First Post

ar15junkie · Dec 11, 2006

Hi, Im new to this forum and very new to photography as an art form rather than record keeping

Anyway, so I may say ask some dumb questions etc, but I don't mind getting bashed to improve my eye =0)

I just bought a new digi cam yesterday. It's not an DSLR or anything super special but it is a 6 mp and has a 12x optical so I think this is a good start (Sony H2). The picture I'm attaching is from a Nikon E950 which is a 2 MP crummy little camera but I like the pic.

My question here is, if you were taking this pic, what things would you have done different. What are the good the bad. Would you have walked up to one of the barns and shot a different angle etc. I really want to get in your minds and see the different thought processes. I really like the scenery here and I will be in this very spot next year and would like to improve this shot. Would be a neat comparison.

Big Mike · Dec 11, 2006

Welcome to the forum.

if you were taking this pic, what things would you have done different

It not what I would do...but what were you trying to do...and did you pull it off?

I don't know that I would have done anything different...that's a personal thing. I would have tried s few different things...if time allowed. I may have added some contrast and saturation in post processing...but again...that's a personal taste.

One thing I might have tried...would be to get down, close to the water. I don't know if your foreground is really adding to this image. Maybe to the water's edge or just close enough to include a bit of the plants on the near shore.

Also, the subject appears to be the buildings...and they seem like they are too close to the center of the image. I would try a shot with the buildings closer to the bottom...and then a shot with them closer to the top.

Your exposure is maybe a bit overexposed. The white roof looks blown out and you could probably bring it down a bit.

becmaclean · Dec 11, 2006

Welcome!!

I wouldn't have done anything different other than take a few million more shots (<- exxageration). I would have gone down closer to the water and taken pictures of all the houses. Perhaps getting rid of the sun glare? off their roofs.

I also would have tried to create a focal point. There is soo much going on here that I am not able to discern what the subject is. I found myself looking at the darker barn so, I probably would have worked with that. Also, the mountains are beautiful...maybe a nice shot of them.

The color seems a bit washed out but, thats nothing that post-processing can't handle

Did you take other shots??

ar15junkie · Dec 11, 2006

Hey guys thanks for your responses. I do have a few pictures posted from this trip here.
http://www.mahizzle.com/proj/pimp/v/outdoors/creed/

But no others of that particular scene. This is in creed colorado a little mining town. There are A LOT of photo opportunities up there. I was just basically snapping photo's for memories. Next time I want to get a few to hang around the house.

Regarding the brightness of the picture I posted. You will notice in the link above the roof tops were not so bright. I adjusted the levels in PS (dad gave me that tip) It brought out the color in the grass more, but yeah i agree the roof tops got a little to bright.

here is the original before I mucked with it =0)

Big Mike · Dec 11, 2006

Rather than levels in Photoshop...try Curves. For this image...I would want to increase the contrast in the darker areas...while not blowing out the white areas. I think a curve like this...is a step in the right direction...

emogirl · Dec 12, 2006

i think this is a great shot, and you appear to have a good eye..a slight crop off the bottom might even the composition...but overall, really well done...the roof..well, on a bright day, a tin roof will be glaringly bright, so i dont think the roof is blown at all.... I believe people over manipulated images - take it right in the first place and stay off the computer as much as you can!!! ha ha...
i do agree with all..that is place to take many more shots!!