shot, you would optimally be shooting with a DSLR and a macro lens which has the ability to focus very close to the subject. Macro shots such as these can be very tricky because you have to get very close to the subject (and the subject doesn't always want to cooperate and hold still for you), to get a decent depth of field (which will affect how much of the image is in focus), you would need to set the f-stop (the size of the opening when you take the photo) very small--the smaller the f-stop, the deeper the depth of field, but a small f-stop lets in very little light so you generally need a flash and a tripod to hold the camera still for a long exposure (the longer the shutter is open, the more light comes in onto the sensor). Long shutter speeds are also tough because it gives the subject more time to move which makes the photo blurry. Getting complicated enough yet?

The EXIF file just tells the variables that were used in the shot (e.g., shutter speed (10 seconds, 2 seconds, 1/10 second, 1/60 second, 1/250 second, etc., the f-stop which is the size of the lens opening (f/1.8, f/3.5, f/5.6, etc., and the ISO (100, 200, 400, 1,600, etc.).