Please teach me!!!

[ken1953]

The following three shots are an original, the original sharpened and then using the PS filter..canvas...
I seem to have problems getting critiques that help to improve my photography, so what I am doing is asking that if you view this, please give ideas on which works best, ideas on what I could do better, comments on what I'm doing right, or that I'm totally off base and should hang up my camera and Photoshop program and take up accounting. All constructive criticism and or praise, GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
Ken

P.S. Anyone who wants to rework the original and show me some other ideas or to use it to show me how to improve my shots, will be extremely welcome.
Thanx,
Ken

[WickedExposure]

I did some editing for you. I adjusted the contrast by upping it to a level of 25. I removed some of the brightness by a negative 10. I adjusted the histogram level to a negative 12. I sharpened it a little and then I removed some of the blur.

I am fairly new to this site and have found not many people respond to my shots either.

Here is what I did:

[mjs1973]

Hey Ken,

I'll give it a quick try to see what I come up with. First of all, I like your original shot the best. The colors seems a little dull tho. I like the "flow" of the water better in the first one, than I do the shapened version. It has more of a slower shutter speed feel to it than the sharpened version. I like long exposures on water, so the first shot fit's my taste better than the sharpened version. I took your original into PS and did an auto levels adjustment to it. It took away the "muddy" look to the water, and gives it a much cleaner look, IMO. That is all I did to it.

On a side note: When I first started shooting digital last summer, Auto Levels is where I would always start with my editing. Sometimes it really helped the image, sometimes it didn't, but it was a good place to start. If you don't like the results, Undo it, and try to adjust the levels manually and see what you come up with. Curves is another very usefull tool, but it's easy to go overboard with it.

I get what you're going for in this shot, but I think it lacks a subject. I know the water is the subject, but I don't feel that it's enuf to keep me interested in this particular picture. Composition is something I struggle with myself, and I think a better composition would help this photo out a lot. Perhaps getting lower to the ground, to give us a bugs eye view of the stream would add to something to the photo...

[ken1953]

Thank you Wicked and Michael...I like both of your fixes...they are what I was striving for.
Michael, your comment about the "lack of subject". I would like you to respond to what I was going for and how I could capture that in the future. My subject in this was not the water, but ripples caused by the leaf near the top, and how they contrast with the still water above and the ripply water below. But I can see, by your comments, how I didn't achieve that goal. What would you...or anyone else suggest to meet that goal.
As for the last one...I was just trying to get a bit creative and wanted some opinions as to whether it worked or not...hehehe...
Again thanx for the suggestions...I really appreciate the work you guys put into it and I will try your suggestions!!!!
Ken

[ken1953]

Hey Ken,

It has more of a slower shutter speed feel to it than the sharpened version. I like long exposures on water, so the first shot fit's my taste better than the sharpened version..

Just a side note Michael...because of the overcast today, I really thought the longer exposure times I tried would work, but everything came out extremely over exposed. I tried increasing the Long time exposure. Tried setting it on night, landscape, sport, auto...I can't remember at this moment what the settings were for this particular shot...but I think auto setting...anyway...I read an article on shooting water and when we went for our walk today, I tried some of what I read....
I think some of what I shot came out nice...but all of them need a lot of work...especially because of the overcast...lighting was not optimal...hehe...
Again tho'...thanx for the comments...they are greatly appreciated...
Ken

[mjs1973]

Ok Ken, maybe I didn't know what you were aiming for after all. Ripples in the water is what I was thinking. In this case, since your goal was to show the contrast between the smooth surface of the stream, and the ripples, it seems counter productive to use a slow shutter speed to smooth out the ripples. I would try to capture them with as much texture as possible. Your sharpened version brings out more texture in your ripples and shows the contrast you were after better. I like the color of your filtered version better than the first too,and I think that version shows the contrast you were after the best.

As for the overcast weather we had today, I don't mind shooting in this type of condition. Sure it lacks drama, but with the limited latitude of digital, you don't have to worry so much about loosing your highlights.

[mjs1973]

Ken, I just read your post in my Abandoned thread. I didn't get your email... I will send you a PM with my phone #. If something comes up in the area, give me a call if you want.

[Chunk]

My first recommendation is to take a look at the http://luminous-landscape.com/ site and look at the Tutorial and Understanding areas.

The first place I usually go in PS is to Levels adjustment. The histogram there shows the distribution of tones in your photo from black on the left to white on the right. Since the curve for your photo starts somewhat to the left of the edge, we know that your shot hasn't recorded any true blacks. A photo is often improved when the black slider (triangle) is moved over to the start of the curve (and white too if needed) so that the resulting output has a full range of tones available. You can also choose your mid tone here by sliding the gray slider either left or right - I slid it a bit right in this case.

The second stop for me is usually a Curves Adjustment. With this you are again working with the relation of tones within your shot. By lowering the left part of the curve and raising the right side I've compressed the darks and lights and stretched the midtones. The overall effect is to increase the contrast between lights and darks of the shot but be aware that the more you compress either, the more you loose detail in those areas. It's fun to move those grab points around to see the effect on the shot but a slight "S" curve will help a lot of shots. If you have a contrasty shot to start with you may want to try an inverted "S". By adding more grab points along the curve, you can limit or enhance changes to just part of the curve.

[OldSchool]

Hi Ken,

My recommendation to you is to avoid taking images that require photoshop to finish them off. Start off by working for those images that are strong from at the initial capture. When I say "working", I mean work at it. Take lot's of shots. Learn what types of sights you can capture, and what scenes may be near difficult to convey as an image.

Be your own critic. Be harsh. When you get home and are looking at your work on a proper screen… do you like what you see? Is it attractive? Does it tell a story that others will be interested in? Keep those that strike you.

Chunk gave you a good link. Here is another:

http://ronbigelow.com/articles/articles.htm

Read the pages on Composition (don’t worry about the technical stuff – yet). His final paragraphs on the third page sums it up well for me.

Also, go to you local “large” bookstore (like Barns & Noble) and plant yourself in front of the art/photography section and peruse. I do this often and just to just study.

Good luck. And remember, it’s all about personal enjoyment.
BR,
Tim

[ken1953]

Oh WOW, now we're getting down to learning...Chunk, your step by step is almost understandable...and based on the fact that I have slight reading problem...thats actually a great statement...I may only have to read it 20 or 30 times to fully understand instead of a hundred...haha...just exaggerating a bit...but I have a very hard time understanding what I read...but your description and step by step, really set this off for me. It is exactly what i was looking for...a true helpful critique for a beginner!!!!!
Tim...thank you for your suggestions...I will peruse both Chunks and your links. I am always looking for sites to help me learn. As for the taking of pictures.....I am notorius for doing just that...In most cases I take no fewer than 3 shots and then either change settings or change angles...maybe I need to take more. But I know most of my downfall is the little p/s I use and the limited settings it has. Because of suggestions like yours though, I have begun taking many pictures of the same thing at different settings and angles. Again...many thanx!!!!!!!! The other thing I'm doing, Tim, and Chunk and of course everyone else...is when I get your critiques...especially with the examples...I immediately go to PS and try to reproduce...then I experiment...finally I go back to my many originals and try to find if any come close. However, I do agree with you Tim, It is always better to get the shot correct the first time...but until I do that...will you forgive me for using PS to help get a nice shot??? hahahah...
Very gratefully,
Ken

[OldSchool]

Hi Ken,

I've seen just awesome photos from p&s cameras...
Tim