New to the forums, a photos

[smelly]

Hi all. I'm new 'round these parts and new to photography in general. I started shooting semi-seriously (i.e. doing more than taking snapshots) on a trip to Sicily back in March, and just ordered my first SLR on Thursday, a Canon 30D with Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS lenses. I feel like I can take some good shots, but it's often just luck of the draw. I'm excited to start learning and taking good photos consistantly.

Here's my favorite recent shot of mine. Thanks for any commentary!

[eaglesona]

I have heard someone quote, "The best photographers have the largest trash cans". I personally only use about 1 out of every 4 or 5 shots myself.

I really love how you got the green to stand out in the photo. Its almost surreal, but close enough to reality to be believeable, nicely done. The only real complaints I have is...

The bicyclist tends to blend in with the path for me after a while. Perhaps you might want to play with the hue or colors on the bicyclist to make him stand out more.

The Sky that peeks through the trees at the top of the Photo seems to dull the colors up there. Perhaps you might want to play with the color of the sky or try cropping it out.

The dead tree in the center of the Photo just doesn't seem to stand out quite enough for me, but this is more personal opinion than anything. Maybe you might try playing with it.

Overall I like it though... nicely done.

[Copy_Kot]

I like the picture...

I think it would look a little better minus the bicyclist, personally I do not like people in nature images... it's just my personal preference. I think I would have tried taking the picture from a lower viewing point, it looks like you took the picture from a high position. And, maybe the dead tree shouldn't be dead center in the frame.

I hope that doesn't seem like too harsh of a critique.

You are going to love your 30D btw!

[Alison]

I really like the angle here. And I personally love the bicycle being in the photograph. It adds a point of interest.
Nice shot!

[smelly]

Thanks for the comments, guys.
I'm a bit torn on the dead tree. When I took the shot I hadn't thought much about it, but sort of bugs me as it stands out pretty strongly against the green and black of the trees. But I also feel like it's a good size comparison to the rider, for you notice that the tree is as wide as he is.
Copy Kot- Not harsh at all. That's exactly why I posted it. I hadn't noticed the high vantage point. On the upside of it though, if it were taken from a lower point, the rider would appear larger. My favorite thing about this shot is how grand the trees appear compared to the person.

[dbutler]

I really like this shot! If you crop off the top just to the point where the tree breaks off, I think you get greater impact, since the sky is removed. It also gives the tree an almost 3-D quality to me, which makes the bicyclist and the disparity in size stand out even more.

[GB1]

Very interesting shot ........ cant help but think that kids would go nuts there, playing on the hill.

I personally like the bicyclist, but it would be nice to see another shot w/o him too, just for comparison. Like eaglesona said, the fact that the tree in the center of the shot is dead.... hmmm... It's almost like the photo is trying to make a statement there (not sure what it would be though). I think possibly that either more or less of the sky would be better than the amt that is here, for it seems to steal away the privacy of the trail. Maybe if the sky was darker it wouldnt do that.

The shot does seem unsharp to me however, or just 'off' somehow. It seems somewhat processes to me, not natural. I think the Canon 30D would be digital right? Perhaps the resizing did something to it.

Anyway, since I wrote a lot I guess it really captured my interest. -GB