A little constructive criticism please

[blackvans1234]

Hey all, just got a new camera and am looking for some constructive criticism. Until this point in my life I have not taken many pictures at all, so I am a n00b.

I have done much reading online, and have tried to integrate the paper knowledge with practical application in shooting photography.

I am focusing on Macro for the time being because until I can buy lenses and whatnot, it is probably going to be the best types of pictures I can take.

Oh yea, I don't have the underwater housing yet, so these are all above water pictures.

Lets see If I can make these pictures work.
If the links do not give you the ability to see the full size, just use this link to my photobucket page - Pictures by DiverRichie - Photobucket

Now for the SB links....
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[Codiak]

I'd suggest posting to a photo critique site like http://www.photosig.com

 

[blackvans1234]

Nice critisism



I signed up

 

[Tigerman]

I would actually say that macro pictures are probably the ones you WONT be able to do very well under water in the beginning because it require quite a lot of your diving for them to be good and from your profile I suspect your bouyancy and ability to focus on finding good macro subjects is still a work in progress.
You have started in the right end by getting used to your camera on land though and should continue using it for all kinds of photography untill you can change all your settings (including flash and modes) without needing to look around for the right buttons. Part of the problem is that once you get it into a housing those buttons move around a bit, but knowing how your camera performs is still going to help.

Keep in mind that once you go under water there is a limit as to how far away from a subject you can be before it just get washed out though. A huge zoom lens probably wont be the smartest investment (if you can even get one).

 

[Puffer Fish]

I would second the approach of learning the equipment. You need to first learn how all the equipment works, and then the setting that will be used underwater. I don't have an issue with Macro, as most underwater images tend to be either really wide angle or macro.

If I would to make a suggestion, it would be the same one most new underwater photographers need to do... get lower and get closer.

Take that bumble bee and get something that looks like this:

 

[pafindr]

One rule for photography is the rule of thirds. Generally you don't want to center your subject unless its a very close shot.
Also, you don't want to cut off parts of your subject like you did in your first picture or the one with the fountain unless you get really close.
Make sure your pictures a very sharp and the correct object is in focus. Example: The one of the bee on the sign, the bee should be sharp but instead the lettering is sharp.

 

[vladimir]

#1 is the surface equivalent of a lobster antenna. That frond projects from the in-focus field to the out-of-focus foreground, spoiling the picture. You have to adjust your angle. It is otherwise poorly composed because the uninteresting rock in the foreground is allowed to dominate the actual subject. Sure, you can do some cropping after the fact, but when you identify in advance the elements of the composition that you want to emphasize you will manage the depth of field and lighting better as well. Good photographers are active--you see them climbing trees or laying on pavement to get the angle that they want--that composition looks lazy to me--what you could conveniently snap standing on the path there.

Look at the difference between #2 and #3. By getting closer you were able to narrow the depth-of-field to get the subject in good focus and everything else nicely blurred. More magnification (closer!) would make it more dramatic.

#4 needs to be in sharper focus (as do most of them). Macro requires sharp focus. Save the soft focus for hiding wrinkles in portraits.

#5 is just boring (to me), but it is an example of a common dilemma underwater. Sometimes you'll see a beautiful field of staghorn inhabited by thousands of small colorful fish and you try to capture it and come up with bland photos. You need a subject. That's why you see all those diver shots--people need a subject to exploit a beautiful background.

I kind of like #6, but there's no excuse for cutting off part of the main subject--this is another issue that comes up underwater a lot. You get that perfect shot of the flitting butterflyfish only to see you've cropped off the tailfin. Except flowers don't flit.

#12 is a nice shot. If you'd gotten closer to the butterfly and gotten sharper focus it would have been more dramatic. Of course, butterflies do flit. Another dilemma you'll face underwater--you'll want to get as close as possible without spooking--or getting bitten by--your subject.

I hope that helps a little. If you take a look at my gallery you'll see that I'm no expert either, so take it for what it's worth.




Puffer Fish: Wow, fabulous shot.

 

[divengolf]

I'd suggest that you get Martin Edge's book, The Underwater Photographer, 4th Edition, and study it. Plenty of good advice in it to get started. And it will keep you learning for many years.

Make sure that you get the 4th edition.

You need to be able to operate your camera UW instinctively.

And practice, practice, practice.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Vladmir, thanks for the kind comment. Sometime the subject has more to do with the image quality than the photographer.

I liked your comments, but as you know, background is not always in your control, so when it is, one has to be ready to make use of it.

I dive in really crappy water, so all I can shoot most of the time is macro.

I have to be honest and say I ignore the "rule of thirds"....which works really well for wideangle (most of the time) and instead attempt to get down, get close and manage the point of view.

It took me a while to find examples that are similar to our thread starters flowers and animals underwater...

 

[Tigerman]

...I don't have an issue with Macro, as most underwater images tend to be either really wide angle or macro.

If I would to make a suggestion, it would be the same one most new underwater photographers need to do... get lower and get closer.

Take that bumble bee and get something that looks like this:
...

Very good theory, BUT...

To get lower and closer you need to be either having the bouyancy control to stay REALLY close to the subject, while handling your camera, without wrecking the surroundings or be able to sit on the bottomn without wrecking anything.

The OP (from his profile) has less than 25 dives and probably not the bouyancy control to get really well focused macro pictures without either posing a risk to the reef/corals or being able to sit on the bottomn, which probably makes him better off shooting photos at short, but not macro, range. Itll come with practice though.


Btw, love the picture of the little bugger living in a rock there