My first photos uploaded

StaffsBen

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As some of you are aware I am new to the forum, and photography in general. Since unwrapping my D40x on xmas day I have been trying to get out and about in my local area to take some pictures.

I did promise I would upload some of my efforts - so here you go. Beware: they're not up to the standard that you're used to seeing on this forum!! Any tips/advice/constructive criticism/general comments will be most appreciated!!

0078: I have cropped this in photoshop, but I thought this 'queue' of mallards was pretty cool.

0020: My mate the squirrel who kept following me around!

0049: My local pub. I spend half my life in here so thought I had better take a photo. This is also my first attempt at night photography. I realise the framing on this is pretty poor, but for some reason I still think it looks pretty cool.

0071: Another Mallard. This chap had some real character!!

0014: This is on the river bank at Ironbridge, my first photo on a tripod. I have touched this up a bit on photoshop because the original was skewed at a bit of an angle, so I've straightened it out a bit. I like the light on the reeds on this one - gives it quite a bit of an eery feel.

0073: My first attempt at a sillhouette - not great to be honest.

0084: My mate the squirrel again!

0088: Another one of Mr Squirrel.


Please don't take the p*** to much at my poor first attempts lol.
 

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Excellent - more pics to look at. I do like the light trails around the pub - it stands out amongst the others. It's leaning a bit to the left which can be easily corrected. You'll find that you'll spot this sort of thing much more easily after a few weeks.

The goose shot shows nice use of depth of field, with the other geese blurred behind very well.

The iron bridge one with the curious plant things sticking in the air is very intriguing. I like it.

The silhoutted ducks/geese are OK, but my eye is drawn magnetically to the little white bird right in the background.

The last two squirrel shots are a bit blurry. I'd venture that your shutter speed was too slow as the light was a bit dull. In this situation, increase the sensitivity (ISO) to get a faster shutter speed. Better to have a sharp but noisy image than a blurred non-noisy one!

Overall, looking good. I've benefited hugely from the advice from people on this forum and I hope you do as well. Looking forward to seeing lots more. Oh, and get a flickr account or similar so you can embed the pics in your post rather than attaching them - it encourages more people to respond as clicking on links is all rather tedious....

Cheers!

Tobers
 
Excellent - more pics to look at. I do like the light trails around the pub - it stands out amongst the others. It's leaning a bit to the left which can be easily corrected. You'll find that you'll spot this sort of thing much more easily after a few weeks.

The goose shot shows nice use of depth of field, with the other geese blurred behind very well.

The iron bridge one with the curious plant things sticking in the air is very intriguing. I like it.

The silhoutted ducks/geese are OK, but my eye is drawn magnetically to the little white bird right in the background.

The last two squirrel shots are a bit blurry. I'd venture that your shutter speed was too slow as the light was a bit dull. In this situation, increase the sensitivity (ISO) to get a faster shutter speed. Better to have a sharp but noisy image than a blurred non-noisy one!

Overall, looking good. I've benefited hugely from the advice from people on this forum and I hope you do as well. Looking forward to seeing lots more. Oh, and get a flickr account or similar so you can embed the pics in your post rather than attaching them - it encourages more people to respond as clicking on links is all rather tedious....

Cheers!

Tobers

Many thanks for the comments Tobers - I appreciate the advice on shutter speeds and ISO sensitivity. I have also just created myself a FlickR account for next time I post pictures. :thumbsup:
 
I agree with Tobers, We all have to start somewhere you are bound to get better as you learn more about the Camera

Well done

What I have noticed with the D40x is that saturation is high in auto, great for vivid colour but worth having a go at turning it down a little ?
 
I agree with Tobers, We all have to start somewhere you are bound to get better as you learn more about the Camera

Well done

What I have noticed with the D40x is that saturation is high in auto, great for vivid colour but worth having a go at turning it down a little ?

Thanks for the advice...I am working my way through the field manual for the D40x. At the moment I am just trying to get to grips of everything it is capable of.

I know what I want to achieve with each photo I take - it is actually doing with that I need to get to grips with :D
 
Some nice pics there matey:thumbsup:

Again its the pub one for me as a fave, love the light trails.

Get your flickr link in your sig so its easier to have a look round:smashin:

You'll find the folk on this forum are very friendly and knowledgeable and readily willing to help out. I myself am a beginner to photography and have gleaned a load of info from here.

Cheers,

Alun
 
Very good Pub for me
I would just straighten the verticals just rotate it in your editing software try 3 degrees clockwise or you may find your pint sliding off the bar next time your in

:clap::clap::clap: Practice practice practice
 
Great stuff, as Tobers said, more pics to look at. Hopefully I can offer some constuctive critique here without coming across as harsh.

