Not putting my brain into gear...Up-date

[JPS]

Hi all,
Some of you may have read my post "Not putting my brain into gear” which can be seen in the General Photography discussion area of this site, below is a quick update from today’s shoot.

After all the great advice everybody took the time to offer me, I would like to say things went really well, but I still managed to set up my 1st few shots without realising the ISO was set to 800, even though I was outside on a sunny day.
Much more practice I think.
The only way to learn is to get honest C&C so please "give it to me with both barrels", I can take it.

[Donald]

John. In one of your posts in your original thread yesterday, you said, "I'm going to set myself a challenge now, for tomorrows shoot and concentrate on composition."

Well, it worked.

I think that is a good composition. I think you've placed the horizon in the right place - It's not on the bottom 'third' horizontal, but I don't think it would have worked if it had been. There would have been too much beach. As it is what we have is a lovely 'big' sky.

The chimney in the distance is pretty close to being on the right-hand vertical 'third', but again with those two boats nicely in the bottom right section, the chimney didn't need to be right on the thirds line, I don't think. In other words, that area of the image is nicely balanced.

You've got a good sky there, lots to look at.

All-in-all, as an exercise in composition, I like this.

[JPS]

Thanks Donald,
yes you are correct, today I was trying to improve my composition. I did not take any pictures without considering and forming the picture in my mind first. Still a long way to go; I know, but for me today was a good learning curve. I will continue to work on my composition for a while, until it improves and becomes more natural to me, then I will try to combine it with other skills I still need to learn.
Thanks for the positive comments, I feel I have now got a structured way to move forward.

[Donald]

I did not take any pictures without considering and forming the picture in my mind first.

Brilliant. That, for me, is the key.

[MilT0s]

I like the big cloud on the upper left corner ballacing the yellow boat on the opposite corner. Some nice cloud tonalities too. Very nice. (a bit more contrast and saturation maybe?)

The second one though is just ok while the first one is great.