Hello i'm new to this. Just started in December of 2019. I purchased my first "real" camera in December, Fuji X-T20, which has been a valuable tool in this learning experience. Before then I had experimented with point and shoots and cell phone cameras. I hope to receive as much feedback as possible, whether it be good or bad. Any advice is both welcome and appreciated.
These photos were taken in Camden SC at the battlefield park. I noticed the wagon in a small shed near the visitor center and thought that it could be interesting. Shot with Fuji X-T20 with Fuji 18-55mmf2.8-4 at 18mm f/4 1/8ss ISO 200 around 4:30pm. The light was scarce in the shed and I did what I could with the light coming in from the front opening. Edited with Capture One 20.
Hi Luke, welcome to the club.Your attempts are very good for a beginner. The mere fact that you are searching out images and are willing to ask for feedback tells me that you are likely to succeed.
I especially like the 2nd and 3rd images - they offer more compositionally (I find #1 a confusion of shapes), but I think in all 3 you have worked the light well.
Advice? Look at lots of great art (in your eyes) and study what works/does not work for you. Don't mimic, but bring the influence of pieces you enjoy into your own work.
I find one of the best ways to learn is to comment on the work of others (as well as requesting for your own) - force yourself to analyze and be truthful with your feedback.
You will quickly find there are lots of viewpoints, but whether they be from a newcomer like yourself or a seasoned veteran they are all valid (opinions can't be wrong....).
Above all else remain true to yourself and produce the work that reflects your own vision, not that of others.
Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing more from you.
Thank you so much. I agree the first image isn't quite there. It fell flat for me I just couldn't put my finger on it. You are right there is just too much going on. I think if I had closed in on the front wheel from maybe a higher angle I could have achieved what I was going for.
Thank you again.
I'd agree with everything Alan said and add this: The depth of field in the 2nd and 3rd shots is neither deep enough nor shallow enough for me. I would like to see a lot more of the scene in sharp focus or a lot less, maybe focusing on just a small part of the wagon. I realize that shooting at 18mm doesn't really allow for a shallow DOF and if you didn't have a tripod, you may very well have been at the limits of hand-holding the camera, thereby limiting the aperture/shutter combination. In that case, I would recommend a sturdy tripod that you keep in the car at all times.
I also use Capture One and I love it. I didn't feel the need to upgrade from the previous version to 20, but it's good that you are using software that I feel you can grow into as you learn all its features.
If you intend to do a lot of B&W work, I would also recommend Silver Efex Pro, part of the Nik Collection (https://nikcollection.dxo.com). Silver Efex is what I use to convert images after I've processed the color versions in Capture One. When this was owned by Google, they made the entire collection free, but since it was acquired by DXO, they have put a price on it. Still worth it, in my opinion.
Thanks for the feedback Phillip.I agree the DOF didn't really strike the dynamic feel I wanted. I agree a tripod would have helped a lot. I actually had my Sirui AM-005K strapped to my bag but they would not allow the use of tripods in that area. The shed housed a hand carved canoe and other things close by that dated back to the Revolutionary War.
In hindsight I could have set the ISO higher to compensate for the lack of light and used a faster shutter speed to help with hand holding. I have been slavish to not shooting over 200 while learning. Relying solely on shutter speed and aperture while checking my light meter and on camera histogram.
I have been focused on focus and exposure more than anything. I feel more comfortable now and plan to experiment in composition in the next few weeks. I have been happy with my progress so far and the feedback I have gotten from people like yourself and Alan have been invaluable in the learning process.
Thank you again.
I know the newest version of Capture One has improved upon the already good noise reduction of v12, so I think you should experiment with high- to very-high ISOs and see what happens when you import them to CO. You might be surprised at how nice they look.
The truth is, noisy images are usually only a problem if you intend to print your photos. Sharing on the internet doesn't require the kind of resolution that a print needs so some noise in an image will be invisible anyway. (I actually like a little "film grain" in my music photos to reproduce the look and feel of 1940s press cameras.) The worst side effect of high ISO shooting is usually a reduction in dynamic range, so that's something to look out for, but modern RAW images are remarkably nimble in this regard.
I will definitely keep that in mind. I have taken some low light shots with the 35mmf2 at 1600 and didn't notice anything until 4x magnification. Even then it was slight.
Hi Luke,
I read Alan and Philip's comments while thinking of your images. I'll try to add more than "ditto" but that is the gist of it. I like 2 and 3. Nice exposure. Great effort to take something unique. While I agree with Philip about focal depth, I'd go the other way and shallow it up on the outer edge of the wheel in 2 and the hub in 3. Lastly, really take Alan's feedback about critique and participating in groups to heart. You don't take great images with your camera or your eyes but rather with your brain. The more your learn and the more you think before releasing the shutter the better! There is a group called Minimalism, Abstract, Experimental. It is a great place to get feedback on almost anything. It's all experimenting right?! You'd be welcome.
Best wishes and looking forward to more from you!
Thank you Ruth. I think I will check out the group.