First posts--critique please

[BevMa]

I just got a Nikon D70 a month or so ago and was trying out some shots...I've been dabbling in photography for a while and I'm glad to have found this site. please help me figure out how I could improve these. Thank you

oh the settings if I remeber were 105mm, f/2.8, ISO 200, I think 1/60 for the first
f/8, ISO 1600, 1/100 I think...

[Lava Lamp]

Welcome. Personally, these are a bit hard to critique. I like the first better and like the composition and the way the flowers flow diagnoally across to the left. The second is different but kinda fails the "Would I put it on the wall test?" I hope you post more.

[iclayton]

Hi BevMa

I am a beginner so my view may not be the best, I actually like both shots the only things that I would change would be in the photo with the yellow flowers I would try to get the 3 main flowers in sharp focus, and with the Silhouette I would try to get less background material but still keep some in.

Please post more

[mikehulsebus]

Cool ideas on both of these photos. The focus is a bit distracting on the first one like others have mentioned. I think my eye is most drawn to the flower closest to the viewer, yet that one is out of focus. On the left side theres a little too much empty space for me. I like the angle you're messing around with though.
As for the second, this one has great colors and I can see enough of everything to get hints (or at least make up my own idea) of where this is. The fact that this is just a plant and not a flower in no way bothers me. What does bother me, however is the flim speed. Not only does using ISO 1600 add a lot of grain to the image, but you also lose some image quality. If at all possible always use low ISO settings, higher ones if its the only way to get the shot (e.g. you didn't have a tripod). You'd really be surprised how much better low ISO shots turn out. I've posted two images I took with a D1H of similar subjects to show what I mean at this link