Some shots from SDSU campus - and a random

[Project X]

Hey everyone, my first time posting any of my photos up on the web. I got a 40D in mid December as I've been interested in photography for a while now and finally decided to actually get an SLR. I've been trying to read and learn as much as possible and practice whenever I can and hopefully I'll be getting more photos up on the web to get critiqued so I can really make some improvements in my photography.

Anyways, on to the pictures, I attempted to process them lightly in LR2 but I really have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to processing so any help with that would be great too. Thanks.

Student Services building on campus. I need to learn to clone objects out in PS.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4370054032_fc1723133d_b.jpg

The Clock-tower on that same building.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4369305673_499eb12eef_b.jpg

A plant from in front of that same Student Services building. (Although its overexposed in the sides I really like the exposure of the plant and don't mind the blown out effect in that particular spot)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4369305813_c722684bdb_b.jpg


And a random shot from Folsom lake up near Sacramento. The first shot I took that I really liked (even though it's lame pre-set LR processing).
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4370054662_ba92bac189_b.jpg

Thanks for any criticism you can give me, don't be afraid to be harsh, I'd prefer it so I can learn as much as possible.

[S30L28]

The first shot has a bit of wasted space with the sky. I did this too when I shot with a 5D. It might seem weird to cut out the sky a bit but it'll place more emphasis on your subjects/objects.

I think the second photo might have been stronger vertically rather than horizontally. Cutting the building makes a bit frustrated - wanting more of what's there, but not being able to see it.

I definitely am feeling the last image. It's well done and very strong!

Keep shooting!

[usukshooter]

Good colors - I think the first one could be a touch brighter and the second one has too much negative space for me, I feel like the building has been cut off too much and I'd like to see more of it. Maybe you were trying to crop out people so maybe next time, get up early in the morning and shoot before classes start or before the building opens so there are no or few people around.

You're right that you've blown out the highlights of the third one but I don't think the subject matter is interesting enough (or shot in an interesting enough way) to justify it.

Again, good color on the last one - I like the rich rusty colors set against the blue sky. But I would play around with the angles your shooting from next time. I would get closer and play with the shapes, lines and DOF to create something more abstract.

[joedlh]

The first three could be improved in my opinion. The tilted steeple in #1 bothers me a lot. The sunlight on the tops of the poplars in the second also grates. The window reflections on the tower, ditto. Sorry, but the third one just doesn't have a compelling composition.

The last one, however, is a great subject and a nice job on the capture. As Usukshooter suggested, this one is interesting enough to spend some time exploring different angles and compositions and at a time of day when the light is not so directly overhead. I have a feeling that one -- morning or late afternoon -- will be better than the other.

[Project X]

Thank you all for the comments. I plan on trying to reshoot the same sites throughout the year and try to improve upon the images each time. I feel like I really need to work on my composition, just don't know how to do it as it seems it's more just having a natural eye for it, but hopefully overtime I can develop a good sense of interesting composition.

[corkneyfonz]

The last image gets my vote.

[PBeeee]

First three have very little going for them. The last is like alien space wreckage and I think LR did a fine job. That's a great image.