My First C&C thread, be as harsh/constructive as possible

[quickdraw]

Hey guys, been browsing for awhile and finally picked up my first DSLR this week. This morning I got up and took my first set of pictures. Please C&C

Canon t3i
55-250mm lens
Manual Focus
*I didn't spend much time playing with all of the settings, I just wanted to work on focus and, well, since it was my first time I just wanted to snap some pictures!

1. one of my apt decorations

2. sunrise

3. (thistle flower)

4. (wanted this for a PS texture)

 

[quickdraw]

Yikes, I didn't notice all the extra junk in the foreground of the sunrise picture until I posted it...

Should also mention that I haven't done any post-camera production on these. I really wanted people to c&c based on the picture itself before it gets dressed up.
TIA!

 

[tirediron]

C&C per req:


1. Looks to me like you made a very concious effort to follow the "rule" of thirds. This is one of those cases when you don't really want to follow that rule; after all, why have over half of your frame empty? In general, when shooting subjects like this, you do want to move them off-centre, but not at the exense of wasting so much of your frame. Additionally, the dynamic range is rather extreme, using a refelector to bring some light around to the back would have allowed you to increase your exposure, avoiding the blown highlights, and have more detail in the rest of the image.


2. I like this; I think that it would have ben even better had you used a flash to put a bit of light on the foreground however. There is some detail visible, but I don't think a little more would hurt. Alternatively, you could reduce the exposure on the corn and render it as a silhouette.


3. Nothing really wrong with it, but not terribly interesting IMO.


4. Not sure what this is; condensation on a window? There are some interesting patterns, but I think you needed to zoom/crop more tightly on the middle area so that the exposure was even.


Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.


~John

 

[The_Traveler]

Yikes, I didn't notice all the extra junk in the foreground of the sunrise picture until I posted it...
TIA!

Isn't that like mailing a letter saying that you forgot to put the check in before you sealed it?

Should also mention that I haven't done any post-camera production on these. I really wanted people to c&c based on the picture itself before it gets dressed up.
TIA!

I don't really care what the camera did; I want to know how you wanted the picture to come out.
When you post a finished picture then everything you hear will be new to you.

 

[tirediron]

I don't really care what the camera did; I want to know how you wanted the picture to come out. When you post a finished picture then everything you hear will be new to you.

I missed this first time 'round - very true and very important. Posting unprocessed images is much like a sculptor showing his work before he's got the legs carved.

 

[quickdraw]

C&C per req:


1. Looks to me like you made a very concious effort to follow the "rule" of thirds. This is one of those cases when you don't really want to follow that rule; after all, why have over half of your frame empty? In general, when shooting subjects like this, you do want to move them off-centre, but not at the exense of wasting so much of your frame. Additionally, the dynamic range is rather extreme, using a refelector to bring some light around to the back would have allowed you to increase your exposure, avoiding the blown highlights, and have more detail in the rest of the image.


2. I like this; I think that it would have ben even better had you used a flash to put a bit of light on the foreground however. There is some detail visible, but I don't think a little more would hurt. Alternatively, you could reduce the exposure on the corn and render it as a silhouette.


3. Nothing really wrong with it, but not terribly interesting IMO.


4. Not sure what this is; condensation on a window? There are some interesting patterns, but I think you needed to zoom/crop more tightly on the middle area so that the exposure was even.


Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.


~John

good feedback. Thanks

Yikes, I didn't notice all the extra junk in the foreground of the sunrise picture until I posted it...
TIA!

Isn't that like mailing a letter saying that you forgot to put the check in before you sealed it?

Should also mention that I haven't done any post-camera production on these. I really wanted people to c&c based on the picture itself before it gets dressed up.
TIA!

I don't really care what the camera did; I want to know how you wanted the picture to come out.
When you post a finished picture then everything you hear will be new to you.

I don't really care what the camera did; I want to know how you wanted the picture to come out. When you post a finished picture then everything you hear will be new to you.

I missed this first time 'round - very true and very important. Posting unprocessed images is much like a sculptor showing his work before he's got the legs carved.

My thought was I need to get a good start before I worry about processing and finishing touches. But i see what your are saying... the snapshot is just one part of the final product.

Thanks.

 

[The_Traveler]

It is much more valuable to you if you look at the picture before you post it, decide what is wrong with that and fix it if you can, then post it with an explanation of what you think is good.

Your photography won't get better until you exercise your artistic judgement.

 

[bazooka]

I think that you have a good eye when i see #1... you see how the light direction, shape, and intensity create this image, not so much the subject. Personally, I like the dead space. I do not, however, like seeing the edge of the table in the corner. Without that, the illusion would be that it is on an endless wooden plane, secluded. With the edge visible, I realize that it's just a table... nothing special.

On a technical note, it is overexposed. The details are blown out on the shells. If you shot in RAW, this is an easy adjustment. Don't think Post processing as adding salt to a bad dish to make it palatable. Think of post processing as the cooking process that brings out the true flavor. It allows you to transform the scene as the cold, soul-less electrical sensor saw it into how you saw it in person with your eyes and with your mind.

Keep at it, I think you're doing well.