Critisim for a Newbie??

[troy7997]

Here is a shot I did this weekend of my Daughter on her new playground swing.

Please provide feedback and constructive critisim!

I have a fondness for the black and white images that have the original color coming through so I have included that as well...

-Troy

http://www.chewyman.com/images/Natty_playground2.JPG

http://www.chewyman.com/images/nattyCloseup_grey.JPG

[Caitlyn]

Very nice! The colours are beautiful, and rich. You really captured the essence of a kid on a playground. She's a cutie! I really like the colour in the b/w photo. You are less of a newbie than me, because I don't even know how you did that to the second photo! I really like these. You got talent from what I can see so far!

Cheers,
Cait

[aam1234]

Yesterday I took about 200 pics of my twin nieces and some of them were similar to your first pic. Unfortunately they didn't come out as good as your 1st photo, the lighting was a bit harsh. How many hours before sunset was it taken at.

[Feihung08]

Hey Troy, welcome.
Would you mind sharing what camera your using?

And I really like your second one! Do you mind sharing your color selective technique that you use? I too love those kinds of pics but right now have a less than perfect technique.

As for the first pic the only thing that seems to bother me is the composition or more likely 'crop'. It looks like she's sitting on the frame of the picture. ;)

[troy7997]

Sorry I didn't include it before. I am using a Canon Digital Rebel with the kit lens (18mm-55mm). I am currently looking to upgrade to the Canon 28mm-135mm SI USM. I have heard a lot of great things about it from this forum.

The B&W is a neat trick I learned from from a digital imaging book. I open the photo in PhotoShop. Then I create a duplicate layer from the backround image. Then I remove all of the color on that layer. Then all you have to do is take the eraser and erase the areas that you want to show as color. It's a lot easier than it sounds and the result is brilliant color that you didn't really notice before.

-Troy
------------------
Canon Digital Rebel
EF 18-55mm kit lens
EF 28-135mm IS USM lens (coming soon...;) )

[troy7997]

Yesterday I took about 200 pics of my twin nieces and some of them were similar to your first pic. Unfortunately they didn't come out as good as your 1st photo, the lighting was a bit harsh. How many hours before sunset was it taken at.

It was taken about 2-2.5 hours before sunset.

-Troy

[Simon Spiers]

They look good to me Troy:)

[Joo]

wow nice

[xstrio]

hey these photos are hard to critisise love them both, ive tried the colour thing on a feq of my photo`s and can really add some interest to a bw pic.

[Feihung08]

Sorry I didn't include it before. I am using a Canon Digital Rebel with the kit lens (18mm-55mm). I am currently looking to upgrade to the Canon 28mm-135mm SI USM. I have heard a lot of great things about it from this forum.

The B&W is a neat trick I learned from from a digital imaging book. I open the photo in PhotoShop. Then I create a duplicate layer from the backround image. Then I remove all of the color on that layer. Then all you have to do is take the eraser and erase the areas that you want to show as color. It's a lot easier than it sounds and the result is brilliant color that you didn't really notice before.
Thanks for the camera info! I really don't know why thats so important to me other than I like to see what other models + photograhers can do so that I can mimic them! ;)

And your technique is close to mine.
Duplicate layer, go into Quickmask, Paintbrush the areas I want to keep the color in, exit Quickmask, use Color Mixer to uncheck Monochrome box and go B&W. I wonder what the pros do?

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

I think they're both pretty great. Awesome job! Keep up the good work.

[Mills]

Welcome! Love the first one.

[sixshot]

The b+w shot is superb. Lovely eyes. More things I need to try.

[LadyHawk]

How lucky your are to have such a cute model, Troy. I'm sure there are many more great photos to come. Welcome to the forum too!

[Citizensmith]

Nice photos, even though the second one has "overused cliche" written all over it in 32 point Aerial Bold.

[troy7997]

Nice photos, even though the second one has "overused cliche" written all over it in 32 point Aerial Bold.

Yes, I know that it is over used a bit. But it gives new life to some photos. Hey, as long as it looks good.... I'm not trying to revolutionize photography, ya know?

BTW, Citizensmith, love your quote.

-Troy

[Fer]

Beautiful! I really like this!

[troy7997]

Thanks Fer. I read your quick tutorial about eye coloring in the other thread. I will have to try that way also. The eraser is just a little quicker but only with natural eye color.

Thanks for the comment!!! :D