Help taking a better Photos

adewri

Hi All,

This is my first ever post on dgrin. I recently started photography and I am still an amatuer. I need some help and suggestions on improving my photography.

To begin with, below is the link to a recent trip that I made to Dharamsala.

http://tinkeringwithtrivia.smugmug.com/gallery/2609751

For the trip I used 350D and a borrowed 24-105mm IS 4L Lens.

The gallery contains traditional dances being performed by Tibetians for the longevity of Dalai Lama, which I was very lucky to capture. All the shots were taken in RAW and are unedited. I some how feel that the shots lack something, don't look so professional to me.

Where and what am I lacking in these shots, I'm not so sure. If anyone could point me out where I am wrong so that I can take care of these things in future shoots.

Thanks a lot in advance.
Amar

SloYerRoll

Hi Amar. Welcome to dgrin. There's a goldmine of knowledge here ripe for the picking if you want it!

Your shots arent that bad at all in the first place, so take what I say and use what works for you:

• You don't need to have every shot centered in the frame. Try experimenting w/ different compositions.
• The rule of thirds: one of the golden rules about composing a shot. Once you learn how to obey this rule, learn how to break this rule.

• 90%(ish) of all shots you see are at the average adults height standing. Try crouching or putting the camera above your head and hammer down on the shutter (memory is dirt cheap).
• Overexpose your shots a little bit. Most people think a shot is perfectly exposed if their meter reads at "0". When you expose a shot w/ what the camera thinks is a perfect exposure. Your actually missing allot of colors that could be in your shot. (Play around w/ this and you'll see) I'm not gonna nail you w/ color sensing theory since that will put you to sleep.
• Take your camera off auto!
• Use self controll when looking at gear. It is the photog that takes great shots. Not the camera or lens.
• Lastly PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.... You do not get to be a good or great photog by reading manuals and studying websites. Please don't get me wrong. There is tons of good stuff for you to learn here. But take what you learn and APPLY IT. Here's a little comic that sums this all up.

Good luck w/ your new endeavor!
Photography is very addictive! Be careful

-Jon

pyroPrints.com

As far as practice, I'd suggest doing the assignment that Nikolai runs in this forum:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=41800
as well as entering ther LPS challenge
http://www.dgrin.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7

wxwax

Good advice.

I also notice a lack of background blur to help your subjects standout against the crowds.

You're at f4, which is the largest your lens will give you. Which means the only way of getting more blur is to set a longer focal length. I understand that you were close to your subjects, so you might not have had a lot of choice for focal length. If so, don't give up on the idea of tighter shots of faces, with background blur.

adewri

Thanks a lot Jon, Pyro and Sid for answering and giving valueble suggestions.

I think I understand where I am lacking to some extent, rest is on how much I Practice. Points noted and absorbed .

Cheers
Amar