New Photographer, Critique Needed :)

[CountMarkula]

Hey guys! New to photography and new to the forum. If you can took a little look at a couple of my photos and offer any kind of honest criticism, advice etc. Anything is appreciated! I'm still getting to grips with learning to use my camera and Lightroom. Thanks in advance.

 

[Designer]

#1 is good, but I think it's odd that there's a sign dead center, though.
#2 is better with good balance, line, texture, color.
#3 is only marginal to me because the people are a very tiny part of the composition, and then without people, the landscape is lacking good balance.

 

[CountMarkula]

Thank you, much appreciated. I agree about #1, I wish the sign wasn't there!

 

[The_Traveler]

IMO, both #1 & #2 are slightly overexposed.
And #2 is rotated a bit.

 

[CountMarkula]

Thanks bud.

 

[The_Traveler]

Hope a litle edit is ok

 

[Ysarex]

Your processing in LR needs work. Are you processing NEF files or camera JPEGs?

Recommend you steer clear of the Vibrance adjustment in LR. Vibrance is not a photographic property and what that adjustment does in LR should be considered a special effect (non-photographic). Above I straightened the horizon. Undid the Vibrance adjustment. And then adjusted overall brightness and contrast.

You've got some fairly pronounced CA in the photos (see below). You can correct that in LR under the Lens Corrections tab.

Joe

 

[CountMarkula]

View attachment 127059

Your processing in LR needs work. Are you processing NEF files or camera JPEGs?

Recommend you steer clear of the Vibrance adjustment in LR. Vibrance is not a photographic property and what that adjustment does in LR should be considered a special effect (non-photographic). Above I straightened the horizon. Undid the Vibrance adjustment. And then adjusted overall brightness and contrast.

You've got some fairly pronounced CA in the photos (see below). You can correct that in LR under the Lens Corrections tab.

Joe

View attachment 127061

Thanks for the reply. Processing camera JPEGs. I'm not sure what an NEF file is, to be honest!

 

[Designer]

Processing camera JPEGs. I'm not sure what an NEF file is, to be honest!

NEF files are the Nikon term for Raw files. For intense processing, it is usually better to start with the NEF (Raw) files because there is more digital information in those compared to the compressed JPG files. I have my camera set to capture both at the same time.

 

[CountMarkula]

Processing camera JPEGs. I'm not sure what an NEF file is, to be honest!

NEF files are the Nikon term for Raw files. For intense processing, it is usually better to start with the NEF (Raw) files because there is more digital information in those compared to the compressed JPG files. I have my camera set to capture both at the same time.

Ahhh ok. Thanks, I'll do some reading up on this.

 

[PersistentNomad]

NEF files are the Nikon term for Raw files. For intense processing, it is usually better to start with the NEF (Raw) files because there is more digital information in those compared to the compressed JPG files. I have my camera set to capture both at the same time.

Once I found about about the capability of shooting RAW, I never went back to JPEG. I also never understood the reason behind shooting NEF+JPEG, care to explain why you do?

Also, I think the compositions of 1 and 2 are strong, but the composition of 3 could use just a little extra sky space above the mountain peaks; they look squeezed in. I disagree with Ysarex on avoiding the Vibrancy; to me that is an artistic, stylistic choice if a photographer wants to be purist. Vibrancy is a great way to bump up color without moving the saturation to unrealistic realms.

 

[Ysarex]

Processing camera JPEGs. I'm not sure what an NEF file is, to be honest!

NEF files are the Nikon term for Raw files. For intense processing, it is usually better to start with the NEF (Raw) files because there is more digital information in those compared to the compressed JPG files. I have my camera set to capture both at the same time.

Ahhh ok. Thanks, I'll do some reading up on this.

Here's some reading.

Joe

 

[Designer]

I also never understood the reason behind shooting NEF+JPEG, care to explain why you do?

For some shots, I just use the JPG. It's faster and easier than a full-blown edit for the shots that are simply family snapshots.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

Great work. I like them all. Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me I think the first one is suffering from some lens distortion, the horizon looks curved, you can fix that easily in lightroom under lens correction I believe it is.