david_brennan

This is a great picture. I probably wouldn't change anything.

 

Dave

It's very cool that you got such an interesting view of such a well known landmark.

I liked this shot; it was interesting to look at. But I, too, felt it needed something in sharp focus.

I like the composition, I like the high key look, but the highlights are just too blown out for me to really appreciate the picture.

It's kind of abstract and nice. I like the tones and symmetry. For a beginner, you have a good way of seeing everyday things.

Is this all natural? If so, those wacky upper clouds make this a very unusual and dramatic shot.

Nice picture. Just different enough from other cute duck shots.

Interesting composition. I agree with Christopher's comments about the sky. This is a cool shot, and probably still would still be with a less radical manipulation. If only it were on film!

 

Dave

This shot caught my attention. I like the fact that the lighting is a bit more raw and not super-manipulated with banks, gobos, fill cards, etc. It's less produced and polished, and looks moody and real. I think the color theme works. I also like the out of focus background elements, but not the way they are positioned here. The thing (a chair?) coming out of the top of the glass is really distracting to me; maybe just a slight change in its position would make a big difference.

 

Dave

Although this is not my kind of picture, I applaud a very interesting idea and cool effect.

 

Dave

I agree with Andy and Melanie about the lighting; a different time of day could help make this shot. Also, you do the same thing I do a lot- try to fit in too much real estate, resulting in no real subject. I hope it's all right, but I did a real quick and dirty crop job to show you what I mean. Now, picture this with late afternoon sun slanting through the leaves, or a misty rain.

 

FWIW

 

Dave

The back-lighting and composition are beautiful. Maybe there's too much cluttery background- perhaps a tighter crop might help. Also, it seems not too sharp or detailed, or is it just a poor scan?

This is a cool shot. I think without the extreme shallow depth of field it might have been too busy or cluttered. As it is, it's hard to figure out what it is, at first, which makes it interesting. The lighting direction and color help make the shot, too.

This is a really nice picture. The composition is clean and uncluttered, the colors are nice, the tree branch keeps it from being monotonous. The white wall may be a little blown out; if you can tweak the picture to get a little detail there, you're in business. I'd print this sucker and hang it on my wall.

 

Now, about your other pictures that you posted. They look like very nice snapshots for you to remember these places by, but they aren't wall-hangers, in my opinion. Try to tighen up your composition- crop out extraneous details. The shot of the women outside the cafe- if you had come in closer, you might have had something. Have patience; it can take a long time for the lighting and sky to look pretty at the same time people are doing something interesting. The waterfall shots, again, might be a nice way for you to remember the place, but to a casual observer, they are dull. Look at the sky- yuck. Now picture it with a rich blue sky, slanting late afternoon sun giving a warm glow, and a tighter composition. The shot of the church and stairs was an almost, but the wall was too blown out.

 

Hope this helps. Keep shooting- you're on the right track, because you're seeing interesting things. That's half the battle.

 

Dave