Complete Beginner

[Tiller]

Hello there. Full disclaimer here. I am a complete beginner/noob. I do like taking pictures though, so I guess that's what counts.


IMG_0983 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


IMG_0572 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


IMG_1653 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


IMG_1242 by tsmcdona, on Flickr


IMG_1320 by tsmcdona, on Flickr



IMG_1605 by tsmcdona, on Flickr

 

[Designer]

You have a good beginning here. The only one I didn't like is the flower.

As a side note; I don't appreciate your advance defensiveness concerning the swing set photo. Actually, I see the story, and as for telling a story, it is the best one here. When a photographer posts a picture, he should be ready to accept whatever the criticism is, good or bad.

 

[Pallycow]

If something is personal...don't post it. This is a great place, but it is still the internet. Telling someone not to talk about it is just asking for someone to talk about it. Gonna happen.

 

[Tiller]

Point taken. I'll edit that part out. Thanks for the other kind words guys! I'll try not to be a debbie downer from now on

 

[Tiller]

Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[Forkie]

I think you need to work on your composition in general. It's clear that you have an eye for what you want to photograph, but these particular subjects have been shot in a very normal stand-up-and-hold-the-camera sort of way. You need to explore your subjects more from different angles and read up on the Rule of Thirds.

However, I would like to say something about your two concert shots. Although they suffer from the compositional problems I just mentioned, you have totally NAILED the exposure. Which is an achievement in itself for that kind of shooting situation. Well done on those two!

 

[baja2013]

I like the first, and the last one. Not usual photos, that's the reason.
Go on and give us some more!

 

[KenC]

The first is very interesting. It takes a good eye to spot an interesting photo in a view like this. Personally, I'd crop the right and bottom a little to remove some area that does not have as many spots, but that's a matter of individual taste.

 

[Tiller]

Thanks a lot everyone! That Rule of Thirds link was definitely a big help

 

[pgriz]

There are three parts to making good images: 1) to see the potential, 2) to capture it, and 3) to present it to others.

You seem to have the first figured out. This is finding the diamond in the rough.

The second is more technical, learning how to use the camera (and accessories, as needed) to get the right mood or feeling. This is cutting the diamond. Wasted if it's not a gemstone. Necessary to bring the full beauty of the gemstone into being. In photographic terms it's getting the exposure right, using the appropriate amount of DOF or blur, framing the image, using the right focal length to get the compression or separation, getting the fill light into the shadows, balancing the white-balance, etc.

The third is related to framing, cropping, post-processing, sharpening, etc. Call it setting the gemstone in a proper setting.

You've got a pretty good start.