Would like some reviews please!

White Fang · Feb 22, 2011

I just got back into the hobby and would really like to expand my knowledge. I posted a few of these in the "Welcome" thread....Not too much love or hate in there. Actually there was no one there

. Guess I'll try in here

Anyways, long story short; I got a Canon XSI for Christmas a few years ago and stuff happend and now Im back. I thought about upgrading my camera but then thought I'd work with what I got. Tip, advice, comments are welcome, Im wanting to learn and really get into this hobby that I really enjoy :thumbup:

Trever1t · Feb 22, 2011

they're nice snapshots but that's about it.

Snow is blown out.
Funny angle to the horizon.
Framing isn't balanced.

A good composition can take those subjects to the next level. Welcome and keep on shooting

BekahAura · Feb 22, 2011

Welcome to the forum... as you've already noticed the welcome thread is pretty much non-existent lol.

Here is your 1st tip of the day: please number your photos so that it's easier for us to reference them... that's the first step in getting more comments on your photos.

As for your photos:

1) Although the snow is overexposed like mentioned above, I do love the Shepherd's expression. You caught him mid-lick so it looks like he's sticking his tongue out at the camera. Very cute. I think this photo could be improved by cropping it portrait orientation and getting rid of most of the background.

2) I prefer the 1st expression, but this shot could also benefit from a crop.

3) This shot is also overexposed. Yes the dog is adorable charging at you all full of snow, but he's so small in the frame and dead center. Look up "The Rule of Thirds" and practice. I guarantee your composition will improve over night.

4) Very cute, and better composition than the rest of your photos. Awesome that you got down on the dog's level! I would only suggest cropping out that pink toy on the right... it's an unnecessary distraction. It's also pretty dark, but I think I prefer it dark, because if you try to lighten it the rest of the background will become more visible, and we don't want that.

5) and 6) Although both of these are your best exposures color wise, neither of them do anything for me. It's nice that you were trying to see the landscape from a different perspective, but the front end of the car doesn't work IMO, and the landscape by itself is just run of the mill trees and sky.

Keep shooting and experimenting!

KmH · Feb 23, 2011

Plan on shooting landscape in the morning or afternoon, not at mid-day. Morning sunlight is a little cooler (bluer) than afternoon light. In the mornings there is usually less particulate matter in the air and less wind than in the afternoons (warmer light-more red because of the particulates suspended in the air) .

Also for landscapes, be sure the camera is level. Get a good Circular Polarizing (CPL) filter. Note: Once the Sun is more than 30º above the horizon a CPL filter loses effectiveness, and a CPL filter is also less effective if the Sun is more (or less) than 90º to the lens axis. (a big part of the morning/afternoon reason for shooting landscapes)

Good, intersting visual image composition avoids placing major image elements, like the horizon, in the middle of an image frame. A commonly used guideline if the rule-of-thirds (ROT). When you watch TV or a movie, notice those camera operators also use the ROT, all the time.