HI! Beginner wanting some advice and direction.

_awhxo_ · Sep 6, 2012

Hi everyone,

If you can't tell, I'm very new to TPF. I love photography - have since I took my first class in high school. I have just recently picked up (well I am lucky enough to have been given it as a birthday gift from my partner) a Nikon D3000 w/ Kit lens 5 almost 6 years later to reconnect with photography.
I would love it if I could get some advice/direction/critique with my shots.. If anyone is willing to help me out.

Thank you in advance for taking the time out to help me on my journey!!

Okay, so I'm not sure how this works after I upload them, was thinking I could comment on the individual photos. I can't find how so..
These are a few of my favourites from my first, second, and third photo outings (so hard to pick). If I may recall right, I shot all these in AF and Auto mode (still learning how to use Manual and all the other features)
#1. Reverse Black and White of the #5.
#2. This was my favourite capture of the day. I have barely edited it.
#3. This was my fave photo of my camera's debut outing. Once again, barely edited it.
#4. Not much to say, advice anyone? Good? Bad? Really bad?
#5. The original of #1. I know the photoshop work on #1 is a little bad, but I just like to get a little creative.

Thanks again

xo

iPhoto17 · Sep 6, 2012

on the first one, i wouldve left it all in color, the selective coloring doesnt really work on this one, especially the black and white bits, theres not enough range of greys and darks and lights.

the ones that are in color are washed out and have harsh shadows

3 and 4 look promising if you edit or retake them more properly, the fence in 3 seems to be tilted to the right a little bit

hope that helps

paigew · Sep 6, 2012

#1) the reverse of black and white would be color

what you did is called 'selective coloring'. I personally do not care for selective coloring.

I would have liked to see #4 done with the background in focus rather than the foreground (fence). Gorgeous colors in that sky and field.

fotomumma09 · Sep 6, 2012

#2 is beautiful! Personally I am not a fan of selective colour. The others are pretty uninteresting to be honest but what do I know, still a newbie

JAC526 · Sep 6, 2012

I like the second one the most.

The contrast between the field and dark sky is really nice.

_awhxo_ · Sep 6, 2012

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I will take your advice and work with it. Thanks again

_awhxo_ · Sep 6, 2012

paigew said:
#1) the reverse of black and white would be color what you did is called 'selective coloring'. I personally do not care for selective coloring.

I would have liked to see #4 done with the background in focus rather than the foreground (fence). Gorgeous colors in that sky and field.

Thanks for correcting me on that lol. Me and my Noob-ness :blushing:.. Definitely were gorgeous colours to work with. Thanks again!

Nette · Sep 6, 2012

I like 2 and the 4 the color are great would be nice if the focus were not the fence.

_awhxo_ · Sep 6, 2012

A few people have mentioned that the image would have been more significant had the fence not been in focus. So it's not framed as well as the photo with the focused fence but it didn't quite catch my eye as much as the focused fence shot did. But I guess that is my untrained eye.. This again was shot in Auto and I have not edited this image whatsover. I am a little disappointed that the fence is not framed well, but hey - this is why I'm a beginner and can make these mistakes.
Thank all who have given me feedback - good learning curve for me!
x

Tarayn · Sep 6, 2012

#2 looks like a post card. That sky is so beautiful.

baanphukeaw · Sep 6, 2012

Very much like Figure 2. :lol:

Figure 5 focuses on the placement of key elements.

sleist · Sep 7, 2012

#2 is the strongest in my opinion, but should have been shot in landscape orientation. Additionally, there is significant pincushion distortion causing the post to look warped and tilted.

Selective coloring rarely works. Even when it does, most people dismiss it out of reflex. You also need to work on you B&W conversion technique based on the this image.
Nothing wrong with getting creative. That's how we learn. Just warning you what to expect as reaction.

The shot of the leaf is fine if a bit dull, but you really need to look for non-blemished foliage or flowers. Either that or clone out the dead spots. (photos of dead plants being the exception of course)

I get nothing from the 4th shot regardless of whether the fence is in focus or not. Nothing bad, but nothing of interest. 2 is much better.

Keep shooting

Rick58 · Sep 7, 2012

I really don't have anything additional to add. I'm too traditional for selective coloring. I never undestood its purpose. I would have really liked #2 but it leaves me wanting a purpose for the photo. Like a bird sitting on the post or even a mailbox...something

amolitor · Sep 7, 2012

#2 and #4 are excellent, and they are made excellent by choice of focus. They're photographs of the fence, against a semi-abstract background that could be anywhere. There's a strong idea here -- a fence between Me and Out There is a strong concept and you illustrate it well. #4 is a stronger version of the idea, but #2 has more appeal because you've got the visually interesting post and so forth in there. #2 but perhaps with a slice of post on one side of the frame would be potentially powerful, and a bit claustrophobic (which would be awesome!)

The others are not very interesting, although #3 is trying to be graphically strong, it's not quite making it. A little too busy, maybe? The colored bokeh on the bottom, the background, all compete with the simple graphical saddle shape of the leaf too much to make it work graphically for me.

sb5901 · Sep 7, 2012

I'm a beginner too. Also developed my passion years ago from a high school class. It's very interesting for me to see your shots and read the reply post because I seem to be shooting the same as you. Here's one I took today. Your second and last photos are great to me. To me, you have the eye, just need the practice (like me lol).