Looking for Critque

cakanode

Hey guys,
This is my first post on here. I just got some of my photos up on smugmug and found this site as well. I'm an amateur photographer and I've been shooting for about 4 years now. I started/began with a Nikon N55 and used that until it was pretty much below my skill level. I am very devoted to photography being not just a hobby but my profession someday and continue learning all the while. I just recently "invested" in a Nikon D70s with a 18-70 DX and 70-300(both nikkor). Already my learning curve has skyrocketed. I'm VERY green with the digital SLR stuff and am hoping to learn what I can while still about digital photography while still progressing with my photography skill in general. HERE ARE THREE OF MY FAVORITE NATURE SHOTS. PLEASE CRITIQUE THEM AS BEST YOU CAN....AND BE TOTALLY HONEST. The 1st and 3rd pictures were taken with my D70s while the 2nd was taken with my N55 and scanned(albeit with a very crappy scanner).Thank you for your time and I look forward to posting on here more in the future.

1.)


2.)


3.)

bfjr

Welcome and Congrats at finding the right place
You will receive mucho help on whatever ya want photo wise

1st nice but needs to be in focus from front to rear for it to work also something to focus on (the viewer I mean)

2nd nice water (workin on that myself), seems a bit underexposed in other parts (can be fixed in digital darkroom), don't know how I feel about the log in front.

3rd to centered and doesn't look real. Did you do some PhotoShop on this One?

All in all a very good 1st post lot better then mine was
Please keep joining in and post some more

All of the above is JMHO and I have no credentials, see Sig Below

Andy

welcome to dgrin

#1 - good exposure! i'd try a little localized curves adjustment in the far bg, to gain a tad more contrast - not too much! i see you were going for that "winding path" thing - but you missed here - too much focal length - try a wider angle lens and go for a deeper dof.

#2 - again, i think this is too "close up" ... imo, wide angles are great - and difficult to work with - but the reward is huge. i want to see more of the stream here. also, the shadows are dead - no detail, which is a distraction. the water looks nice though.

#3 - yeech. central compo, not interesting. it's a flower. ok - but why do i want to look at it? give the viewer a reason to stay on your photograph rather than go off to the next one.

hth,

wxwax

Hiya cakanode, glad you stopped by.

The first one leaves me wondering what you want me to look at. If it's the path, it would be stronger if it were not so centered. Lead my eye through the shot, if you can, rather than plonking your subject right in the middle.

On the second one, I agree with Andy. Your framing cuts off too much of the waterfall. And it tries, but can't quite, draw my eye across the diagonal. I've done the same thing many times, most recently at Yosemite! :bluduh Also, the branch feels like an intrusion, at least to me. I do like how you've handled the water, and personally don't have a problem with the dark rocks, if it's an effect you seek and can control, makes a pleasant contrast to the creamy water.

I think your flower colors are really nice. I dunno if it's by design, but again it's slightly dark. I like the blur you're going for. The center composition does weaken the shot. If you search around the web, you'll find shooters who've found many inventive ways of framing such shots, including the artful use of the branches and stems of the supporting plant.

You've obviously put some effort into these shots, congrats! I sure hope you post more.

cakanode

Hey Guys,
Thank you so much for your critiques, I'm glad to have feedback from people who know alot more than I. In response to some of your questions/comments:

1.) The 2nd picture, of the waterfall, was taken with my Nikon N55 and then the print was scanned with a very crappy scanner. In the real print, the shadows are nowhere near as dark and the exposure looks alot better but I have yet to get my negatives converted to digital format. Speaking of which--do you guys have any suggestions as to good online companies that scan 35mm negatives onto digital media??

2.) The flower picture was not doctored in any way with photoshop or anything. It looks the way it does in response the camera's settings. I took several shots of this flower with different WB settings and such, and then took one using the camera's auto close-up setting(i know, i know ) I have others that I took that don't look so fake, but I heard you all on the centered shot being a no-no. Thats why I'm here...to learn all I can.

3.) I heard alot of suggestions for doing a wide-angle shot. The lowest focal length i'm capable of is 18mm(which when adjusted for digital is 27mm). I am VERY interested in a decent wide-angle lens. If you have suggestions as to any good ones.

Thank you again for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated. I will post some more shots on here as time goes by. I feel like I need to comment on some others stuff before I go a' posting all over the place.