New DSLR CC

[sr20ser]

I have been shooting for a few weeks with this camera (XSi). Anyway, I am looking for some creative input on what I am doing right/wrong. I haven't really played with ISO too much, but hey, I am trying to learn. Anyway, I know it is amateur (ish) but I need to learn here guys.

Thanks,
-Tim

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/sr20ser/Photography/008.jpg

f/6.3
1/640 sec.
ISO 400

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/sr20ser/Photography/002.jpg

f/6.3
1/2 sec.
ISO 400

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/sr20ser/Photography/004.jpg

f6.3
1/100 sec.
ISO 400

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/sr20ser/Photography/011.jpg

f/4.5
1/30 sec.
ISO 200

[CJinAustin]

Tim,
Your pictures have a dark, almost haunting feel to them which I like. Maybe number 2 is a wee bit dark on my monitor but I like the other 3.

[skygod44]

I have been shooting for a few weeks with this camera (XSi). Anyway, I am looking for some creative input on what I am doing right/wrong. I haven't really played with ISO too much, but hey, I am trying to learn. Anyway, I know it is amateur (ish) but I need to learn here guys.
Thanks,
-Tim
:lol::lol::lol:
Very funny Tim. "Amateurish". Are you kidding. These are great shots! I don't find them "too" dark at all. As said above, very haunting. I think you've got a great natural ability to spot and capture an image.

Honestly, well done you!

Keep at it, and post more.

[DerekSimon]

I really like the tone and theme you are achieving with your photography. My only advice would be to continue to pursue photography but keep it mind that you need to expand to other subject matters. These are more than good, besides the color being slightly too dark in #2. I really think that if you continue, your hobby can turn into something way more important.

[sapearl]

Hi Tim - I like what you've done with the B/W work here.

#1 - You've got good textural detail on the siding, but the left wall and interesting roof are lost in underexposure. That's one of those things that can be easily fixed in post.

#2 - Interesting place.... makes me want to see more, but unfortunately a lot of the detail on the left is lost in shadow. ISO 800 would have opened up the shadow detail a bit more.

#3 - This has an interestingly creepy look to it. The shallow DOF enhances that dark mood. Thanks for sharing. - Stu

[sr20ser]

Thank you guys. I was expecting to read, "Crap pictures".

Being in central Illinois gives me an opportunity to shoot run down/abandoned building and farms all day long. I have more of the places, and will eventually post more.

Right now I am just trying to learn with the subjects that are available. I want to learn on things that do not move around, or talk to me. I would love to do some portraits, and other subjects, but right now they scare me! Color is also something that scares me. Anyway, thanks again guys.

[sr20ser]

On a side note, how do you guys just "know" what settigns to use? Is it practice or am I missing something?

[brennasg]

I'm all about the 'dark side', so I like these. Number 2 is little too dark, but I enjoy all the others great B&W:)

[sapearl]

No way! Sure they could use a little bit of touch here and there (remember, critiquing is highly subject ;)) but obviously you understand composition, can handle exposure and certainly have the "eye" for some things.

Keep up the good work and don't forget to "share."

Thank you guys. I was expecting to read, "Crap pictures".

Being in central Illinois gives me an opportunity to shoot run down/abandoned building and farms all day long. I have more of the places, and will eventually post more.
.....

[skygod44]

On a side note, how do you guys just "know" what settings to use? Is it practice or am I missing something?

Learn about the histogram; remember that in many situations you can take several shots, adjusting as you go; keep at it until you hit the right settings more often than not.....
[btw, I'm not there yet and I've been taking pics for donkey's years - switched to digital 18 months ago and am re-learning more than my poor brain can cope with, so don't worry about it!]
:D

[tonydee]

Hi Tim,

Great work here. Not much to add to what's been said, just...

When shooting hand held, a rule-of-thumb minimum shutter speed is 1/focal-length. If you have IS, then you can double or quadrupled that depending on the generation of IS technology and manufacturer. You haven't specified your focal lengths, and the posted pictures have had the EXIF data stripped, but you probably could have shot ISO 100 and still got adequate shutter speed in #1... not that it matters a lot, particularly if you know you're going to convert to B&W where the noise is less visible and can be attractive. In #2 and #4, the shutter speed's worryingly low... I assume you put the camera on a tripod or bench for #2, otherwise I'd expect it not to be so sharp at full size. #4 is marginal for hand held.

#2 has a large dynamic range... you did well to capture so much shadow detail and only blow out a few highlights at top right. Moving on from there, you might eventually want to learn HDR techniques... easiest to start with the camera's inbuild automatic exposure bracketing, then combine in Photoshop, Gimp, Photomatrix or some other suitable software. Lots of tutorials online.

#3: barbed wire's hard to shoot... just too small to occupy a lot of pixels and provide satisfying detail... but you've done an excellent job and the tonal sophistication, curvature of the wire, and compositional placement of the post make for an unusually successful attempt. A bird or something to boot would lift interest to the next level, but need to be patient and lucky for that kind of thing.

#4: Just ok for me... fine technically, but just not as interesting subject matter.

Cheers, Tony