# Please tell me..



## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

I am new to photography.. I'm 14.... Please Tell me what you think about these..

Sorry they are big I am having trouble resizing..


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)




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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

First off, welcome to the photography forum. You can learn a lot from the fine folks down here...no matter what age you are. I would turn off the date function on your camera. That is distracting from your main subjects in your photos.
The photos of the reels are of interesting perspectives. I wish the handles weren't cropped off in the frame. The colors look pretty good in those. 
I like your cloud shots a lot more. They look a bit painterly in some. I like that. The colors there are nice as well. All in all it looks like a good start to me. 
What kind of camera are you shooting? Tell a little more about you and what you want to do with your photography, and then just keep up the good work.
James


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Gator_Nutz said:


> First off, welcome to the photography forum. You can learn a lot from the fine folks down here...no matter what age you are. I would turn off the date function on your camera. That is distracting from your main subjects in your photos.
> The photos of the reels are of interesting perspectives. I wish the handles weren't cropped off in the frame. The colors look pretty good in those.
> I like your cloud shots a lot more. They look a bit painterly in some. I like that. The colors there are nice as well. All in all it looks like a good start to me.
> What kind of camera are you shooting? Tell a little more about you and what you want to do with your photography, and then just keep up the good work.
> James


Well I'm not much of a photographer.. I just started last monthish.. I don't know right now where i wanna take it.. I love to fish.. (I think I'm addicted..)

I will see what I can do about the date feature.. As for the reels.. Thank you for the suggestion..

My mom instantly fell in love with the last picture..

As for the camera..

An old Sony FD Mavica..

Thank you for the very kind words,
Austin


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## grandpa cracker (Apr 7, 2006)

There are some REALLY GOOD photographers on 2cool. I am not one of them.
However, I`d take any and all advice, including constructive criticism fom them ,if I were you. Good learning and hope to see more of your photos as you advance.


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## baitkiller (May 21, 2004)

*Love the clouds!*

I was driving home from League City and wanted to shoot those exact clouds. My wife thought we would wreck because I couldn't keep my eyes off the clouds.

Well done!


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

I have a question.. Is there anyway I could edit out the date on the last picture? and maybe like put something on it.. Like my name..??


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

I'm thinking you can crop the photo(cutting in down above the date). 
I think your off to a great start. Welcome to photography forum.


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

If you have some sort of photo editing software you can do that very easily. I used Photoshop and the clone tool but some other software, even free ones, will most likely do the same thing for you.


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## Ibeafireman (Jul 24, 2006)

Man, I am stuck at work and saw those same clouds and wished so bad that I had my camera. Also welcome to the board. There are some great photographers here that will help you all they can.


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Gator_Nutz said:


> If you have some sort of photo editing software you can do that very easily. I used Photoshop and the clone tool but some other software, even free ones, will most likely do the same thing for you.


Thank You!!!

What free program would you recomend?

How could I put my name in the corner?


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

I think a pretty good one that a lot of people use or at least have started out with is called Picassa. Google it and you can download it. With that program you will be able to place a text box in your photo with your name, as well as do a lot of other nifty things.
James


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## Donnie Hayden (Mar 7, 2005)

Welcome to the site! Everyone here is very helpful. I have learned quite a bit myself in such a short time.

Here is the shot I got from my yard. Not the best, but I have trees everywhere.


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## fishingnotcatching (May 30, 2007)

Good pics, I like the reel pictures best, contrary to the others here, You should try to do it again, but with a different background, like a totally white piece of posterboard or something a little more abstract and less distracting from the reel. The lighting and specular highlights remind me a lot of what a very good photog in this forum posts on occasion for product shoots. 


A friend of mine who was a film and photo type (don't remember his major, but I think Radio, TV and Film? ) took some of the best pictures I've ever seen with a mavica. I've always thought they were great cameras.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

No adjustment on the image. Just removed date with clone tool and added a name. (OK, so I guessed at a name)

I can remove the image if you wish.


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## Donnie Hayden (Mar 7, 2005)

GrayFish, What program are you using for the watermarks?


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## fishingnotcatching (May 30, 2007)

On second look, that cloud pic really is pretty astounding. Great shot.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Yep, I like the clouds. Wish I could have got a shot, but didn't get a chance. 
I played with your reel shots a little.

In the first one, I straightened the background horizon, cloned out the date, then cropped it to help minimize the distracting background.

Basically, I did the same thing with the second pic, just didn't need to straighten the horizon.

So, watch your horizon and try to eliminate background clutter by carefully composing your shot.

Hope you find this helpful.
Mike


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

Donnie Hayden said:


> GrayFish, What program are you using for the watermarks?


I used a vector graphics program called Corel Draw X3 to create the texts. But that has little to do with it. It has more to do with color selection and the program used to apply them to the image. In this case the original color of the top line was 50% black and the second line is white.

The application of the water mark was done with Corel Photo-Paint X3. The text must be on a separate layer. And again, almost any photo editing program that has the capability of layers, to merge layers and to do embossing will work. I could have created the text in the same program. It is the emboss and merge that is the trick. If you use 50% black and then emboss the text, you create an edge so to speak. then if you merge it with hard light merge, the gray turn translucent. Other percentages of gray react differently. I did not use hard light on this one. But to be honest I do not remember which merge I used. I try various ones until I like it. The layer in this was reduced in opacity also.

