Newbie...first photo post

CCPhoto

I've been avoiding this for several months, but I suppose it's time to put myself out there. I know I'll never get better unless I allow myself to be critiqued and criticized. I definitely want to grow as a photographer, and all I really know is what I've picked up on the fly, so it's time for this. These are some of my favorites from my first few paid sessions. C+C is welcome and appreciated.

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Thanks!

VayCayMom

Welcome !! You'll find we don't bite, at least not too hard !
Most of the shots are quite nice! My favorites are 3, 4 11, 12.
#7 could use some cloning to get rid of the distracting pink by the boy's head, and maybe crop a tad tighter.
#9 could use some lightening of her eyes. See that wasn't so bad!

lilmomma

looks like you have a good eye for candid moments. I really like 3,4,10,12. i like the moment in 11 but the crop is awkward for me. Not sure how others feel? Anyway welcome to dgrin

CCPhoto

Thank you, ladies, for the warm welcome and critique. I didn't even notice the sign behind the boy's head in #7! I'm a bit embarrassed!

Wil Davis

Welcome to DGPF!

There are some basic composition guidelines such as "rule of thirds", "fill the frame", use of depth of field to isolate subjects etc. and although many photographers ignore these rules, a careful study of successful photographs (or photographs which work), will show that more often than not, they obey the rules.

Interesting set of pictures:

#1 - fill the frame or crop; perhaps that background is your watermark, but honestly when I first saw it, I thought you'd scanned-in a scratched negative; these scratches (called "tram-lines") are often caused by grit or dirt stuck in the film-guides.

#2 - everything is in the left side of the frame; also, focus on the nearest eye when doing portraits (another "rule")

#3 - that's better, you have some interesting stuff in the frame; lighting is a bit flat

#4 - The B&W is good, and there's some interesting stuff there, but I'd fill the frame or crop like mad (all the stuff in the background isn't important).

#5 - see $4 (rotate the camera 90º CCW and use portrait format, and fill the fr… )

#6 - either step back slightly and don't chop off the guy's feet (but still fill the frame), or get in closer, fill the frame and chop his legs off just above the knees… Actually you could just re-frame without changing your position by just tilting the camera down slightly (the empty sky above his head is unimportant, whereas his feet chopped makes him look like an amputee… )

#7 - seat, steering-wheel, child is good enough - don't need tractor hood and exhaust stack…

#8 - re-frame slightly (move child up and to the right), and focus on the eyes !

#9 - portrait orientation, and focus on the eyes !

#10 #11 - frame, focus, and watch the exposure…

#12 - great picture…
…but use portrait orientation, and perhaps re-frame - everything in the background to his left is uninteresting, whereas background to the right has the gate/fence thingy, and they could be looking at it, but as you have it, everything is in the centre, and the people are leg-less!!!!

Perhaps you might also consider using fill-in flash just to make the pictures slight less-flat (just an idea)

Thanks for sharing your pictures; you have a pretty good eye, all you need to do now is concentrate on the details!

Hope this helps!



- Wil

CCPhoto

Wil,

Thanks for the detailed critique! Several of the issues that you mentioned (i.e., "flat colors", "scratches", etc...) were part of post-processing. I will absolutely take everything you said in to consideration and will continue to try to learn the "rules". Thanks!

catspaw

CCPhoto wrote:

Wil,

Thanks for the detailed critique! Several of the issues that you mentioned (i.e., "flat colors", "scratches", etc...) were part of post-processing. I will absolutely take everything you said in to consideration and will continue to try to learn the "rules". Thanks!

Rules were meant to be broken, too

CCPhoto

catspaw wrote:

Rules were meant to be broken, too

Thanks, Leah

MissB

yay!! these are great.. I love the natural feel in all of these. welcome to dgrin I cant wait to see what else you bring to the table!!