Joyfullee Loc: South FL

I welcome constructive criticisms....help me to get better. :-)

Nikon D3100

f/5.6 1/125 ISO 100 18mm


f/5.6 1/100 ISO 100 53mm


f/22 1/25 ISO 100 24mm


f/5.6 1/13 ISO 100 18mm

Lenslooker Loc: Vestal, NY

I like the first and last pictures. I would suggest looking
for a specific focal point to concentrate on as in the last image. The last one conveys a mental as well as a physical image. Good luck and keep at it!

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

Work on your composition...The last is good.....Try to find a central focal point and compose the rest of your photo around it.......have fun

Joyfullee Loc: South FL

Thank you Lenslooker and Photophly for your opinions, they are both very much appreciated. :-)

From my perspective when taking the shots, the 2nd picture invited me to dive into the water at that specific point and the 3rd shot was sitting on the bench in solitude/shade and enjoying the beauty all around.

Guess that didn't work so well. Though my personal favorite of all was the bench photo.

I will concentrate/focus on the advice given.

:-)

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

1st shot not real sure of subject matter. 2nd shot would be better if you were a little further back and used the tree trunks to frame your shot. third shot makes me want to fish, and i dont even fish. very serene. 4th shot of the board walk is your best shot. cuse of the walk and the guardrails as leading lines helps show depth. keep up the good work.

Joyfullee Loc: South FL

That was funny about the fishing!

:D

For me, the 1st shot was inviting me to walk further up the pathway.

Yes, I can see that framing the water with the trees would have made a better shot....I was concentrating more on the water, cause it was inviting me to...jump in!

Thanks for taking the time to offer your opinions, appreciated Sinatraman. :-)

gizzy.whicker Loc: Cumberland Co., Illinois

Ditto, ditto, ditto on suggestions to look for focal points in your photos. The last one's walkway is a good focal point. The lane in the first one is sort of a focal point, but not very clearly, and the pond with the bench could have been if you'd walked around behind the bench, or gotten closer so that the bench was more of the focal point of your photo. Isn't photography fun? I myself personally have never taken a perfect photo, but I sure do like telling others how to make their's perfect !!!

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

I'd like to see #3 cropped just a bit so that the bench is a little off center to the left.
That way, the bench becomes part of the scene (giving a focal point to start with) and the lake beyond would compel the eye to look further.

My fave of the set is the last one, too.

Joyfullee Loc: South FL

Point taken my friends, I need to focus more on a focus point!

:D

I never thought of walking behind the bench. I was standing on the right in the photo on an elevated small covered bench/deck.

That was funny too, about the "perfect" picture. I liked it.

I do appreciate your stopping by and offering your opinion gizzy.whicker. Thank you.

Joyfullee Loc: South FL

I'm not proficient with photo-editing software, but you can show me what you mean, if you like.

That appears to be the consensus...the last photo is the best.

Thanks Tilde for your opinions, appreciated.
:-)

Priest Loc: Indiana

I like you last one. My eye follows the ramp. Try to tell a story -go for a different angles -lighting and practice, practice, read, read. Main thing have fun and bingo your there. Peace. Priest.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

I hated to lose the little bit of tree on the right. Like sinatraman; I'm fond of framing a photo with natural elements (which is why I left the tree fronds at the top of the photo here... some may find them a distraction and crop them out as well!)

Here's what happened when I tweaked it a bit....

Now my eye travels all around the photo for new details.
See what I mean? (Or are my eyes just wonky? lol)

Joyfullee Loc: South FL

Thanks Tilde, it seems to me the bench is more prominent and the scene as a whole looks cleaner, sharper. Thank you for taking the time to show me that.

:-)

gizzy.whicker Loc: Cumberland Co., Illinois

Are you the little "tilde" on the upper left of my keyboard? I thought so. I used to see that little tilde a lot when I was looking for files I'd inadvertantly deleted. Well, at any rate, yes you edited that photo just perfectly. Now with a bit of lightening of the shadowed bench, you'd have it. Good job.

ShakyShutter Loc: Arizona

I know you are working a many things at the same time but in the photos you presented you seemed to not worry too much about the shutter speed. Shutter speed is the big one that will get you in the end.

Here's the rule for hand held photography.

The shutter speed should always be equal to or a greater number (denominator) (faster) than the focal length of the lens.

Examples:
18mm, shutter should be 1/18th or faster (1/60, 1/125th etc).

200mm, shutter should be at least 1/200th or faster(1/500~1/1000)

24mm, shutter speed should be 1/24th or higher (1/60, 1/125, 1/250 etc)

100mm, shutter speed should be 1/100 or higher (125, 1/250, 1/500)

In the shots you submitted you had one that was 1/25th at 24mm and one that was 1/13th at 18mm. These two violated the focal length/shutter speed rule. But the results were OK. but you shouldn't try to hand hold a shot below about 1/60th without bracing the camera on something.

Now if you are shooting from a steady tripod then you can go way below this rule as far as shutter speed goes without risking camera movement.

Again this refers to HAND HELD exposures.