I need help/critique with my photos..

[MontanasMomma]

Here's 3 more that I have never gotten any critiquing on:



Nikon D3100: Sunset and Child on slide
Cell: Island in the middle of lake

 

[MontanasMomma]

I actually have that book coming to me by Saturday.

 

[The_Traveler]

There are multiple flaws and you don't see them.

Photography may be your creative outlet but, just like any art, one needs to get knowledge and develop skills.
Your pictures look like those of any novice where the camera is responsible for most of the exposing and focusing.

^again

 

[MontanasMomma]

Whats the easiest photoshop program to use for windows 8?

 

[astroNikon]

Whats the easiest photoshop program to use for windows 8?

the easiest and best are not the same

We have to ask if you use a RAW file format or a JPEG format

The RAW format will give you the best ability of modifying your exposure, WB, colors, etc.

I use Adobe Lightroom .. but it was a challenge to learn to use .. and I'm still learning how to use.

I think the journey you are on is longer than you think. Read up on the book and learn things step bu step instead of overwhelming yourself with so much to learn, comprehend and improve upon.
There's no one path though ...

 

[bribrius]

increase the contrast setting in your camera a couple notches and learn to adjust the exposure setting and white balance. learn to use the aperture for dof. might be a place to start. looking at the sunset pic it looks like a point and shoot took it and I imagine a 3100 can do better than that.
you can post process a lot of mistakes out but it wont help you take better photos or learn to take better photos it will just make it appear you are taking better photos than you are.
I would be tempted to say post processing is the last thing you need as it will make you lazier on learning to use the camera correctly and you will develop bad shooting habits. two cents, grain of salt.
im a novice not worth much.


edit:these really aren't THAT bad by the way. They could just be better. And I take my own advice. I purposely limit some of my post processing because I catch myself getting lazy taking shots thinking (I can just fix that in post) which really isn't a good attitude for a novice trying to learn. so I make myself "stuck" with some shots, it is what it is, even if I hate them so I remember to do them better next time, the first time. (not to mention I don't like pp anyway very much)

 

[ronlane]

Whats the easiest photoshop program to use for windows 8?

I would agree with astroNikon that those aren't the same, but for photographers, I would have to say that Lightroom would be the most user friendly of the Photoshop programs. It will allow you to do most of the editing that you would need to do.

 

[MontanasMomma]

okay I've downloaded a free trial of Lightroom 5 but I am confused on how to use it. is there a lasso selector tool like what I seen before?

 

[vintagesnaps]

Longer than you think - astroNikon, that's a realistic description of it. And what Lew said, these seem to have similar need for improvement as the first set, not all sharply in focus and exposure probably needed some adjustment (the one of the tunnel looks like it might be focused behind the little boy instead of on him).

There's more to it than can probably be explained in some posts here to learn how to set ISO etc. Every time you take a picture basically you have to set the camera for that particular situation (existing light etc.) although if the light isn't changing you might not need to adjust the settings as much. To compose images think about what you see in your viewfinder, if everything you see is what you want in your picture and is where you want it.

I don't do much photoshopping but I'm a longtime film photographer so probably learned how to get the photo I want in camera most of the time, so do minimal editing. There's potential in your photos, like a lot of things it will take a good bit of learning and practice to get good at it.

 

[The_Traveler]

okay I've downloaded a free trial of Lightroom 5 but I am confused on how to use it. is there a lasso selector tool like what I seen before?

There is an extensive help menu and lots of tutorials.
Slow down, learn things.
Learning tools to correct errors is the totally worst way to learn.
Understanding how a camera and its controls work then will allow you to manipulate, not only those controls, but the same factors in post processing.

 

[MontanasMomma]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I would rather get everything on film then in Photoshop.

 

[astroNikon]

okay I've downloaded a free trial of Lightroom 5 but I am confused on how to use it. is there a lasso selector tool like what I seen before?

Lightroom is difficult.
It's not a simple "photo editor"
but a work flow from import, to library to then editing your photo .. and that isn't as easy as the simple stuf out there. There's alot to learn from all the tools.
I learned one thing at a time .. first how to manipulate exposure, then whitebalance .. then I spread out fairly quickly after that.

of course my composition stinks but hey .. there's alot to learn


I think you are using "photoshop" as a generic term too. Photoshop is a specific software package offering alot of photo manipulation far beyond Lightroom.

 

[The_Traveler]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I would rather get everything on film then in Photoshop.

If you intend to be a good photographer there is no escaping actually learning how to use the camera and how to do post-processing.
Everything that a lab did before, out of your sight, is what you can do with digital images.

Expecting that your 'creative self' will overcome these hurdles just isn't going to happen.
Guaranteed.