Re: Re: Lesson 1 assignment

#21051
Duncan Rawlinson
Keymaster

Hi Laura,

Thanks for enrolling and submitting your first photograph.

Are you on Twitter? Say hello @PhotographyIcon Also if you aren’t already check out the mailing list to be sure you don’t miss anything around here. (you may have already added yourself to the list if you checked off yes when you signed up)

Now the key thing with this first lesson is that you’ve already gotten over one of the biggest hurdles with learning photography. You’ve gotten started and taken action. You’ve got the ball rolling now! 😀

Now in terms of these two images here is the EXIF data.
[attachment=1:13p5te2s]Lession 1 picture 1 EXIF.png[/attachment:13p5te2s]
Date Time Original: 2013:01:30 22:57:21
Exposure Time: 1/30
F Number: f / 5
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Spot
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light detected
Focal Length: 32mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 240/10 700/10 28/10 28/10
Lens: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Exif Version:
Flashpix Version:
Color Space: 1
Pixel X Dimension: 4928
Pixel Y Dimension: 3264
CompressedBitsPerPixel: 2
Date Time Digitized: 2013:01:30 22:57:21
Subsec Time: 10
Subsec Time Digitized: 10
Shutter Speed Value: 4.91
Aperture Value: 4.64
Max Aperture Value: 3
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 910
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 48mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
InteroperabilityIFDPointer: 928
Image Width: 4928px
Image Height: 3264px
ExifIFDPointer: 320
GPSInfoIFDPointer: 960
BitsPerSample: 3
PhotometricInterpretation: 2
Orientation: 1
SamplesPerPixel: 3
YCbCr Positioning: 2
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:01:31 10:24:38
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 11.0 Macintosh
DateCreated: 2013-01-30T22:57:21-05:00

[attachment=0:13p5te2s]Lession 1 picture 2 EXIF.png[/attachment:13p5te2s]
Date Time Original: 2013:01:30 22:53:51
Exposure Time: 1/100
F Number: f / 5
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Spot
Flash: Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light detected
Focal Length: 32mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 240/10 700/10 28/10 28/10
Lens: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Exif Version:
Flashpix Version:
Color Space: 1
Pixel X Dimension: 3264
Pixel Y Dimension: 4928
CompressedBitsPerPixel: 2
Date Time Digitized: 2013:01:30 22:53:51
Subsec Time: 90
Subsec Time Digitized: 90
Shutter Speed Value: 6.64
Aperture Value: 4.64
Max Aperture Value: 3
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 910
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 48mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
InteroperabilityIFDPointer: 928
Image Width: 3264px
Image Height: 4928px
ExifIFDPointer: 320
GPSInfoIFDPointer: 960
BitsPerSample: 3
PhotometricInterpretation: 2
Orientation: 1
SamplesPerPixel: 3
YCbCr Positioning: 2
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:01:31 10:27:46
Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 11.0 Macintosh
DateCreated: 2013-01-30T22:53:51-05:00

Now it appears as though you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements. That software is ok but if you want to get serious you will want to buy Adobe Lightroom as soon as you can. It is by far the best photo management and post processing software out there for photography. More information on Adobe Lightroom.

Now with that out of the way let’s look at these photographs in detail.

First your image of the living room area is actually quite well balanced and not that mundane. That said there is a little bit of camera shake here. But that’s just a minor little thing.

For your photograph of the buddha bust you have used your flash and I don’t believe that was necessary given the amount of light in that lovely room. Try to avoid using your flash in these lessons unless you are using strobes or something.

The best part of this photograph is that you have filled the frame with your subject. There is something a little more subtle here and that’s this:

If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough. -Robert Capa

In other words in order to fill your frame you have to get close. If there is any one thing I want you to take away from your first lesson it’s that, get close and fill your frame with whatever you think is interesting enough to photograph. Always be asking yourself can I get closer, am I filling the frame.

If you do just that one thing in your early practice and shots your photos will get much better. From there your composition and skills will grow!

So your instincts are good and I’m happy you’ve sent in your first assignment.

Nice job here.

(for a little light reading check out these great photography quotes)

See you on the next assignment.