Absolute Beginner

[Snuffles]

After lurking here and admiring everyone's work for over a year now I have decided it's time for me to take the scary step of posting photos.

I'm an absolute novice and have been following tutorials and tips posted on this site and am teaching myself photoshop slowly. The next step in learning I guess is to put photos I've taken up for advice and learn from it.

Here are a few versions of the same photo using various tips found on this site. Any advice?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/acadpa/DSC_00634306Bubble.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/acadpa/DSC_00633862Bubblecopy1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/acadpa/DSC_00633862Bubblecopy.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/acadpa/claudiaatportcampbell.jpg

cheers

[i_worship_the_King]

If you're looking to post only 1 photo, you can use the "Additional options" just under the box where you type a message. It does well, just make sure you meet the size (file and image) requirements for it to take it. [Attach Files box]

The easiest way I've found is to get a photobucket or something, post pics online, then use the 'picture' link (along top border of message box, looks like mountain).

Both ways work great.

If you have a smugmug account, there are great tutorials (or so i hear) on how to link those in the Tutorials section (top of page).

So you fixed it while I was typing, eh?

I like the color and the second B&W. The 1st & last B&W seem to have issues with a lack of contrast. As for composition, love it!

& Welcome to dGrin!

[1220]

welcome to dgrin!... or at least posting on dgrin.

overall I think its a nice shot, but it doesnt captivate me. Should that matter to you? nah, but what the hell, here we are.

The photo has too much going on, & the lady seems kinda lost and unimportant to the shot. maybe theres just too much photo realestate for me... beachfront bluff, waves breaking, dock in the distance and this tunnel like formation of land masses. maybe some clever cropping would help. :scratch

keep shooting and enjoy, & im sure many folks would love the shot!

[leaforte]

My eye was first drawn to the breaking wave on the left. Not sure why. Maybe the double breaking wave, or the nice shadow on the sand. I like the first B/W best, seems sharp. And by the way, Welcome to Dgrin....and keep posting your shots! Newbie here too, with the same story as yours. Maybe we can start a newbie support group!

[Kevin G]

Good start. If I could give one peice of advice it would be to focus in on one subject and fill the frame with that subject.

Looking at your picture, my eye jumps from place to place and can't find anywhere to rest. There is too much going on.

Keep shooting and reading; that's the most important part.

[Yuri Pautov]

Congrats, Snuffles!
What about these:
1
http://pautov.viplast.ru/images/gallery/5507.jpg

2


http://pautov.viplast.ru/images/gallery/5508.jpg

'Zoom' effect used

Yuri

[Richard]

Good start, but as others have pointed out, there's too much going on in this shot. Yuri's solution is interesting--by blurring everything but the woman, she becomes more important in the frame. There are a number of cropping possibilities here as well. Less isn't always more, but in this shot it could help.

Regards,

[brfuk]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/acadpa/claudiaatportcampbell.jpg



This is my personal favourite. The overall darker illumination representing what we are led to assume is the subjects completative mood. This isn't a picture where you want 'high impact visuals'. The contents of the photo just doesn't support that.

How would I seek to improve the photo (without altering the contents).
Add a subtle vignette to draw our eye to the either the person or where they are headed.
If you are using a colour conversion to make the b&w, then bring up the yellows which should brighten the sand a little. Creating a slight seperation of the person from the environment.
Increase local contrast to bring out the details in the environment more.
Play with cropping. I can see a strong vertical crop in here, with the person in the lower left corner.

[jeffreaux2]

My observations:

I agree that there is a bit much here to distract the eye.

I think that if you crop from the left almost to the right end of the breaking wave on the left it will put your subject in place to follow the rule of thirds....nearly. Not that the rule of thirds can't be broken, but this would give the subject more purpose in the image. With more room in front of her than behind she is going ...somewhere.

There is a no parking sign that is vying for attention also. It is red and white like her clothing. It could be desaturated some, or better yet cloned out altogether.

The dock in the background is also distracting, It would be fairly easy to clone this out also.

Lastly, I personally like the color version more than the others, but it needs to pop. Try a contrast increase or play around in levels to juice it up a bit.

I really like how you put the horizon up high in the picture avoiding the centered horizon mistake we all make. You also have the horizon level as it should be in a photo of this type.

And lastly,

Keep shooting, and keep posting!!! It can be frustrating when you ask for a critique, and then your image that you have an attachment to gets broken down into all its bits and pieces.......but don't let it get you down. We are all here to learn and share.

Thanks for sharing.