My First Try ......


AceR000

New Member
Apr 24, 2011
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Hi Guys,

I have just started Photography and wanted to improve myself. Therefore, i have posted some of the photos that i have taken here. Pls give me some advise...
As i just started this hobby, i hasnt learn how to photoshop. So all photo were not photoshop yet.

C&C greatly appreciated !!

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Maybe how can i improve ? like which angle will have a better picture, extra lighting or how to photoshop the picture.

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Let me know how you feel about this picture.

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Normal Lighting

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I feel that the picture give me a sense of bonding.

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my strength is not in here and far from it. anyway here goes.
I quite like the reflection off the fish and the clarity of this photo gives.
What you can try to improve on is go even closer and make it feel more intimate.
Be aware of everything within the frame. For the third fish, this is not a good way to cut it off. Probably you can try to include it entirely within the frame but the focus will still be at the closest one.
 

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Maybe how can i improve ? like which angle will have a better picture, extra lighting or how to photoshop the picture.

Patrick: For most artistic endeavours, it starts with one basic idea. And this includes photography. To have a better picture, it's great to consider what type of picture or message that you want to give your viewers. In this instance, if the focus is on the fishes, then shifting the camera slightly upwards to capture all three fishes and reducing the spaces at the bottom of the image will be ideal. As can be observed from this image, post-editing in Photoshop doesn't really help since the fish at the top of the image is already "cropped" and it's entirety cannot be maintained. Photoshop is useful but ultimately, it's still a tool. The photographer is the actual sculptor of the image - at the point where the image is captured. The dark patches at the bottom of the image can be avoided if this image is captured from a different angle - and/or at a different position. Photoshop will not be able to contribute much here, since the emphasis of your current image seems to be more on composition than on any other form of technicalities. But adjusting the contrast/brightness and cropping the bottom of the image might help - but only to a certain degree.

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Let me know how you feel about this picture.

Patrick: An acceptable photo but much can be done at the point of photo shoot to completely transform this photo from good to great.

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Normal Lighting

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I feel that the picture give me a sense of bonding.

Patrick: The basic idea I will personally give this image is - as you have mentioned - family bonding. Consider the three fishes as a family (three is a good number for photography). The contrast in the proportion of the size of the three fishes (with the biggest in front, the second biggest at the back and the smallest in the middle) reflects a sense of protectiveness between parents and their children. You can bring out this effect into greater focus simply by a careful composition of the photos. For beginners, you can try snapping multiples shots by choosing the right options on your digital camera, and pressing the shutter button without releasing. Even some professional (sports) photographers still do this.

It takes time and effort to blend design and ideas together. Professionals advertising professionals will probably tell you the same thing, so don't give up! You can do it, if you can think you can. Give yourself some time and you will see improvement. Remember, all of us start from square one. :)
 

Thank you coolthought and Patricktay for you advice !

Yeah, i think i should have include the 3rd fish to have a better picture.

I agree with you patrick, the order or the fish is important, but its not easy to get it as i cant control the fish ! lol
But i will keep this in mind when i shooting similar photo in getting the order right.

But i will take note of your techniques by taking multiples shots and choose the right photo. i think its a good idea !
 

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Some humble comments,

Interesting photo of the fish "gasping for breath". However the first impression I got was the fish's mouth rather than bonding. In fact I wouldn't have thought of "bonding" if I never read your theme.

To show the theme 'bonding' maybe I would go lower and frame up a bit to include the two fishes behind it. Then I might take a photo of the 3 fishes swimming together in some kind of formation, or all 3 fishes "open their mouths" above water level together would be even better.

Since you don't do post editing, you might want to try out B&W version. That's just my personal taste haha, I like to convert to B&W a photo whenever the colours are not that 'attractive' to me. Also in B&W the distracting dark grey patches would be less obvious.

Other points: I would prefer to place the fish off centre, as there's abit of extra space on the right side. Just show you how I would "quick edit" your photo for my own preference only (labelled your nick as watermark for copyright purpose).

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OMG ..thanks gundamseed84 !
I think the picture has become clearer ! very nice ... I have learnt something ..lol
The off center feeling make the fish more attractive ...

Thanks for showing me a example and for you advice as well !
 

Here is another one I can suggest. Focus on one fish as the main subject. Clone off one and left the back one not so focus. Just a suggestion...:)

miza78.jpg
 

1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Maybe how can i improve ? like which angle will have a better picture, extra lighting or how to photoshop the picture.

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Let me know how you feel about this picture.

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Normal Lighting

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I feel that the picture give me a sense of bonding.


i think... why not u start from these few questions?

why did u take this photo? what catches ur eye? what makes this photo interesting, hence u want to post?

u mentioned "bonding" as a feel for this photo. how does this photo show bonding? is this the best way to show bonding? do they even look bonded?

what ideas can u link to bonding, and through that idea, show it through this fishes? is it the activity?

u have to clear these questions first before we can help u. if u shoot without an aim/ without a reason, its just a snapshot at best.

what u want, is to know what u are trying to show. then we can help u, by critiquing, to show what u wish to show better.
 

