Two pairs for C&C: Flowers and Girl

[OrionsByte]

These flowers grow in my apartment complex and every time I drive by them I think about shooting them, but in practice it was hard to find a good angle. This was also the first time I used my CPL filter on this camera.

1. Needed more DOF on this one.

2. Thought about cropping this to 1:1 so the stalk in the back isn't centered... what do you think?

These shots of my daughter were shots of opportunity rather than planning (which is often the case with toddlers) and they were a touch out of focus, but I just wanted to toss these up to get some comments on the composition and PP. I wish I hadn't cut her feet off.

3. This is the more "artsy" of the two, IMO.

4. And this one is better as a portrait.

 

[Morpheuss]

I would say you did pretty good yourself with the c&c I like the last one with her looking up at you... also makes me wonder if she was trying to be a super hero with that "cap" on. I remember when I use to do the same thing so many years ago

 

[Rosshole]

I like the last shot, but I could do with less space on the left...

 

[OrionsByte]

also makes me wonder if she was trying to be a super hero with that "cap" on

Yep, that's exactly what she was doing. This shot was taken after she'd tired herself out by running all around the yard with her cape on.

 

[OrionsByte]

Any other thoughts on these? I'd really like to know where I might be able to improve.

 

[Gaerek]

Although the first two are pretty good, you need to be very careful shooting in direct sunlight. It's very harsh and you have some areas that are blown out. It won't always make for a bad photograph, but in shots like those, even lighting is way nicer. Next time, try shooting with your pop-up flash, dialed down in power (different ways of doing this depending on camera) and experiment with that. It should help even out the lighting and fix the blown areas.

 

[OrionsByte]

Although the first two are pretty good, you need to be very careful shooting in direct sunlight. It's very harsh and you have some areas that are blown out. It won't always make for a bad photograph, but in shots like those, even lighting is way nicer. Next time, try shooting with your pop-up flash, dialed down in power (different ways of doing this depending on camera) and experiment with that. It should help even out the lighting and fix the blown areas.

It's funny, the direct sunlight on those flowers is always what makes me want to shoot them when I get home from work every day. Just another example of something that looks good to the eye but doesn't necessarily translate to the camera.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll have to experiment with the flash more so I can get more comfortable with it, instead of being afraid to use it except for snapshots.

 

[Gaerek]

It's funny, the direct sunlight on those flowers is always what makes me want to shoot them when I get home from work every day. Just another example of something that looks good to the eye but doesn't necessarily translate to the camera.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll have to experiment with the flash more so I can get more comfortable with it, instead of being afraid to use it except for snapshots.

It's funny, but the best times to pop up the pop up are completely counter intuitive. Keep it down in darkness, pop it up in bright light. Our brain, for some reason, loves the look of sunlight and how it appears on objects in nature. Unfortunately, that simply doesn't translate to photography. For those kind of shots, overcast days, or at least a moment when the sun is behind the clouds will make for a much better shot.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

The third is my favorite of the bunch... Its a shame you cut her toes off.

Don't get me wrong.. I really like the great colors in the photo. But I also love the contrast in...

 

[OrionsByte]

The third is my favorite of the bunch... Its a shame you cut her toes off.

Don't get me wrong.. I really like the great colors in the photo. But I also love the contrast in...

I didn't think about changing this to B&W, but it works pretty well. The only reason I like the color version better is because the flowers in her dress almost match the flowers behind her (pink/red and white). Makes me think a selective color attempt may be interesting but I've never tried it before and I'm not sure it would be worth it for this shot, since there would end up being essentially a large blob of red at the top of the shot and just little spots of it in the opposite corner.

 

[Gaerek]

I won't tell you not to try selective coloring, but I will advise you of something. Most photographers find it incredibly tacky and overused. There are instances where it can look nice, but it's not a technique that is looked upon favorably. Having said that, trying it here won't hurt, but it may not be received well, lol.