new and wanted some critiquing

[Elliehanna]

ok, I am new to the forum AND pretty new to trying to take good photos, I just got my 1st DSLR camera in February and have been working with a few tips some friends game me and have improved a lot but would love more tips (but the tips can't include buying a better lens since I don't have the money for much with a 3 member family and a dog on 1 income) anyhow because I am new you might need to explain to me in a dumbed down way so I understand, please work with me I am eager to learn!

I have a Canon Rebel T1i the stock lens and a 75-300mm 1:4-5.6 III and that is the lens I use most, I do wish I could find a fast focus at a reasonable price but I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend...anyhow on with the photos!

subject matter is my dog Goren because he is a camera ham and my baby could care less and often just goes the other way so I don't get photos of her lol

this 1st photo I like the angle of and everything, I wish more of him would have been in focus and do not know why it wasn't (if you want to know the specs I shot at I have them saved for each photo because of how the camera takes photos and can give you that just let me know)

Oh yea and these are all RAW, all I did was resize them to a more manageable size for uploading and add my watermark

[/URL] smaller 8407 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

I am limited on areas I can shoot at and so sorry for the busy backgrounds, I try to keep it as open as I can but I really don't have a location that works well yet (and if you see a background out of any of the fuller body shots that seems less cluttered tell me so I can try to stay facing that way when I shoot)

[/URL] smaller 8400 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

I posted this one in my intro but I want to post it here too

[/URL] smaller 8500 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

I think the lighting is off on this photo but it could be my angle

[/URL] smaller 8461 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

this is one where I do wish I had a smaller lens that was fast focus so I could have been above for the action or at least a better angle

[/URL] smaller 8444 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

this one I think I did really good on so please tell me the things that are wrong!

[/URL] smaller 8241 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

and other than not being low enough for the shot so the angle is off and not strait on I am not sure what is wrong with this one (oh and this one is not a location I can regularly shoot at, it was 150 miles away from home)

[/URL] smaller 8280 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

and one of me working on my action at me photos (since if I don't have a partner to work with my dog he will only do stay and come he wont run around like a normal dog lol) and I know this ones background is really cluttered, I want to know if there is a better way or an easy way to work on the focus when the subject is coming directly at you

[/URL] smaller 8022 by cowrunning, on Flickr[/IMG]

hope that is not to many to look through

 

[LouR]

These aren't raw, these are jpgs according to the EXIF. Raw images are generally not accepted by online sites because each camera manufacturer has its own version.
I also see you shot in Auto exposure and white balance. Your aperture was wide open, which probably should have been adjusted somewhat depending on the situation. The outdoor images with the dog should have been minimum f13 and maybe as high as f18. Your Rebel also has exposure value adjustment, which, if you need an open aperture, you can bring down to -1 at least to cut the sun's glare and keep from washing out the brighter portions. Hope that helps a little.

 

[PropilotBW]

Almost all of the posted photos have very distracting backgrounds. What's behind the subject is almost more important than the subject itself.

i don't agree with LouR. Your f/stop doesn't have to be that high. Shutter speeds would be significantly slower for moving dogs. F/8 to f/11 would give more detail in the face...something that first photo would have really benefitted from. (His ear and nose are both out of focus, but the eye is in focus. Confusing to the viewers eye).

 

[Elliehanna]

yea, I mean I havn't touched them up, I don't shoot in RAW because if I did my little 8 gig wouldn't hold to many photos (and I shoot upwards of 200 a shoot) and the way I have to transfer (yea I am enovative..I take my little kodak video camera and swap the card because I don't have a cord that will work for my camera and my computer) it doesn't like to transfer the RAW, I did it for a while but having to reset the little camera after every 10 photos was annoying me.

that does help a lot! I will try to shoot more tomorrow with that advice (in the same area)

I haven't messed with the exposure much, I will have to start messing with it!

that makes a lot of sense about the F stop, I will try to raise it when I am taking portrait style, typically I am around 5 for everything, but I will sure work with that since its a fast change without having to look at it if you can count

 

[PropilotBW]

Sorry, one more thing. Depending on who you ask, watermarks take away from the photo. I have used them in the past myself. I am indifferent about using them or not; HOWEVER, I don't care for the inconsistency of their placement in your photos...It's almost like you're trying to shove your name into the viewers face. Make it small and tucked away...otherwise it's ruining your subject.

