My First Post

[irispatch]

After too many years playing with Digital Point-n-shoot cameras I decide to go back to SLR with a Digital Canon XT and some good lenses. Now to get help to improve on my efforts.
We had a little ice the day after getting the camera so I tried it out to see what it could do.

[Don Schaeffer]

These are interesting. Focus does seem a little soft on all. The last picture would be improved if the horizon were levelled. It's on a tilt now. That makes the photo look unplanned.

[Xia_Ke]

HI irispatch, welcome to PR and congrats on the new camera :thumbsup: You're off to a good start with these 4 shots. For the first shot, I would try opening up the aperture and focusing on just one of the berries. Also for your framing on this, I would try to bring one of the berries fully into the frame as right now, they are all clipped by the edge of the frame. I like where you are going with the logs and this is my favorite of the 4. I would try shooting this one dead on to the end of the logs instead of at an angle. The framing and DOF on the third shot is great but, could really use another element. The fourth shot is a great catch and full of life. Like Don mentioned, gotta watch those horizons though. My horizons are always crooked straight out of camera unless I'm using a tripod, guess I need more V8 ...LOL Luckily this is easily corrected in editing. Thanks for sharing these shots and I look forward to you future postings. In the meantime, happy shooting and enjoy the new camera.

Aaron

[gahspidy]

Welcome Irispatch. Aaron and Don made some very good comments for improving these and there's not much left for me to add. i think your subjects are very good and your compositions not bad. these first three look a bit under exposed and alittle soft in focus.
glad you found us here and looking forward to more images from you.
Please read the Critique forum guide lines at the top of the page.

[irispatch]

Thanks a lot I can see this forum is going to be a huge help.
Zeesh you are so right about #4 how did I miss that? That ranks right up the with putting a red fire hydrant in the center of the photograph At least it is an easy fix. The others well I guess I can wait for another ice storm. I'll post a few later taken with a different lens. It is all a learning curve. I went back and reviewd some taken 20 years ago I think I can improve on those too.

[freedom1500]

Welcome Irispatch. This is indeed a great place where technology, art and expression come together. People will make you see things you might have otherwise missed.
I agree with Gahspidy when he says "the first three look a bit under exposed and a little soft in focus". Now that you own a decent DSLR, you might want to invest in some image-editing software to correct the exposure and sharpness of your images. With most digital cameras, the images tend to come out rather flat. If you're not into post-processing (digital image manipulation), then you can adjust your camera settings. On an overcast day (like the one in your photos), you should increase contrast and sharpness.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy your new camera.
Robert

[irispatch]

Editing soft ware I have several a but only one ( Adobe Photo Delux ) have I been able to figure out the others are a puzzle to me . They include the ones that came with the cameras and photo shop I have tried all of them but each one is missing one feature or another that I want to use. Cropping and some color adjustment I am ok with so far any attempt at sharpening an image results in graininess.
Photo Shop gads I am so lost with it I gave up trying a year ago.

[GB1]

The close up shots are great subjects. You got the shots! I think the clarity of the shots could be better but I'm not exactly sure why they're a bit fogged like that -- could be condensation on the lens in the cold, jpeg compression, sharpening artifacts, ? The tilt of the camera on the last one is normally a no-no but it does add an action feeling to this shot.

I'm originally from Md btw - Riverdale.

G

[irispatch]

No time to be timid, I gave PS7 a try this morning Not sure if I went too far on the ice shots, I made a few cuts as suggested
Pelicans look much better

[gahspidy]

Very good, they look alot better and more more vibrant. You could come down slightly on the levels adjustments with the ice shots.
good going . . .

[Len J]

I like the logs & the fence particularly.........A high pass sharpening might help.

I would try a narrower DOF on the cherries.

Nic start.

len