n00b alert! - Is this a good pic?

[DailyGeek]

Been out snapping this morning, with my quite frankly crappy Kodak DX6490. Had a play in photoshop to try and sort things out and got this. Now I'm convinced I need a DSLR to get into photography, but I'm trying anyway

 

[DailyGeek]

And another one, not really photoshopped except from cropping.

 

[DailyGeek]

Thanks guys

i know very little about photography, but i'd like to. Don't even know what f2.8 means but i've seen the setting on the camera

the first pic i spent time getting right in PS but the second one i quickly cropped and uploaded. Guess thats the difference.

 

[DailyGeek]

One more..

 

[DailyGeek]

Thanks guys Imagine how good they'd be if I had any idea what I'm doing

What's good about them - what am I doing right and wrong?

 

[DailyGeek]

I've got to say, the concept of constructive criticism is really lost on the OcUK photog forum. I personally think that these images are pretty bad, and saying 'Great' and 'cool!' really isn't helping anyone to progress.

The first and last images are overexposed (the last especially), the sky is totally bleached out and any definition in the trees is completely shot. The spiders-web image looks as though it's been cropped heavily or maybe you were using digital zoom. It may simply be that the camera's just terrible, but try playing with the manual mode a little (if it has one) and adjusting the shutter speed and aperture so that the camera captures less light (so that the edges of trees and so on aren't bleached out by bright light). Balance is key y0.

I intend to play with the manual mode when I figure out what it all means. I was by no means thinking any of these were good tbh, and a few pointers is what I'm after. Thanks

 

[DailyGeek]

Do you really, honestly think that a DSLR will answer your problems of poor composition and technique?

Maybe if you could explain what your thoughts were when taking these shots and what you struggled with when trying to capture the image you saw in your mind, people could better understand what you are trying to achieve and where you are failing.

There are a lot of good photographers on here but nobody is going to be able to help you become a better one yourself unless you can tell them, in whatever words you feel comfortable with, where you are struggling and what you want to get out of photography.

Well.

I have no technique and no idea of composition.

My knowledge of photography so far is roughly nothing. Point and shoot. I went out with my camera this morning and just thought I'd take a few snaps so I can see what looks interesting, what might make a good photo. I know as much as how to switch on the macro mode for close ups, but thats about it. The camera is a cumbersome 4MP thing and I left it in auto mode.

Trying to get any sort of depth to the pictures was impossible, simply because I didn't really know what I was doing. Depth of field or something is it? I have no idea.

I intend to read up on technique and settings etc - just wanted some input on whats good/bad about what I managed to snap this morning.

 

[DailyGeek]

Last one is not very good as it appears overexposed and blurred. Have you done any post processing on this in cs2?

What camera are you using?

Just unsharp mask and auto levels tbh, not that great with PS.

It's a Kodak DX6490, not the greatest bit of kit, and not very new.

 

[DailyGeek]

Thats not as easy a question to answer in my opinion as you'd think, as i tried to argue not long ago.
In my opinion, you should know whats right about them by looking, photography is an art, (some people have it, others dont no matter how hard they try or what the buy) and if you can invisage it, then knowing your equipment only helps to complete the process better. Saying that il explain.

The last picture is good because the focus point draws me from the left to the mid right, it makes me feel as if im being drawn to the pathway enterance, the trees bend from a right side to a left so the picture has what is known as dynamic lining (where lines of objects cross from side to side, or converge at a point) as well as the tree tower over the low angle and make me feel quite small.
Forget about the lines and shapes for a moment, and try to think about what a photo represents, something most people never learn and is very scarce on this particular forum. Representation i think is easily as important as shapes and techniques in photography. For example, the symbology of an anorexic person outside mcdonalds, or an old person in a hospital, connotes death and illness, not just a person next to a restuarant or a person in a bed.
Your particular picture gives off i think some mystery, a whats in the woods feel, slightly sinister maybe not intentional but worthy and something you should try to include.


Ignoring the colours and quality its a good though out shot for a beginner. Well done
//edit but like i said you'll get a lot of this

Thank you

I thought it looked kinda creepy too

Anyone know why a few of my pics have come out 'purpley?'

 

[DailyGeek]

You can go and read every book about compisition that has ever been written, but it's not going to make your a better photographer unless you understand for yourself what you like and dislike.

I quite agree. Like I've said, today was me being bored and going out with my camera. I don't really know for myself what I like and dislike yet

When you were taking these three pictures, run us through what you were thinking, why you thought they'd make a good shot and what is puzzling you about the results you have shown us.

I wanted to try and get some detailed close up shots, to see if I could manage it. The woodland one was just me thinking it'd be a cool angle and wanted to see if it'd look like I wanted it to.

And this is a perfect example of why the recent spate of comments about being better off with a DSLR is leaving me baffled.

Because it's my understanding that a DSLR with lots of settings etc to fiddle with would let me experiment a bit more, and they are generally better quality cameras with decent lenses, CCDs etc aren't they?

I'm not having a pop at you here, DailyGeek, I'm just wondering why you think owning a DSLR will 'get you into photography'. It's an honest question, with no malice attached, and I'd like to hear your answer.

I didn't think you was having a pop, although your posts seem slightly aggressive for some reason maybe I'm just a wuss.

This is more like it. You were trying to get depth into the photos you've taken? How so? Did you want more of them in focus? Did you want to get a feeling of depth into the photo?

I quite liked the spiderweb pic because it has a clear foreground/background which is probably the first and only time I've managed it

I wanted to get some detail into the pictures in the right places, but it was hit and miss - because it was all up to the camera I guess.

In all honestly there's little good I could comment on. Do you want me to say 'Great shot!' and leave it at that, or should I be a little more critical of your efforts and try and get you to open up and discuss things a little more?

Personally, I don't think they are bad pictures? Like I said I am not even trying to compete with 99% of you guys on this board. I just took what I thought might look good. They might be technically crap to a photographer, but to me, the look at least 'ok.'