New DSLR - looking for some pointers on technique

[fugo]

Hi all,

I've just picked up my first dSLR and would love some pointers/general critique on my first few shots. I've got them on my flickr here: Flickr: drfugo's Photostream

Would love replies on flickr or here. I've been aching for a decent camera for years so I'm pretty excited to use it to its best.

Thanks!

[fugo]

sorry, meant to say, only the first page is taken with the new camera, the rest where taken on a horrible ole point and shoot and aren't worth anyones time! New cam is a 450D with the standard 18-55mm lens. EXIF is included on flickr (click the camera name on the right on the image's page)

[RichardTaylor]

Hi,
Just pick one pic and post it to this thread, along with the exif.
Critique threads may help others to improve their photography.
Richard

[fugo]

ah fair enough - just mainly looking for some general pointers

I would say that this is my favourite post-dslr shot -



I did use way too high an ISO on it, thanks to forgetting to reset it.

Photo on flickr - Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[dlambert]

Thanks, fugo. If you'll include EXIF information here (w/ your post), that'll speed things along (so we can see ISO, in addition to aperture, shutter speed, etc.).

I like the angle - shooting from the level of the flower. The background is interesting, too - maybe even interesting enough that it would work with a little more DOF (smaller aperture). The foreground and background are similar in color, but obviously very different in subject, so that would probably be something I'd play with. In fact, I'd probably have even tried a shot where I focused on the markers in the background with a flower or two blurred in the foreground.

The composition is pretty good. Maybe place the flower just a bit higher and to the left, or even way off on the right if there were a couple more background blooms to the left, but I think that's really splitting hairs.

It almost looks like the flower was back-lit -- this probably shows the details of the petals a little better, but I'd be interested to see what it would look like with just a little fill-flash -- again, that's pretty minor, but might be worth experimenting with next time you're out.