Thanks MGohzxc for your suggestion and example. But i feel that if blur the 2nd fish, i find the pictures lack of detail.

Roger that allenleonhart, will ask myself those questions before i take any shot. Thanks for the tips to help me improve =)
 

Thanks MGohzxc for your suggestion and example. But i feel that if blur the 2nd fish, i find the pictures lack of detail.

Roger that allenleonhart, will ask myself those questions before i take any shot. Thanks for the tips to help me improve =)

ya might want to ans them now lol... we can immediately help u hahaha:)
 

You may also want to do abit of reading up on photography tips. "Rule of Thirds" is one of the articles that I recommend reading up on. You can also consider reading articles posted in the CS Stickies or at Digital Photography School.

You may also want to consider doing abit of Post Processing (PP). Check out Digital Darkroom in CS for various techniques and various software available. These will also help to enhance the picture.
 

Allenleonhart, actually this is a random shoot during my trip to pulau ubin.
I wanted to post this photo because i feel that this photo is simple but attractive to me, so i wanna know how you guys feel about it.

The first feeling i got from this pictures was "Bonding" because 3 fishing of different sizes doing the same moves.

I have a question: Should we think of question before we shoot ? or after we shoot a photo then we think of what the photo represent or feel ?

Sky Strike, thank you so much for your help in providing those information ! yeah i will read those article up ..
Thank you for providing those key words !
Also, currently picking up PP, i am learning to use lightroom and photoshop Cs5.
 

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Should we think of question before we shoot ? or after we shoot a photo then we think of what the photo represent or feel ?

Most of the time if you have not thought of the composition/colors/etc when you shot it, chances are it will become a snapshot up for caption contest. Nice shots doesn't come often from random shots.

Questions is (supposed) to be asked before you shoot. E.g.
- What do you feel abt this frame (frame as in what will be capture in the photo)? <--your personal feelings
- What do you want to show to your viewers? <--what you want other people to see/feel
- Are there any things in the frame that is distracting my view? (or something along that line)

Although some/many people including me, can shoot a frame, but if it don't have the "feel" when you view it on the computer and then start cropping it to unbelievable size (imagine using 1/10 of the original picture) or delete it.

I'm quite guilty of the "shooting first think later"...esp for many of my B/W or Creamy Tone shots when the image screws up... (especially when I shot in bad lighting)
 

When we first start off it's common to not have a concept or strong emotional attachment to our photographs, speaking on behalf of the non-artists myself included. It's about capturing something interesting or replicating someone else's image we saw somewhere, purely to drive our interest. Do lots of this and eventually you naturally know how far you want to reach.

I believe if we want to evolve this hobby into a craft, thought and conceptualisation should be considered. Any kind of art form requires emotion or thought before execution. A painter, song writer, carpenter, dancer, photographer cannot properly express his medium by blundering through technical skill alone.

It's an individual journey and this critique forum is leading to assist those on their way. Everyone has different methods of critique, a few of us do comment on the photographer's intention etc when required, as in this case. Have fun and hope to see your next photograph up here soon. Cheers!
 

Thanks Skystrike, will have that in mind before i shoot a photo =)
I also feel that we should have an idea of what to show in a photo before we shoot. I will enforce myself to do that process.
But at times, i am just too lazy to think. haha. however, i think if i keep practicing this process then it will become a natural thing.

Daredevil123, Thanks for your link ! omg ..there is so much things to read up to take before someone press the button on the camera.
But, with such a friendly and helpful senior photographer (everyone is senior to me) like u guys giving me advice and helpful link. I feel motivated to improve !

Foxtwo, i totally agree with you, i have to do more shooting to make that thinking process a nature for me.
With the valuable critiques and inputs, i believe i will improve ! =)
Eh ...next photograph up soon ...i think gonna wait awhile lol ..let me season myself with the thinking process first and also photoshop skills.
i want to show improvement in my next photo !
 

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I have a question: Should we think of question before we shoot ? or after we shoot a photo then we think of what the photo represent or feel ?

hmm... well... to be really honest... its unavoidable thinking as we shoot. as much as many ppl claim their shots are random, there is a reason why they shot it.

reasons could be simple. if i were to generalise it...

lvl 1:technique/visual appeal
lvl 2: story
lvl 3: personal intimacy

dun mistake personal intimacy with being overly defensive/dun want to listen to advice. its different:)
 

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Hey allenleonhart, thanks for the clear answer =)
As a noob, i took pictures because of visual appeal lol.
 

Hey allenleonhart, thanks for the clear answer =)
As a noob, i took pictures because of visual appeal lol.

yep. dun worry tooo much.

if it was visual appeal, we can critique from that angle now ya see:)

cause if u decided to go with "story : bonding" it will be a different critique:)



image seems under exposed, too much empty space on bottom and right. might do u good if u dun chop off any fish into pieces too:)

gundam's crop looks good. but i'll prefer no chopped fishes:)