New dslr and lens C&C

[prowland]

I just got my first DSLR and have been messing around in the aperture priority mode as I don't know how to do full manual yet.

D5100 with 50mm f/1.8

I am distracted by the line in the concrete... but what do you think other than that?

Thanks for looking!

 

[bazooka]

It's an awkward composition for me... it seems like a sharp, floating head on top of an out of focus background... I can imagine it being a screensaver with the head bouncing around (waiting for it to bounce perfectly into a corner, but it never does, even when it looks like it will...). I think you'd be better off getting down and shooting at eye level so the dogs head isn't at such a steep angle with little visible support.

Also, be careful shooting at 1.8 with that lens, it tends to be really soft wide open.

 

[KmH]

Did you know you can turn the camera 90° and change to a vertical framing?

For dogs, kids,and other small subjects, get down to, or slightly below, their level.

What line in the concrete?

A crop to correct the not needed space in the horizontal framing, corrected the under exposure (added a full stop), added some Clarity in ACR, did a little editing on the eyes, and made the pooch, not the floor, the star of the show:

 

[prowland]

Thanks for the replies!

I am going to mess around more shooting the dogs and my son in the next few days and will try out getting on the ground.

Also I was shooting in the 1.8 so I could get the blur in the background. What do you mean by soft?

I need to get some editing software... whats best for a Mac?