 

[Elliehanna]

ok, that makes sense, I have been trying to put it where if you crop it the photo would look off if you tried to take the watermark away, I will change how I put the watermark though, and probably lighten it up

 

[deeky]

I think some of the best advice I've gotten on this subject is to learn to anticipate the shot. Watch the situation, watch the patterns of behavior, and be ready for the next time the desired shot comes around. Then have your camera pre-focused at about the distance you expect the subject to be. Using AF, point your camera at that distance and half-press your shutter button to focus it. When the shot is happening, the lens won't have to travel so far to find focus and will at least feel a little faster.

And for what it's worth, I wouldn't worry too much about the watermark. Here's how good they are at protecting your images. Took me all of 30 seconds to get rid of your watermark and about the same to make it not really mine (and I've never used the Text function in Elements before).


8622902066_9181fe3906_c1 by breckmiller, on Flickr

 

[Elliehanna]

yea I use the AF like that, I think I am just not that good yet I guess lol

good point about the watermark! I will just shrink it and move it to where its not so in your face

 

[LouR]

Almost all of the posted photos have very distracting backgrounds. What's behind the subject is almost more important than the subject itself.

i don't agree with LouR. Your f/stop doesn't have to be that high. Shutter speeds would be significantly slower for moving dogs. F/8 to f/11 would give more detail in the face...something that first photo would have really benefitted from. (His ear and nose are both out of focus, but the eye is in focus. Confusing to the viewers eye).

Judging by the amount of sunlight, f13 isn't that high, but f11 is good for clarity in faces and blur of background. When shooting outdoors, there's the old standby guideline of sunny-16, meaning start at f16 in bright sun and adjust up or down accordingly. Then set your WB at sun as well.
I do think the old man came out well and doesn't need anything. The baby has a stick coming out of her head, but it's still cute (as these shots usually are). It would just need some cropping in so she's not overtaken by the greenery.

 

[Elliehanna]

ok, sounds really good, I will be working with the F stop tomorrow for sure!

I also have another area I shoot in that sucks (HORRIBLE lighting) its my garage, I have a toy mounted to the wall for my dog and like to get shots of him working it but if I open the door he stops and wants to watch what is going on outside and I normally have to use my stock lens because he doesn't like me being to far away when he is playing with it. there are lights out there but they are like in any garage, very dull... I have a few photos with my flash of the area but I would love to not use the flash because it just washes out the detail, any ideas or am I kinda stuck because its action?

 

[KmH]

Watermarks? Raw files cannot be displayed online. I adjusted the white balance in #1 and straightened #2, and got rid of the watermarks in both. It spent about 45 seconds on each image.

 

[Elliehanna]

oh thanks, I am not good at editing at all, I have photoshop CS2 but I just use it to resize and put my watermark on, I wish I knew someone local that could teach me how to use it (or a video with someone actually talking, I have dyslexia and reading things on videos is annoying because I have to pause it constantly) but I haven't found one yet.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

For someone just starting out, your photos are excellent in my opinion. In addition to what other suggested, I would also adjust the colours a bit in post processing and make them pop more, perhaps a saturation and contrast adjustment.

 

[KmH]

There 100's of talking people Photoshop how-to video's on YouTube. I'm not sure how many are for CS 2 specifically.

 

[pixmedic]

if you already have CS2, you should definitely learn how to use it. even though it is an older version, you can still do good photo editing with it. you may want to also consider adding Adobe Lightroom. it is only $150 new.
your initial post said you were a new photographer (having gotten your DSLR in February) and I would say your pictures are pretty good for that experience level.
I think a hot shoe flash, when you can budget one in, will make the biggest difference for you gear wise as a new photographer. you can get some pretty decent flashes fairly cheap and learn to use them in manual mode. which isn't very difficult for flashes.
In subsequent posts though, you mention taking upwards of 200 pictures in a shoot, and your watermark suggests a photography business.
While this thread has managed to stay on track, I will give you a bit of new member forum advice. This advice doesn't apply to EVERYONE here,
but there is a trend for this sort of thing...

Since your watermark suggests a photography business, (which may or may not be the actual case) many people here will assume you are taking paid clients, (or looking to). This changes the criteria for the C&C from "casual or amateur" to "professional". a lot of people here base their criteria of professional as anyone who gets paid, and adjust their critique accordingly since the expectations of a professionals work will be higher.

If this is not the case for you, I would suggest either ditching the watermark, or just making it your name as to not confuse people.

for learning photoshop, try youtube, or local schools for Photoshop classes.