Getting started in photography! Feedback please!!

tHarpKS · Dec 17, 2011

Hello everyone,

Just found this site, and excited to start getting feedback and improving my photography skills (if I have any that is

). My name is Thomas, and I'm an avid shooter and weapon ethusiasts and shoot in competitions when ever I have the time. Therefore, firearms are probably my biggest inspiration, as well as the Military and Law Enforcement. I have another year left in college, but plan on being hired on as a Police Officer once I graduate, and have ALWAYS wanted to be a Law Enforcement Officer. I took this pictures yesterday and then used Lightroom to edit them some... even though I'm still learning A LOT about what my camera can do, as well as the program.

Please let me know what you think of these photos!

Thanks!!

Majeed Badizadegan · Dec 17, 2011

#1 It appears you used a flash on the first shot. The flash did not adequately light the subject as the barrel fades into darkness and loses detail. Additionally a hardwood floor is not an interesting background in most scenarios. I'd rather see a different background, (possibly an all white studio backdrop). The focus looks fine.

#2 This shot as a whole is underexposed. A lot of detail in the weapon is lost as result of the underexposure. The depth of field is peculiar as well. It appears the focus is on the carpet illuminated by the light. Since your main subject is the gun here, it doesn't work that the carpet is the only thing in focus.

tHarpKS · Dec 17, 2011

Rotanimod said:
#1 It appears you used a flash on the first shot. The flash did not adequately light the subject as the barrel fades into darkness and loses detail. Additionally a hardwood floor is not an interesting background in most scenarios. I'd rather see a different background, (possibly an all white studio backdrop). The focus looks fine.

#2 This shot as a whole is underexposed. A lot of detail in the weapon is lost as result of the underexposure. The depth of field is peculiar as well. It appears the focus is on the carpet illuminated by the light. Since your main subject is the gun here, it doesn't work that the carpet is the only thing in focus.

Thanks for the feedback! I totally agree that the carpet is the only real thing in focus on the second picture. I was having a hard time getting the auto-focus to work in the flash. I probably should've used manual focus.

Also, I used the flash because I was inside and there was not enough light. Thats the biggest thing I'm learning is that you need a lot of light to make the pictures work unless you change the aperture... which I'm still learning how to do that. That's why i wanted to post on this site! So I can learn from people who know what they are talking about and are willing to share their tips and critique photos!

Thanks again.

Thomas

photo guy · Dec 17, 2011

Poor coloring in #1 and #2 is not exposed enough. Nice weaponry though.

Derrel · Dec 17, 2011

1 looks like a direct, straight-ahead, on-camera flash shot...just not good lighting.

#2 desperately needs at least "some" detail on the slide and grip of the pistol...and the placement of it on the carpet??? Not a good "message".

Trever1t · Dec 17, 2011

Take #1 subjects and lay them on the flag, sand or some other relevant background. The wood floor detracts from the statement.

tHarpKS · Dec 17, 2011

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Tomorrow when it is sunny out, I want to take them out and lay them in the grass for pictures. That way I don't have to use flash and whatnot.

What do you think of this picture though? This one is just like #2, but with a different angle and better lighting effects.

KmH · Dec 18, 2011

Grass won't look very good. The key is to get the subject away from whatever the background is.

tHarpKS · Dec 18, 2011

KmH said:
Grass won't look very good. The key is to get the subject away from whatever the background is.

Thanks KmH!

bazooka · Dec 18, 2011

Notice how the only detail in the gun on #3 is the white writing. However, in #2 you did have a little detail even though it's even less exposed. This is because you bounced the light off the gun and into the camera. When shooting reflective objects, you aren't really shooting the object, but the reflection. So create a large light source (white wall, umbrella, softbox, etc...) and angle the gun/camera so that light source reflects off the gun and into the camera. The longer the focal length, the smaller the light source you can get by with given the same light-to-gun distance.

Joel_W · Dec 18, 2011

In the 1st picture your direct flash didn't evenly cover the entire length of the gun. Also the direct flash was way too strong as you can see from the reflection off the hardwood floor below the gun, compared to above the gun. There are settings to lower the intensity of the flash on just about every DSLR. Moving the main light sources slightly right or left would have given the gun more details. You could change the White Balance and use a lamp or lamps to work on lighting. Not as good as photo floods, but you will have a lot more control of the light.

ConradM · Dec 18, 2011

Hi fellow gun and photog enthusiast. :mrgreen:

Curious, what kind of camera are you using?

tHarpKS · Dec 18, 2011

Thanks for the tips bazooka and Joel_W... I see what you two are saying!

ConradM said:
Hi fellow gun and photog enthusiast. :mrgreen:

Curious, what kind of camera are you using?

I am using a Canon Rebel T3 with a UV filter. And hello to you too!

bazooka · Dec 18, 2011

Two examples to illustrate... not great photo's, but just for illustration.

In this example, notice how the only detailed part of the gun is the surfaces that have some texture. The smoother surfaces are basically a black void.

Arsenal by Tim Herschbach, on Flickr

Where as in this one, you can see the detail on the smooth surface because of the light (16" softbox) above the subject is reflecting directly off the gun (angled toward me) and right at the camera.

Just a Reminder by Tim Herschbach, on Flickr