New to forum, pretty new to photography

[HMDH3]

Hi! I'm Brand new on this site and I am fairly new to photography. I wondered if some of you wouldn't mind taking a look at a few pictures I took of my friends horse? I appreciate it and any help would be great.
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Sonic%202009/Picture0191-1.jpg

[HMDH3]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Sonic%202009/Picture0011.jpg


http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Sonic%202009/Picture0701-1.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Risky%20and%20Hailey%202009/Picture062-1.jpg

[HMDH3]

Thank you in advance!

[Justiss]

Welcome to the forum. :)

I like your shots, I think they are good!

It looks like a couple might be in harsh sun, otherwise I think you did a nice job.

[matonanjin]

Cool shots! Looks like they were in harsh light and you did a good job of handling it. Did you use fill? Good use of DOF on all of them.

I really like the 3rd one except the white thing (cement?) thing at the bottom bothers me. Crop a little from bottom?

2nd one is weakest of the four, at least to me.

Thanks for showing us.

[Momtothefurmonsters]

Welcome to POTN!

[AxxisPhoto]

Welcome to the forum. Really love the compsition and colors of 3 & 4! Your'e on your way.

[HMDH3]

Thanks Everyone. Forgive my stupidity, but what time is it preferable to take pictures of horses? I thought the sun would be good to bring out highlights since they're not horses that are currently showing and well the flies were too bad to show sheen too much. :oops: and my appologies, but I'm not sure what is meant by "did you use fill?" my camera was on auto setting portrait, and I boosted the saturation a tad (.01) on my editing software. Like I said I'm pretty new to this all, and most of my stuff is all trial and error. (more errors than anything else)

I truely apprecate the well wishes and the warm welcome. I may get brave and post some more. :)

[Coppatop85]

Thanks Everyone. Forgive my stupidity, but what time is it preferable to take pictures of horses? I thought the sun would be good to bring out highlights since they're not horses that are currently showing and well the flies were too bad to show sheen too much. :oops: and my appologies, but I'm not sure what is meant by "did you use fill?" my camera was on auto setting portrait, and I boosted the saturation a tad (.01) on my editing software. Like I said I'm pretty new to this all, and most of my stuff is all trial and error. (more errors than anything else)

I truely apprecate the well wishes and the warm welcome. I may get brave and post some more. :)


Well, it's not so much the best time to take pictures of horses, but the best time to take pictures of ANYTHING! "Harsh Light" is when the sun is most bright, and most directly overhead (12noon to 4pmish). This "Harsh Light" can create contrast issue, blown out highlights, and too much dynamic range (rang of light).

The best time to shoot is referred to the golden hour. The Golden hours are generally right before/after sunrise, and right before/after sunset. Now, of course, we aren't all going to be able to shoot at those times, but if you shot at lets say, 6pm rather than what appears to be around noon, your photos would have looked more appealing.

By using a fill, a fill is a flash set up to "fill up" the darker areas with light.

Post, post, and post some more. Getting feedback on your pictures is how most of us learn and improve. What camera/lens did you use for these?

[HMDH3]

:D Thanks again! I appreciate your help! the camera that I'm using is a Canon EOS with a canon 75-300 mm. I could have taken the pictures with the stock lens, but I've found for whatever reason I seem to get better color with the zoom. ????? and since you asked, here's another photo: critics welcome!
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Rodeo/Picture028-1.jpg
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh223/tara4574/Rodeo/Picture0731.jpg
some friends of the family are stock contractors and they let me go hang behind the chutes at a rodeo. I like to call this one "say a prayer boy cause #46 can really pitch." Or maybe I'm the only one that finds that funny, not really sure...lol.

Thanks again for the advise, and I will keep that in mind when taking photos of my own horse! (which I need to do!)

[Flo]

Lucky you to get close to the action and horses.i am finding the focus to be off on alot of them?

[HMDH3]

the focus on my pictures? I'm confused? Please reply.
I admit I struggle at times getting the lens to focus on what I want it to at times but I'm getting better and faster at it.

[matonanjin]

Lucky you to get close to the action and horses.i am finding the focus to be off on alot of them?

the focus on my pictures? I'm confused? Please reply.
I admit I struggle at times getting the lens to focus on what I want it to at times but I'm getting better and faster at it.


Me too.:confused:

[Bob_A]

If you want to improve I'd suggest picking two of your favorites from the above and posting them in the Critique Corner section of the forum and ask for advice.

Keep shooting!

[HMDH3]

thanks Bob, I picked what I think is the strongest picture (although not my personal favorite) to the critic corner. thank you for the suggestion!

[Flo]

the focus on my pictures? I'm confused? Please reply.
I admit I struggle at times getting the lens to focus on what I want it to at times but I'm getting better and faster at it.

Me too.:confused:

The focus on the subjects.namely the horses. I would hold off on the vignette as well.sometimes it takes away rather than adds to a photo?

[Coppatop85]

The focus on the subjects.namely the horses. I would hold off on the vignette as well.sometimes it takes away rather than adds to a photo?

I agree. I like the Vignette in the first picture, but in the third picture there is way to much contrast between the (blown out?) highlights and the vignette. It doesn't look right.

[HMDH3]

Thank you all. all very valid points. I must agree looking now I don't like the vinette on Sonnett's photo. (everyone calls it her senior picture, lol) However I do like it on the first picture. I could lessen it up a tad. mostly that was playing with photo editing software..... ;)

sometimes when you look at something so much, things don't really stand out until someone else says HEY! then the light bulb goes off. I really want to improve, and maybe someday make a little coin so I can buy a newer camera. :lol:

I appreciate all of you and this is a huge step forward for me as I am very hesitant to show anyone pictures and have no confidence in.

[Coppatop85]

Thank you all. all very valid points. I must agree looking now I don't like the vinette on Sonnett's photo. (everyone calls it her senior picture, lol) However I do like it on the first picture. I could lessen it up a tad. mostly that was playing with photo editing software..... ;)

sometimes when you look at something so much, things don't really stand out until someone else says HEY! then the light bulb goes off. I really want to improve, and maybe someday make a little coin so I can buy a newer camera. :lol:

I appreciate all of you and this is a huge step forward for me as I am very hesitant to show anyone pictures and have no confidence in.


I agree 10000%, and that's what this forum is all about. When I started photography 3 years ago, I had absolutely no clue whatsoever what I was doing. Now I get paid to do it :) Post, learn, and post more.

What camera body are you using?

[HMDH3]

Thanks Coppatop85 and everyone! Camera body? UH, not sure if this is right but I used the pre-set functions like portrait, landscape, etc. not really sure if that's what your asking????? (sorry, I said I was new! LOL )

[Coppatop85]

Thanks Coppatop85 and everyone! Camera body? UH, not sure if this is right but I used the pre-set functions like portrait, landscape, etc. not really sure if that's what your asking????? (sorry, I said I was new! LOL )


I mean what type of camera do you have? Point and shoot, DSLR? What model is it? XTi? XSi? 40D? etc

[HMDH3]

OHHHH....:oops: It's this one: Rebel EOS XT: SLR ; Resolution: 8 megapixels ; Optical zoom: 3 x. And the lens is a canon 75-300 mm. (got a great deal on Craig's list)

[J'net]

Great shots!