a little help needed, thanks

[steve`o]

hi there, steve here
i`m going to enter a local photo comp where all the pictures have to have be taken within the immediate area, i`m a real novice at photography having only ever read the book that came with the camera (canon G7 just so i know how it works ) and ive just started taking pictures of just about every that i see,
so as you guys are the experts would you give me some of your precious time and let me know which, if any of these pictures are of the quality needed
( as part of the comp i need to supply a landscape, animal/bird or bug, and a plant picure )

thanks for you help

regards steve

ps when critiqueing can you keep your answers simple as my first attempt to post a picture recieved the reply "its blown out" and to be honest i`m not sure what this means

http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm87/steve_o_w/photo%20comp/

[chauncey]

You need to get up in the morning and/or take your images in the evening for the best light.
Your images have way to much dynamic range for any camera, shown by from deep blacks to overexposed whites (blown out blacks and whites.
That happens anytime that you try to shoot when the sun is high in the sky.

After you take a shot take a look at your histogram to make sure that it doesn't go off the left or right side.
Check this post, http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=567035

[MattMoore]

so as you guys are the experts

Where? Robert_Lay maybe, but the rest of us are really quite awful. :p

"its blown out" and to be honest i`m not sure what this means

That means that its overexposed....its brighter than it should be. The post above explains it pretty well, I would search youtube or google on how to read a histogram.

You can combat overexposure on-camera by :
1. increasing shutter speed
2. decreasing your ISO speed
3. adjust your fstop (higher numerical fstop)

Or a combination of the above.

Being a P&S of a more advanced nature, you should be able to adjust each setting individually. You could of course do other things (such as shoot in better lighting (i.e. golden hours), utilize scrims/shade, etc.

[Deckham]

i`m down here
Would make a nice artsy B&W - which often go down well in these kind of comps....

[steve`o]

thanks for your replys guys as a result i`ve watched a few youtube videos that have explained historgarm well enough even for me :lol:
so i`ll get back out and try getting the exposures right this time
once again thanks for your time ;)
regards steve

[SOK]

Steve,

There is something vaguely familiar about your profile.....

[steve`o]

Steve,

There is something vaguely familiar about your profile.....


we could be neighbours ;)
please pm me ;)