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 05/30/2006 08:14:21 PM · #1
Ok, I am very new to photoraphy. I just got a Nikon D50 about a month ago and have been playing around with it a bit. I would really appreciate any comments or tips on this photo. I just have so many pictures that I would like to have tips on. These were taken with my 18-50mm lens.

Thanks





Oh, and if I am not allowed to post pictures this way, please let me know.

Message edited by author 2006-05-30 20:24:19.
 05/30/2006 08:16:15 PM · #2
those are really large..you can always do the small thumbnail link to your image...

I like the first one..very colorful...second one is "just ok" ..nothing strikes me as fabulous
 05/30/2006 08:16:32 PM · #3
You might wanna link them or make thumbnails--
First one is small enuf in file size-- 2nd one might be a little large for dial-ups.


05/30/2006 08:17:51 PM · #4
since your looking for tips, would you mind if i took the second pic into P.S. to see if anything can be done?

-Dan
 05/30/2006 08:18:08 PM · #5
people do prefer the photos you put in threads be a thumbnail size. if you put them in your protfolio and post from there it will work out better, but im not sure if its really "bad" to do it your way. i love your flower, and i think your secnd one could use a big boost of contrast but they are both really nice.
 05/30/2006 08:21:36 PM · #6
Originally posted by Beaglemum:
Oh, and if I am not allowed to post pictures this way, please let me know.

It's not that you're not allowed, it's just that it's considered more polite to post links only on images that are rather large. That way, those with slower connections or lower screen resolutions won't be forced to download pictures they may not be able to appreciate anyway.

Your first image is lovely and vibrant, but focus seems a tad soft to me. Perhaps a closer shot would have helped (though probably not too possible with that particular lens). Try to use the widest possible aperture to make the background as out of focus as possible with flower shots. This usually produces a nice effect that helps make the bloom "pop" out of the image. Busy backgrounds tend to distract. Also try making your subject off-centre to add interest.
 05/30/2006 08:22:01 PM · #7
Originally posted by capturedinprint:
those are really large..you can always do the small thumbnail link to your image...

I like the first one..very colorful...second one is "just ok" ..nothing strikes me as fabulous


Ok, I made them a little smaller, I hope that is better.

I totally agree with you, I was not all that impressed with the trail picture but everyone who sees these pics seems to like the trail and not the flowers. I just like the flowers because I like the punch of color.

I have not edited any of these pics so feel free to play with them if you want.
 05/30/2006 08:26:25 PM · #8
What about this one?

05/30/2006 08:28:01 PM · #9
First pic:
Love the colour and clarity of the picture. However, it's such a centered composition with nothing around it to add to it. Maybe try cropping it off centered to give it a different dynamic. Also play with you aperture to play with the depth of focus. The ground doesn't add much tot he picture, so maybe blurring it out with a shollower depth of field would make more of teh focus on the flower

Second pic
The main thing is it seems very flat. A bump with levels/curves and some contrast would make it less flat.

Play with them in post-processing and see what you can do with it, as well as seeing what otehrs can do with them...
 05/30/2006 08:30:45 PM · #10
here a quik version of the path,
decrease brightness, increase contrast
duplicate background layer
add a fair amount of gausian blur
set layer blend mode to multiply
adjust opacity of the duplicate layer to your liking

hope that was good advice :)

-Dan

05/30/2006 08:35:55 PM · #11
Dan you did better than me--
I upped the saturation/levels/new crop-- but my selective color was off, made the path look funky-- heres my lame take


05/30/2006 08:55:50 PM · #12
Personally I love the second pic.... reminds me of Road to Perdition...but I gotta tell ya the previous critiques were dead on....while the composition was excellent...the tones were flat....could this be a pic deserving of a BW treatment....anybody with PS knowledge know....welcome to the most elite club around...this site rocks!
05/30/2006 09:39:04 PM · #13
Or change the Season on the 2nd Picture.


05/30/2006 09:45:39 PM · #14
Originally posted by Beaglemum:
What about this one?


Without beating around the bush on this one... the background sucks, way too distracting from the flower, and the centered comp doesn't work for me either, check out the rule of thirds. Sorry to be harsh or anything but I've found the most useful critiques are usually the "meanest"
 05/30/2006 10:20:30 PM · #15
Thought I would give it a try, b/w and color




edit
Ok I was practicing


Message edited by author 2006-05-30 22:35:53.
 05/30/2006 11:38:44 PM · #16
Originally posted by erschmitt:

Without beating around the bush on this one... the background sucks, way too distracting from the flower, and the centered comp doesn't work for me either, check out the rule of thirds. Sorry to be harsh or anything but I've found the most useful critiques are usually the "meanest"

I'll second all of that.
 05/31/2006 09:47:08 AM · #17
Ok well apparently I need to take some courses (whick I plan to do in the fall).

I guess I am just a little bothered by the fact that a good picture is not really of what you take but how well you can edit it.

What is the rule of thirds? Sorry, I really am new at this but why would an uncentered picture look better? Does it not just look like you missed the shot?

Oh and BTW, I love the editing that you guys did on those pics. I guess I will have to take a course in that too.

Message edited by author 2006-05-31 09:47:56.
 05/31/2006 10:20:09 AM · #18
The rule of thirds is basically human psychology. We seem to find images more pleasing when they are divided into thirds like a # sign. Take a look at every single shot on the front page and you can see what I'm getting at, look at where the subject is in relation to the rest of the frame.
Also, you can check out this page: //www.silverlight.co.uk/tutorials/compose_expose/thirds.html for a little bit more info.

Also, no one is saying that a good picture is dependent on editing. Your path picture is overexposed and has too shallow depth of field, people here were trying to A) trying to improve their own skills by fixing your photo, and B) try to give you an idea of what to shoot for next time.
 05/31/2006 01:55:28 PM · #19
I am not saying that I was insulted by that, I am just finding that in order to have a perfect picture, it seems like you need to do some editiong after the picture is taken. I totally agree that the 2nd picture sucked but I have no idea how to edit it like you all did.
 05/31/2006 02:45:41 PM · #20
Originally posted by Beaglemum:
I am not saying that I was insulted by that, I am just finding that in order to have a perfect picture, it seems like you need to do some editiong after the picture is taken.

That has always been the case, even with film photography. The only real difference is that it's faster and easier to edit a digital photo with software like Photoshop than it is to edit a film image in a darkroom. What used to take hours to accomplish in a darkroom can now be done with a few mouse clicks in Photoshop.
 05/31/2006 02:59:12 PM · #21
Originally posted by micknewton:
That has always been the case, even with film photography. The only real difference is that it's faster and easier to edit a digital photo with software like Photoshop than it is to edit a film image in a darkroom. What used to take hours to accomplish in a darkroom can now be done with a few mouse clicks in Photoshop.


Bingo! It's so rare to get a "perfect" shot straight from camera - yes it is possible but it doesn't happen often. As you get better shooting you get to the point where you can get pretty close. There's almost always going to be something you can make better about a photo, either with a different crop, adjustment to the levels, straightening the horizon.
 05/31/2006 03:21:59 PM · #22
As for the rule of thirds, would this picture "sort of" follow that rule because the head is off to one side?

05/31/2006 03:38:04 PM · #23
i would definitaley consider that rule of thirds... nice pic too :)

-Dan
 05/31/2006 05:08:09 PM · #24
I don't know. What do you think? :)


06/01/2006 08:47:06 AM · #25
Ok, so how would you edit these so they they don't look lobsided?



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