Rookie - first random outing

Pretzel

Senior Member
Be gentle. I *am* a rookie after all. The doll I found in the yard of a long abandoned house, and has some minor editing. The buildings/line shot was a lucky grab roaming downtown. Both shot with my new D3100 and the kit lens.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1364325127.307381.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1364325324.386419.jpg

Any critique, tips welcome!
 

Rexer John

Senior Member
Be gentle you say, right erm.
Sorry bud, can't do it gently.
There's a lot wrong in there.

But be strong, and take critique as well meant to get you taking better photos.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
The "gentle" was tongue in cheek. Point it all out. I'm not afraid to learn and grow ;)

"Lot wrong" doesn't help me with that, though. How about a couple of the easier things to fix?
 

Rexer John

Senior Member
Yeah I know it was mate but it would have been wrong to jump in and stomp on your photos.
I think the doll pic is just horrible but I hate dolls anyway.
It's badly positioned in the frame. The centre of the pic is too bright. You need to get lower, much lower.
Better still, just my opinion but point the camera somewhere else.

2nd pic has the top of the main building cut off. The interest is in the flag but it's cut off, if the interest is not the flag it shouldnt be in the shot.
The tallest part of the building is in the middle and should be at least away from the middle but nicer if you follow the rule of thirds.
Hard to say without knowing the building but you needed to be further back or a wider angle to get the buildings height in.

Seems harsh but it's well intended and it's best to get good habits from the start.
Well done for being brave with posting pics so early.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Seems harsh but it's well intended and it's best to get good habits from the start.
Well done for being brave with posting pics so early.

Many thanks, that's why I posted. From a 60 dollar point and click to this, never having taken classes or taken pics as an art form, that's exactly why I'm here!

The center of the doll pic is so bright due to the editing, going for a darker sort of fade on the corners... Perhaps I can filter off a bit of the glare in the center too. Thanks for the critique!
 

SkvLTD

Senior Member
Word of golden advise- switch to full manual, bind ISO control to the shortcut button (below flash one, 3100 should have one, right?) and start learning how the whole aperture works. Read what ISO, shutter speed, and aperture do and how they work together. Take a shot, see how it is and what's missing, compensate a bit, shoot and look again, etc.
 

Mfrankfort

Senior Member
Maybe bring down the highlights a bit... and I'm with the others. I'd try to put the subject in the middle of the frame. You don't need it to be bright for people to focus on it, but you do want it in the center. 2nd looks pretty good, but maybe zoom out, or use a wider lens if possible.. That way things aren't getting cut off (flag, building..) Keep at it!
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
How about a return to the same abandoned yard, different subject? Seems like still some bright spots to it... But better?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1364412010.383653.jpg
 

Rexer John

Senior Member
It's not April 1st for a few days yet :)

Interesting shot, what was it that caught your eye.
Sorry I'm not being a git intentionally, what is it you see in the photo?
I dont mean literally, but artistically. Shadows, patterns, colour, chaos?

We need to know what you are seeing, a lot of artwork has a title or short description to help the viewer.
Help us to help you, and please take my April 1st comment in humour as it was intended.

I don't see art in many well known artworks, so it may just be me out of my zone.
 

Mfrankfort

Senior Member
Where was the focus in this ? Just looking, it's hard to tell, but looks like the rock? Try to put the main subject in focus.. or main area.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
What caught my eye... The light and shadows, the subtle hues/contrast of decay and, well, the randomness. There wasn't really a main focus. Although the main lens focus was locked in just low/left of the rock.

I was using the shot to test my ability to catch those contrasts, mostly. That and the fact that I love junk, just not in my own yard. ;)
 

Hminx

Senior Member
Hi Pretzel
With a abandoned yard shot in a situation like this don't be afraid to reposition stuff to get an interesting composition. Also you could look at your Depth Of Field, a shallow DOF is a great tool to high light your point of interest.
 
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