Complete Newbie. Taken these with borrowed gear

[Smokey911]

Hi all

Im a complete newbie. I have always enjoyed takin pics but only had ixus cams b4. So i borrowed grimey121uk's kit and took these. I think his kit list at the time was this
Canon 400D [] Sigma 10-20 EX [] Canon 18-55 L [] Canon 100-400 L

Not sure what flash he had just a standard mount one

Let me know what u think. I'll post pics from my new cam later.

Also whats best way to reduce pics for posting? i just used outlook express for now lol

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2089.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2151.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2635.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2703.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2739.jpg

[Smokey911]

Here is the other

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2748.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2751.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2886.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_3006.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_3031.jpg

[tonydee]

Hey Smokey,

I really like the first two, and again suggest cropping a bit off from behind your subject (the image's righthand side) to leave the eyes a third of the way in from the new edge. The bokeh (background blur) in the second shot's very attractive. Might want to rotate it a smidge to make the post look dead upright (even if it wasn't).

The second picture in your second post is also outstanding: getting such tight focus on the eye, and the correspondence of the horizon and wings, all works wonderfully.

Keep up the good work,

Tony

[grimey121uk]

Nice shots chris I'm dossing at work on my iPhone

[Smokey911]

Hey Smokey,

I really like the first two, and again suggest cropping a bit off from behind your subject (the image's righthand side) to leave the eyes a third of the way in from the new edge. The bokeh (background blur) in the second shot's very attractive. Might want to rotate it a smidge to make the post look dead upright (even if it wasn't).

Theost is also outstanding: getting such tight focus on the eye, and the correspondence of the horizon and wings, all works wonderfully.

Keep up the good work,

Tony


Thanks for the comments, i was quite chuffed with second picture in second post too, i took about 600-700 that day in thats got tobed near the top of my list

Is this wat you were thinking for the 1st one ?

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll165/Smokey911uk/1st%20time/IMG_2089e.jpg

[jamows]

a great effort on the pics.

on no 1 it appears that the focal point is on the arm of the chair which makes the eyes of the little boy not quite in focus (i still mess this up on the photos i take). some of the other also seem to be slightly out on the focus.

keep going

[Smokey911]

a great effort on the pics.

on no 1 it appears that the focal point is on the arm of the chair which makes the eyes of the little boy not quite in focus (i still mess this up on the photos i take). some of the other also seem to be slightly out on the focus.

keep going


I think your right, hadnt noticed b4. I guess thats a good agruement for single point focus on that type of shot

[grimey121uk]

I think your right, hadnt noticed b4. I guess thats a good agruement for single point focus on that type of shot

my camera is set to single point 90% of the time

[August 15 Photography]

One suggestion, fight the urge to always center your subject, remember the rule of thirds

[grimey121uk]

ive just checked exif data on 2nd shot (bird)
pretty sharp for 1/30th lol

[Smokey911]

Cheers guys, need all the advice i can get :)

[tonydee]

Is this wat you were thinking for the 1st one?

Yes - the proportions are good. BTW - don't worry too much about preserving the overall height-to-width proportions of your photos: a lot of professional photographers still use squarer film formats, and at the other extreme panaoramas can look great too. I like to grab the edges of my crop tool, experiment, and try to develop a feel for creative options and what feels right - even if unexpected.

I quite agree with the other comment you received about the red colour compromising the shot slightly... if you were going to print or frame this, you could make it duller or otherwise neutralise it with some image editing. Of course, can also keep these things in mind to try to avoid them in the first place, but sometimes you've got to take your shot despite conflicting pros and cons.

Cheers, Tony

[Smokey911]

Im a lil lost with the red colour thing. What should i be looking out for?

[tonydee]

Im a lil lost with the red colour thing. What should i be looking out for?

Looks like a bag in the toy or blanket chest behind the boy... his head overlaps with it and it distracts attention away from him, compromising the picture's balance. Ideally you should have moved it before taking the photo, but you could still edit it out, or dim the colour in post-processing.

Cheers,

Tony

[Smokey911]

oh ok, i get ya now, i thought i was something more complicated than that lol

I couldnt of moved it, like u guys say some times u just hav eto take the pic b4 the moment passes. He doesnt sit still much !