Noob!

[EllaElla]

Honestly, I put my D3100 on landscape or portrait mode, pointed, shot. These were shot in Athens, Greece. I know absolutely nothing about anything. Please tear these photos up! But understand that I am also still learning the terminology and lingo.

 

[EllaElla]

Having a hard time with attachment...Can this thread be deleted? My internet connectivity is awful. Can't even upload a photo.

 

[EllaElla]

....hope this works...

 

[camerateur]

oh so many things to say!!
first: how far do you want to take photography?
if you we're taking these pictures to show friends and family visuals about your trip to greece, these are perfect
if you want to apply basic photography principles, they need a bit of work (although I'm sure your auto mode figured some out)
and if you want to go even further..well..we'll get to that later.

one thing I do want to stress before going too far into the photos is: you want to think about a picture first.
pointing and shooting is good for vacation photos, but while reading your set up, I just felt I had to tell you that you need to have a feeling about your set up when taking a picture. (how many different angles could you have used? what feeling did you want to convey? etc. )
it'll be easier for a person to critique your photo when you have more of a purpose in mind for your photo.
I hope that helped even a bit.
I'm a bit scatterbrained in this explanation, but I'm sure someone else will come along and give you a good critique or helpful advice.

 

[EllaElla]

Thank you for posting. Yes I do want to take photos to show my folks at home. But I also want to learn how to shoot a photo that tells something about itself. Today was the first time I have ever shot without using any of the auto modes on my camera. So I really am BRAND NEW at this. I am really taking an interest in it...enough to join a forum to learn about it. Anyhow...

The theater...Yup it's a theater...but when I snapped the photo, it didn't tell me anything other than that. I guess I was hoping to be able to capture the depth of it....the height from where I was standing to the bottom where the stage is.

The stumpy pillar...I wanted it to look crisp. The edges and the lines and shadows to look sharp. I also wanted the photo to capture some of the water and mountains as well, which it did.

I guess I am asking, if you were to stand there and look at either of these subjects, what would you have thought? How would you try to shoot them? Say what needs to be said about them. You won't hurt my feelings...believe me!

 

[dxqcanada]

I would have framed the pillar with something else that added to it. Maybe more pieces of stone laying around ... or crouched down to make it look taller.

Shooting from the bottom of the amplitheather may have made for a better shot.

When a subject catches my eye I start walking around it to see what background/foreground objects can compliment it.

 

[Ernicus]

I would love a shot from the theater looking up as well...however I don't think you can get in there, I dunno about there in greece, but when I was in Rome we were not allowed in them.

 

[Ernicus]

Nevermind, lol. Once I blew up the pic I saw that it was modernized with steel handrails and the sort, lol. So yeah, if you're still there go down and shoot up, might make for interesting photo given right light. My 2 cents anyway.

 

[EllaElla]

Thank you all for the tips! They had the theater fenced off so we couldn't go in. And unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever get back there in this lifetime. Looking forward to Rome, though, in a few months. Will definitely be using what I learn here on the forum.

 

[Ernicus]

Rome is awesome. Bring lots of batteries and media cards, lol. I know I would if I got to go back.