Brand new! :)

[agent]

Hi everyone!

I recently purchased the Panasonic FZ-35 and am just getting into digital photography. It's a superzoom point and shoot and not a DSLR, but I figured it would be a good stepping stone.

This is a picture I took on May 16 in the morning. I would appreciate any comments! I have not done any post-processing other than cropping and resizing it.

EXIF info:
Camera model: Panasonic DMC-FZ35
F-stop: f/2.8
Exposure time: 1/125 sec.
ISO speed: ISO-400
Exposure bias: 0 step
Focal length: 5 mm
Flash mode: No flash, compulsory

Thanks!

[Laurenbiz]

I would suggest playing around with the colors a little more. I feel like the colors currently look 'flat,' so you may want to enhance them and make them look more vibrant.

I had what I thought was a good P&S camera for about a year, and after upgrading to a DSLR, I've NEVER looked back.

So, keep considering an SLR, too :-)

[agent]

I see what you mean. Thanks for the advice, Laurenbiz. What do you think about this updated version? And I'm sure I will eventually upgrade to a DSLR. It's just I thought I'd lessen the learning curve a bit by getting an advanced P&S and learning about the various elements of photography (exposure, aperture, etc.) without having to worry about various lenses. Once I've got the fundamentals down pat I'll look into more advanced cameras. And of course, it was a way of lessening the initial impact on my bank account.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the framing or composition?

[Hussydog]

Hi Agent, I am in the same boat as you with camera's - only I have chosen the Fujifilm S1500 purely because my basic P&S is Fujifilm and I understand the operation of it in basic terms.

I like your picture but I can not point to a single reason why. I love the colours, but agree they do look a little flat, even in the updated pic. I am not a PP pro myself opting to use it merely for cropping at the moment, but there should be something there to liven the colours up a bit.

Hussydog

[agent]

Thanks for the feedback, Hussydog. I was actually afraid I might have gone too far with the colours, because I didn't want to make the picture look too artificial. Part of it might be because of my monitor, though; I have a monitor with a TN screen, which isn't ideal for editing photos. Anyways, any comments on this third attempt? I hope third time's the charm.

[Rooby1]

Hi, agent - I'm in the same place as you, too!

I was afraid with a DSLR I'd be on overwhelm, and miss the shot, or worse, drop the lens, or something. I'm enjoying my FZ35.

Anyhow, on to your shot. I actually think the colors are gorgeous, and I'm impressed with how you've managed your depth of field -- especially given what we know about how the "bridge" P&Ss struggle with that a little. :-)

What I am wondering if you'd given some thought to -- perhaps in the next shot, b/c I also know what it's like to tweak one over and over -- is the size of your principal focal subject, relative to the other flowers in your background. I'm wondering if that's the reason your pfs might not stand out as much as you like.

So ... perhaps another vantage point/angle next time ...?