Newbie saying Hi!

CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
edited January 13, 2012 in Landscapes
This is my first time posting on a photography forum so I just thought I should say Hi to everyone here(where I've just spent the last hour browsing through some amazing pics...I can see I need to up my game somewhat!). My name is Colin Croke, 28 from Ireland but I have been living in South Korea for 4 years now. I first picked up a camera(Nikon D300) that wasn't a point and shoot about 2 years ago and have been consumed by the medium since.
I primarily, actually, nigh exclusively shoot nature and landscapes even though the area where I live in Korea isn't exactly abundant in either! Anyway, that's about all the info I need to bore you with and I look forward to getting to know everyone on the forum in the coming weeks, months and over larger arbitrary measures of time.


And finally a pic from Kerry,Ireland during my first trip home for over 3 years in August 2011.
COL6744-L.jpg
Regards,

Colin Croke

http://colincroke.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    very peaceful! seems like this location has many more! please keep posting and Welcome to dgrin :D
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Welcome to DGrin! This is a lovely image. It might use a bit more contrast and perhaps a bit of cropping on the bottom. For me, that would bring more attention to the boat. I'll be interested in what others say; I think both the image and scene are loaded with potential! I am looking forward to more from you. Being in South Korea might give you a chance to practice other genres since you say landscapes are limited.

    Cheers, Lauren
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    redleash wrote: »
    Welcome to DGrin! This is a lovely image. It might use a bit more contrast and perhaps a bit of cropping on the bottom. For me, that would bring more attention to the boat. I'll be interested in what others say; I think both the image and scene are loaded with potential! I am looking forward to more from you. Being in South Korea might give you a chance to practice other genres since you say landscapes are limited.

    Cheers, Lauren

    Thanks for the welcome, I think I'll be able to improve a lot just by visiting this forum. Korea has a lot of other images worth making, and when I first came here I tried exploring the more industrial and urban worlds and although I might have made some decent photos the process didn't really move me and it began to feel like a chore. One thing Korea does have a lot of however is mountains! 70percent of the land is mountain but they are mostly mono-cultures of trees planted during the reforestation in the 70's. I've just started getting out and doing the 1000m plus hikes to see what I find. Took this photo on Saturday and I'm kind of pleased, think there may be more potential to this side of Korea than I originally gave it credit for.

    COL7731-L.jpg



    By the way, I tried cropping the image along the bottom and in from the side to concentrate more on the boat. What do you think?

    COL6744-L.jpg
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Awais Yaqub wrote: »
    very peaceful! seems like this location has many more! please keep posting and Welcome to dgrin :D

    Hi Awais, thanks for the reply and the welcome. This was in a rather well-known area of Kerry, The Lakes of Killarney. I was on a trip with my parents while home this weekend and I got them to leave me at the side of the road for a couple of hours while I explored away from the busier sites. I took this just a few feet away. A photographer could make a career at this small lake alone!

    COL6690-L.jpg
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Colin - I do like your cropped version of the first boat better. I really like your second boat shot! It's a good composition and the blue color is very nice. The Korean mountain shot is a nice panoramic view. Like you, I primarily shoot landscapes. I do like to go out on occasion and work on urban shots but it is not my strong suit so it can be frustrating. Also, my only experience in Korea was in Seoul--I am glad to see beautiful landscapes like you've shown.

    Lauren
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    redleash wrote: »
    Colin - I do like your cropped version of the first boat better. I really like your second boat shot! It's a good composition and the blue color is very nice. The Korean mountain shot is a nice panoramic view. Like you, I primarily shoot landscapes. I do like to go out on occasion and work on urban shots but it is not my strong suit so it can be frustrating. Also, my only experience in Korea was in Seoul--I am glad to see beautiful landscapes like you've shown.

