CC... please.

[tdiprincess]

Hi all, It's been quite a while since I've been around. But, I have been learning my camera a bit more..
We went to Delaware Park in Buffalo yesterday to take some shots. Here are a couple, let me know what you think, what I could do better..the usual. I'm ready for it :thumbup:

close up of flowers: (my favorite)

flower tree:

a bud:

last one...promise:

Okay.. I plan on going back to the park in the near future. I was focusing on shutter speeds this time and playing around with them. Last time I went on an outing it was a disaster...
Let me know what you think I could do better, should've done, whatever so that I can go back and try again. Thank you very much! :mrgreen:

 

[Boomn4x4]

I'm curious as to why you chose these subjects when shutter speed was your focus. Typically, shutter speed is used to freeze/accentuate motion. There is no motion in any of these pictures. These shots would be more suitable for aperture work.

1 and 4 are dark, underexposed in my opinion, I do really like your composition in #1 though.

2 is "busy" I'm not really sure what the picture is trying to do. I can't really tell if the picture is trying to tell a story by encompasing an entire scene or if you are trying to accentuate the tree. If you are trying to caputre the whole scene, then there is too much tree blocking the middle/back ground. If you are trying to focus on the tree, there is too much middle/back ground. I would have either gone with a bigger aperture like in #1, or repositioned myself so that there wasn't so much "brush" in the tree to get a better view of the lake and background like #4.

3 - I like the concept, but it looks like you just barely missed your focal point. The bud seems to be just a little out of focus. It looks like the camera was focues about 4" behind it.

4 feels "snapshot"ish to me. I think I blame it on the golfers. I feel like they are the subjects that I should be focusing on, but I also feel like I should be focusing on the landscape. I would have waited for the golfers to have left the scene so that there is nothing but the landscaping to focus on.

 

[tdiprincess]

Thank you! With the shutter speed, it had been because last time it was a bright sunny day and I should've sped up the shutter speed. All of the pictures that day came out over exposed. This time I was just playing around with exposure I guess then, and slowing it down and making it quicker to see what would happen.
With the tree one I was trying to focus on the tree. when I go back I will play with it some more..
The "golfers" in the background were just walkers. That part of the park isn't the golf course. I should've waited LOL.. DH likes people in the pictures, it makes them feel more "real".. I will keep that in mind next time.
For #3.. I was well, too short LOL.. I will try to go back soon and see if I can get a bit closer. I also talked to DH about investing in some macro tubes, which might help.

Keep it coming! I need lots of help

 

[Bugs81]

Wow, I remember Delaware Park from when I went to school at Buff State. Definitely a great place.

#1 is my favorite as well, I would try re-shooting that.

 

[tdiprincess]

^^ Thanks! I will be. I love the lake for pictures.. you remember the Japanese garden over by the history museum? That's some cool shots too. I'll head over there next time I shoot pics again over there.

 

[Bugs81]

^^ Thanks! I will be. I love the lake for pictures.. you remember the Japanese garden over by the history museum? That's some cool shots too. I'll head over there next time I shoot pics again over there.

Absolutely.

I don't miss the winter up there but the spring and summer are gorgeous.

 

[tdiprincess]

This winter wasn't too bad actually... Quite mild snow wise, although I like the snow LOL..

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

I love the water blurred in the background of the first shot...i wish the flowers were a little more well lit and in a bit better focus.. But its a beautiful shot

 

[Fedaykin]

The first one is your strongest, if a tad underexposed. Try re-shooting those.

 

[tdiprincess]

Thank you guys! I definitely will be heading back there within the next few days!

 

[Early]

If you can brighten the first one without losing detail, go for it. Otherwise, it's fine the way it is, IMHO.

I like the perspective and composition on all of them.

 

[Boomn4x4]

Did a quick enhancement on the one for you. The great thing about underexposures is that they can be fixed... not so much with over exposure.

 

[tdiprincess]

Ah.. thank you! I had played with it a bit. And yeah, in my last outing I unfortunately learned a very hard lesson. It stunk most since we had a family in town and we were taking pictures of them... all lost, at least on my end. DH took pics with the point and shoot and got some good ones of them though.. But, at least I learned! LOL
I appreciate the help. I may fiddle with the people in the background and see if I can get them out. But I will still go back in a couple days and play again!
how's this?

 

[Josh220]

I think #1 would be really good if you went back at a different time of day when the sun is behind them. It would be a strong picture if they were backlit. The edit above is better but you can still see where the sun is hitting them. Most of the flowers are in shadow.

 

[Boomn4x4]

I may fiddle with the people in the background and see if I can get them out. But I will still go back in a couple days and play again!

That's the easy part... Also enhanced the colors a little.