Caribbean Island Vacation C&C

[MonicaBH]

Long time lurker... first time (picture) poster. New to dSLR photography. I overall think I suck at composition and I don't know enough about exposure stuff. Sometimes, I cheat and use the presets on my camera for exposure. I subscribed to Popular Photography magazine and am trying to read up and get better. (ETA: Equipment is Nikon D5000 with Nikkor 55-200mm lens, or sometimes a cheapola Sigma 70-300 mm, but I don't think I used that at all for these sets.)

I recently came back from a vacation on the beautiful islands of St. Thomas & St. John (US Virgin Islands). It was magical and I wish I could have captured it in its true beauty.

Here are a few of my favorites. I have only done auto-contrast/"I'm feeling lucky" in Picasa for PP and the big, dumb watermark (which I know is gross and distracting but it was accidental).

I open to all constructive criticism you have to offer.

Set 1
1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

...more to come.

 

[Javy85]

Nice pics

 

[MonicaBH]

Set 2

1.) **I was looking for... something... with this picture, but I'm not sure what, really, or how to get what I wanted. Does anyone else see what I was attempting?

2.)

3.) I tend to like this one a lot, but my SO thinks it's confusing.

4.)

5.) I think this is one of my very favorites.

 

[mishele]

Amazing place!!! I was there about 2 years ago.......let me tell ya no photos do that place justice....lol

 

[wcc963]

i like #2 in set 2, but i wish the top of the wave wasn't cut off... but the wave still looks really cool :thumbup:

 

[sanpan]

I liked Pic 4 in set 1 (but there is a magnifying glass icon in the sea) and Pic 2 and 5 in set 2. When you were clicking pictures of waves, did you try a lower shutter speed? It gives a milky effect to the waves.

 

[MonicaBH]

I liked Pic 4 in set 1 (but there is a magnifying glass icon in the sea) and Pic 2 and 5 in set 2. When you were clicking pictures of waves, did you try a lower shutter speed? It gives a milky effect to the waves.

I can't see a magnifying glass icon... I do see a buoy; is that what you mean?

IIRC, I used the "beach/snow" preset for all of these photos, so the ISO was 800.

In hindsight, I definitely would have dropped the ISO down significantly... Any other recommendations?

 

[OrionsByte]

I think I see what you were going for in set 2, pic 1, but I think having so much in the foreground out-of-focus is kind of off-putting. It might have been interesting to focus on the railings and leave the background OOF, just as a contrast. Tough shot to nail though.

Overall, don't knock yourself, there are some nice shots here, and as you learn to use your camera more and take more control of the settings I think you'll do quite well.

 

[bjmacphe]

#3 makes me want to go on vacation!

 

[MonicaBH]

I think I see what you were going for in set 2, pic 1, but I think having so much in the foreground out-of-focus is kind of off-putting. It might have been interesting to focus on the railings and leave the background OOF, just as a contrast. Tough shot to nail though.

Overall, don't knock yourself, there are some nice shots here, and as you learn to use your camera more and take more control of the settings I think you'll do quite well.

I have this one also, but I feel the same way about it as I do the other one.

I'm glad to know that someone else thought there could have been potential there. I wish I could have obtained what I was looking for! :meh:

 

[MonicaBH]

Bueller? Bueller? :waiting:

 

[changoleon]

Nice pictures they remind me when i was working at ST. Croix (US Virgin Islands)
at the refinery. Trying to save money for marriage.