nikon 35mm F1.8 experience so far/critique

[LionOfJudah]

So i'm relatively new to photography and got the nikon 35mm f1.8 lens a couple of weeks ago to go with my D90. I went out to the local cemetry to try out this lens yesterday. The first difference compared to my 18-105 was the Lack of Zoom - I had to move closer to the the subject, I had to get on my knees for a lot of the shots. There were some rabbits running around but of course with this lens I couldn't get close enough to photograph them, so I suppose I have to learn to be happy taking a fewer shots and not clicking everything as I would with the 18-105.

Below are some of the shots I took. I've only processed 3 of them - cropping one and converting 2 to black and white. The others are straight from the camera albeit a smaller version of the RAW image. so my questions are:
a) what can I do to improve on these?
b) what (if anything) is right about these?

1. http://flic.kr/p/cpRb2s
2. http://flic.kr/p/cpR8Ho
3. http://flic.kr/p/cpRb6S
4. http://flic.kr/p/cpR8N7
5. http://flic.kr/p/cpR8R3
6. http://flic.kr/p/cpR8Xh
7. http://flic.kr/p/cpR92h
8. http://flic.kr/p/cpR8UA


not sure how to get the above links to display an image.

 

[ecksmen]

For me the colours are wrong, too dull but that's just me (easily correct, but get your monitor calibrated if possible). The biggest issue for me is the focal points just seem wrong (read about rule of thirds) - for instance, in this photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/81689056@N05/7489790566/) the heart grave is out of focus and the background of some benches is in focus (or more in focus) for me, this is the wrong way round.

Using a shallow DOF means you need to get the focal point spot on, or its just a rubbish photo. There's one lovely shot of some flowers on a grave however

I'm by no means a good photographer but I like to get angles of shots not usually taken. Most shots are taken at eye height, I like to mix it up a bit and take shots not often seen day in day out.

Just need to keep at it...

 

[LionOfJudah]

For me the colours are wrong, too dull but that's just me (easily correct, but get your monitor calibrated if possible). The biggest issue for me is the focal points just seem wrong (read about rule of thirds) - for instance, in this photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/81689056@N05/7489790566/) the heart grave is out of focus and the background of some benches is in focus (or more in focus) for me, this is the wrong way round.

Using a shallow DOF means you need to get the focal point spot on, or its just a rubbish photo. There's one lovely shot of some flowers on a grave however

I'm by no means a good photographer but I like to get angles of shots not usually taken. Most shots are taken at eye height, I like to mix it up a bit and take shots not often seen day in day out.

Just need to keep at it...

that photo with the heart - I took that on purpose trying to keep bench in focus. I've also taken another with the heart in focus but everything else a bit blurred. maybe I need to use a narrower aperture and keep heart as the main focal point.
colours-wise as I mentioned earlier I've done no pp on them.
shots are mainly taken at ground level as most of the items are only about a foot off the ground so I got down to that level to shoot.

 

[An Exception]

Some could do with some processing imo...

 

[Andy90]

To display your photographs on this board from Flickr all you need to do is go to your photo. Above it is a Share button. Click on that button and you will see the following.

Select the size you want to display via the drop down menu and the BBCode or HTML code will alter accordingly. You can alter whether or not the code is HTML or BBCode by selecting either of the two radio buttons, the BBCode works for this forum. Select and copy the code in the big box and past it directly into your forum post.

As for the shots.

1) - Doesn't do anything for me, too dull. It isn't level. Distracting bit of tree in the top right. What was the purpose of the photo? Was it to photograph the bench or the urn?
2) - Had potential. It is brighter and the selective depth of field concentrates the eye on the urn. Distracting bench in the background. I think it would have been better to move slightly so that the flowers and etc in the background were behind the urn giving a bit of blurred colour to the background.
3) - Again had potential. Higher viewpoint so that we could read the inscription on the metal plaque? Might have been better in colour?
4) - You've got the idea of selective depth of field nailed here - however it is the wrong way round. The dominant item in the shot is the heart shaped grave. That should have been totally in focus and the benches and background out of focus. Also the gold lettering probably would have glowed if there was a little sun.
5) - Not too bad, a good subject, in focus and nice out of focus backround.
6) - Too dull, no identifiable subject.
7) - Again not too bad, I think it would have been better to turn the camera to a portrait orientation to fit the top of the pink flowers in and cut out some of the flowers to the left. Needed a little post processing to boost the colours slightly.
8) - It is a stick. Erm, not much to say about sticks, they tend to be quite boring unless they're fashioned into Walking sticks, Shepherds crooks or being carried by a dog.

So to sum up -

1) Think about what you want the photograph to show - what is the subject? Is it interesting?
2) Place the subject nicely in the shot (think rule of thirds)
3) Make sure the main subject is in focus.
4) Look behind the main subject - is there something distracting in the background or can you move around the subject to put something nicer in the background
5) Think about the light and wait for it to change. Dull light is horrible.
6) Consider a little processing to make the colours pop slightly - not too much though!

 

[LionOfJudah]

thank you. this constructive critism is perfect. I'll take it on board as i go on my journey of learning photography.