New to forum and New to DSLR

[jlcrane]

Hi all! I just recently got a Nikon D3000... and I'm hoping I can learn more here! I have to admit that upgrading to a DSLR is a little on the over-whelming side, but I'm loving how much better my pictures are even with little technique yet!

C/C welcome and needed!

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I hope these go ok. 1 and 3 should be the original. 2 and 4 edited

 

[sobolik]

I see a star in the making. You not her. Rarely do I see anyone wash out the border as you have done. Most of the time they try to look all pro like by darkening the edges. WELL DONE! It shows creative juices flowing and not just conforming to perceived expectations.

This is what I would do and I would use Photo Shop Elements 5.0( $10.00 on eBay) to do it. I'm not sure what you use nor if it can feather as needed to do what I suggest. I edit with a principle that I will share with you as it relates to these photos. When performing an enhancement do it to extreme on both ends. In this case darken all the way and lighten the edges all the way to see what it does or does not lend to the photo. However the finished adjustment is most often a very restrained adjustment. I think you over did the enhancement. It is now a distraction rather than a compliment. In the sepia version try a square where about a 1/4" border is washed out white or tone down the whiteness of the circle or both. The sepia version is definitely a candidate for the wash out but I'm not so sure about the green foliage one. The foliage one might benefit from darkened edges (circle) Just enough that it is very hard to tell if it was or was not darkened.

 

[jlcrane]

Thanks Sobolik!

I have CS5... just still learning it. I edited these in iphoto, but i'll work on them in adobe tomorrow morning.

 

[KmH]

1. Get closer.
2. If your subject is mostly vertical, turn the camera to the vertical orientation to make the photo, rather than cropping later and throwing away pixels (image data).
3. Investigate the guidelines for the composition of visual imagery, line, form, shape, color, and how they can used to create tension and drama to make an image more compelling.

 

[cnutco]

1. Get closer.
2. If your subject is mostly vertical, turn the camera to the vertical orientation to make the photo, rather than cropping later and throwing away pixels (image data).
3. Investigate the guidelines for the composition of visual imagery, line, form, shape, color, and how they can used to create tension and drama to make an image more compelling.

I couldn't agree more. Nice c&c.

Great start!