    Lauren

    Cheers Lauren, and the more I look at that first boat shot I find I have to agree with your suggestion. Living in Korea, where I first became really into photography, the major thing I lack is a source of good peer criticism as none of my friends are at all into photography or art of any kind. So for the past 3 years as I tried to develop my technique it has pretty much been by myself and now I intend to mine dgrin for every nugget of advice, critique and inspiration I can get!
    I was just taking a gander through your galleries(want to go to Texas now!) and the picture of "The Boot Fence" unsurprisingly caught my eye, what the heck is going on there?!!
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2012
    Colin, you will get some really useful critiques on dgrin and access to pros like Marc Muench. I spend most of my time in the landscapes forum, but I like to visit all of them for learning purposes. Thanks for checking out my galleries. As for the boot fence: it is on a state highway outside of Hunt, TX ( about an hour northwest of San Antonio). There must be a couple hundred boots if not more. There are cowboy boots, rain boots, hiking boots, even some wellies! I could not find anything about it other than the name: Boot Hill Fence.
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 9, 2012
    Welcome to Dgrin, Crokey! clap.gif

    I like the cropped version of the boat picture. I think you nailed that nicely. Great reflection and I like the subdued colors. The second boat picture is very nice as well. Beautiful skies in both of them which gave you some really sweet light. thumb.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • babowcbabowc Registered Users Posts: 510 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    Great to see someone in South Korea.. don't find that too often!
    I'm actually from there and you should try checking out Chung-Gye-Chun, if you're nearby it.
    It's a urban area but offers many things to photograph, possibly with an ND filter of the stream that flows through it.

    Welcome to the forums! (I am fairly new myself, lol)
    -Mike Jin
    D800
    16/2.8, f1.4G primes, f2.8 trio, 105/200 macro, SB900.
    It never gets easier, you just get better.
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    kdog wrote: »
    Welcome to Dgrin, Crokey! clap.gif

    I like the cropped version of the boat picture. I think you nailed that nicely. Great reflection and I like the subdued colors. The second boat picture is very nice as well. Beautiful skies in both of them which gave you some really sweet light. thumb.gif

    Thanks kdog,
    I had shot quite a few photos of the various boats in the area, most with my wide angle and in your face! Guess when I switched to the 50mm I wanted to get more of the environment in but in hindsight the cropped version is better. Those skies are called Irish Skies! Although they look attractive in these pics, and they were fine for the 4 weeks I was back home, try living with them 300 days a year! There was still a very high dynamic range which required bracketing to hold the skies. This area was pregnant with possibilities, another one:

    bnwCOL6668-L.jpg
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    thumb.gif
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2012
    babowc wrote: »
    Great to see someone in South Korea.. don't find that too often!
    I'm actually from there and you should try checking out Chung-Gye-Chun, if you're nearby it.
    It's a urban area but offers many things to photograph, possibly with an ND filter of the stream that flows through it.

    Welcome to the forums! (I am fairly new myself, lol)

    안녕하세요?! I visited there when I first came to Korea almost 4 years ago and it is a nice area at night, the only thing is you can't throw a stone and not hit another person with a DSLR when visiting there! I actually live in Daegu but I'm going up to Seoul this weekend so maybe I'll get some good night shots, although I haven't much experience with it.
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
  • babowcbabowc Registered Users Posts: 510 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2012
    Ha!
    I'd love to go take some night shots of Seoul.. It become alive at night, that city!
    -Mike Jin
    D800
    16/2.8, f1.4G primes, f2.8 trio, 105/200 macro, SB900.
    It never gets easier, you just get better.
  • Doug SolisDoug Solis Registered Users Posts: 1,190 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2012
    Welcome to the site. Nice work with this very peaceful setting and lovely reflection. Le'ts see some shots from Korea next.
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2012
    Nice shots good use of reflection on the water. Welcome!

    Thanks for visiting mind-drift by the way...
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • CrokeyCrokey Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2012
    Doug Solis wrote: »
    Welcome to the site. Nice work with this very peaceful setting and lovely reflection. Le'ts see some shots from Korea next.

    Thank's for the welcome Doug,it's a great resource to see pictures from other landscape nuts!I think I might have beaten you to the punch regars photos of Korea,just posted a few pics I took in the autumn here.
    Regards,

    Colin Croke

    http://colincroke.smugmug.com/
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