Getting better?

mmccluer · Jan 19, 2010

Ok, so my park bench photo wasn't grade A... here are 3 more I took recently... getting better, I hope/think!? Hey, at least I figured out how to embed images... baby steps my friends.

I didn't do a proper introduction. I'm a 30 year old female who is just learning photography beyond P&S. I love hiking but live in the midwest, so I dream via Backpacking magazine and at least one good hiking trip per year. I'm an engineer during the day but a musician and wanna be photographer at night. Look forward to posting here and learning from everyone!

Ed P · Jan 19, 2010

Yes, better, though I still would move the bench off to the right 1/3rd of the frame, to add interest in the "view from the bench".

Nice to meet you. I'm a network engineer, and music (guitar) and photography are my hobbies also. I like to fish too, but that's so rare that I should just admit that what I mean by fishing is "sitting on the sandbar drinking bear", or something like that (we live in St. Petersburg, FL.).

Keep it up!

Strokes_77 · Jan 19, 2010

I really like the boat and the bridge pic. Nice timing, and well done.

Osiris30 · Jan 19, 2010

You've already made the most important two steps: 1) you've decided you want to improve and 2) you are asking the questions on how to do so

Nice to meet you. I'm an IT Manager/Nerd by day (and yes I capitalized 'nerd), and .. oh who am I kidding I work in IT, hence I have no life

Better, but I'm still not a fan; The exposure is better but the bench is still too centered. Have a gander at this quick rule of thirds explanation on wiki (google can turn up far more in depth info if you want it): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

Really like this one. Well done!

Not a bad shot but the subject is.. 'swimming' in the picture for lack of a better word. A crop retaining about 66% of that image with the subject on the right 1/3 line vertically would probably make a great image. but as a starting point for a future crop it's a good job.

Can't say I'm a fan of this one. I think it's just because it's heavy in the center point with the bridge peer. Again this is one where dropping that peer on a third line (in this case the left vertical) would improve the 'interest' factor of the picture.

wiwi · Jan 20, 2010

Hi and welcome!

I'm a commercial analyst by day (so I guess that also puts me into nerd territory???

) and a travel-o-holic ~~by night~~ all the time. I'm always planning at least 2 holidays in advance for me and my 400D and can get a little cranky if I don't have a holiday to plan and look forward to

I really liked the boat and bridge, nice shot. For the other 3, I agree with the others - watch centering your subject in the frame. The climber would be more interesting with a closer crop (as suggested already!) and with her being in the bottom left looking into the top right of frame. You're off to a great start and are already taking better shots than I did when I first started with my DSLR!

Happy shooting!

Cheers Olivia
--
'If you don't know where you are going, any road will lead you there.'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliviamair/

BigRedNole · Jan 20, 2010

I am new like you. I have not taken an real "test" photos. All I have been doing is shooting from my chair changing exposure and shooting modes to see what each can do and their results.

I have been watching videos on exposure, 4/3 Rule, and the Golden Median. When I look at a picture now, I start to think about the last two. The second and forth picture I think are composed well (by the two rules) and the first and third are not composed properly (from the rules). After watching and reading about them, you can start to understand their underlying meaning. When you look at a picture breaking the rules and the same picture following the rules, you get two very different meanings. Consciously or subconsciously, the ones that follow the rule tend to be more exciting to look at.

This set of videos was great to understand about exposure and visually shows what to do and how it is done. There are a lot of them, so take your time.

http://vimeo.com/6571932

This is another good site that I have been reading:

http://www.morguefile.com/docs/Classroom

Drewbie · Jan 20, 2010

Hello there - I'm a Newbie too. Welcome on board.

I very much like the Boat shot, agree with Osiris about the bridge running through the center line. And would still like to see that Bench from the 'seat' side (intrigued to know what's on the other side).

As for me - I'm work in a creative industry and am lucky enough to 'Design & Build' Mountain Streams, Nature Reserves and Parks. So I'm the 'arty' Ying to these good folk's 'Nerdy' Yang!

Here's an easy tip for testing out the position of your subject matter in your pics: when you've taken the shot you want, try framing the picture in your view finder with the 'subject' further into the four corners of the frame - take those shots too (it doesn't cost anything) and see what difference it makes to your composition.

Please keeping posting your pics.

--
Looking for the spine tingle.

maxliv · Jan 20, 2010

hi!!!you are on good track...I like the composition of the first and second pics. but I found too a little soft do you post-processing? anyway ,have a great time and keep shooting and post more ,I am a beginer myself.

imqqmi · Jan 20, 2010

Try to figure out what you want to tell us in this shot. The angle of the bench doesn't work for me as it's not extreme enough to make a statement. The branches distract from the main subject.

You could go for a crop, or framing a detail of what you see there. This crop circumvents a lot of 'problems'. It crops out the bright sky with a slanting tree line, the subdivision of lines is clearer then the original, the branches has been cropped out and the slanting lines of the seat of the bench. Slanting lines works better if you use a very strong composition ie almost graphical composition.

This is in my opinion the best shot. The pole is compositionally reflected by the bridges column. I also like the recalcitrant framing of not including the bottom of the boat and the sepia processing. It gives enough context of all elements in the picture:

It's a good composition, the climber has a lot of space to climb into. Also because the space is so huge it also signifies the difficult task ahead. The rope running from top to bottom distracts though, at least it runs too close to the climber.

It looks a bit too dark to me. Again the slightly slanting lines doesn't help the centered composition. You can use a centered composition if you were square to the column and the bridge. Using a long shutter speed may blur the water a bit (if it's not iced over). You can use a slanting line composition if it was a little more extreme, and with a bit of fog it would look nice if it disappeared into the distance. If the bridge is easily accessible you might want to keep an eye on the weather.

Keep shooting!
--
Kind regards
Imqqmi

http://www.pbase.com/imqqmi

mbrowne · Jan 20, 2010

Would like to see more of it in the shot, though

Where was it taken?

mullyman · Jan 21, 2010

I'm far from being the person to give advice on how to take a photo. As a viewer, I will say this. I really like that bench and it's surroundings. What I would like to see more of is some depth on the bench. As it stands here it looks flat to me. I think I'd like to see more of an angle to get the shape of the bench. A little closer would be nice too. Great photos though.
MULLY

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Getting better?

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