Critique, Advice & Suggestions please!

Keta · Feb 11, 2006

Hello. I am new and have chosen to introduce myself here instead of the 'welcome' forum because I have some specific questions.

There are some bald eagles living at the beach close to my house in Vancouver, BC, Canada and I have been essentially obsessed with photographing them at every available daylight moment that I'm not at work since last May. Basically I am a beginner photographer but have a background in graphics and design which I hope translates into my photography.

Here are some samples of my work. I need to know how 'marketable' they are (my ultimate idea would be to publish a glossy coffee table book once I have collected enough images). I also need to know ANYTHING I can do to take better pictures. Obviously I can't control the conditions, but I'm sure there are tips the pros could give me regardless.

I would very much like to know if it would be advisable for me to switch to slide film. I read in the topic that already exists that in strong light conditions slide film is not the best. Please advise!

Any tips, tricks or advice that anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated!

More pics available on my site ---> http://www.ketadesign.ca/enterphotos.html

Thanks everyone!

Keta · Feb 12, 2006

*bump*

Calliope · Feb 12, 2006

Wow... it's not often to see an eagle in the wild like that. The second and third shots are awesome. If I were to change anything, I'd say they're too centered. But that's just my opinion. Nice series! :thumbup:

LaFoto · Feb 12, 2006

Hiya Keta, and welcome to ThePhotoForum.
Wait for our bird experts to come and find this and you'll get all the help you need, I would assume!
I am no such expert - the experts will smile their sorry smile for me when they come across my saying so, for they know how much I would LOVE to get some decent bird shots - but what I want to say is: Boy, what drama in Photo 4! That one is marvellous, with the crying gull and the attacking eagle and the cloudlike moon in the background. Too cool.

And my question (had wanted to ask it earlier, when I also came about the expression, but now is as good a time to ask as any): What is a coffeetable book? I have NEVER heard the expression outside TPF (and in connection with photos) before.

Lensmeister · Feb 12, 2006

LaFoto said:
And my question (had wanted to ask it earlier, when I also came about the expression, but now is as good a time to ask as any): What is a coffeetable book? I have NEVER heard the expression outside TPF (and in connection with photos) before.

The concept is of a book of something like 30-100 photos of either a theme or of a collection of you work.

Bonusprint do something similar >>> BonusPrint

I might do some scanning of old family photos, the kids, and places and make a special Mother's day gift.

hobbes28 · Feb 12, 2006

Welcome to the forum Keta. These pictures are okay as that there is a good subject but they are only okay. Like Linda said, they seem to be too centered. On your fourth one, though, it is spot on with the composition and the feel of it. The problem with centered subjects is that it makes the image "boring" if you will. There isn't much to look at in the image except for what is being thrown directly in your line of sight. If you take the fourth one or even the last one, your subject isn't in the center so you can see the static between the two birds which makes you, as the viewer, search through the picture to see if there is anything else, in which case you see the moon. It makes looking at the picture a journey. The last one follow suit by the subject being out of the center so you "discover" the extra set of wings and look around again.

They are still a very good set of pictures and I would show them to everyone I knew too. Keep it up.

Keta · Feb 12, 2006

Wow, thanks you guys. This is exactly the kind of advice I need. I will wait patiently for the bird experts to come on and tell me more!

Still need to know whether it would be better for me to switch to slide film.

As for the centering thing, that's just a matter of cropping. Is this what you mean . . .

or rather this . ..?

and for the other

I have been toying with the idea of using either of the side focus squares rather than the centre one all the time, I'm just nervous because when they start flying around things happen really fast and often I don't have time to do anything except click the shutter button. (I won't bore you with the details of what I missed yesterday, literally by one minute. I was dashing across the field but didn't make it to the trees in time. It can get very frustrating!)
I guess with more practice I will get more confidence! Thanks for the encouragement.