Charlie'smom

I’m trying to improve my skills, and would appreciate some constructive criticism. Thank you.

Nikon D7200 18-140mm.

(Download)

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

Okay, so your shooting at 1/60" at f18 with a Nikkor 18-140mm lens set at 52mm, ISO at 160.
Are you using a tripod ( I would guess no?)



From a technical aspect nothing is really sharp probably due to the combination of slow shutter speed and small aperture. So if I wanted to produce a really sharp image I would haul out the tripod first. Try not to shoot anything over f8 but in this case since its a landscape start at f8 and work up from there. That way you can compare the sharpness of the different shots. For really good sharpness use a shutter release and get the mirror up before shooting so the vibrations of the mirror don't translate into blur. And your using a D7200 letting the ISO come up a bit will not hurt anything.

What I the purpose of this photo? What are you trying to convey to the person looking at this?

So, to start with look at the world through a "creative eye" try and see your surroundings while looking for meaning that can be captured in a photo and will mean something to someone else (or spark an emotion in someone else.)



One of the problems we humans have in this regard is our brain's ability to focus. We see a photograph as a whole thing when we look at our surroundings we see only what we are focused on. This gets in the way of producing really good images. Power lines are a prime example. When we are looking at what looks like a good shot we don't see the utility pole and the lines, but in looking at the image after the fact they are really there and in the way. Practice, and looking at what we have shot with a critical eye is the answer to this.

I do hope this is helpful, and good luck with your continuing photographic journey.

Charlie'smom

Thank you very much, Dave C1. I will work on your suggested settings the next time a photo op like this occurs. I don’t usually use a tripod during the day, but perhaps I’ll invest in a monopod.

Again, thank you for your valuable advice.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

Once you use a good tripod and do a comparison between that with a shutter release and "mirror up" and just hand holding you will be convinced. It makes all the difference and VR on a lens will not make up the shortfall.

The other thing with settings I would recommend is to use the A setting on the camera: so set your aperture, put the ISO sensitivity in auto with the preferred setting at 200, and let the camera decide the shutter speed.

On the effects of aperture and sharpness, I think you might find this website helpful.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm

Charlie'smom

Thank you.

repleo Loc: Boston

Hi Charlie'smom. If you really want to improve your skills I would start with composition. Technical perfection is no substitute for an interesting composition. A sharp uninteresting picture is just a sharp uninteresting picture.

To paraphrase what I keep hearing from judges at my club - 'What do you like about this picture?' 'What is it I am supposed to be looking at?' These basic questions are not always easy to answer especially with landscapes. Once you decide what it is you are trying to show us, you can use other aspects of composition to draw the viewer to it such as leading lines, depth of field, simplification, negative space etc etc not to mention color, balance, perspective. Looking at your picture I can't tell if you want us to look at the pine needles at the top left or the tiny glimpse of far away mountains in the distance. Sometimes you may want the viewer to take in the whole vista, but even then you should look for a way to lead the eye into and around the picture.

I would highly recommend Michael Freeman's 'The Photographers Eye: A Graphic Guide'. Its an easy to read, well illustrated book. Easily the best photography book I have come across to date.

This was intended to be constructive, I hope you will accept it as such.

Charlie'smom

And that’s exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much!

fredtoo Loc: Houston

I think that if someone had told me to shoot that view, I could not have done any better with balance and composition than you did. Having a good eye is not something you can buy at a camera shop, and some people just never get there. One shot is not much to go on, but from that one shot my personal op. is that you have a good eye for composition.

Having said that, the photo lacks "drama" because it just wasn't there to see. Whether there was more drama in another direction I don't know. Some photos can have so much drama that its a great shot even when it isn't that great technically. I get those sometimes...don't often get both, but you will know it when you do.

Charlie'smom

Thank you so much!!!

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Good start! Listen to the UHH maestros and keep at it. Go Army!

Charlie'smom

That’s the plan. Thank you. 🙂