Waiting on a Duck

[kathryn.m.wall]

I am just getting into photography and am currently going through some classes. I need a little advice on some of my pictures. All three of these were taken with a Canon point and shoot. I have enhanced the color, but I need help with what else I can do to improve these. Thanks!

[kathryn.m.wall]

You can be honest I've got thick skin. These are just some starter photos so that while I am learning about different techniques, I can look back and measure my progress. I can already tell my lighting is not right and my composition is a little off.

[tameboy]

Kathryn

I am as fresh (or fresher) to this as you are, so my comments are not those of an expert.

I think the composition in the first image is great, The lighting on the dogs nose is a little distracting, but otherwise the image looks great to me, tells a great little story, lots of colour and to my inexpert eyes looks well exposed.

I think the other images could be composed a little better, you have cropped too close to the subjects back. However, I love the subject poses (dog + shooter) in these two, each image tells a great story and draws the viewer in.

Also, there is a separate section if you are feeling really thick skinned - submit your images here - I haven't been brave enough to submit to the critique section yet. You first!

[kathryn.m.wall]

Thanks! I appreciate your comments!

[Swisstony10]

I quite like the colours, although that second one could maybe do with a bluer sky. It definitely would've helped to have had all of the hunter visible on the left of the frame too - most offputting for me in that second picture though is the angled horizon. Straight horizons are an easy thing to miss until you get used to spotting little details, but even one degree off-level can be enough for the brain to think that there's something wrong, even before you can see that it's the horizon. What's often referred to as a "Dutch Angle", where the image is deliberately rotated away from "level" can be used to great effect to add drama and tension to an image, but if you want to do that with this shot, you could try rotating the image a little in the opposite direction, so it looks more like the hunter is pointing his gun up.

You're certainly off to a good start though.

Russ.

[kathryn.m.wall]

Thanks Russ. I attempted to rotate the picture. I attached the finished product. Is this what you are talking about?