My First DSLR Pics!

[debincalif]

Took my new Canon 60D out on its maiden voyage yesterday. Looking for critique, but be gentle with me! LOL! :D

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131201.jpg

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131202.jpg

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131203.jpg

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131204.jpg

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131205.jpg

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u679/debincalif/1131206.jpg

[CAPSLOK]

I like the first one (because it is the opposite focus you'd expect, focusing on the leaves rather than the fences and such) and the one with the water right after the bridge. Good job - it's fun to play with the new toys!

I don't know if it is intentional or not, but the rest kind of throw me off because of the very narrow depth of field - with only a small part of the picture in focus. I'm a complete amateur with my camera as well, so that's just my personal taste - and I do like that look in the first picture. Maybe play around more with the settings to get a wider depth of field to get a few shots with each look to get what you like best.

Maybe someone with an actual artistic eye will say the exact opposite...

[ncalireef]

Which lens are you using?

[debincalif]

I was using the EF-S 18-135 lens. I also bought the (cheapy) EF 75-300, but haven't used it yet... and I just ordered the EF-S 17-85. It will be a while before I buy a macro, but it's on my wish list!

[IslandCrow]

Pretty nice photos. The 60D is a nice camera. You should have a lot of fun with it. Just a few pointers for you to consider on your next expedition. . .

1) I agree with CAPSLOK. I like the composition of this photo. It has a very nice feel to it. About the only real critique I have is the leaves in the foreground that are facing twoards the light source are slightly overexposed. You probably would have been better off with an exposure about 1/3 - 2/3 stops darker, or just break out the burn brush in Photoshop, but overall it's still a nice photo, so I wouldn't worry about it too much at this point.

2) Try to avoid putting the subject of your photo dead center in the frame. It's not an absolute rule, but it tends to make photos look static and flat. I think a better composition would have been to have the collection of leaves towards the bottom left of the frame. That way, you also have the branches serving as leading lines from the top right of the frame, leading your eye down through the frame.

3) I quite like the chaos of shapes and colors in this. The sky is blown out, but that can be very hard to avoid. For a picture like this, I find it best to take on a heavy overcast day or very early in the morning, usually about 15-30 minutes before sunrise.

4) Not a bad composition. The photo could benefit from a little more contrast, which is something you can add in post processing. Front lit shots (i.e. shooting towards the sun) can be tricky, but you did a pretty good job, though I might have used a slightly different angle to block the sun a little bit more with the trees. It has the added benefit of giving the leaves a really nice glowing effect.

5) Be careful of what's in your foreground. Foreground can be a very important element in your photo, but in this case, the random grass stalks distract from the rest of the photo. I'd also recommend getting down much lower. Look for that angle that someone just passing by wouldn't see.

6) Nothing really jumps out to me in this composition. The bridge in the background is kind of interesting, but it's lost behind the trees. I know your focus is on the stream, but think about how the different elements in the scene work together. Where is the stream going? How do you want the viewers eye to travel through the photograph. A bit advanced, I know, but something you'll want to start thinking about. From a technical standpoint, it looks like you also need some more depth of field (i.e. a smaller aperture/larger f-stop #). If you're planning on doing a lot of landscape, I'd recommend looking up 'hyperfocal distance'. In short, by calculating your hyperfocal distance, you can decide what aperture you need to get your entire scene in focus, which I think would have worked much better in this particular shot.

[debincalif]

Thanks for the input - I really appreciate it! Mike, your critique was great! Thanks for taking the time to give me useful feedback on each shot. :)

[Cmoua]

Not sure if what mode you shot them, but I would recommend you get into the habit of manual mode when taking pictures. It allows you so much more control over the lighting quality of your pictures.

Play around with ISO, shutter speed, arpeture and you'll get into the hang of it. You will see your pictures improve so much more.

Nice looking pics though.:thumbsup:

[Cmoua]

Double post

[IslandCrow]

Happy to help where I can, debincalif. I'm not sure how much experience you have on the technical side of photography, but to expand upon what Cmoua said, if you don't have much photography experience, some of the basic concepts you'll want to understand are things like the relationship between aperture, ISO and shutter speed (often called the "exposure triangle") to obtain a proper exposure. Also, how aperture (a.k.a. f-stop) relates to your depth of field. You may very well already have those concepts down. If not, that's definitely a baseline you'll want to establish.

Either way, keep shooting. . .