First Post - Little Girl Taking a Break from Hiking

[TSORoanoke]

I have been a casual observer for some time, and finally decided to begin posting and answering. I'm not a pro - just an amateur with a D60 and the desire to improve. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
http://images.fotopic.net/?id=844620&outx=760&oq=0&noresize=1&nostamp=1

[eland]

Hi

There are perhaps 3 faults in this image.
By far the major one is Lighting.

You have chosen a back-lighting situation which has caused
the child's face to be too dark.

If you exposed for the face, it would have been better,
but then the rest of the pic would be over-exposed.

Solution:
* Take the pic as you did, but put the camera on "P"
and use the flash to fill in the shadows. Or......

** place the subject in shade when the light is uniform
and not so contrasty.

Other minor errors.
* Too much space above the child's head.
** Not a good idea to cut off part of the shoe.

Taking any image you much scan the whole viewfinder
and look at it as a finished image.
If you just look at the subject's face, the pic will nearly always
be out of balance.

A good try. Fill flash would have saved it.

Thanks for showing the pic.
That is what Critique Corner is all about.

Got some more to show ?

eland