New Photographer! Help!

Vagabond Photos · Jan 27, 2011

It seems like the hardest thing for a brand spanking new photographer to obtain is... Honest feedback. To be honest, I just love photography. I love looking at photography books and websites and reading about the greats. I absolutely love street photography and I wish I had the innate talent of Vivian Maier. It seems though that lately the only person actually looking at my photo blog and telling me what I'm doing wrong or right, is my father.
I've been traveling/backpacking for the last 5 months through Europe and I always have my Nikon D80 by my side. Every once in a while I feel happy with a shot, but it seems that once I get it on the internet I feel pretty deflated about it and everything just seems subpar. I'm 23 years old, I've had no training other than what I've read and I really want to learn.
Please help me improve my photography by giving me ideas on what I can change and by helping me get some real unbiased criticism! I have thick skin and I know I'm a beginner so don't worry about being too harsh with me. I hope someday I can take photographs that I don't get bored of by the time I post them hahaha..

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Griffith Jones

Photo Blog:
Griffith Jones Photography

Trever1t · Jan 27, 2011

Try posting one or two of your pics here for feedback.

Vagabond Photos · Jan 27, 2011

I guess I'm just not sure what to post.. Do you think not many people would be willing to make the journey to my blog there?

sierramister · Jan 27, 2011

Ask how to shoot a wedding or how to make tons of money and you'll get more than enough feedback :lol:

Vagabond Photos · Jan 27, 2011

Istanbul, Turkey

Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

Vagabond Photos · Jan 27, 2011

Hahahhah oh yeah? Gosh I guess thats the key then.. ok guys are these good wedding photos? Will they make me tons of money?

sixdaemonbag · Jan 27, 2011

edit: you did what I was suggesting while I posted it.

sixdaemonbag · Jan 27, 2011

Ok. So in the first one, it's not really very interesting, at least to me. B/W doesn't really seem to help it. Also seems like the focus is on the tree rather then on the women on the bench. There's nothing really wrong with it, just feels more like a random snapshot than a photograph. This is all so subjective it's difficult for me to tell you how to make it better from a composition standpoint, other than that you need to make people feel like they're involved in the scene, and this just doesn't seem to be doing it.

The second one is blown out. Some post processing adjustment to bring the white level down could help there. It's also hard to tell what the true vertical in that shot is. Not sure if it's lens distortion, camera angle, just the way the building is, or all of the above. I think I saw another of your shots that was centered around that door, and that's a better image all around. It eliminates a lot of the white and the strange lines, and simplifies the whole shot to something interesting and unique.

I'm sure you're going to get a lot more input than my meager views, but hopefully that starts you moving.

Vagabond Photos · Jan 27, 2011

Oh snap, I actually turned up the exposure in the second photo cuz I liked how It made me want to squint just like when I was there. As for the first one I like how they were all looking in one direction but with different expressions. I wish I had gotten closer though. Maybe I should post a couple more...