Hi. New and Need Help. Thankyou!

[new photographer]

Hi there!
I just want to get your opinions on some photos.
I'm just starting out.
Im using a Olympus T-110, Which is good but it could be better.
I have it set to Auto White Balance which seems to work fine.
I have it set to ISO auto as well.
I either have my camera on macro or super-macro constantly as I think it makes better images. Please tell me what u think

 

[adversus]

Would be glad to. But there's no photos here

 

[new photographer]

Would be glad to. But there's no photos here

how embarrassing! LOL I added the photo after I posted the question. I don't know how to upload straight to the thread so I put it in my album then paste with link?? :/

 

[DogGoneGood]

The white balance seems off to me. The photo is out of focus, and the colors are faded, which isn't good for capturing the vibrant colors of flowers.

Your profile says your photo's are okay to edit, so I adjusted the contrast and saturation a little, as well as sharpened it a bit. With flowers, you want to get them sharp and in focus, so that you can see the detail.

 

[new photographer]

The white balance seems off to me. The photo is out of focus, and the colors are faded, which isn't good for capturing the vibrant colors of flowers.

Your profile says your photo's are okay to edit, so I adjusted the contrast and saturation a little, as well as sharpened it a bit. With flowers, you want to get them sharp and in focus, so that you can see the detail.

I love that!
Thankyou very much!!!
With this type of photo would it look better in colour or black and white background flower coloured?
Do you think any settings on my camera may be wrong since it comes out so dull, or was it due to poor lighting (I did it outside lol)

 

[adversus]

Neat flower. I like the color composition, the bright pink against the dull brown grass.

Seems you missed the focus though. Doesn't seem as sharp as it could be. The colors are also a bit dull, the pink should pop a bit more in my opinion. Not bad for a start though!

I recommend picking up the book Understand Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

 

[DogGoneGood]

Doing the background black and white, with the flower colored, is called selective coloring, and it's typically frowned upon. Mainly because it makes most photo's appear cheesy, however in certain situations, selective coloring has its place and actually works. However, in most cases, it doesn't. For this picture, I don't think it'd work too well, to be honest.

If you set the white balance to auto, try changing it around. For my outside photo's, I typically set it on "Cloudy" for a warmer, more natural color. However, you can adjust the white balance and other details in photo programs such as Photoshop. If you don't have photoshop, you can download a free, but very useful, photo editing program called Gimp. Just google Gimp and it'll come up. I have Photoshop, but still use Gimp for some things as well.

Also, was it a cloudy day when this photo was taken? Bad outdoor lighting can also cause poor results on photo's.

 

[new photographer]

Neat flower. I like the color composition, the bright pink against the dull brown grass.

Seems you missed the focus though. Doesn't seem as sharp as it could be. The colors are also a bit dull, the pink should pop a bit more in my opinion. Not bad for a start though!

I recommend picking up the book Understand Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

Ok thankyou I will look into that. I always have a problem with focus, I do understand the concepts behind it but my camera never seems to be capable of focusing? I must be doing something wrong?
I just changed my shutter speed could that have been the problem?

 

[new photographer]

Doing the background black and white, with the flower colored, is called selective coloring, and it's typically frowned upon. Mainly because it makes most photo's appear cheesy, however in certain situations, selective coloring has its place and actually works. However, in most cases, it doesn't. For this picture, I don't think it'd work too well, to be honest.

If you set the white balance to auto, try changing it around. For my outside photo's, I typically set it on "Cloudy" for a warmer, more natural color. However, you can adjust the white balance and other details in photo programs such as Photoshop. If you don't have photoshop, you can download a free, but very useful, photo editing program called Gimp. Just google Gimp and it'll come up. I have Photoshop, but still use Gimp for some things as well.

Also, was it a cloudy day when this photo was taken? Bad outdoor lighting can also cause poor results on photo's.

Thankyou love, I already have Gimp. When I say I'm new to this, I mean im new to doing professional photos. There is alot more to think about.
and sorry yes it was a cloudy day, very close to raining in fact. I took it today lol It is now pouring down.

