New photos from T-day on Oregon Coast

[captivating]

I am new around here as well as to photography. I love taking photos but now I am not satisfied with just pointing and shooting so I have been reading etc. to learn more about using other than Auto modes. These were shot on Auto mode as I have not gotten the chance to actually spend a few hours trying out custom settings. My sister and I had Turkey day at the coast so I got to step out of the car and grab a few shots. I used Photoscape to enhance these a bit but as anyone who knows photography, you will see I have a long way to go. I would love critique on these though, very welcome as I am very teachable and willing. Thanks all and I will try to put a little "description" on each:

This was a barn off Highway 42 (Oregon, about 5:30pm that caught my eye.)

I liked this but actually found it because I was trying to get a photo of something behind it but when I saw it through the lens I just snapped it.

I don't usually try wildlife as they are moving mostly and figure I can't get them but this came out ok. He was headed home with his Thanksgiving dinner I suspect

The other seems to think he/she is invited to dinner

Love these, little places by the harbor in Charleston Oregon. You can see I brighten the blue up a bit Too blurry once again and didn't take my tripod.

[Bobobird]

80+ views and no replies - that my friends is downright rude. How does one expect a budding photographer to improve with that kind of behaviour. We were all beginners at one time. Geesh...

Denise that is is lot of shots to critique. May I suggest you first tell us what you think is good about these shots and what is bad with a bit of explanation.

That will allow people something to focus on in their responses.

[Steve S]

I agree bobo, not the best way to welcome new members. But don't take it to heart denise, there is an awesome group of people here, that will be more than willing to help you out. Sometimes people just browse through and don't comment. (i do it myself )

Photography can be very complicated if you look at it as a whole. So to make it simple, just try to learn one thing at a time.

My suggestion is to read your camera manual and learn what all the buttons do, and how to make changes and adjustments. In the meantime, learn everything you can about: exposure, and the exposure triangle. If you can't make a proper exposure, then nothing else in photography matters, so learn this first, and learn it well , before you move on to someting else.

There are alot of great tutorials here and elsewhere on the subject. If you have any question, just ask and someone will be more than willing to help.

What camera and lenses are you using? That info will help others give you better feedback.

[davidedric]

Hi Denise,

I'd like to make a couple of comments.

I think the strongest shot of the group , by some way, is #1 of the barn. I like the composition, with the light well off to one side, beckoning in a traveller, maybe. I also like that there is just enough light to see the line of the hills and give some interest in the upper part.

You say you don't do a lot of wildlife, and I think the picture of the gull heading home with dinner shows it a bit. (It also looks as if the shot is stretching your camera / lens combination rather). With a shot like this, composition almost always works better if you give the animal/bird a space to move into: so with the gull to the left and more space to the right. This is a tricky shot with a very wide dynamic range, with the result that the highlights on the bird are well blown. You would need to learn the non-auto settings to master this shot, but my suggestion would be to concentrate on the composition at this stage (not everyone here would agree with me!).

I don't know if your camera can shoot in RAW, but if you can that gives you a much better chance of recovering blown highlights - not guaranteed mind! I did try downloading your JPEG to my computer, but I couldn't get any detail back.

Keep shooting and posting!

Regards,

Dave

[tbob]

The shot of the barn; The point of interest is the light cast on the barn. It would be improved by reducing the amount of black to the right. Basically you need to tighten up on the lit area by getting closer, using a telephoto lens or cropping. To include some of the sky and mountain perhaps turn the camera ninety degrees so you have the image vertical rather than horizontal (referred to as portrait, the more normal way to hold the camera is landscape, it is sometimes a useful thing to try both when framing in camera just to train your mind to try other options for composition. I like the fact you have the barn off to one side and not central in the image.

The same basic concept for the pier and red rippled reflection. The area of interest is the reflection, you have a great frame for this with the black pier members. Just tighten up on the crucial bits.

You have a great eye for composition and interesting subjects, as this is the basis for great images it looks like you have a head start over the vast majority and is an aspect that can be taught but having natural instinct is a massive advantage. I envy you.

[JPS]

Hi Denise,
the most important thing for me is that you are enjoying your photography. You can get some good results from P&S cameras, but as you say it’s well worth learning the manual setting, this will allow you more flexibility in the kind of shot you can take.

With regard to this thread I think the initial lack of response could have been due to the amount of pictures posted. If you had posted one or two and explained what you were not happy with and then the ‘troops’ I’m sure would have given you some guidance on how you could have improved them.

What I did like was you appear to have a good eye for seeing a good picture, which is great, well done.
Don’t forget to try and pick a main subject (focal point) in your shots and keep it ‘sharp’.

The tutorials here are good and well worth studying. You say you are doing a lot of reading, keep do this and keep shooting; practice makes perfect.

A last point do not forget, whatever PP you decide to do, some final output sharpening of your pictures is IMO well worth doing. As an example I carried out some PP on one of your pictures to give you an alternative option to consider. I will of course remove it if you so desire.

Overall well done, keep sharing and learning.

[captivating]

thanks Bob, I wasn't sure how to go about getting critique although I did read on the FAQ's and tried to follow that thanks again though, I was hoping for some feedback. I guess I just wanted to know if I was on the right track, even though I am using auto modes, I want to know if any of these show a good eye, LOL!! I won't post as many next time, just one or two

I think I need to take some with my custom settings which I haven't got a chance to yet

Thanks again denise

[captivating]

I'll put some details in a signature as well, thank you much Steve I actually tried some Aperture adjustment last night with some christmas lights. It turned out horrible but I got those streams of light goin on which was kind of exciting to see that work. Also, Shutter Priority on another photo. I will keep reading the manual and finding out more. ty again, denise PS I wasn't worried, I am used to forums and sometimes I don't get back to people either

[captivating]

Ok Dave, I print these replies so I can remember to try them out. I heard the word Raw yesterday for the first time, and then read about it today. Mostly I am doing homework right now but out of school in about a week so I can focus on my camera and learning about it and it's settings. I will keep coming to the forum as I already know there are great people here I know I will learn a lot here

I will keep on and as I learn more my posts will get better as well denise PS I do know and understand what you mean by leaving a space for the wildlife to be moving into or toward. I will work on that as well

[captivating]

Oh sweet, I appreciate this a lot. Now if I can learn my custom settings, I might capture some real dandies I can't wait to be able to focus much more time on photography, really love it! Thank you again and I will print your topic as well so I can try all the helpful hints denise!!

[captivating]

any help or advice you want to give is more then welcome! I will keep on keepin on, and not post so many. I will learn the ropes here and I sure appreciate everyone that showed up to explain a few things to me denise