INTJ Mastermind posted:

The patch of light works really well. From a lighting perspective, we could use some back-lighting to separate her hair from the leaves of the tree, and to seperate her rear eye from the background. Her brown eye just kind of blends right into the leaves, which is a bit awkward. Your other two pictures look great btw!


This was my first attempt at making a black-and-white landscape. Also my first outing with my new 24-105 lens! It was late afternoon, the marine layer had just rolled in, bringing overcast skies and fog. I was trying to capture the Santa Monica Pier as well as the general beach activity. I think the 105 mm perspective really helps to compress the scene and emphasize the pier (which is ~2 miles away at this point.)


Venice-027 by The original David L, on Flickr

Huxley posted:

Opals25 posted:

IMG_8579 by Opals25, on Flickr

crime fighting hog posted:

First, a bad one:


0509_SNI_PTPioneer5 by Middleshoes, on Flickr

I think what I did wrong was simply not enough exposure. The room was dark and in retrospect I should have focused more on one or two kids instead of trying to catch the group. I think that would have made it stronger with a better point of focus.

FistLips posted:

How did you do this? It looks cool and I'll like to try something like this too!

Dread Head posted:

I wish that the was higher up and instead of including some of the brick at the bottom I would have rather seen more of the window. I think while the tv reflection is not ideal it is not so over powering that it is the first thing you see.

xenilk posted:

Love the window light on that one, if you wanted you could have defused it a little bit more so her stomach has the same amount of light than her face but other than that it's fine. Her eyes are gorgeous and the posture is great. I have to agree with the other poster than her right hand is the weak point of that photo since everything else is well posed the right arm just feels out of place. I would say you could have moved it along her body to define the right side of her waist but that's just me.

Editing wise well that's my cup of tea so I'll go ahead and say it was well done. It's one of the pictures I wish I had taken.


Here are some of mine....

IMG_5508 by avoyer, on Flickr


img_2585 by avoyer, on Flickr

... and one that's a bit out of my usual style.


IMG_5698 by avoyer, on Flickr

Huxley posted:

Second try at posting a couple, with some critiques on my own. (All with an S90, the flowers in macro mode.)


Twist by mattphilpott, on Flickr

I really liked the bend in the tree on the right, but no matter how I shot it I couldn't get it to stand out. Up close it got too abstract, horizontally it got even more lost. This is the best photo of the bunch because of the light, but the light is the subject of the photo, not the neat tree, which was the whole point.

krackmonkey posted:

_DSC0470.jpg by Trip Sixes, on Flickr

Oprah Haza posted:

Was there a fireworks moratorium?




I hate that lamppost.

Marshmallow Blue posted:

Sorry, I'll make sure that its in focus or not before I post it. Better focus is something I'll definitely start working on, making sure that its tight and crispy. I think of all the photos I've posted so far they have been from one of two hikes, and both of those hikes were poor lighting ( I think at least the plane crash metal was at close to half a second shutter speed + an ISO over 800. I'll rapid fire some of the other questions. I'm trying to work more on my close up photography as I think some of my more land-scapey shots are better.

Tripod: Don't have one (also not sure about carrying extra poundage on 6-10 hour hikes (even a few pounds really adds up))
Focus: These have all been manual focus, I only use auto focus on birds cause they don't like sitting around waiting for me to try and get them in focus.

Back button focus: looks like it could be useful. I think part of me had improper training in that, for the commercial photography class, he wanted everything manual focus and AF is "cheating" but maybe he was just a jerk (or trying to tech us how to use the camera). I'm not sure what the real-world views auto-focus as. but this is my camera is the back button focus the AF on the right on that wheel? http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/XS/ZREARTOP.JPG

That metal dude posted:

As someone who left DC three years ago I want to personally thank you for these firework pictures. Stunning and well composed, you did a wonderful job incorporating the city. The first two are my absolute favorite and the colors really help set the mood of the overall picture. I am going to use these as my reference point for future firework projects, my last attempts weren't so productive.

Content:

AlteBrücke Panorama by Guitar Abroad, on Flickr

I took this after seeing a picture hanging in a gallery and thinking "I could do that." It's a stitched panorama with single exposures so no HDR going on here, just an HDR effect. This is normally not my style however as I was attempting to mimic the photograph I decided to boost the clarity slider in LR5 further than normal. It's not perfect however I would really like input as to how this particular photo came out.

Putrid Grin posted:

The girl seems a bit squished at the bottom of the picture. I would play with the crop to see if you can get a bit more balanced composition.




