Some Winter Photos

NickV · Jan 30, 2012

Hi everyone, I'm new (this is my second post). I'm also a beginner photographer. I have here some winter shots that I took earlier this month. CC would be appreciated.

gerardo2068 · Jan 30, 2012

Hello Nick. It great you post for CC. It will help you along the way. I'm a beginner too so can't say much, I think some of the photos need a better composition like #3. I like the last one.

cgipson1 · Jan 30, 2012

Hello .. and welcome!

#1 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. No real subject... an alley? Not very interesting to anyone but you.
#2 exposure on the rocks is close.. but what is the subject? Nothing there hold anyone's attention.
#3 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. Another alley? Subject?
#4 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. Footsteps could be interesting.. or the rock border.... but as is, no noticeable subject, not a landscape... nothing to hold attention.
#5 Major white balance issues.. unless you have a BIG DOG that made a lot of yellow snow!

Need to correct for the incandescent lighting. Still no subject... except maybe that big rock?

Focus looks pretty good on all of them... but you need to think about what you are shooting, and what part of it will be interesting to a total stranger. Snow is hard to shoot as a normal camera meter will always try to turn it into 18% gray... or there abouts. You usually will need to overexpose your shots about 2 stops or so.. to get the whites white. I took the liberty of correcting exposure on this one shot to demonstrate to you what it should look like. It it at 255 in the brightest areas (footsteps)..... something I normally would not do as you lose detail, but the area was small.. and it helped to lighten the rest of the photo.

Google composition, exposure, exposure triangle and depth of field for a start.. do some reading, and try to apply what you read to your shots.

If you have any questions.. please ask!

jacobchris12 · Jan 31, 2012

cgipson1 said:
Hello .. and welcome!

#1 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. No real subject... an alley? Not very interesting to anyone but you.
#2 exposure on the rocks is close.. but what is the subject? Nothing there hold anyone's attention.
#3 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. Another alley? Subject?
#4 badly underexposed... the snow is dark gray. Footsteps could be interesting.. or the rock border.... but as is, no noticeable subject, not a landscape... nothing to hold attention.
#5 Major white balance issues.. unless you have a BIG DOG that made a lot of yellow snow! Need to correct for the incandescent lighting. Still no subject... except maybe that big rock?

Focus looks pretty good on all of them... but you need to think about what you are shooting, and what part of it will be interesting to a total stranger. Snow is hard to shoot as a normal camera meter will always try to turn it into 18% gray... or there abouts. You usually will need to overexpose your shots about 2 stops or so.. to get the whites white. I took the liberty of correcting exposure on this one shot to demonstrate to you what it should look like. It it at 255 in the brightest areas (footsteps)..... something I normally would not do as you lose detail, but the area was small.. and it helped to lighten the rest of the photo.

Google composition, exposure, exposure triangle and depth of field for a start.. do some reading, and try to apply what you read to your shots.

If you have any questions.. please ask!