New camera + EvoX and G35. NO 56K
^ or you need to **** off. I say he did damn good for picking it up and shooting without any training. Hell of a lot better than I could thats for sure. I say they look good man, Id have you shoot my car 
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 380
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From: Pa, Philly area
I had a camera at my disposal and decided to go and try it out. I never said i was a professional, or was trying to be. Im a regular person who has a camera and wanted to take pictures. Yes some of the pictures arnt great, but i personally think a few are nice. But the fact that you come in here and pretty much call my pictures s*** is completely unnecessary.
To blueberry : Nah, im at the brandywine campus for right now. Im not sure if im going to state.
To others: Yeah im going to play around with the camera a bit more. There is so much stuff to do i need to read the book and figure everything out.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Pictures need a focus and an intent. On some of them, I understand what you were trying to do and they were a good first try. So, keep it up. The fifth shot looked the best to me. It is set up properly, it is relatively crisp, and it's properly focused. However, it is also dark/underexposed on your subject (the car).
However, you broke a number of relatively basic rules of thumb. Look up the rule of thirds as it will tell you how to TYPICALLY set up a photograph. It allows you to put the focal point of the picture in the right place to draw the eyes as well as balance the photo. That's probably the biggest thing to know to take decent pictures.
After that, work on backgrounds. You want uncluttered backgrounds (ie, ones without a "DO NOT ENTER" sign in the background, or parked cars, or light poles growing out of your car, etc, etc). You want the car to be the focus, most of the time.
It's neat to have cool backgrounds (graffiti, Golden Gate Bridge, etc, etc) but you need to keep from ruining the car in the photo by taking the focus off of it.
Next, work on your aperture settings. You have a number of shots at large apertures (small f-stop number) that make no sense at that setting (3 and 13 seem the most obvious to me). If you want to fill the background, shoot at small apertures (big f-stop number). If you want to blur the background (defocus it), shoot at larger apertures (smaller f-stop numbers, like f/3.5).
Last, don't just stab a car in the photo (the second one is a good example of doing this). Set it up, think about what you're trying to show, and then position the car accordingly. A car half in the photo is usually not doing much to help the photo unless it is angled away or towards the camera, creating a line of focus to another object (like a sunset or something).
Keep trying. Despite what others here might think, we all took our first pictures and thought they were "good". In hindsight, most of us are probably embarrassed that we even posted them online.
However, you broke a number of relatively basic rules of thumb. Look up the rule of thirds as it will tell you how to TYPICALLY set up a photograph. It allows you to put the focal point of the picture in the right place to draw the eyes as well as balance the photo. That's probably the biggest thing to know to take decent pictures.
After that, work on backgrounds. You want uncluttered backgrounds (ie, ones without a "DO NOT ENTER" sign in the background, or parked cars, or light poles growing out of your car, etc, etc). You want the car to be the focus, most of the time.
It's neat to have cool backgrounds (graffiti, Golden Gate Bridge, etc, etc) but you need to keep from ruining the car in the photo by taking the focus off of it.
Next, work on your aperture settings. You have a number of shots at large apertures (small f-stop number) that make no sense at that setting (3 and 13 seem the most obvious to me). If you want to fill the background, shoot at small apertures (big f-stop number). If you want to blur the background (defocus it), shoot at larger apertures (smaller f-stop numbers, like f/3.5).
Last, don't just stab a car in the photo (the second one is a good example of doing this). Set it up, think about what you're trying to show, and then position the car accordingly. A car half in the photo is usually not doing much to help the photo unless it is angled away or towards the camera, creating a line of focus to another object (like a sunset or something).
Keep trying. Despite what others here might think, we all took our first pictures and thought they were "good". In hindsight, most of us are probably embarrassed that we even posted them online.
The only modes worth shooting in are Tv (shutter speed priority), Av (aperture priority), and M (manual mode). All the other modes are automatic and, therefore, just memory taking modes--there's no artistic opportunity.
If one can't take criticism then oh well. Art is full of criticism, and for good reason.
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: Pa, Philly area
Pictures need a focus and an intent. On some of them, I understand what you were trying to do and they were a good first try. So, keep it up. The fifth shot looked the best to me. It is set up properly, it is relatively crisp, and it's properly focused. However, it is also dark/underexposed on your subject (the car).
