First SLR shots, C+C please

[PrestonS]

So I've always found photography interesting but never done much more than run around with a point and shoot. A week ago I picked up a Nikon D90 and have been trying my best to learn everything I can. Here are a few photos from a camping trip in Michigan this weekend. C+C would be more than welcome!

#1 - Found this guy as we set up camp. I over exposed this one. Also not as sharp as I'd like as I hand held this at 1/8 shutter speed. Needed a faster shutter speed to help with the hand holding and fix the overexposure.
1/8 f/3.5 18mm ISO200

#2 - Hanging out on the beach
1/200 f/4.0 55mm ISO100

#3 - Big bro and little sis enjoying the beach. Thinking maybe I should have tried this one at a higher aperture to get a better DOF.
1/125 f/4.0 55mm ISO100

#4 - Tug of war
1/80 f/3.5 18mm ISO400

#5 - Sunset on the way
1/13 f/22.0 18mm ISO100

#6 - Sunset
0.6 f/22.0 18mm ISO100

 

[bazooka]

It looks like you're struggling with exposure problems.... #2 and #3 are undexposed in addition to #1 being overexposed. #4 is about as good as you can get it without RAW editing because you're dealing with dappled sunlight which is always a pain. #5 and #6 will never work unless you either use a split gradient filter or multiple exposures. With a split, #6 could have been awsome.

Unless you have a specific reason to do so, it's best to not center the horizon. It effectively cuts the photo in half and creates a strong feeling of disconnection between the two halves. Pick the sky, or pick the ground to take up the majority of the image, whichever is more interesting. For #6, I'd say the ground is probably more interesting to me... I see some interesting stone patterns there, while the sky has nothing interesting above the 'break'.

#2 you have his eye pretty much right on the mid-frame line. It would feel more natural to have it much higher, plus you could fit in more of his body without change view angle. The same with #3.

 

[PrestonS]

It looks like you're struggling with exposure problems.... #2 and #3 are undexposed in addition to #1 being overexposed.

Agreed. Later into the weekend as I read the book Understanding Exposure I learned about the exposure indicator in the viewfinder. A lot of the shots guess and check (on the LCD) in manual mode and missed the mark.

#5 and #6 will never work unless you either use a split gradient filter or multiple exposures. With a split, #6 could have been awsome.

Any info on the slip gradient filter? I'll have to start playing with multiple exposures.

Thanks for the feedback, good stuff to think about.

 

[Geaux]

Any info on the slip gradient filter? I'll have to start playing with multiple exposures.

Thanks for the feedback, good stuff to think about.

Just play with one, the right one. Might want to so some reading online about the exposure triangle and what goes into making an exposure correct. Study, practice, study, practice lol.

#6 would have been such an awesome shot, had the exposure been better. Not sure why you shot at f/22 though. Just a tip, most lenses at f/22 lose their sharpness, f/11-14 would have sufficed just fine.

 

[Overread]

I might actually go against the grain here and say that I rather like 6 as it stands. The inky black sea and rocks might well be "underexposed" but I think it blends well with the correctly exposed red sun as it sets. Puts me in the frame of mind of something out of Lord of the Rings. I think that had you used a series of multiple exposures (varying the shutter speed whilst keeping ISO and aperture the same) and doing a tonemapped/hdr type affair you would have lost that appeal of the strip of red sky and lost it somewhat in the fore and sky components.
Sky might be the one area where this shot comes unstuck and I'm not honestly sure what to consider for there - maybe less sky so as to move the red bar off the middle?

 

[bazooka]

While I don't agree that there is a single "right" exposure, I do agree with Geaux that it's too soon for you to start messing with multiple exposures (if you ever do at all, it's not necessary). It's much easier and much less time consuming to use a filter.

Take a look at a kit like this Cokin Graduated Neutral Density Filter Kit CH250 B&H Photo Video . These are more filters than you'll probably need, but this is what you are looking for. You can get a filter holder, but then you have to mess with rings and adapters and possible vignetting in wide lenses, and you can't use a lens hood. I find it easier just to hold the filter in place (assuming you're using a tripod) or gaff tape it.

 

[Geaux]

While I don't agree that there is a single "right" exposure, I do agree with Geaux that it's too soon for you to start messing with multiple exposures (if you ever do at all, it's not necessary). It's much easier and much less time consuming to use a filter.

There is a only one correct exposure. Of course, photographers use different types of exposures that they feel fits the image better, but they still says "I overexposed for this look.... or underexposed purposely," but its the exposure they chose. I'm not saying there is only one RIGHT one to use, that's silly and I should have chosen my words better. I meant "Correct Exposure", instead of "Right Exposure".

 

[PrestonS]

Take a look at a kit like this Cokin Graduated Neutral Density Filter Kit CH250 B&H Photo Video . These are more filters than you'll probably need, but this is what you are looking for. You can get a filter holder, but then you have to mess with rings and adapters and possible vignetting in wide lenses, and you can't use a lens hood. I find it easier just to hold the filter in place (assuming you're using a tripod) or gaff tape it.

Those filters are cool. I'll look into those in the future. I was having trouble capturing the water/rocks/sunset without blowing out the areas of visible sky between the clouds. I was setting my exposure based on the sky but that left the water/rocks pretty dark.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[KmH]

You really would have benefited more if you had learned about the in the camera light meter by reading the D90 User's Manual. You would have also learned about the various light metering modes, focus modes, focus area modes, and other features and functions the D90 has available for you to use.

 

[PrestonS]

You really would have benefited more if you had learned about the in the camera light meter by reading the D90 User's Manual. You would have also learned about the various light metering modes, focus modes, focus area modes, and other features and functions the D90 has available for you to use.

Valid point. As I learn to appreciate the manual controls I should read up on everything in the User's Manual.

 

[MissCream]

:hug::Aussies

 

[SadiJ]

I really like #4. I like that these dogs look like they are watching the sunset, it tells me an interesting story. I like the texture of the brown dog's fur. You may be able to fix the exposure in Bridge.