New Guy!

Bouke · Apr 13, 2012

Hi, I did a small amount of 35mm slr work when I was in elementary school, but I decided to pick up a dslr and start the fun again. I would appreciate some critique on a few of my favorite first pictures. Also some advice in how to ethically post process. Do I need to comment whenever a pick is post processed. I shoot in RAW and do some small tweaking in iPhoto, and photoshop, never changing composition or adding elements. Only fixing contrast etc... Thanks!

I'm mostly into nature right now, I plan on eventually trying to get some wildlife shots.

(ISO 100, 75-300mm 240 mm f/40 1.0")

(ISO 100 75-300mm 170mm f/40 1/2")

(ISO 100 75-300mm 300mm f/45 2.0")

(ISO 100 18-55mm 55mm f/10 1/10")

Thanks again!

LuckySe7en · Apr 13, 2012

Hey welcome, very nice photos! I don't shoot landscape so I can't critique on much other than I really like #2 even with that blinding light.

zamanakhan · Apr 13, 2012

you've got a good eye, and i am no landscape photographer but i think your pictures would benefit from focusing on one subject. for the first 3 pictures, if the subject is the stream and rocks, try to get the branches out of the shot. The branches are very distracting and dont add anything to the final image. The first image lacks contrast and a clear theme, maybe try incorporating a bit of the sky along with it? the 2nd has too much contrast and almost looks over processed and blinding, the flare is distracting as well. 3rd again, branches are distracting, if you want a shot with branches in them, perhaps trying to make it look like you are lookng at the stream through the forest why not use the branches on either side to frame the picture?

Your 3rd picture could benefit from a graduated filter or if that is too specialized or expensive you always *gasp* hdr, the reason i say this is because the sky is COMPLETELY blown out and takes away from the image. The last image is DEFINATELY the composed the best, There are just a few things that could make it even better, such as the filter or hdr, and lastly if this is a place you live close to COME BACK IN THE SPRING it has to look awesome when all the trees are green and not completly dry and dead.

jwbryson1 · Apr 13, 2012

Why are you shooting at f/40?

DiskoJoe · Apr 13, 2012

What do you mean by ethically post process? Do you mean to obtain a natural look?

KmH · Apr 13, 2012

Unless you are documenting some for editorial purposes, you can do whatever image editing you fancy.

Bouke · Apr 13, 2012

jwbryson1 said:
Why are you shooting at f/40?

This is when I learned shooting in direct sunlight isn't the best thing to do

. I found the spot with about 50 mins to sunset, so I had some time to kill. I was shooting f/40 because I was messing around with water effects at slower shutter speeds. I know small apertures have a negative effect on focus, more is in focus, but not as sharp as f/8 or f/11 I can definitely see an unwanted blurriness even if slight in my photos at high aperture numbers.

When I referred to ethically processing my photos I was thinking in terms of photo contests and such. I have a long way to go before I think about entering anything, but I'm a complete noob and am curious about what people will accept as still being a photograph instead of something else. thanks for the tips.

Here is me messing around with some post processing. I know this particular picture is over processed, but I'm just playing with some of the features in photoshop (which I've always used for digital painting until now.)