DC must be a popular place for beginners' photography

[pauliec]

:mrgreen:

Taken last week. Comments/suggestions?

1.

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3.

4.

5.

6.

 

[pauliec]

In some of the photos, darkness was falling increasing and I didn't have a tripod with me, so the one with the Washington Monument was a little fuzzier than I would have liked. I used the VR on my Nikkor 55-200 lens but it still wasn't great.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that all of these were captured in full AUTO mode. That's just what I was using as I was snapping on the go.

The saturation in #3 was removed via iPhoto, and it was cooked up a little bit in #6. Other than that, the are all un-touched.

In case you can't tell, #5 is the memorial to the US Marine Corps, aka the Iwo Jima Memorial. I had a bunch of shots of the whole statue, but I really liked the angle of this particular shot and the fading light behind it.

I'm not terribly pleased with the angle of #1, but I wanted to try to get the Jefferson statue in the shot alongside the some of the famous words from the Declaration of Independence.

 

[GFreg]

I think the shots came out pretty well. Can I ask where you shot #6? For the life of me I can't picture where you would be standing to get that view. You have to be across the Potomac, right? That is the only thing I can think that would get you up high enough. A zoom lens?

I agree that the angle in #1 is a bit weird. It doesn't help that the rounded walls in the give your even weirder angles on some of the text. I would have tried to keep the statue fully in the frame and try to have "Sworn" go right up to the right edge.

The colors in #2 are nice but I lose interest in the composure. I don't like how the monument is pretty much dead center.

I like your choice of desaturating #3. It works with the mood of the scene. Graveyard, dead trees, overcast sky. I really like this shot.

#4 seems like it is just a snapshot. Exposure seems fine and it is sharp but it is not particularly interesting.

#5 I think I would have like to see the entire statue. Nice color in the sky.

 

[Noonz]

I really like photo #3 so i tried a little editing job on it.. my aim was really to just bring out more of a texture.. hope you don't mind.

 

[pauliec]

I think the shots came out pretty well. Can I ask where you shot #6? For the life of me I can't picture where you would be standing to get that view. You have to be across the Potomac, right? That is the only thing I can think that would get you up high enough. A zoom lens?

Indeed, from across the Potomac. Specifically, from the gravesite of Pierre L'Enfant at Arlington National Cemetery. Fittingly, his tomb looks down upon the city he designed. 200x zoom.

The colors in #2 are nice but I lose interest in the composure. I don't like how the monument is pretty much dead center.

Yeah, I've heard about the rule of thirds but often I find myself instinctually putting objects in the dead center of the frame. I don't know why.

I like your choice of desaturating #3. It works with the mood of the scene. Graveyard, dead trees, overcast sky. I really like this shot.

Thanks!

#5 I think I would have like to see the entire statue. Nice color in the sky.

I had a tough time getting a good, clear shot of the whole statue that was interesting.

Here are two that are decent, but not great:

1.

This one kind of interests me because it shows the sheer size of the monument as the person in front of it cranes his neck upward with a camera, trying to capture it.

2.

Meh. Would have been great if it wasn't so noisy, and if I actually held the camera straight. :x:blushing:

 

[pauliec]

I really like photo #3 so i tried a little editing job on it.. my aim was really to just bring out more of a texture.. hope you don't mind.

Interesting. My version looks a lot softer compared to this. I like it.

 

[GFreg]

Indeed, from across the Potomac. Specifically, from the gravesite of Pierre L'Enfant at Arlington National Cemetery. Fittingly, his tomb looks down upon the city he designed. 200x zoom.

I don't know why I didn't think Arlington Cemetary. You clearly had other shots from Arlington Cemetary. I was trying to imagine which of those scenic overlooks on the GW Parkway had that view and it was hurting my brain. LOL!

I like both of the other statues shots. The first one is cool because like you said it captures the sheer size. I did a quick edit to the other one. Just to see how it would look. Let me know what you think.

Hmmm can't get it to link correctly...hold on.

Edit: I'm an idiot...I was putting it between tags and not [img] tags [IMG]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2729/4306948071_db2a22721e_o.jpg[/IMG]

 

[jackieclayton]

I love #2... it would be SWEET if you had been able to capture the entire reflection though... nice colors though. The crop on #5 is too much on the bottom... i would have put more of the base of the statue in it... still, as in #2, nice colors...

And yes... DC is an awesome place for portraits and candids alike. my brother in law lives there and we used to visit a lot before we moved to Guam... i could spend all day everday walking around taking shots!

 

[pauliec]

Indeed, from across the Potomac. Specifically, from the gravesite of Pierre L'Enfant at Arlington National Cemetery. Fittingly, his tomb looks down upon the city he designed. 200x zoom.

I don't know why I didn't think Arlington Cemetary. You clearly had other shots from Arlington Cemetary. I was trying to imagine which of those scenic overlooks on the GW Parkway had that view and it was hurting my brain. LOL!

I like both of the other statues shots. The first one is cool because like you said it captures the sheer size. I did a quick edit to the other one. Just to see how it would look. Let me know what you think.

Hmmm can't get it to link correctly...hold on.

Edit: I'm an idiot...I was putting it between tags and not [img] tags [IMG]http...too dark to me, and the lighting is very odd.

 

[jackieclayton]

I usually like B&W, but to be honest I'm not sure if I like this one. Maybe if the shot was during the day and had better lighting, but at dusk the B&W just looks too dark to me, and the lighting is very odd.

I agree with you... better lighting would have been ideal, but composition and framing wise, I really like this! Its neat how you can see the memorial and capital building in the background!

 

[Craig G]

I really like photo #3 so i tried a little editing job on it.. my aim was really to just bring out more of a texture.. hope you don't mind.
http://img715.imageshack.us/i/untiedwecfwtled2.png/

A wee bit over done. The bows on the wreaths stand out way too much.

 

[GFreg]

I usually like B&W, but to be honest I'm not sure if I like this one. Maybe if the shot was during the day and had better lighting, but at dusk the B&W just looks too dark to me, and the lighting is very odd.

I agree with you... better lighting would have been ideal, but composition and framing wise, I really like this! Its neat how you can see the memorial and capital building in the background!

I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I though B&W might be a good touch. Im not too fond off it but I figured after I did the edit why not post it.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Don't know if it is popular with beginner photographers but it sure is with tourists.

And I don't mind seeing the photos because I lived there for 27 (I think) years. I am surprised however not to see shots of the Vietnam Memorial. Not only a beautiful monument but extremely emotional when there are vets present.

#1 I would have moved more to the left to not cut the statue while still seeing the words on the right and, I would have pointed the camera down further to get more of that writing.

#2 Yeah, dead center doesn't help this one. And it seems crooked too.

#3 is nice but I would like to see the colors pop a bit more. Maybe not as much as Noonz's edit but close.

#5 I like the way you framed it. It is a nice way to do it and you have just enough light in the silhouette to make more interesting than a straight silhouette. The B&W edit doesn't do much for me though.

Cheers.