Critique photos taken with Canon 5D W/ 35 1.4 L, and Vivitar 285HV

[GarzaCapitalist]

Hello world, I am still working on that vintage France blessed wine, plus I am shooting some photographs/ Please let me know how you feel with my work in progress. Thank you, and please visit my Flikr!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56338492@N06/

[GarzaCapitalist]

[GarzaCapitalist]

[GarzaCapitalist]

Here are the rest of my tries. i wonder if i could use these for a Christmas card?

[TakahiroW4047]

How's your progress through Strobist101 by David Hobby? Hope you're still at it.


EDIT: I forgot, actually his "Lighting102" lessons are more comprehensive and step-by-step. He created the 101 "on the fly", so he admits that it wasn't as friendly as an intro to strobism. The 102 has specific lighting "assignments" that you should complete after each step. Plus, there's a strobist flickr community where you can submit each of your progress via specific tagging. You can view others "assignments" by searching those specific tags to see how you compare at that specific skill level and knowledge. It's far more interactive than the 101. Sorry, should have posted the 102 link first, weeks back.


As for C&C of your photos, lighting is a huge factor that sways how the image turns out (eg - determining the "focus" of the image, mood, etc). And since you are just learning off camera lighting, that would go into consideration when I'm viewing your photos. ButI think it would be difficultto assess your image based upon your subject selection and composition alone. At this point I think it would be unfair to you for us to critique your composition, because sometimes an image with the seemingly "worst" composition with cluttered subjects can be turned into a "good" image with some selective lighting to bring out the true focus of the image.


That being said, I don't think you need to juggle multiple things at once here (Lighting & Overal composition). It's difficult to excel in both, when poor lighting lowers your perception of composition. I would focus on going through Lighting 102, completing each "assignment" and get a real good grip on the concept of off camera lighting. You'll be using simple, mundane objects so you can disregard composition all together and just focus on lighting first. Once you master the fundamentals of off camera lighting, then I think you can start creating the image of your liking with creative subjects, composition, and a clear intension. At that point, I'll be more than happy to come "bash" your photos []


Here's an example of the strobist community participating in each assignment.


Lighting 102: 1.2 - "Position - Distance"


AssignmentPosted On Flickr

[GarzaCapitalist]

How's your progress through Strobist101 by David Hobby? Hope you're still at it.


EDIT: I forgot, actually his "[url="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/06/lighting-102-introduction.html]Lighting102[/url]" lessons are more comprehensive and step-by-step. He created the 101 "on the fly", so he admits that it wasn't as friendly as an intro to strobism. The 102 has specific lighting "assignments" that you should complete after each step. Plus, there's a strobist flickr community where you can submit each of your progress via specific tagging. You can view others "assignments" by searching those specific tags to see how you compare at that specific skill level and knowledge. It's far more interactive than the 101. Sorry, should have posted the 102 link first, weeks back.


As for C&C of your photos, lighting is a huge factor that sways how the image turns out (eg - determining the "focus" of the image, mood, etc). And since you are just learning off camera lighting, that would go into consideration when I'm viewing your photos. ButI think it would be difficultto assess your image based upon your subject selection and composition alone. At this point I think it would be unfair to you for us to critique your composition, because sometimes an image with the seemingly "worst" composition with cluttered subjects can be turned into a "good" image with some selective lighting to bring out the true focus of the image.


That being said, I don't think you need to juggle multiple things at once here (Lighting & Overal composition). It's difficult to excel in both, when poor lighting lowers your perception of composition. I would focus on going through [url="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/06/lighting-102-introduction.html]Lighting 102[/url], completing each "assignment" and get a real good grip on the concept of off camera lighting. You'll be using simple, mundane objects so you can disregard composition all together and just focus on lighting first. Once you master the fundamentals of off camera lighting, then I think you can start creating the image of your liking with creative subjects, composition, and a clear intension. At that point, I'll be more than happy to come "bash" your photos [img]/emoticons/emotion-5.gif[/img]


Here's an example of the strobist community participating in each assignment.


[url="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/06/lighting-102-12-position-distance.html]Lighting 102: 1.2 - "Position - Distance"[/url]


[url="http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=all&q=strobist+lighting102+positio n+distance&m=text]AssignmentPosted On Flickr[/url]
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C.Baudelaire was in error to say that photography is not an art, but then again what do I know about the artistic approach? As far as the learning process being used, I am still "at it"! It is extremely difficult at times to follow the direction, that I just "go with it" instead! I don't use a tripod hence the awkward looking DOF that plus the fact that i am usually suffering from the over consumption of caffeine, or occasionally a little red french vintage I will continue my struggle to achieve common ground with this devil called photography! Please bash away anytime, and i promise i wont get to pouty

[Richard Lane]

Here are the rest of my tries. i wonder if i could use these for a Christmas card? [url="http://photobucket.com][/url] [url="http://photobucket.com][/url]
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#1: Too dark and half the bottle is chopped off. I like the label focus, and I like that the bottle is rotated and the label is not centered in the frame. Try again in vertical composition.


#2: Lighting is not too bad on this one. Background horizon is crooked, but the bottle is straight, so it'snot as bad.It has something to due with the angle at which you're holding the camera. Avoid centering everything, sometimes it's OK. I don't like the paper on the table. Watch your refelction in the bottle, however since the bottle is curved it's less of an issue. Other options would be to try choosing a more intersting focal point on the bottle, such as the cap, the top label, or the bottom label, instead of choosing the middle part of the bottle as the focal point, butyour waycan work too.


You need to read about exposure; to increase your exposure, you will need to loweryour shutter speed (which may require a tripod), open up the aperture, raise the ISO, or set more power on the flash.


Keep practicing,


Rich

[GarzaCapitalist]

Thanks Rich. and Tak! I am practicing every dang min i can!

[GarzaCapitalist]

i used the white paper for testing purposes, i noticed it reflected the uh reflections from the bottle to the area i needed highlighted! i have more you can see. s1118.photobucket.com/.../garzacapitalist!cpZZ4QQtppZZ32

[Richard Lane]

[url="http://photobucket.com][/url] [url="http://photobucket.com][/url]
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#1 Very underexposed, otherwise you may have something here. I like the low angle perspective, some people would say not to completely center the main object in the frame, but it doesn't bother me here. Try taking a shot of the presents under the tree.


#2 Again, too dark and the painting and tree are cut off. Lose the pillow.


Rich