_DSC6416 by Stingray of Doom, on Flickr

I am not sure if I like it for what it is or for sheer detail within. Made a 20x30 print of it recently, and its fun let your eyes wander on it. And the color temp seems a bit off, or that might just be me as there are like 3-4 different types of light in that photo. Any ideas?

Mr Yuck posted:

I mention the background, because I didn't really notice the trees in the background of this shot, either. It's hard to find open space in Delaware...

Huxley posted:

The cranes were kind of the last thing I noticed about the picture. Like VB said above, it might all be in the style you're shooting for, but the white cranes on white sheets over white wall get a bit lost. Especially since I guess they were dropped over her and shot, they seem a bit out, especially compared to her. If you have a ton of time to set up, maybe consider suspending them so they come out as crisp as the model (again, assuming that's the goal)? You could fishing line them long then sheepshank the line to change heights as you care to. All the hard setup would be in pre and you could still move quickly with the model there.

Or that might be WAY outside the scope of what you want the project to be, in which case I would just suggest more colors in the cranes, especially if you're shooting against white again.

Playing around with filters and post etc etc. I was inspired by someone I stumbled across this past week.


artificial feeding by Toyokazu, on Flickr

But I'm clearly not there yet, missing a step somewhere. (Talent may be that step.)


Parlour 1 by mattphilpott, on Flickr


Parlour 2 by mattphilpott, on Flickr

Skizzzer posted:

I feel uncomfortable walking around people with my camera, I don't know how you guys just take pictures of angry old men and kids and stuff:

StarkingBarfish posted:

And for some of my own, I'm trying a bit of split toning, based on some discussion in the post-processing thread about this picture:



What do people think of my attempts below? Too instagrammy?

img_0056 by barfish, on Flickr

For this one, I'm annoyed by the light source below the bride's arm, but I'm not sure how I could kill it:

img_0002 by barfish, on Flickr

StarkingBarfish posted:

I'm surprised you find it subtle in the first photo- the original shot was very vibrant, and I found the toning procedure washed it out a lot.

grack posted:

The biggest issue as that your model/actor is totally dead weight in terms of body language and expression. He's not really coming across as aggressive.

For example - in the second picture, palms up and wrists showing is an ingrained submissive posture, not aggressive. The aggressive posture would actually be hands down, showing the knuckles. Similarly, in the third picture refusing to make eye contact is a submissive posture, along with keeping the mouth closed. Aggressive would be making direct eye contact (challenge) and showing a little bit of teeth in a sneer (attack).

grack posted:

Gone Fishin' X by jkostashuk1, on Flickr

Huxley posted:

I've cropped this one a dozen different ways and never settled on anything, really. Placing the V dead center felt right enough, but it does push the balance a bit high.


Peek by mattphilpott, on Flickr

Hydrocodone posted:

I like the second and third but not so much the first, for the same reasons people have brought up. I think the colors are good as vibrant as they are, seeing as it's advertising. The vibrancy is attention-getting and fun. But this last one I think needs more depth of field. I'd like it more if the curls of her hair were all in focus or close to it.


Given the title, I think the lighting and mood achieve what you were aiming for. Makes me feel like it's a calm evening in a country garden. But I want something for my eyes to settle on and I want it to be the blossom aiming almost at the camera, not the two that seem to be in focus, maybe because each of those is somewhat blocked.


I photographed my friend blowing glass for a few hours, after which I realized I'd seen almost exactly what I'd taken a million times before. The photo students at the school have taken photos of the glassblowing students forever. So I'm down on these, but I don't know if they're weak or my eye is calibrated funny.

CX0A8991 by MatthewKSears, on Flickr

CX0A9087 by MatthewKSears, on Flickr

CX0A9492 by MatthewKSears, on Flickr

iammeandsoareyou posted:

Well here goes for my first attempt at a critique. I like the mood the picture set with the light rays, but I feel like there is not enough separation between the dark background and the dark cross to make the cross pop. I think if you upped the exposure slightly it might pop more. Or if you are good with dodging and burning, dodging the background a bit might make the subject pop more. Also I think that the tree in the bottom right hand corner is a bit distracting.

And here is my first offering for critique. I liked this one because I don't see too many shot of the capitol dome with the lamps in the foreground, which is too bad because i think they are pretty cool structures. Unfortunately I think I cut their bases off at a bad place in an attempt to preserve negative space at the top of the dome.

CapitalWLamps by noonebutme2010, on Flickr

And this one I feel like should work because elements are there, but just doesn't somehow.

Girders by noonebutme2010, on Flickr

iammeandsoareyou posted:

Thanks for everyone's input on the capitol shot. I think the consensus on that one is that the cropping is off and the clouds are distracting. Looking at the files from that day I think I am just going to have to go back and re-shoot it before I transfer out of DC. There is a lot going on back there anyway that I did not get the first time. I like the telephoto idea.

