My First Pics..Any Comments Welcomed.

[Jonnieola]

I am a total newbie with a Nikon P500 Bridge camera. It will have to suffice until A) I know what I'm doing and B) I can afford a DSLR. Until then I'll do my best with the Nikon bridge. And to be honest THAT is taking some mastering!

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[Jonnieola]

And I appear to have shrunk them down to much when I jpegged them...

 

[Jonnieola]

First pic. Exposure time 1/200th ISO 160. Focal length 23mm. Max aperture 3.5. Metering mode. Pattern. Don't know if that helps you.
Second pic Exposure time 1/1250th ISO 160 Focal length 8mm. Max Aperture 3.5 . Metering mode Pattern. I've just been plaing around with the camera trying it out.

 

[Bossy]

I think the concept is nice, and the compositions are interesting, but something went wrong along the way, there's like waves(?) everywhere, and the exposures aren't really great (blown out ocean).

 

[Jonnieola]

The original pics are 4 meg and shrinking them down to 300k hasn't done them any favours. I shot them from an open window in a hotel bedroom. No tripod didn't help. I'm guessing the ship was a mile away in the first pic. What settings would have helped? As I said, I'm a total newbie and didn't know what an ISO was till Saturday. It is very much trial and error at the moment.

 

[Bossy]

Are those original uneditted? You shouldn't need a tripod at 1/200th and 1/1250. And your ISO is fine at 160. The size shouldn't matter, particularly relative to shrinking the image, I reduce 18mb images to websize all the time.

 

[Jonnieola]

Are those original uneditted? You shouldn't need a tripod at 1/200th and 1/1250. And your ISO is fine at 160. The size shouldn't matter, particularly relative to shrinking the image, I reduce 18mb images to websize all the time.

They have been cropped. No editing. I'm not pro enough for that. I was leaning out of a hotel window which wasn't the best but it looked too nice a shot not to try. I took about 20 trying different settings. Just playing with the camera (Week old).

 

[bigtwinky]

..... No editing. I'm not pro enough for that.....

Hogwash.
Anyone can edit. I'm a huge believer in getting it right in camera and limit your editing...compose, expose in camera. But editing can lift a picture to a higher level.
Even basic editing like contrast and such can make a difference. You don't need to be a photoshop guru.

 

[Jonnieola]

I could tweak them a bit but these haven't been. I was more interested in the actual photos rather than the editing. All I did was crop the one as it was out of kilter. But apparently the sea has too many waves...which I must admit has lost me as I'm a beginner and haven't much idea but I'm guessing it was the focus?

 

[Austin Greene]

Just an FYI, the camera does not make the photographer. In fact, there are some great photographers on these forums who shoot point and shoot cameras either exclusively, or have yet to buy a DSLR. One of the only advantages a DSLR offers you is the ability to expand your techniques. You can have the nicest camera in the world, but if you lack knowledge and technique, its nothing but a chunk of plastic in your hands. Focus on the basics