Constructive criticism on photos i took?

Question: Constructive criticism on photos i took!?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Wow, I'm stunned!
So many responses, and 2 people even tried to explain the Golden section rule, also known as rule of thirds, but one mixed it with balancing and the second asked you to move subject to the corner, rather than to actual 1/3 point!.!.!.!.

Ok, let me start by re-stating what someone said: don't mind your camera!. It's good enough to take the pictures you took, so it will work for you for a while, until you get to a point of heavy messing with manual settings or depth of field or other advanced camera tricks!.

What you really need is to work on composition!. Best thing is get a book!. Let me explain a few very basic rules first (ones already mentioned here)!.

1!. Golden section!. The actual definition of golden section ratio is to mentally divide your frame into two parts (vertically or horizontally) in such a way that proportion of larger part to the smaller part is same as proportion of the whole frame to larger part!. Then place your main subject somewhere on that line!.

Confusing!?

Let's introduce the rule of thirds!. If you solve the proportion I just mentioned mathematically - you'd have to divide the frame so that bigger part is about 62% of the frame and smaller is 0!.38%!. So to spare you all the mathematics - use rule of thirds!. Just imagine two horizontal and two vertical lines across your viewfinder that split it into equal parts - sort of like tic-tac-toe board!. Your main subjects should be along those lines!. Ideally on intersections (if that's what a previous poster called "the corners", I'm not sure it was clear enough)!.

Now to balancing the frame!. It's a different beast!. To explain it in a nutshell - imagine that your frame is a balanced seesaw with pivot point being in the middle!. Here a little physics will help!. Your task is to keep the seesaw balanced with the perceived visual weight of objects in the frame!. We don't care about actual weight!. Just their size and how heavy they feel to the eye!. Now, since a pivot is placed in the middle - anything in a middle of a frame is automatically balanced!. But that will ruin rule of thirds above!.!.!. So let's move it off-center!. Now that the object is on a side it will tip the seesaw!. To balance it we place a second object on the other side!. Now, if you remember your high school physics - there are three ways to place the second object to keep it balanced:
1!. If object is of the same weight - we place it the same distance from center as the one we try to balance!.
2!. If second object is visually lighter - we place it greater distance from center to keep it balanced
3!. If second object is visually heavier - we place it closer to the center than original object!.

Of course two or more smaller objects can balance a single heavy one (Large person on the right, visually smaller crowd of 10 pepole in far left)!. Or there can be 2 vs 2, or 3 vs 3!.!.!.!.

Keeping it all symmetrical is hard, you'd need a perfect symmetry, or else the composition will fall apart!. So try to use rules 2 or 3 more often!.!.!.!.

Well!.!.!. that's two basic things about composition, and very incomplete descriptions of both!. These are just to give you a slight idea of what it is all about!. This is really just the tip of an iceberg!. There's so much more, symmetry, contrasts, use of lines, etc, etc!.

So get a good book (doesn't have to be one of the new books about digital photography, composition hasn't changed for decades - Da Vinci and Monet used the same composition rules in their paintings as we use today in photography, so you can get ANY composition book that is good, though preferably related to photography)

Once you are comfortable there, you may start thinking of technical aspects of photography, then we can talk about getting a better camera!. But for now, try to learn to compose with what you've got!

Good luck!
LEM

P!.S!. Who said photography is an easy art!?!?!?!?!?!? Picture snapping is, but don't confuse the two!!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, they look like they were taken by a bored novice snapper!. Nothing wrong with that, sometimes we are all bored, and everyone has to start somewhere!.

Your camera is a adequate for your level, so don't worry about your equipment!. Do read your camera manual to get the best from it!. Get a beginner's book on photography!. Start to learn about the technical stuff, even if your camera can't be set on manual!. You can still get familiar with terms like aperture, shutter speed, focal length, and depth of field!. You can begin to think about composition and what that means!. You can look in magazines and professional sites and look at good photography!. You can study how the light and shadows are, and what angle was used to capture the subject!. You can learn to look at the light in your own world, and decide what would make a better photo!. Then practice and learn some more!. You will see your photos improve as you learn and practice!. Best wishes!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Some of these are really good, as another poster suggested concentrate on composition!.
1!. Know what your subject is ( you have this one down)
2!. Find a way to draw attention to the subject ( rule of thirds,(meant to be broken though)
a!. showing motion ( actually freezing the action or panning)
b!. Some type of framing device that surrounds the subject
c!. Look for lines and shapes that converge on the subject
d!. With an slr or dslr you can use selective focus to blur out a distracting background while keeping the subject in focus!.
e!. watch for a play with shadows and highlights!.
Keep shooting and have fun, the more you shoot the more you will learn!
One more thing, try to get in close to your subject! And above all, Have fun!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Not to bad for amateur photographer work!. I think what you might want to work on is your camera angles to try to get a more proportioned prospective!.!.!.I think they call it the rule of nines or something!.!.!.what you do is devide your picture into 9 boxes (three across and three down and use this to balance the entire picture example if you have something in the lower left corner you should have something in the upper right corner to keep a balanced perspective)Www@QuestionHome@Com

