How Am I Doing? C&C Please!

[ElizabethRose]

Hi, I'v been taking a lot of pictures recently, and was wondering what everyone thought about them. I'm still fairly new to this, but I think I'm getting a little better. Just let me know what you think of these, thanks!

 

[UnderThePink]

#1 looks a little on the dark side....and the horizon seems to be a little crooked. #4 is a kind of cool concept, but something isn't right about the composition. The horizon seems also to be crooked. Just keep on eye out for keeping your horizon level =)

 

[NikonME]

I leveled the horizon, cropped to fix composition, and warmed it a bit (but keep in mind my lcd monitor is not calibrated) so this is just an idea...

 

[ElizabethRose]

Yeah I need to pay closer attention to making sure they are level.

Thanks! I like how you edited it, the warmth really changes the feel of the picture

 

[NikonME]

No problem. Keep shooting!

 

[BJF]

#3 is a interesting creative shot.

 

[gooberman]

#1 looks a little on the dark side....

I like the darkness of #1. I feel like it conveys sadness. Like there was a child there stacking rocks then he got swept into the ocean.

 

[KmH]

Some off camera light sure would have been nice. When you use strobed (flash) lighting, you can control the ambient light exposure separate from the strobed light exposure so you can retain more detail and saturation in the ambient light lit parts of the scene by under exposing them somewhat.

You can then use the strobed light exposure to separate your main subject from the ambient light making your subject 'pop' a bit better.

I did an edit to approximate that look:

 

[ElizabethRose]

Wow I really like that edit too! Nice job, ill have to remember that next time =)

 

[Lazy Photographer]

I like the second last one but it needs straightening. For my taste I would have done this one in black & white. To each his/her own, of course. Nice job.

 

[pgriz]

Keith, that's a pretty awesome edit!

 

[gina_d]

Well, it's easy enough to see which photos are getting the attention and capturing the interest of those commenting - the same two that caught my interest.

#1 Definitely looks better with the horizon straightened, however, I prefer the overcast feel of the original to the sunny and blue sky of Keith's edit. It seems to me leaving the sky and scaling back the edit on the rocks just a bit would strike the perfect balance.

#3 I happen to like this one just as it is. I like the tone and even the tilt of the horizon with the stacked rocks precariously balanced. I think it works. Yes, you'll almost always strive for a straight horizon. This time? It works for me.