Noob pics - C+C please

burstintoflame81 · Aug 29, 2009

Let me just preface these by saying that I have only had my camera for 3 weeks ( and only been able to shoot 1 day a week out of those 3 weeks ). I have never had any photography classes or anything and other than the typical point-and-shoot normal snapshots that everyone takes, I have never tried to take "serious" pictures. With that said, here are a few random first pictures....[ Note:All of these have had very minimal editing. Maybe just soft-light sharpening and a little brightness adjustment with PaintShop Pro.]

1)

2)

I didn't realize until later that this pic had a piece of petal laying in the center, but it was the best of all, so I kept it anyway.

3)

Random shot of a bee. I know that the flower is dying but I liked the bright color. The bee just happened to come along, and I nearly swatted it away out of habit before realizing that it could be an opportunity.

4)

Random pic of my guitar focus on the logo. I now use this as my computer desktop. It wasn't intended as a B&W but I liked it that way.

5)

Random pic of a Duck and one of his feathers falling into the water.

WHOOPS I forgot one....

6)

Mturulski · Aug 29, 2009

Taylor guitar = wise choice :headbang:

Lazy Photographer · Aug 29, 2009

Nice shots.

#1 is okay. I like the clouds.
#2 is a nice shot. The focus looks a bit soft, no?
#3 is a bit busy to my eye.
#4 is great, but I would have focused on another part of the guitar.
#6 is lovely but your subject definitely helped.

All in all, from one newbe to another, excellent.

burstintoflame81 · Aug 29, 2009

I mainly did the guitar shot that way to show the name. I was approaching it more of like an advertising shot.

#2 is a little soft but I liked the short depth of field and the balance of it so I kept it. I agree that most of them could use a slightly better focus.

Not bad for the first bit of shooting that I did.

ocular · Aug 29, 2009

#1: Subject is out of focus
#2: It's tad soft
#3: You can't see the bee very well, it's cluttered.
#4:
#5: Kinda boring
#6: Too soft, although this is your best photograph gj

SalukiPilot4590 · Aug 30, 2009

I dont know why but every time I see the subject line I think to myself "Nood pics?!?!?!?! RIGHTEOUS!" There must be something wrong with me.

#1 is a really nice shot...I love the clouds!
#2 is slightly soft but only slightly
#3 is right on minus the red things covering the bee (I think thats the subject)
#4 is great!
#6 is a nice portrait!

Keep in mind that I really don't know much about photography but these are really nice!

choudhrysaab · Aug 30, 2009

my favorite is #3

but rest are good too.
white in #2 seems a bit over blown.

Dagwood56 · Aug 30, 2009

1. I love the nice bright colors, especially the sky. I think your composition could be improved on this though, your subject is dead center and the light pole in the back is a bit distracting.

2. Your focus is soft in this one, and you've lost a lot of detail in the flower petals. I'd also suggest cropping this on the right side right at the edge of the green leaves so the flower isn't dead center. Centered flowers work many times, but I don't feel it does with this one. Google "Rule of Thirds"

3. Very out of focus and way too busy for the bee to even matter.

4. Beautiful! Crisp focus, nice contrast great composition!

5. A decent snapshot, but it looks a bit out of focus.

6. Out of focus and her eyes are closed.

thenikonguy · Aug 30, 2009

that watermark ruins them for me.. its a very useless watermark because even Windows paint can remove it if someone wanted it..

fokker · Aug 30, 2009

I love the guitar pic, also first one looks pretty good - I think the centering of the sign works with the windmill off center. I wonder how a shot like this would look with a long exposure (if the wind was blowing a bit) to get some 'spin' showing on the windmill?

burstintoflame81 · Aug 30, 2009

Dagwood56 said:
1. I love the nice bright colors, especially the sky. I think your composition could be improved on this though, your subject is dead center and the light pole in the back is a bit distracting.

2. Your focus is soft in this one, and you've lost a lot of detail in the flower petals. I'd also suggest cropping this on the right side right at the edge of the green leaves so the flower isn't dead center. Centered flowers work many times, but I don't feel it does with this one. Google "Rule of Thirds"

6. Out of focus and her eyes are closed.

I am not good with the editors yet, I wish I could have cloned out that light pole in #1.

#2 was purposefully placed center. I know the rule of thirds but wanted to place the center dead center. I agree that it is soft focus and also white issues as others stated.

6) was edited a lot in terms of color. She was looking down and laughing, I chose that pic because it seemed the least staged and most candid.

Thanks for the critiques, I agree with most things people are saying. I think my biggest thing I need to work on is just getting a crisp focus. I have an 80mm f/1.8 on the way that should help with that in some instances.

burstintoflame81 · Aug 30, 2009

thenikonguy said:
that watermark ruins them for me.. its a very useless watermark because even Windows paint can remove it if someone wanted it..

That was the first time that I even used the feature in Paintshop pro. Any suggestions on making it better would be much obliged. Critiques aren't very useful with out suggestions.

burstintoflame81 · Aug 30, 2009

fokker said:
I love the guitar pic, also first one looks pretty good - I think the centering of the sign works with the windmill off center. I wonder how a shot like this would look with a long exposure (if the wind was blowing a bit) to get some 'spin' showing on the windmill?

Thanks. I was trying to keep the windmill off center but wanted to try to keep the sign centered which was the focus of the pic. I really liked the way the sky looked more than anything though.