0078 - Great use of depth of field here but it seems to me as if you have slightly missed the focus point. Maybe this was because they were walking toward you as it looks as though you focussed on the mid section of the first......this could be the time lapse between initially focussing and actually taking the shot so no major problem, maybe use servo focussing in this situation.

0020 - This is spot on focus wise and you have caught this little chap really well. Personally I think a touch off the top and bottom could help it compositionally to centralise and make more of the subject. Well caught.

0049 - Nice long exposure (I've heard of the Pigot Arms but i'm unsure where it is). It is leaning a bit which can easily be fixed but my main point is going to be about the break in the light trails out of the frame and back in. A slight change in composition at the taking stage would have allowed you to get all of the light trail in and make for a much more effective shot.

0071 - Again, you have shot this quite nicely but overall it doesn't really do much for me. A closer crop into the face would probably help here as you have a nice catchlight in the eye.

0014 - Not quite sure what to make of this to be honest. It seems well exposed but i'm not sure what you are trying to convey with the photograph. I like the light on the one side of the spines but, knowing Ironbridge as I do there are much more interesting things to photograph in my opinion.

0073 - I think this has potential. Personally I would desaturate it and crop it to put the main goose on the bottom right hand third and lose the white bird top left, that keeps drawing my eye. It's a shame about the goose in the direct foreground as it hides the legs of the main subject.

0084 - I don't know how you manage to get squirrels that are so friendly, when I see one it runs off :laugh: It looks to me as if your shutter wasn't fast enough here as there seems to be a tad of blur there. Hyper-critical probably.

0088 - Damn you....... :laugh: A shot that has potential again but again it looks as though the focus point has been missed. You have a good catchlight in the eye (a must for any decent nature photographer) and a good pose. Maybe shoot with a smaller aperture and up the ISO which will give you a decent shutter but a larger depth of field which will allow for a larger margin for error in focussing.

It may be that when I have mentioned missing focus points that this could be down to motion blur from either yourself or the subject. It could also be that some of these could be improved in post processing with a bit of sharpening. Don't get me wrong, it's a good start, so keep at it :smashin:
 
I'm getting my D40x next week, just wondering what lens did you get with yours? Is it easy to use as this is my first DSLR and will be practicing how to use it as well :) Did you get lcd screen protector with it as somebody said to me that screen protector came with D80 so i bought glass lcd screen protector tonight just incase :)
Good pics mate
 
I'm getting my D40x next week, just wondering what lens did you get with yours? Is it easy to use as this is my first DSLR and will be practicing how to use it as well :) Did you get lcd screen protector with it as somebody said to me that screen protector came with D80 so i bought glass lcd screen protector tonight just incase :)
Good pics mate

I got the kit lens which is a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 \GIIED and then a Sigma DC 55-200MM 4-5.6HSM. The kit lens is OK but I much prefer the Sigma, I mostly use that. With regards to ease of use, i'm new to photography but seem to be picking it up quite well. I strongly recommend the Nikon D40/D40x Digital Field Guide by David D. Busch - this has been invaluable to me!!

My Dad has a D80 and he got the LCD protector with it, but unfortunately the D40x doesn't come with one - a wise move to purchase one! In fact, thats the one thing I haven't bought that I could really do with - do you mind if I ask where you bought yours from?


Many thanks for the comments and constructive criticism - things like this will really help me in the future.

I have been out and about tonight taking some photo's in Wolverhampton - we found an eerie little bridge and cobbled street - I have a relatively decent set I think - I will post them up tomorrow :smashin:
 
This one

I bought mine with 18-135 instead of 18-55 and it's only £504.99 and will get cashback on the top as well so basically only £464.99
Can't wait to get mine delivered and start taking some pics :)
And the D40/D40x guide, is that a book? Where did you get it from if you don't mind telling me :)
 
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This one

I bought mine with 18-135 instead of 18-55 and it's only £504.99 and will get cashback on the top as well so basically only £464.99
Can't wait to get mine delivered and start taking some pics :)
And the D40/D40x guide, is that a book? Where did you get it from if you don't mind telling me :)

The Nikkor 18-135 AF-S is a great walk about lens. I have one on my D40 . You will not be disappointed. :thumbsup:
 
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Thanks for this - I will look into getting one of those I think!!

The field guide is a book yes, I got mine from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D40x-...r_1_70?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199639287&sr=1-70

Cheers :)

Thanks for the link mate. Is it explain everything such as shutter speed, exposure, etc as well?

The Nikkor 18-135 AF-S is a great walk about lens. I have one on my D40 . You will not be disappointed. :thumbsup:

Yeah, as i'm thinking so i don't have to change the lens every so often. Going to get another lens in a few months when i know how to take pics properly :D
 
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