i liked the teddy bear on the swing
(black & white,not the one in the center)

beautiful objects and people but just not the right or good angles!. like the girl on the swing, if you took it on the side while she looks at you at black & white with her hair swaying in the air a little closer you might get a very good photos!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They are nice, but a little random!. I liked the one of the pine cones!.!.!. very nice!! You should try focusing more on the other ones though!. also when you take pictures of something close up, try using macro if your camera has it!. The one of the bird house and the pine trees in the back was a little boring, try a different angle of the same spot, it will make a difference!!

Keep up the good work!!! They are beautiful!Www@QuestionHome@Com

First thing is you gotta learn to focus on your object that your trying to show us and make that the point of focus in the picture(s)!.

The second thing is to remember the 'rule of thirds'!. What this is, is that when you take a photo, always have the object that you are showing in one of the four corners of the viewfinder!. The most appeasing one for most people is the bottom right corner!.

Just a tip!.!. There you just graduated from Photography class!! FREE OF CHARGE! :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Nature ones: Great
Teddy: Nice
Girl: Keep the camera level to the ground, that last pic looks good but its slanted!.
If you're going to ask us to comment on pics, at least make sure they are the right way up!. The girl on a swing needs to be zoomed in on, too much needless space around her!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I really like the third one but what I think you should remember is to focus in on one thing!. So take a picture of just a bird don't try to get everything in!. Sometimes the simple things are the best!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This one I like best: http://i123!.photobucket!.com/albums/o296/!.!.!.

Try playing around photoshop!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i like the 3rd one down and the 6th one down!. pine cones and the bear!. the other ones are too generic, kinda boring but i really like numbers 3 and 6Www@QuestionHome@Com

there actually rly rly effective!.
da ones with da trees, try taking da pic from rite under the tree and show a bit of the sky and make sure the tree is green =D
not too close up on da face =D
nice pics tho ;)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Very interesting subjects!. You need a better camera and an understanding of how to use such a camera!. You've got a good eye!. Keep up the good work!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

get a better camera
look at more interesting things
stop takeing pics at 90 degree angles
and get a better cameraWww@QuestionHome@Com

Get a new camera or try Photoshop!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I really love the photo043, the black and white portrait, that is nice!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think you have great subjects, but maybe you need better focus and/or a better camera!. Good luck!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

THey are extremely good! Especially for having a bad camera! You should keep up the good work :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Keep up the good work!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

its really good!. it makes me feel lost in a good way!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i think you need a tripod!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

nice but random!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

your nature shots are awesome ! great work !Www@QuestionHome@Com

they are great abstract pics!. i love them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

a bad camera doesnt mean bad pictures! trust me!. i took some awesome pictures with a 1/10 camera my mom had when she was a little girl!! and right now all i have is a 35 mil!.

the first one is nice but it needs more interest!. maybe or bordering with the trees!?
the second one!.!.!. kinda the same!.!. its alittle on the boring side!. needs something else in it with a diff color!.
the third one a like alot!. and thats not to bad of a camera, it got some nice detail on the pinecones!.
fourth is a little blurry!. try using 800 film!. it captures moving objects alot better!. if you cant change your chutter speeds i mean!. fifth needs something else in it!. or maybe zoom in on the birdhouse more!. and wait till a bird is there!.
the bear, is to close to the camera!. it kinda messed up the color alittle i love the black/white bear picture! that would be an awesome greetingcard
the second black/white bear!.!.!. i dont know what it needs to be honest!.!.!. it just seems!.!.!. off
couldnt see the persons face in the next one!.!.!. its alittle creepy!. the next one is pretty nice, i like it!. the ones of the little girl are cute!. i like the second one better!. has more charector!. keep it up! they look nice :)Www@QuestionHome@Com