First shots for C&C.

[maybeshewill]

Hey all, I'm just beginning and was looking for any tips that I could use to improve these shots and myself as a photographer. This is my first shot at manual focusing, everything seems to be focused OK.

First off, I'd like your comments on these two variations if possible?





My quick impressions are that the first may be just a tad underexposed. I think the bear may be too centered in the second picture, and I also should have turned its head to a more pleasing angle. Any further suggestions/tips would be awesome, I'm just looking to get better!

Thanks!

 

[CowgirlMama]

I would get rid of the left half of the photo. It's just dead space. Did you try shooting in portrait to see what it looked like? I think you're right about the bear being just slightly underexposed, but you also have really bright highlights on the upper left corner with some blown whites. I'm also curious why you chose this subject?

 

[maybeshewill]

Thanks Cowgirl. Basically I just felt like taking some shots and walked around my house, and it's one of the only things that caught my eye.

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks Cowgirl. Basically I just felt like taking some shots and walked around my house, and it's one of the only things that caught my eye.

Work at making a shot you really like and figure out why you like it.
Then post that one.

 

[jake337]

This is a good example of when bracketing may come in handy. The view out the window may be improved. Also, what was the view out the window look like? A smaller aperture would allow us to see the view as well. It may not be dead space anymore.