Novice looking for honest feedback!

Hello! I recently bought by first DSLR because I have been itching to get back into photography. I haven't held a camera (other than my iPhone) since photography 1 in college. Any feedback is much appreciated!

Here is my first attempt with a long exposure. Thoughts?

Photo #1
Under exposed.
Everything is too balanced/centered... See Rule of 3rds... Is the subject the beach house or the clouds?

Photo #2

hazy... out of balance... see Rule of 3rds... what is that thing on the beach in the middle? Too far away to be the subject, IMO... If it's not the focus of the subject, then eliminate it...

Welcome!

Good reply from Fred.

I am too new to give any but the most basic advice.

I agree with Fred. Study up on composition, especially the rule of 3rds. It is perfectly ok to break any of the rules but first you have to understand them and know how to use them.

Most of all, don't forget your good friend, Google!

https://www.google.com/search?q=the...s.&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Welcome to the website,

I think Fred has answered the question.

Welcome to the forum Charlie. I think you will find it a great place with a helpful bunch of people.

Hello and welcome...............Rome was not built in a day

Looking forward to taking some great shots!

Photo #1 edited. Too much? I tried to keep the rule of 3rds in mind, however this is my first time ever even thinking about it. Thoughts on b&w?

Charlie Sandberg said:

Photo #1 edited. Too much? I tried to keep the rule of 3rds in mind, however this is my first time ever even thinking about it. Thoughts on b&w?


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Its very rare I give my opinion on editing pictures, what one person likes, another might not.

But just looking at your picture, for me, to much sea, needs to be straightened,
I did a little edit of your 1st picture, cropped it so the sea and the clouds were a little more equal, and straightened it a little.(not much to work with as it was only a small jpeg)

I agree with @paul04, about the foreground, but I see how you got there with the rule.
I could easily make a similar error. I am no expert at composition, never have been, really. Post processing has always been my friend, but I will admit that it was much easier to learn enlargers and chemicals than it has been to loarn old Photoshop software. Do yourself a big favor and subscribe to Photoshop Lightroom CC, as it is supposed to make the digital darkroom much easier to learn.

And I thought that the B&W looked good!

Charlie Sandberg said:

Photo #1 edited. Too much? I tried to keep the rule of 3rds in mind, however this is my first time ever even thinking about it. Thoughts on b&w?


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Well, the exposure is way better.... B&W is an art by itself in post processing... I like brilliant whites, and ink blacks...

There's more interest in the clouds in that image than the water, I'd have placed the house/island in the lower 1/3rd... I'd have cropped the image to eliminate the round bush on the right...

In my opinion the shot lacks strength primarily because there is no clear subject/too much foreground. I'm limited to what I can do on my laptop but I brought up the exposure a little and cropped it:
.....

Here is another version per Fred's recommendation. House is in lower 1/3rd, showing more of the clouds and cut out the shrub on the right. Are the tones ok for black and white? B & W is my favorite by far. Love Ansel Adams and Mitch Dobrowner, they are the two photographers that inspired me to get back into this art. I fully intend on using black and white as my primary medium.

Also, now that I have been reading up more on composition, Ive been noticing it more in others work. Im going head up to Angeles National Forest today and see what I can come up with!

Great...