First Post - Need Critequing

[Nightfall]

All taken with my new Powershot A520. I guess they're not too bad for having been my first time really trying to take a good picture, but they aren't very good either =\

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

 

[LaFoto]

Hallo and welcome to ThePhotoForum, Nightfall.

So this is your very first post! And you are brave enough to post right into the Critique Forum. But I think you never quite too the time to read through the guidelines to this forum, which say you have to ask for some very clearly defined, specific critique on your photos. General comments such as "nice first attempt" or "too dark" are too general. You will get such comments/critique (yes, also critique) in the General Gallery, which is why I shall move this thread over there now. More people will see your photos there, too.

The two that show up for me (1 and 3) are too dark.
For nighttime photography I'd suggest you first try it when it is still dusk and you still get some colour and light in the sky. It will be night all right for your camera then, too. But the shadows still get some better definition.

Then I suggest you only try your hands at nighttime photos with the camera on a tripod. Set the self-timer to 2 seconds. So by the time the camera takes the picture, your hands are well away from it and cannot give the photo camera shake upon pushing the button.

The Powershots don't deal well with upping the ISO. Stay with the 50 ISO and you'll get the best results. My newest experiments have shown me that working with long exposure times and the smallest possible aperture (with my Powershot that is f8 ) gives you the best results.

I'm looking forward to hearing some more about you in the Welcome and Introductions Forum and to seeing more of your photos!

 

[Nightfall]

I was trying to go for a dark look, but not as dark as they turned out. Sorry to not ask specific critique questions. I'm so noob at photography that I don't even know what to ask

 

[Nightfall]

Resized, and posted a couple extra pics.

 

[LaFoto]

Well, one idea could be to ask:

- for nighttime photography that is supposed to look particularly obscure, do you think these photos are too bright? Or are they too dark? And what would I need to do to bring about the look of "dark" without losing all the detail in the shadows. Something like this

By the way, you have changed your initial post and I can now see 5 photos instead of two that I could see when this was first up. And I must say that I quite like the photo of the broken glass and the blue sky as background!

And the shaker is nice, too, with its repeating patterns in the shaken lights. That one is funny.

 

[Nightfall]

Thanks a lot for looking and giving me some advice. I'm glad you liked at least one of them, hopefully I catch on quick. I'm having a lot of fun with my new hobby already (even though it has only been 2 days ).

 

[LaFoto]

Don't take me for the most knowledgable on here, I am not. (I'm only up because it's daytime in my part of the world, while many members of the board are still in deep slumber, i.e. all those who live in the States and Canada and so on). I am only finding my way into nighttime photography myself, too, these days. You might want to look at my experiments in this very Gallery. Maybe?

 

[Nightfall]

Excellent shot, I really like this one :thumbup:

 

[LaFoto]

Thank you. Seems like many like it ... didn't think it would become such a "hit" on here, but it makes me happy :goodvibe:

 

[Nightfall]

I think it would look better without the SUV at the pump, but its still a great shot.

 

[Ramiro Orensanz]

i happen to like a lot number3, that church looks really creepy.......... number4 is my favourite!!!! all those "K" lights look so insane, like little shiny people running through the street...... and a like number5 to...... welcome!

nice blue lights lafoto!