Munsinger Gardens

timberwolf5480 · Aug 23, 2009

Looking for some critiques for my photos. I am a beginning photographer, I know about the rule of thirds, but I am still learning. Anyways, these pics were taken with a point and shoot camera, I am waiting to get a DSLR in November. Thanks!

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katielee · Aug 23, 2009

I can tell these were taken with a point and shoot camera, they definitely look like snapshots. (Of course I'm right there with you stuck with the p&s and waiting for the dslr, haha) But, even with a point and shoot you really need to make sure that what you are shooting is a) in focus, and b) just I suppose pleasing to look at.

*WARNING! Super long post ahead *

#1 Isnt a bad picture! I think its one of the better of these. Its pretty much in focus, although the colors seem to be a bit dull. If I were you I would get some photo editing software (if you are looking for little to no money spent, I would try Gimp. Its pretty easy to use after you play around a bit) and see if you can play with the contrast and saturation a bit to make those colors more vibrant. Do that, and I think it would be a much better picture.

#2 Again not a bad picture, but not great. The colors of the flowers are very nice, although the person in the orange shirt behind the fountain is a bit distracting and not a good thing to have in that sort of picture. And although the flowers have good color I feel like the rest is really lacking. Oh and, your sidewalk is off center. I realize that the rule of thirds can call for things to be off center, but I dont believe this is off center enough to apply to that rule. It just looks sort of like it was a mistake that it wasnt center.

#3 I like the colors of the water in the fountain and some of the flower colors, but some of the stones on the left and right edges seem to be a little blown out color wise. Because of that, it lacks detail and dimension. Also something to keep in mind, and this is just personal opinion mostly, try not to cut off the trees and bench halfway on the edges of the image. I would say either have them all the way in or all the way out. Although the tree thing is my personal preference, cutting off the right side of the fountain is a no no.

#4 Wouldn't be a bad picture, if it was in focus. IMO, your focus in this image should be on the red (for lack of a better word coming to mind) clump thing in the middle, which I notice that the part of the image that is in focus seems to sorta be the top two petals on the left side. Sometimes with a point and shoot it just isn't practical to try to get up that close to an object and expect it to be in focus. I know the best I can do for focusing on my dinky Sony cybershot p&s is to lightly press the capture button at the top (again I dont know an officail name for it, but the button you press to take a picture [gosh I'm losing at finding words today!]) which depending on how short or how long i hold it, it refocuses the image. But again, it doesn't always work.

#5 Like I said on number three, try not to cut off the side of your main subject, the fountain. Also if possible when shooting, try to avoid getting powerlines in the shot. I also think it would look a bit nicer with the cars in the background gone, but thats not something you can control except to change the angle you take your pictures at. And another personal preference, I'm not loving the flowers on this one, just because they look kind of scraggley and like weeds. It distracts the focus from the fountain.

#6 I just dont really get this picture. I guess its okay, but the pieces of bush in the front of the image that arent in focus at all are kind of distracting. I also find it strange that while the front parts of that bush were out of focus, you managed to get the bottom left corner better focused... Either way, the picture I think is kind of boring.

#7 I definitely think this is your best picture out of these 8! The colors are nice, and most everything seems to be in focus. The flower is offset slightly, but I think its enough not to be mistaken as just an accident for being off center like in #2. I love the colors in the flower, and I'm glad the bee (that is a bee right!?) is in focus as well! I think it wouldnt have been as great of a picture if you had tried to just focus on the bee over the flower, rather than the image as a whole, so good job with that! I cant find a whole lot of negatives to this photo except (more personal preference) it might have been nice to be a little closer into the flower to make the bee's fur like back sharper and more focused, but I think with a point and shoot if you had gone in closer you would have lost focus and it wouldnt be as nice. So good job!

#8, Personally its just not the best picture. The person seems to be blurry, and out of focus, and the shadow on him just isn't pleasant. Also the lightpole seems to be leaning, which is either because it is leaning naturally, or because your image is tilted slightly downward to the right. For me I dont really see the point of this picture...

Overall, If I think you need to work on these a bit more. I dont know if you have a photo editing program, but if you dont I would suggest finding one (free or otherwise, they all edit. And as a beginner I would definitely suggest Gimp until you get used to everything. I know for me when I got photoshop I was way overwhelmed at first, so I took a step or two back and got used to a simpler program first). Then once you get yourself aqainted with that, I would try playing around with the first few fountain pictures and try making those colors brighter but dont over saturate them. And you said that you know the rule of thirds, but personally I dont feel like a lot of your pictures displayed your knowledge of that. But keep at it! Practice makes Perfect!
Oh and sorry if I came off harsh on any of that, but I think this way you know what you need to improve on and that way you can become a better photographer, and thats whats important!
Good luck!

-Katie

timberwolf5480 · Aug 24, 2009

If I were you I would get some photo editing software (if you are looking for little to no money spent, I would try Gimp.

Yeah, I have photoshop and know how to use it, right now, I am just trying to learn about photography as a beginner. I do plan on doctoring some of these images up a little in photoshop, but right now I am focused on taking good pics.

I can tell these were taken with a point and shoot camera, they definitely look like snapshots. (Of course I'm right there with you stuck with the p&s and waiting for the dslr, haha) But, even with a point and shoot you really need to make sure that what you are shooting is a) in focus, and b) just I suppose pleasing to look at.

Yes, this is an 8MP point and shoot Canon SD1100 IS camera, and its not even mine! I do have a Kodak Easyshare 2MP camera(OLD!!), I am planning on getting a DSLR in November, and CAN'T WAIT!! I am by no means a professional, but this is what I have to work with right now, and yes, AF drives me nuts on all these point and shoot cameras, I haven't seen a manual focus yet......

And you said that you know the rule of thirds, but personally I dont feel like a lot of your pictures displayed your knowledge of that. But keep at it! Practice makes Perfect!

Thats pretty much all I know right now, still learning!!