Newbie C&C welcome (pic Heavy)

SuperMom30 · Jun 9, 2009

We went out to our landlords lake house so boyfriend could do some AC work for him, so I taged along to get some photo's. Still learning C&C is always needed and welcomed:blushing:

1.

2.

( I know this one has a lot of noise my camera always has it if it even the least bit shady)
3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Kimba · Jun 9, 2009

I'm new as well so cant offer any advice but the 1st one is my favourite. i love the reflection in the water.

Photoadder · Jun 9, 2009

I like all of them! Nice job!

coreduo · Jun 9, 2009

They're perfect. How did you do it? What camera and lenses did you use?

slash · Jun 9, 2009

overall nice job, some look over processed and i was never a fan of vignette in b&w unless it was possibly unintentional in this case. i would suggest to get good c&c choose 1 or 2 photo's and focus on them.

paulk_68 · Jun 9, 2009

Hi SuperMom30, I can see that you were going for more than just "snapshots." This critique may seem a little harsh but, please do not take it that way, it is my intention to help you learn. You are not too far off with your photography, it just needs a little fine tuning.

#1) Is nice. The little piece of tree branch(?) in the top left corner needs to be cloned out.

#2) Is soft and underexposed. What type of camera are you using, and what exposure setting did you use?

#3) Is way overexposed. You said "I know this one has a lot of noise my camera always has it if it even the least bit shady" It is because your ISO speed was set far too high. You can avoid that by learning to use manual exposure with a lower aperture or shutter speed. It appears as if you were trying to get the shadow of the flower in the frame, it really does nothing for your composition.

#4) Is soft and underexposed. Getting more of an eye level shot would have helped a lot.

#5) It isn't always necessary to get everything of an object in your frame, in this case, the spider web. The hot spot in the upper right corner ruins what would otherwise be a very nice picture. You could have sacrificed much of the web for a better background. Also, the rule of thirds should have been used for the spiders location.

#6) Probably would have been my favorite but, you used selective color on the coke machine,... YUK! Selective color is very cliche and rarely, if ever, improves a picture.

#7) I like a lot. Nice composition.

#8) Is another nice picture ruined by selective color

It appears to be just a little overexposed.

Paul

singer1 · Jun 9, 2009

I like your work, thanks for sharing.

What type of camera, set up do you use? Do you alter the images alot in photoshop? (I am new and learning as well

SuperMom30 · Jun 9, 2009

paulk_68 said:
Hi SuperMom30, I can see that you were going for more than just "snapshots." This critique may seem a little harsh but, please do not take it that way, it is my intention to help you learn. You are not too far off with your photography, it just needs a little fine tuning.

#1) Is nice. The little piece of tree branch(?) in the top left corner needs to be cloned out.

#2) Is soft and underexposed. What type of camera are you using, and what exposure setting did you use?

#3) Is way overexposed. You said "I know this one has a lot of noise my camera always has it if it even the least bit shady" It is because your ISO speed was set far too high. You can avoid that by learning to use manual exposure with a lower aperture or shutter speed. It appears as if you were trying to get the shadow of the flower in the frame, it really does nothing for your composition.

#4) Is soft and underexposed. Getting more of an eye level shot would have helped a lot.

#5) It isn't always necessary to get everything of an object in your frame, in this case, the spider web. The hot spot in the upper right corner ruins what would otherwise be a very nice picture. You could have sacrificed much of the web for a better background. Also, the rule of thirds should have been used for the spiders location.

#6) Probably would have been my favorite but, you used selective color on the coke machine,... YUK! Selective color is very cliche and rarely, if ever, improves a picture.

#7) I like a lot. Nice composition.

#8) Is another nice picture ruined by selective color It appears to be just a little overexposed.

Paul

Not harsh at all thank you so much! Like I said I am wanting to learn as much as possable! I was shooting with Canon S5 IS that I got for my birthday to replace a little point and shoot. I really don't like the new one much more...zoom is better and more pix and the Macro is great but really want an SLR. Better half said Im not good enough yet for an SLR so really trying to learn as much as I can so I can get one.

Pic 1 Great catch I didnt even see that
pic 2 Canon s5 iS and I think it was on Auto

pic 3 It was on the lowest ISO (80) but it always gives me noise another reason I want another SLR
4. I agree fully I shot it off our boat as the duck was swiming up to us
5. I would love to know any trick you have on shooting webs...no matter what angle I shot in (which was like ever angle but hanging from the tree) The web would not show up at all! This was the only shot I got of it where it showed up :grumpy:

6.I know I went crazy with a new found trick on picnik and messed up a bunch on them..along with making colors to bright and vin eveything

7. Thank you my fav as well..other half hater it because the leaves were blured but I liked it that way

8.I know and I vow never to use it again or you can flog me :spank:

To everone else who posted thank you:sillysmi:

paulk_68 · Jun 9, 2009

SuperMom30 said:
5. I would love to know any trick you have on shooting webs...no matter what angle I shot in (which was like ever angle but hanging from the tree) The web would not show up at all! This was the only shot I got of it where it showed up

Unfortunately, if you do not have a lens that can be manually focused, it will be very hard to do. A trick that at least one National Geographic photographer uses (one trick that I do not agree with), is to gently blow talcum powder on the web to get it to stand out.

I hope your husband changes his mind soon, you definitely have an eye for what makes a good image.

sunbeam · Jun 9, 2009

Thanks for sharing your pics! I really liked 7 and 8. I was thinking, you said your camera is not a dslr? Could the reason for all the 'noise' in 2 and 3 be because you zoomed too far, and instead of optical zoom, your camera had moved to digital zoom? I know that can make pics look very grainy and blurry. Just a thought! Anyways, I totally disagree with your hubby... I think you have skill, and should get an slr!!!! It offers you so much more freedom as a photographer to set things how you want and to have more control as to how the pic turns out, instead of just relying on the camera to do alot of the work (setting iso... aperature etc.) Good luck with it! Looking forward to seeing future pics of yours!

SuperMom30 · Jun 9, 2009

Thank you all so much! I really don't want to blow any powder on there webs...just seems mean and not sure if it could harm them. I know that sounds sill but I am sooo scared of them but not my place to mess with any living thing :sexywink:

Thank you for all your support I am saving up to buy my own SLR that way he can't say anything lol

DScience · Jun 10, 2009

i'm really curious. If you are a 'newbie' why do you have your initials on the photos. Are you afraid someone will take them and use them?

SuperMom30 · Jun 10, 2009

DScience said:
i'm really curious. If you are a 'newbie' why do you have your initials on the photos. Are you afraid someone will take them and use them?

I was told by a friend I needed to put them on so people would know who shot them...I doubt anyone would want to steal them but if they did it's not like they couldnt just clone over it

Breanna · Jun 11, 2009

The lilypad, flower and duck don't do anything for me, but I like the rest- especially #1 and the house with the red door. The selective color works for me in that one.

PhotoXopher · Jun 11, 2009

DScience said:
i'm really curious. If you are a 'newbie' why do you have your initials on the photos. Are you afraid someone will take them and use them?

Why not? Being a newbie doesn't have anything to do with it :lol: