*BRAND NEW* Please criticize me!

[HenryatCU]

Hi, I'm new to photography, meaning i've never taken a picture on anything but auto settings with a very basic digital camera. These are pictures from my first and second expedition. I'm really interested in improving my skills so feel free to point out the good points and bad points.

The first is of a tunnel in the ceiling of a tunnel, i used flash b/c it was pitch dark, there's water falling.
The second is looking at the entrance of the tunnel (a little abstract).
3rd is a macro of a vine from about 1cm
4th is me behind the waterfall, i'm not sure how i feel about this one.

thanks!
Henry

out of box canon S2 IS

[dennylee60]

Hello Henry.
Welcome to PR! I am sure you will find some very helpful tips to improve your photography skills.

I like the second and the fourth. They are interesting and somwhat mysterious. The composition seems nice. I am not sure what are the subjects of the first and third photo.

Again, welcome.

[gahspidy]

Welcome to the forum. i think these are all pretty good, and your certainly off to a running start. I like the second image, but would have liked to see you place the opening of the tunnel a little further up in the frame with more foreground, and slightly sharper fg as well. The opening just seems too centered , and that just does not give me the right feel about it. The silhouette in front of the waterfall is very good , and I feel it is framed very well .
Looking forward to more of your works.

[HenryatCU]

Thanks for the feedback! I liked something about the 2nd image as well when i took it, but i didnt have a tripod (and didnt really understand all the manual settings i was using ). I'm learning as i go. Also, in the last 2, my camera was set to iso 400 from me messing with it, so that might have caused unecessary noise?

[drg]

Welcome to PR.

Both of the silhouettes are fine. They could be improved with different framing for the first (second image) and some contrast adjustment for the second (fourth image). The first is too centered and the second the hoar frost could be enhanced for added texture or effect.

The other two do not strike me as other than ordinary photos. The macro doesn't quite work and the tunnel is just not well lit.

Hope to see more from you soon and again, Welcome!

[julsoph]

I like the 2nd photo the best as well...and I really think it could be improved like the others are saying by cropping a bit off the top. For me, when I scroll enough to take off about an inch, it seems more balanced. Maybe others will have different ideas on cropping though.

Emily

[Didache]

I totally agree with the others - the second image is by far your strongest. I also agree that a crop off the top would be a good thing. Forgive me if you know this, but compositionally photographers often talk about "the rule of thirds" - ie that pictures tend to be compositionally stronger if the main focus lies on the lines which divide the picture in thirds, both up and down. In that second image the focus (the man) is sort of half way up - if you crop it so that he is 2/3rds of the way up, it would be more powerful. This rule of thirds works for most things. Hope this helps!

Cheers
Mike

[HenryatCU]

Thanks for the advice! I get excited when i learn new things or how to improve an image. I did a little croping. Is this a little more compliant to the rule of thirds?

[Didache]

Yes - much better - you might also like to consider whether or not a square format is best - square tends to be a little less "dynamic". I've recropped it to show what I mean. In my version, the man's head is almost exactly on the "thirds" line .. and the edges of the tunnel likewise. What do you think?

Cheers
Mike

[CLKunst]

Hello Henry,

I am really enjoying your pictures. My personal favorites are #4, #3 & #2. I think you should think about submitting number 4 in the photo project forum for this month. We're doing silhouettes and this is a VERY interesting example. I like the backdrop of falling water.

#3 since it is already an abstract might look even more interesting if you rotated it 90 degrees to the right. It might not be how you originally took the shot but I think might allow the viewer's imagination to wander even further about what it is.

#2 is also very good but you've already gotten plenty of feed back on that one.

Where is this place?!? It looks like a bike path through a waterfall! Too neat.

Anyway, welcome to the boards. I look forward to watching your progress as your skills mature.

Regards,