Composition

[Claudia Samples]

Hi there,

So I went to Abbey’s Garden today and shot over 200 Photos. 🙂
I have to admit that I’m not quite happy with the overall Results! I had like 10 nice Photos but from the professional aspect, even those few weren’t perfect.
It was quite upsetting but the good thing is, that I can improve the next time since I know what I did wrong.

I had to fix the Photo with the Squirrel because it was underexposed but I really like that one so I hope it’s okay I fixed that one! The other two are untouched!
I’m loving my new Camera though and I got a good hang of it except for the Focus, I’m still working on that.
Anyway, I hope you’ll like the Photos and If you think I should re-shoot some, let me know! 😉

Claudia

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Hi Claudia,

First things first.

Here is the EXIF data for these images:
[attachment=2:31opbt5c]DSC_0094 EXIF.png[/attachment:31opbt5c]
Date Time Original: 2013:04:13 13:51:18
Exposure Time: 1/200
F Number: f / 8
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire
Focal Length: 55mm
White Balance: Manual white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D3100
LensInfo: 550/10 3000/10 45/10 56/10
LensModel: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Lens: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Date Time Digitized: 2013:04:13 13:51:18
Subsec Time Original: 80
Subsec Time Digitized: 80
Shutter Speed Value: 7.64
Aperture Value: 6
Exposure Bias: 1.33
Max Aperture Value: 4.30
Light Source: Cloudy weather
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 738
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 82mm
Scene Capture Type: Portrait
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 216
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:04:13 17:36:52
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 (Windows)
DateCreated: 2013-04-13T13:51:18.80

[attachment=1:31opbt5c]DSC_0084 EXIF.png[/attachment:31opbt5c]
Date Time Original: 2013:04:13 13:49:12
Exposure Time: 1/200
F Number: f / 8
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire
Focal Length: 55mm
White Balance: Manual white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D3100
LensInfo: 550/10 3000/10 45/10 56/10
LensModel: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Lens: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Date Time Digitized: 2013:04:13 13:49:12
Subsec Time Original: 20
Subsec Time Digitized: 20
Shutter Speed Value: 7.64
Aperture Value: 6
Exposure Bias: 1.33
Max Aperture Value: 4.30
Light Source: Cloudy weather
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 738
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 82mm
Scene Capture Type: Portrait
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 216
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:04:13 17:33:11
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 (Windows)
DateCreated: 2013-04-13T13:49:12.20

[attachment=0:31opbt5c]DSC_0033-2 EXIF.png[/attachment:31opbt5c]
Date Time Original: 2013:04:13 13:44:29
Exposure Time: 1/200
F Number: f / 8
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire
Focal Length: 300mm
White Balance: Manual white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D3100
LensInfo: 550/10 3000/10 45/10 56/10
LensModel: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Lens: 55.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Date Time Digitized: 2013:04:13 13:44:29
Subsec Time Original: 50
Subsec Time Digitized: 50
Shutter Speed Value: 7.64
Aperture Value: 6
Exposure Bias: 1.33
Max Aperture Value: 5
Light Source: Cloudy weather
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 738
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 450mm
Scene Capture Type: Portrait
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 216
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:04:13 19:12:28
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.3 (Windows)
DateCreated: 2013-04-13T13:44:29.50

Don’t worry about the ratio of good photos to bad photos at this stage. It takes years and years of practice to be able to only shoot a few images and make the majority of them great images.

In fact if anything shooting lots of images is great at this stage. You are shooting digital so it doesn’t hurt to shoot lots and experiment a great deal.

With your image DSC_0094 the first thing I noticed was the children. When you are shooting static sculptures or historical artifacts like this one of the best things you can do is add people to the frame: http://photographyicon.com/addpeople/

In this case, whether intentionally or not you have used a frame within a frame to include some children. It’s often a nice technique to use the borders or frame to highlight something inside your photo.

In terms of composition the image is fine although the gap on the right and the left aren’t really matching. Ther is no rule saying the spacing should be symmetrical but I would have preferred if you cropped out the adults and made the spacing a bit more even.

In your next image DSC_0084 there is just too much going on and too many things overlapping. The dark trees in the top right of the frame and the child who is sort of cutoff in the lower right are all detracting from image. Be careful of ‘amputation’ of people like this. http://photographyicon.com/amputate/ To be fair I like that there are people I would just like to see their faces.

Now your image of the squirrel with the nut is more like it. The animal is facing the correct way and leaving plenty of lead room https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_room

Also the squirrel is exhibiting a behaviour which is great. With animal photography you can’t lose if the animal is doing a behaviour.

Obviously if you had the option to move ever so slightly to remove the rock in the foreground and the small twig in front of the animal it would have been better.

The image of the squirrel was underexposed because it was likely in a much darker place than the other images… A higher ISO and or faster shutter would have helped here. You we’re also quite zoomed in and that cuts down on the amount of light hitting your sensor as well… Don’t forget it’s not just about composition, it’s about exposure too! You will note that when you brightened the image in post it added quite a bit of noise to the image.

I’m concerned that appears as though you used the exact same settings (apart from focal length) on all of these images. Don’t be afraid to use your program modes and isolate either shutter speed or your aperture.

I do that all the time when I’m too lazy to shoot manual.

Also the white balance is a bit off and the images appear to be a bit yellowish.

Overall I really like that you are getting out there and shooting large batches of images. What’s critical though is that you learn from your images!

In terms of composition you will want to contine use the basic rule of thirds as a guide and even the golden ratio. http://photographyicon.com/goldenratio/

Keep shooting and keep practicing!!!

😀

[Claudia Samples]

Thank you very much for the Critique!
After going through all my Photos again, I found some more that were actually pretty nice.
I have bookmarked the links so I can re-read them again, if needed. 🙂

I will keep shooting for sure, I really love Photography and learning about it. I do alot of research and exchange with Information with fellow photographers, although most of them are professionals and I’m the one asking most of the Questions.
But I’m looking forward to the next lesson! This Course has been great so far! I have learned so much and it can only get better! 🙂

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Awesome!

[Author]

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