However, you broke a number of relatively basic rules of thumb. Look up the rule of thirds as it will tell you how to TYPICALLY set up a photograph. It allows you to put the focal point of the picture in the right place to draw the eyes as well as balance the photo. That's probably the biggest thing to know to take decent pictures.
After that, work on backgrounds. You want uncluttered backgrounds (ie, ones without a "DO NOT ENTER" sign in the background, or parked cars, or light poles growing out of your car, etc, etc). You want the car to be the focus, most of the time.
It's neat to have cool backgrounds (graffiti, Golden Gate Bridge, etc, etc) but you need to keep from ruining the car in the photo by taking the focus off of it.
Next, work on your aperture settings. You have a number of shots at large apertures (small f-stop number) that make no sense at that setting (3 and 13 seem the most obvious to me). If you want to fill the background, shoot at small apertures (big f-stop number). If you want to blur the background (defocus it), shoot at larger apertures (smaller f-stop numbers, like f/3.5).
Last, don't just stab a car in the photo (the second one is a good example of doing this). Set it up, think about what you're trying to show, and then position the car accordingly. A car half in the photo is usually not doing much to help the photo unless it is angled away or towards the camera, creating a line of focus to another object (like a sunset or something).
Keep trying. Despite what others here might think, we all took our first pictures and thought they were "good". In hindsight, most of us are probably embarrassed that we even posted them online.
However, you broke a number of relatively basic rules of thumb. Look up the rule of thirds as it will tell you how to TYPICALLY set up a photograph. It allows you to put the focal point of the picture in the right place to draw the eyes as well as balance the photo. That's probably the biggest thing to know to take decent pictures.
After that, work on backgrounds. You want uncluttered backgrounds (ie, ones without a "DO NOT ENTER" sign in the background, or parked cars, or light poles growing out of your car, etc, etc). You want the car to be the focus, most of the time.
It's neat to have cool backgrounds (graffiti, Golden Gate Bridge, etc, etc) but you need to keep from ruining the car in the photo by taking the focus off of it.
Next, work on your aperture settings. You have a number of shots at large apertures (small f-stop number) that make no sense at that setting (3 and 13 seem the most obvious to me). If you want to fill the background, shoot at small apertures (big f-stop number). If you want to blur the background (defocus it), shoot at larger apertures (smaller f-stop numbers, like f/3.5).
Last, don't just stab a car in the photo (the second one is a good example of doing this). Set it up, think about what you're trying to show, and then position the car accordingly. A car half in the photo is usually not doing much to help the photo unless it is angled away or towards the camera, creating a line of focus to another object (like a sunset or something).
Keep trying. Despite what others here might think, we all took our first pictures and thought they were "good". In hindsight, most of us are probably embarrassed that we even posted them online.
thanks for the help man. Ill try and pay attention to this stuff next time i go out and take some pictures.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I take 1000 pictures a month, on average, and even then, it takes me quite a few shots to get exactly what I was trying to get. Time, practice, and patience will get you there. Good luck and keep posting pictures as you improve. I'd also suggest joining a photography forum. POTN (www.photography-on-the.net) is the best one, I think, though it's aimed at Canon shooters. Still, lots of great pointers there and plenty of help and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
Also read your camera's user manual. Most of them show you what each setting will do to your pictures.
Also read your camera's user manual. Most of them show you what each setting will do to your pictures.
but as the OP said, he isn't trying to be an artist. He picked up a camera and took some pictures of him and his friends car. I understand if he was trying to pass as an "artist" or photographer or whatever, that he would get criticism. Just like on American Idol, those people are trying to be performers, so they need criticism. I would want criticism on my driving skills because I want to be better. He was just taking pictures and sharing with a community that loves cars. Not taking it to the art society.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Boston
Try your shoot again with a tripod it makes a huge difference. You have a few nice shots there, that have potential to be good they are just out of focus. I am also just starting to take pictures myself. I ask a lot of questions and read as much as I can. I don't plan on being a pro but just want to take sharp pics. All the tips so far are good.
Keep shooting, good work so far. check out this site.
http://www.carphototutorials.com/
Keep shooting, good work so far. check out this site.
http://www.carphototutorials.com/
