My Photography Progress

[Phalanx]

I swear... this will be the last thread I make regarding comments/criticism on my photos. Im gonna just keep updating this post with my newest shots and try to get some feedback. When I put up new pics I'll just bump the thread telling that i added new pics.

What am I doing well? What should I stop doing? What can I improve on (besides the car itself)?

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[inyong1988]

nice pics

[JchanFTW]

Photos 2&3 don't feel very balanced, and I feel they're a little, "top heavy."

Photo 4&5 is not focused enough on the car. By looking at it, you can say that 50% of the viewers attention goes to posts/fence, and 50% goes to the car. If your subject is the car, then you have to give the subject more attention.

These are very artistic shots, but these are the things that separate a great photo from perfection.
Good job none the less.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by JchanFTW

1. - Photos 2&3 don't feel very balanced, and I feel they're a little, "top heavy."

2. - Photo 4&5 is not focused enough on the car. By looking at it, you can say that 50% of the viewers attention goes to posts/fence, and 50% goes to the car. If your subject is the car, then you have to give the subject more attention.

3. - These are very artistic shots, but these are the things that separate a great photo from perfection.
Good job none the less.

1. Hmm... I'll have to think about that one some more. I sort of understand where youre coming from, not not 100%

2. 100% agreed, and thus far, i think this is my biggest obstacle to overcome. I always seem to take focus away from the car. I think i need to go back to these spots and play w/ some of the settings when taking shots and see if i can get a better focus on the car vs other objects. I like having supporting objects... but they shouldnt take away from the focus on the car.

3. Thanks

[Cr8tive_leo]

Nice pics!

You can create focus through image editing, just slightly blur the surroundings.

Or if you want, play with your D.O.F. (depth of field) and you can get the exact same effects all in camera.

[wallytiburon]

It could be my laptop monitor but the first three look a bit underexposed.

Interesting frame on #4.

If you'ld like to bring a little more focus to the car, try a larger apature to blur the background a little more. (or get a lens baby if you're feeling really experimental and adventurous :))

You're headed in the right direction. Keep shooting.

If you need ideas, certainly check out your favorite car mags and imitate some of their shots paying attention to the lighting, background, angle, sky, composition lol.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by Cr8tive_leo

Nice pics!

You can create focus through image editing, just slightly blur the surroundings.

Or if you want, play with your D.O.F. (depth of field) and you can get the exact same effects all in camera.

Yea, I know i can change it w/ image editing software (like i used to make the #1 image). But I have the idea in my head that I shouldnt have to rely on the image editing software to get the shots as desirable as i want. I should be able to use the camera and get it damn near perfect. Just gotta do more trial & error

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by wallytiburon

1 - It could be my laptop monitor but the first three look a bit underexposed.

Interesting frame on #4.

2 - If you'ld like to bring a little more focus to the car, try a larger apature to blur the background a little more. (or get a lens baby if you're feeling really experimental and adventurous :))

3 - You're headed in the right direction. Keep shooting.

If you need ideas, certainly check out your favorite car mags and imitate some of their shots paying attention to the lighting, background, angle, sky, composition lol.

1 - This seems to be a common problem im running into. I guess itll jut take some time in getting used to things.

2 - Im not sure if this wouldve worked for the pictures in question, b/c the car is in the background... unless i dont fully understand how aperture works (which is certainly possible).

3 -

[XSRCivic]

If you are using the exposure bar to get the "perfect" exposure, try looking at the histogram. When you review your pictures the camera can display a histogram of the shot you take. Sometimes you will need to overexpose or underexpose a shot to get the lighting you want.

Google up on reading histograms, they can show you alot.

[wallytiburon]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

1 - This seems to be a common problem im running into. I guess itll jut take some time in getting used to things.

2 - Im not sure if this wouldve worked for the pictures in question, b/c the car is in the background... unless i dont fully understand how aperture works (which is certainly possible).

3 -

When I first started shooting... I didn't understand a ton of photoshop but until you're shooting in full manual all the time (after you understand the relationship between ISO, apature, and shutter speed), get into photoshop and find "Auto Levels". That'll help you for now. Later you'll hopefully learn to read that magical histogram to make sense of why things are they way they are.

Drop the apature (lower number), increase bokeh.
Open the apature (higher number), decrease the bokeh.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by wallytiburon

When I first started shooting... I didn't understand a ton of photoshop but until you're shooting in full manual all the time (after you understand the relationship between ISO, apature, and shutter speed), get into photoshop and find "Auto Levels". That'll help you for now. Later you'll hopefully learn to read that magical histogram to make sense of why things are they way they are.

Drop the apature (lower number), increase bokeh.
Open the apature (higher number), decrease the bokeh.

I just feel like using PS at this point is like 'cheating' ... but then again, does it really matter? Probably not.

bokeh? im unfamiliar w/ that term

[wallytiburon]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

I just feel like using PS at this point is like 'cheating' ... but then again, does it really matter? Probably not.

bokeh? im unfamiliar w/ that term

It's a japanese term used in photography as a noun. It's that beautiful background, distraction destroying blur.

[XSRCivic]

There's alot more that takes place after the shutter is pressed. Photoshop is very powerful tool in photography.

Read up and look at some tutorials. You can learn alot of advanced features that really make your photo stand out.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by XSRCivic

There's alot more that takes place after the shutter is pressed. Photoshop is very powerful tool in photography.

Read up and look at some tutorials. You can learn alot of advanced features that really make your photo stand out.

I actually know how to use photoshop pretty well. Just trying to start off w/ the best possible photo before putting it into PS

[wallytiburon]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Just trying to start off w/ the best possible photo before putting it into PS

THAT is good thinking.