 

[adversus]

I'm not familiar with Olympus' products, but a quick search shows your camera is a point and shoot. This will (usually) limit your ability to manually change settings like shutter speed, ISO, aperture, white balance, focus points, etc.

Not saying a point and shoot is bad, but as a tool, they have their limitations. That said, there's nothing wrong with using a point and shoot. The same composition concepts apply.

 

[new photographer]

I'm not familiar with Olympus' products, but a quick search shows your camera is a point and shoot. This will (usually) limit your ability to manually change settings like shutter speed, ISO, aperture, white balance, focus points, etc.

Not saying a point and shoot is bad, but as a tool, they have their limitations. That said, there's nothing wrong with using a point and shoot. The same composition concepts apply.

Ok thankyou.
If you could recommend a cheap professional camera what would you recommend

 

[adversus]

Cheap and Professional don't generally go in the same sentence

A professional camera from Nikon or Canon will set you back between $2700 - $8000. A "pro-sumer" or "serious hobbyist" camera will run between $1199-$1800.

Entry level DSLR's start at about $500-600 for the body, or $600-700 for a kit that include a lens. There are lots, and lots, and LOTS of threads here (and elsewhere on the internet) detailing beginning cameras that go beyond point and shoots.

This of course doesn't include lenses. Most people here will have spent more on lenses (by a factor of 3 or more) than camera bodies.

 

[new photographer]

What camera would you recommend

 

[new photographer]

Cheap and Professional don't generally go in the same sentence

A professional camera from Nikon or Canon will set you back between $2700 - $8000. A "pro-sumer" or "serious hobbyist" camera will run between $1199-$1800.

Entry level DSLR's start at about $500-600 for the body, or $600-700 for a kit that include a lens. There are lots, and lots, and LOTS of threads here (and elsewhere on the internet) detailing beginning cameras that go beyond point and shoots.

This of course doesn't include lenses. Most people here will have spent more on lenses (by a factor of 3 or more) than camera bodies.

Oh wow. Ok. I was looking into a 1500 dollar Dikon camera that I like the look of.....

 

[WesternGuy]

Hi and welcome to the forum - I haven't been here that long either, but I find the advice I get here to be quite useful. I would agree with most of the advice you have been given. A few things for you to consider...you might want to pick up a copy of "Digital Photography for Dummies" - don't laugh, when I moved from film to digital about 5 years ago, my wife bought me a copy and it was a great present on her part. It has a very good section on choosing your digital camera plus chapters on a lot of other things you should know and think about. Please don't rush out and buy a camera that you "like the look of"... You might also have a look at this site - Canon EOS Beginners' FAQ II - Cameras - it is aimed at Canon cameras (I'm a Canon guy), but a lot of the questions are of a general nature and can be applied to any make and model of any camera and it will give you some things to think about. One thing to remember - once you have committed to a camera whether it is Nikon,Canon, Minolta, Sony, or whatever, you will be pretty well committed to it for a long time as it is very difficult and expensive to move from one brand to another - lenses are expensive for DSLRs and generally not interchangeable between brands. It ultimately comes down to a few simple questions - What type of photography do you want to do and how much money are you prepared to spend on your hobby - $1500 for a camera is just the start (and a lot to start out with) - then there are lenses and filters and flashes and more lenses and filters and then there is the software for your computer - you are currently using GIMP, I do not know anything about this product, except that it is free and I have seen a lot of good comments on it - will it meet your needs a year or 5 years from now - who knows, but if you decide to go to something else, e.g. Photoshop Elements or Lightroom, then more $$ and a learning curve...the second last bit of advice I would give you, is do your research (homework), after all it is your money you will be spending (my assumption). Last thought, if you do go out and buy a DSLR camera and accessories, then you might want to consider having it insured. I have an all risks, anywhere in the world rider on my homeowner's policy that covers my camera equipment 24-7 for anything from theft to loss to dropping in water, etc., etc.

Hope this helps a bit. I wish you the best as you pursue your new hobby.

Cheers,

WesternGuy