New X-A1 user... C&C welcome

[wouterv]

Hi,

I recently switched from Nikon DX (D7000) to Fuji X (XA-1). Haven't regretted it a single second! Although the X-A1 is Fuji's most 'basic' X-camera, I think it's a great little machine. I left for a big trip (Namibia) a few days after I received my new X-A1. Below are some photos of that trip, all SOOC JPEG's. Your C&C would be highly appreciated, especially composition-wise. I know I still have a long road of practice and learning ahead of me...

Thanks for looking!

 

[wouterv]

Anyone?

 

[Carsten Pauer 2]

Anyone?

Probably You should Post Your Photos here. ;-)

 

[wouterv]

Ha! Namibia really is quite desolate, so you're spot on. That's especially true for the ghost town Kolmanskop (2nd photo), although there are quite a few tourists around.

 

[day2012]

I think that these are all beautifully composed. Only the first one doesn't stand up to detailed inspection (shutter speed too low?). I can't make up my mind whether I prefer the leopard or the pier. These are super photos and thanks for posting.

 

[wouterv]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.

Actually it's a cheetah, not a leopard I myself wasn't aware of the difference until the very day I took that shot.

 

[William Ing]

Looks like you're getting loads of enjoyment from your -A1 and three lens outfit. A pretty good kit for the travel photographer, no?

Did you use a polarizer at any time during your trip? Some of the landscapes you showed here would be improved a bit, IMO, by a circular polarizer. Plus I'd like to see a bit more color saturation and contrast in the images. All of which are items that can be easily altered by slight adjustments in exposure or by tweaking in post processing.

Looking forward to seeing more of your images.

 

[Landsandgrooves]

Just a general suggestion.

Decide WHAT is the important element in the photo.

Decide WHERE you want the viewer's eye to start, and where you want the eye to go within the frame.

Compose with those goals in mind.

For instance, the shot of the three threes. What is the subject? Where should the eye start, and where should it go? If you had moved around a bit, you could have created leading lines, with something in the foreground, and lines leading the eye to . . . something.

While this may seem that it would slow you down, and it might at first, the more you do it, the more it comes naturally, and you'll find yourself moving left, right, up, down, to isolate an element, emphasize something, create a pattern, etc.

Just something else for your photo toolbox.

 

[wouterv]

Thanks! Great feedback!

The first and third photo are indeed too 'flat'. The other three have more 'depth' in my own opinion. I like them more too. It's indeed something to keep in mind while shooting. I do look for better viewpoints to add a bit of dynamic to a photo, but I guess it's a matter of practicing and moving around more.

I don't use a CP or any other filters for that matter, although when I still had my Nikon D7000 kit I did contemplate on getting one. Perhaps I should get one now with the X-A1.

And yes, I do enjoy this equipment a lot! More than the Nikon. I made that switch because I thought the Nikon kit was basically to bulky to carry around. With two small kids in tow, it's just not very practical, whereas the Fuji is a featherweight dream to have with me. That three lens kit is awesome. The two zooms are fantastic. 4 out of these 5 shots were taken with the 16-50. For a kit lens I think it's tremendous value, way more than the Nikon 18-105 I previously owned. The fact that it goes to 16 on the wide end makes a big difference, and optically I think the Fuji is simply better too. I didn't use the 27mm pancake as much as I thought yet. But I mainly got that one because me and my family are moving to Asia early next year. Then the X-A1 and 27 should make a great combo to capture everyday life and street scenes.