New amateur photographer here, searching for advice

[bass_lover1]

I consider my self an amateur, just doing this stuff for fun but maybe one day as a job. Anywho I'm looking for some advice.

Taken with a Nikon D40x and Sigma 18-50, Aperture: 3.5, Shutter:1/30, EXP: -0.3.

I want some opinions on what you feel would make this a better shot. I'm still trying to learn some of the more advanced functions here but I'm getting the hang of it.

For one, I know the ISO was a bit high (1000) so it's slightly grainy, and the whole shot has a very red hue to it. I'm guessing the paint on the walls caused it, but how would I go about compensating for that on the camera, or is that something that should be taken care of post processing?

Also, I was attempting to catch the water drop without any blur, more light next time I suppose.

BTW, nothing was done to this, just uploaded straight to Picasa off the SD card.

Thanks for the help.

 

[oldmacman]

1- Simplify the background, especially if you are trying to emphasize the drip.
2- Correct the yellow cast.

 

[bass_lover1]

1- Simplify the background, especially if you are trying to emphasize the drip.
2- Correct the yellow cast.

Yes, I was trying to make the focal point the water drop, but there wasn't enough light or I didn't compensate correctly, and it was kind of blurry. Plus now that I'm studying it more closely the drop falls directly in front of a book, so it seems to make it look worse.

They yellow I think was caused by the red walls, plus the light in the kitchen has that hue to it in the first place. Guess I need to fiddle with the white balance/saturation/hue a bit before I call the shot "done."

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Bryce]

The yellow is from the white balance not being set for the shot.

 

[oldmacman]

Here's a water shot one of my students took. I told them to put a solid colour behind the water flow and get as close to the drop as possible. The most solidly coloured thing she could find was a Lays chip bag. You can see some letters refracted in the droplet. I thought that was kind of cool.

 

[IceEateer]

1. White balance off.
2. Awkward Composition. Keep studying!
3. Focus is on the water drip and the dish soap on the left.
4. Busy background takes away from drip.

I tried my best to make it better in lightrom with all of that into consideration, but post processing can only do so much. Keep on taking shots.

 

[bass_lover1]

1. White balance off.
2. Awkward Composition. Keep studying!
3. Focus is on the water drip and the dish soap on the left.
4. Busy background takes away from drip.

I tried my best to make it better in lightrom with all of that into consideration, but post processing can only do so much. Keep on taking shots.

Yes, I really need to keep studying. My focus was on the water drop, how did it not click that the dish soap being in focus throws off the emphasis of the water?

Thanks for the helpful tips.