As for the girders, you are correct that is Georgetown and your comment on the trees puts the finger on an element that kept bothering me about where that shot never seemed to come together. I am pretty basic with post-processing, but I might experiment with some removal tools in photoshop and see if I can't get them out.

And I really like that Union Station shot. Honestly the only nitpick that I can come up with is that might be a little stronger if you could shop out the guy who is sitting half way in the wall and maybe the first guy's suitcase. Pretty much everything else in the picture really works for me.

Wafflecopper posted:

Castle Point Sunrise 5 by ejtors, on Flickr

thetzar posted:

Here's one from me that's also in the portraits thread. As I said there, "I've started playing around with selectively applying color temperature, which I picked up from this guy, who is way better than I am." This was also a quick shoot which reenforced to me just how bad at directing a subject I am. This is a co-worker who I stole five minutes from for the shot. I'm generally introverted, and I find my taking pictures of people to be something of an imposition -- so I try to move as quickly as possible, not bothering to give much direction or try too many things. This is something I know I need to work on. The results of this shoot were a dozen exposures that were all -almost- there. If I had taken more time then, I think I could have gotten better results and more engagement from my model.


Untitled by thetzar, on Flickr

whaam posted:

There's something about the contrast between the rock and the pale blue sky that is making this feel washed out to me. Not sure if that makes any sense but that's just how I'm seeing it. It's perfectly exposed but things feel a bit too bright, maybe just the time of day and the harsh light. The reflection turned out great, and it looks really great as a pocket of blue in all that rock, the light and sky is just throwing me.



Something about this photo feels off to me. I was pleased with the result when I was shooting then got back and didn't like it nearly as much looking at it on the screen. It's barely been touched in post but I can't see what would help it out. The only thing I can think that is dragging it down is the composition seems weak? This was at 70mm so I couldn't really move around and frame it very well, the only thing I can think to help would be to crop out some of the water in the foreground. In the viewfinder I thought it would work as a very simple 3-layer image with oranges on top, browns in the middle and blue on the bottom, but I think that isn't working since the island doesn't span the whole middle and the "blues" got pretty orange from the reflection.

Thoogsby posted:

The color of the ceiling bricks is fantastic in this.

murp posted:

Here's some beach stuff from a trip this weekend.


DSC_9353 by Dingus Falcon, on Flickr


DSC_9300 by Dingus Falcon, on Flickr


DSC_9250 by Dingus Falcon, on Flickr

mAlfunkti0n posted:

My wife and I went out for a hike yesterday. Since I bought my X-E1 I enjoy taking it with me and have found a love for photography again. Too bad I am not all that great, so tell me what I can do better! The one thing I did not like about this one is the diagonal tree in the foreground enormous foreground subject that occupies nearly the entire photo. As always I feel like I need to hurry, which I am slowly working on ignoring.

xzzy posted:

Hiking and enjoying nature is easy, bringing it back home in a camera is hard.

David Pratt posted:

Johnny Reb - you might want to read the OP, you know, like it says in the title of the thread.

Skizzzer posted:

Downtown at Night 2 by badmountain, on Flickr

Hydrocodone posted:

Leaving the color discussion aside just a moment, I think these shots have a lot of potential but I want a wider angle on both of them. The first feels like it needs a little breathing room above and on the right side. The second I want there to be more space all around, the gate's close to fitting in and so I want it to fit entirely in and I think it would serve the photo well.

Mr. Despair posted:

don't bother naming all your pictures cause man it's weird

Thorpe posted:

I don't really know much but I do really like the colors and how it draws my eyes farther and farther back. Would love to visit a place like that one day.

Ended up picking up a DSLR (Pentax K5-iis) after years of wanting to get into photography. I don't really have a clue what I'm doing but I'm trying to read a lot, and I have a copy of Understanding Exposure I'm going to begin reading next week. These will probably come off really point and shooty but have to start somewhere!

IMGP0326.jpg by alexmthorpe, on Flickr

IMGP0303.jpg by alexmthorpe, on Flickr

IMGP0371.jpg by alexmthorpe, on Flickr

I have a copy of Lightroom and I'm mostly just moving sliders and seeing what they do so the PP is probably weird. So much to learn but I'm having a blast so far.

Mr. Despair posted:

I think a more useful rule of thumb is 1/focal length, so if you're using a 300mm lens you want to shoot for 1/300, if you're shooting a 15mm lens you can probably get away with 1/15. That's assuming you're shooting 35mm, so on crop you might be a little worse off, but still, it's a good starting point.