Sorta New To This, Need some C&C on a couple of pictures

[Cop J]

Trying to learn the ins-and-outs of this photography stuff. Both pics taken with my 50 f/1.8. Tell me what you think, honestly, about both pics.

Thanks!

 

[Cop J]

Come on help the new guy out!

 

[Toller]

....I know what it's like to wait...guess they're all busy.

Well from one newbie to another, I really like the rose picture. Looks nice and sharp and it seems to stand out from the picture. Nice bokeh
The vase shows the dof nicely

 

[anm90]

I like both of them, but I think the second one could have been made better by getting more wood grain in the shot rather than letting the surrounding background get in the shot. The lamp shade and empty space to the right of the wood grain is distracting to me. Maybe try using a blank wall behind the subject while letting the wood grain fill the frame from left to right.

 

[tailz03]

They're both technically very good beginner shots but i feel the amount of noise is letting them down. Also i feel that the subject matters are very samey and boring, anyone could have shot that rose, what makes you any different from the 1000's of other photos of roses, go out and explore with your camera!

 

[KmH]

....I know what it's like to wait...guess they're all busy.

Well from one newbie to another, I really like the rose picture. Looks nice and sharp and it seems to stand out from the picture. Nice bokeh
The vase shows the dof nicely

Yep, it's a forum not a chatroom.

The rose is sharp, a bit underexposed, but the bokeh is horrible and is very distracting.

Most images feel more dynamic if the subject isn't centered.

 

[Cop J]

Thanks for the comments everyone. For the first picture, what exactly is wrong with the bokeh? Is it too dark of a color? Just wanting to make sure I don't make the same mistake next time.

 

[KmH]

The edges of the OOF elements have highlights that make the background very busy and clunky. Good bokeh is very smooth and creamy. Check out images made with a Nikon 85 mm f/1.4. That lens is nicknamed the "Cream Machine" because it produces very creamy bokeh: Like this

Day 101 of the 365 Days Project on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It could be that what you are calling bokeh and what I am calling boken are different elements.

I make a distinction between DOF (a blurred background) and bokeh (the visual quality of the blur) but many new photographers use the word bokeh when they are really discussing DOF. The two aren't really the same thing.