First post and critique needed. D:

[postalkitty]

Hello guys and gals. Here is a little intro for you before I get into the needed photo critiques. My name's Melody and I am a long time beginner photographer. I've been dealing with photos since you had to dip them in the baths and then pencil in the little dust spots that left blank spaces on the damn paper. Unfortunately, that was years ago and I only did it for a short time before I took a break and now I am back at square one, but now with digital photography.

I've just decided to take it back up due to a friend handing over his digital SLR at a show and I have come back to the world of freezing time. So please pardon my lack of knowledge on most things. I've been scouring the camera operation manual while I take pics and experiment.

So. Here we go. Not my first shoot, but one a bit different in what I am typically used to. No studio lighting was used, but heavy duty stage lighting and such.

The only editing made is via cropping and of course the copyright on the edge. I took all photos in raw and converted it into JPEG, so any suggestions for image editing will be much easier to make.

Thank you,
<3

 

[MissCream]

Focus focus focus!
The first 3 are not in focus.

The fourth one isn't bad, a bit too much dead space over his head.

The last one kind of looks like he's getting a BJ.

 

[postalkitty]

Getting the focus right at those points were a little hard for me since I did it off Tv and auto while setting it extremely low. Or at least that's what I got out of the little test. I guess I should have said **** auto and went straight to manual, huh. Need more practice in low light.

Also, lol at the BJ comment.

 

[MissCream]

Get a tripod for set up shots like this in low light, I really like the concept, just work on the execution and you'll have some pretty cool pictures!

 

[postalkitty]

Or that too, heh (derp). Thanks. I think its definitely worth another run since I had so much fun with it. Hopefully the next time around I will get sharper images.

 

[BekahAura]

On another note I love the lighting and your composition is superb. I can't wait to see more of your photos! Welcome to the digital world of photography =)

 

[Virtuosos]

Getting a bj...what a strange critique

But yar, focus is a good thing. The 2nd and 3rd look like the perfect horror-movie cover, or would of been with focus :/

 

[vtf]

The last one kind of looks like he's getting a BJ.

:shock:

To the op, considering how dark the scene was, it wouldn't surprise me the missed focus was due to the lens seaching. Try shining a light on the subject to focus then turn it off before shooting switching lens to manual at same time.

 

[MissCream]

The last one kind of looks like he's getting a BJ.

:shock:

To the op, considering how dark the scene was, it wouldn't surprise me the missed focus was due to the lens seaching. Try shining a light on the subject to focus then turn it off before shooting switching lens to manual at same time.

Whatt!!!? That is the only thing I can think about when I look at that picture!

Is this better?
It looks like he's dreaming of sugarplum faeries, rainbows and candy hearts? lol

 

[vtf]

The last one kind of looks like he's getting a BJ.

:shock:

To the op, considering how dark the scene was, it wouldn't surprise me the missed focus was due to the lens seaching. Try shining a light on the subject to focus then turn it off before shooting switching lens to manual at same time.

Whatt!!!? That is the only thing I can think about when I look at that picture!

Is this better?
It looks like he's dreaming of sugarplum faeries, rainbows and candy hearts? lol

Keep going.........

 

[postalkitty]

@BekahAura - Thank you very much. In all honesty that was one of the things I was extremely worried about getting better at and I am happy to see that I have succeeded at that. Now onto the other things :S

@Virtuosos - I really wish I got those two in focus and I loved how they came out (expression and all). Thus the want for a reshoot. This time I will be more prepared and bring a tripod. This was kind of a spur of a moment deal and we ended up doing way more then I originally meant to do.

@vtf - Hmm. I will definitely try that trick out and see what happens. Thanks for the tip.

 

[cvbikeguy]

it looks like all of them are out of focus

 

[postalkitty]

I get it now. I need to work on focus. In lower lit situations aside from using a tripod, is it best to work with manual focus instead?

 

[cvbikeguy]

I get it now. I need to work on focus. In lower lit situations aside from using a tripod, is it best to work with manual focus instead?

yes having focus of course will give you much cleaner shots (duh i know )

its funny that you mentioned manual focus. when i first got my camera (only a month ago) i shot in manual and loved the pics. but then the photographer that i bought my camera from said to never shoot in manual. Now that i have bought a better monitor to edit pictures I noticed that my auto focus pics are unfocused and my manual shots were wayyyyy better. all in all it depends on the shooters. Now i have learned to shoot both depending on the occasion.

 

[postalkitty]

I felt the same way when it came to shots that had to deal with photoshoots or dealing with non moving subjects. I started out doing automatic at shows (since I was too slow on the uptake with the focus) and can't decide which is better for me to do. I always start out with manual then move to automatic because I am afraid I am losing a lot of good shots because of my slowly deteriorating belief that manual focus is the god.

I guess I have to shoot more things to get a better feel and I will finally figure out what is best for me.