Getting Back into Photography

[JWMatthews]

I used to have a Nikon Coolpix a few years ago. I am getting back into the hobby and came across a few photos. Wanted to know what you guys think. I just recently bought a Nikon D3200. Pretty sure the photos I took w/ the Coolpix were all on automatic setting.

The 1st photo was taken in NJ but the rest are in NC on the Appalachian Trail or Ponce Inlet in Florida. Are they good photos? What can I learn so that in the future if I were to go back to these same places, I'd produce better photos? Thanks!

 

[tirediron]

What is it that you don't like about these images? What do YOU feel that needs to be improved?

 

[Designer]

I think there's nothing inherently wrong with using "auto" if you're taking travel snapshots.

Most of these (and you have shown too many for a detailed C&C) are just that: Travel snapshots. Typically, most people center the main subject, and don't always get the best light on the subject. I suggest you work on composition (you can leave your new camera in "auto" for this) and finding better angles, better light, better balance, etc. Work on the finer points of exposure as you grow in the hobby.

 

[soufiej]

I used to have a Nikon Coolpix a few years ago. I am getting back into the hobby and came across a few photos. Wanted to know what you guys think. I just recently bought a Nikon D3200. Pretty sure the photos I took w/ the Coolpix were all on automatic setting.

The 1st photo was taken in NJ but the rest are in NC on the Appalachian Trail orView attachment 95974 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 Ponce Inlet in Florida. Are they good photos? What can I learn so that in the future if I were to go back to these same places, I'd produce better photos? Thanks!

Yep! Not much to say about shots taken on fully automatic functions. You knew which end went toward the subject. Composition needs work and variety. You used the lighting available to you when you had to keep moving. Nothing wrong with that but not much to talk about either unless we're discussing the area where you took your vacation. That, however, is a different forum.

Any particular reason you stopped taking photos?

Now that you have a nice camera, what's your plan for developing your skills?

What goals have you set for the next six months with your new camera?

 

[otherprof88 29]

I used to have a Nikon Coolpix a few years ago. I am getting back into the hobby and came across a few photos. Wanted to know what you guys think. I just recently bought a Nikon D3200. Pretty sure the photos I took w/ the Coolpix were all on automatic setting.

The 1st photo was taken in NJ but the rest are in NC on the Appalachian Trail orView attachment 95974 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 Ponce Inlet in Florida. Are they good photos? What can I learn so that in the future if I were to go back to these same places, I'd produce better photos? Thanks!

I think if you included more space around the primary subjects in your photos they would be much improved. Even though you are "focusing" on the towers, e.g., they seem cramped in the frame.

 

[weepete]

The one with the trees and fog is ok, you've got a little bit of framing and a nice leading line there. A little bit wider would have been nicer though I think.

I do notice that almost all of the other shots contain either foreground and mid ground or mid ground and distance or just midground. Having elements of foreground, mid ground and distance in some shots can make the shot a lot stronger

 

[vintagesnaps]

I rather like the one in the fog too. I think this is actually a pretty nice set.

I imagine you were somewhat limited by the camera you had. I'd suggest too that you think about how you're framing photos, your vantage point, what else in is the background, etc.

 

[JWMatthews]

I used to have a Nikon Coolpix a few years ago. I am getting back into the hobby and came across a few photos. Wanted to know what you guys think. I just recently bought a Nikon D3200. Pretty sure the photos I took w/ the Coolpix were all on automatic setting.

The 1st photo was taken in NJ but the rest are in NC on the Appalachian Trail orView attachment 95974 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 View attachment 95971 View attachment 95974 View attachment 95975 View attachment 95976 View attachment 95977 View attachment 95978 View attachment 95979 Ponce Inlet in Florida. Are they good photos? What can I learn so that in the future if I were to go back to these same places, I'd produce better photos? Thanks!

Yep! Not much to say about shots taken on fully automatic functions. You knew which end went toward the subject. Composition needs work and variety. You used the lighting available to you when you had to keep moving. Nothing wrong with that but not much to talk about either unless we're discussing the area where you took your vacation. That, however, is a different forum.

Any particular reason you stopped taking photos?

Now that you have a nice camera, what's your plan for developing your skills?

What goals have you set for the next six months with your new camera?

I stopped because I had lost my job and ended up selling it. I bought the new camera this week. As far as skills go, I want to learn how not to depend on auto focus and to be able to take landscape/nature photos. I live near the Everglades so there are tons of birds, flowers, alligators, thunderstorms, etc.

What do you mean when you say I had to keep moving?

 

[JWMatthews]

Yea I liked the fog photo best. It was on the trail in NC in the Smokies.

 

[Dave442]

I would say auto-focus is your friend, the D3200 is not an easy camera to use for manual focus when looking through the view-finder and most kit lenses have a focus ring that does not give a precise feel. Now setting exposure manually is a good idea in landscape photography, but the important part is to work on composition and to be able to draw the person in and around the image. I think the look the pictures have is that you walked up to or stopped at a point along the road and took the shot with that main subject right in the middle of the frame. If you see something in front of you then you can forget about that and start looking at everything else in the scene. If there is nothing interesting then go ahead and put the subject in the middle. The idea is just to remember that the camera is going to record everything in the frame, not just the subject you find interesting.

As you are near the Everglades, an exhibition I saw a couple years ago and is probably on display somewhere is that of Clyde Butcher. You have to see the exhibition as the images were made to be seen large. It is one way of looking at the Everglades and worth seeing, they also do photography walks in the swamps.

 

[JWMatthews]

Oh OK, I see what you are saying. That makes sense. I just Googled Clyde Butcher. He has some artwork at a museum near my house. I will definitely check it out.