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08/19/2010 02:18:10 AM · #1 |
I currently bought myself a Nikon D 90 and i was wondering if anyone could give me any tips on how to really step up my pictures, I'm happy with how my pictures are turning out but the are far from a lot of the photographs i see here!
Thanks,
Nick |
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08/19/2010 02:36:44 AM · #2 |
Posting some examples of photos you want to improve or asking a more specific question would be helpful. It's sorta hard to say how to improve in general if we don't know where you want to aim things, what genre's you're interested in.
Otherwise, I'd just say get out there and shoot more. Look at your photos afterward, find which you like the most. What unifies the ones you like? The ones you don't?
Try to start previsualizing things, attempt to achieve specific ends when you set out to shoot a given subject. It will hone your skill and ability to direct your actions towards a pleasing end result. |
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08/19/2010 02:39:18 AM · #3 |
A very broad question. What in specific are you wanting to improve? What sort of photography genres do you enjoy?
For myself, I've found it is not one thing that steps it up. A lot of little lessons learned over time and eventually, they all start coming together. Other than getting beat up in more challenges, I'd offer the following that has helped me.
-Do a lot of commenting when you vote, especially on the midrange votes. By making yourself analyze why you find them ok, but not great, you will learn what qualities those are that you are seeking.
-Read web sites and magazines.
-See how others approach the same subjects. Find a club or meetup group in your local area. You'll see how the same subject results in totally different photos for different people. You'll start seeing what they are doing differently, and whether it gives better or worse results.
-Join some user groups online for the specific hardware and software you use. I have gotten an awful lot out of the Paint/shop Pro group on Flickr.
-Experiment. The side challenges here on DPC are a good place to experiment and get feedback without worrying about getting blasted with low votes. |
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08/21/2010 12:54:52 PM · #4 |
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=785907
What could i do to better this picture?
Message edited by author 2010-08-21 12:55:37. |
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08/21/2010 05:53:13 PM · #5 |
So my first impression about the picture is the overblown skies, I'd assume you wanted the sun behind the tree(or maybe it was just mid day sun) to get an effect but unfortunately that doesn't always workout. so why did the sky turn out like that? the light meter in the camera detected there's a lot of light(the sun). To get the best exposure the the camera probably choose a shutter speed that would expose the tree bark and leaves which are darker, but it wasn't fast enough to expose the sky properly!
To avoid this choose a better time of day , either early morning or afternoon/sunset , in other words when the light is softer and sun is either rising or setting. This would help measure exposure better and balance between the objects in the picture.
I also think from the looks of it the flash fired as well which is good in that particular situation because from the bright sky the tree bark probably would not have shown, or would have been very very dark.
overall the picture lacks a "WOW" factor , which is something everyone would be looking for to captivate them.
how to get the "WOW" jaw dropping picture? if you find out tell me , im still trying to get it :)
As for getting better results, I'd recommend putting some objects on a well lit table, and just playing around with the settings, and trying to figure out what settings would fit different situations well this is what I did when I got my first DSLR.
The internet is full of tutorials and videos, try to look up some classic techniques like rule of thirds and modify on them.
Hope Ive been helpful :D
and congrats on your new D90!!
Message edited by author 2010-08-21 17:56:23. |
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08/21/2010 07:07:59 PM · #6 |
if I were set on that composition of the subject, I would have taken the image as a multiple exposure HDR.
This would have allowed you to have a more uniform exposure, with no detail lost because of areas that are too bright or too dark.
Beyond that? Your image definitely needs some sharpening and at the least, with a single exposure like that, I would have done a bit of shadow/highlight (if you run PS, otherwise, posting what post-processing software you're using would be helpful.)
Next time, wait for about 1 to 1.5 hours before the sun actually sets, and try shooting then, and step back and include enough of the scene to let a story about your photo emerge. Where is the tree? What are you doing there? Why is it a neat tree? All of those questions are not answered by this photo, perhaps taking a different composition could have helped..
I suggest going through past challenges around here and looking at the top 10 photos in each, by doing so you should really start to get a grasp of "what works" when it comes to the eye-candy that is popular around here. |
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08/22/2010 01:31:21 AM · #7 |
My suggestion from a quick browsing of your images here would to be to get the book "Light: Science and Magic". Your photos could definitely benefit from a good understanding of light. Remember, as photographers, we don't snap pictures, we capture (or paint with) light.
Also, learn and understand exposure. Get out of Auto modes and learn what aperture and shutterspeed do and how to meter subjects.
This photo, for example, could have been interesting, if it had not been 2 (maybe 3) stops under-exposed.
Message edited by author 2010-08-22 01:34:07.
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