If you do a google search for watermark with an application name such as Photo-Shop Elements you will find many tutorials. Corel unfortunately has fewer if any at all. Over the years I have leaned to modify tutorials from other programs to fit Corel's features.

Hope that explains it. If not let me know.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

Hi Austin, welcome aboard to another addiction (you think fishing is bad? lol)

i live in New Zealand and so i find it wonderful to be able to see photos of your part of the world... one day i might even get to visit Texas, but for now, i get to enjoy photos you all post.

you show great perspective and i see a vein of the 'arty/quirk' in the photos you've posted. whatever suggestions everyone makes on the technical side of the shots, try to keep your own arty aspect and let it grow.

i love how you got down low and close to the reels and used that angle for your photos. i find it an interesting perspective and it adds a different kind of 'story' to an image.

the clouds are quite incredible, and like your mum, i love the last one too 

i don't know your specific camera, but if you've been using it a month, you're obviously doing great so far. keep reading the manual (or look for one online if you don't have one) and practise lots.

take several photos of the same subject, using different settings on the camera and that will help you learn what your camera can do, and what it can't do. knowing those boundaries can be very useful.

but whatever you do, keep enjoying taking photos and come back here often to share. we all love checking out other people's photos. and to tell you the truth, looking at your photos has given me an idea that i will share when i've done it (within the next couple of days). so, thank you for sharing. i look forward to seeing more of your photography.

rosesm


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

Austin. I forgot to welcome you to the photography board. I see a lot of potential in your images. Some of the board will know this some will not, but I have always said that the camera is only a tool. The eye behind it makes the photograph. I believe you have the eye. I liked your treatment of the reels. Well done.

I took the libety of combining one of your reel images with the a cloud image.


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

Now that's 2Cool.


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Grayfish. Thank you. The name is just fine.

The reel in the cloud is awesome..

Thank you all for the kind words and comments. I'm gonna get it out and maybe shoot a few things today.

And i've already spooled the reel.

Austin


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Heres a shot from this morning.This any better?


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

well now i think that's better than any birds i've managed to capture. i have a thought for you Austin. when you zoom on your camera it makes any tiny shaking that your hands might do show up worse in the image. hmm eg if i hold a pencil at one end (that's the camera) and wobble a tiny bit, the other end of the pencil moves up and down a great deal more (that's the bird). that causes the bird to look a little blurred. to help stop that, try and rest the camera on or against something that's still, like a table, or a lamppost and then click the shutter. it might help to get a slightly clearer image. (do you have a tripod? if not, sometimes just using a beanbag to rest the camera on can help.)

now i'd love to know what programme you used to get that cool signature.

rosesm


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Koru said:


> well now i think that's better than any birds i've managed to capture. i have a thought for you Austin. when you zoom on your camera it makes any tiny shaking that your hands might do show up worse in the image. hmm eg if i hold a pencil at one end (that's the camera) and wobble a tiny bit, the other end of the pencil moves up and down a great deal more (that's the bird). that causes the bird to look a little blurred. to help stop that, try and rest the camera on or against something that's still, like a table, or a lamppost and then click the shutter. it might help to get a slightly clearer image. (do you have a tripod? if not, sometimes just using a beanbag to rest the camera on can help.)
> 
> now i'd love to know what programme you used to get that cool signature.
> 
> rosesm


Photobucket :biggrin:.. And no I don't have a tripod. This is actually my fathers work camera he just doesnt use it much for work.. More like fishing and what not.

And Gator.. I down loaded picasa but i'm having troubles with it.. I can't find where to insert a text box or anything else like that. It has the red eye feature and what not and I can adjust colors and tints and shades but thats all I can see that I can do..

And on Photobucket I edited this for my mom since the dog is basiclly her third leg.. We just call her puppy.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

photobucket? you're kidding me?! i must go and check it out. thanks!

very cool third leg picture! now i'm going to give you something else to think about... when you're looking through the viewfinder, you are doing that aren't you and not just looking at the live LCD screen, right? when you're looking through it, check out what's in the background. does it help the main subject or is it too much and distracts the eye from the main subject?

now i don't know your dog, so maybe it loves getting into that swimming pool, or maybe it loves riding on the piece of equipment that has wheels... or maybe your mum has special affinity with those background things but if not, then do you think they add or detract from the dog?

just food for thought 

and that's a gorgeous dog too. thanks for sharing her 

rosesm


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Thank you for the constructive criticism.. I am learning.. slowly but surely..

This camera doesn't have anything but the lcd screen.

Yes she loves rides in the wagon and is crazy about the pool (when we have it clean). Its hard to keep her out of it..

Thanks Austin..

(fixed pic)


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

My mistake then Austin. I thought Picasa would have that capability but apparently not.


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Its alright.. I like some of the other features but i'm still gonna use photobucket and it..


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## samurai_ag (Mar 31, 2008)

The best thing you can do to start with is pick up a book or two that teaches about how the camera works in general...that will open your eyes to what the camera you have is capable of.....don't let your abilities or limitations of the camera discourage you however try to work within the limits of your camera. The best learning I have ever had is looking at shots others have taken and examine every inch of them and try to understand what the photographer was trying to do....


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

There a a couple of very powerfuf graphics programs I know of that are free. Be warned that the learning curve is large and the manuals are basically trash.

But they both mimic PhotoShop somewhat. And some help can be found through Google searches.

One is called Gimp. (GNU Image Manipulation Program) It is fairly well known.

Click Here for Gimp

The other is called Pixia. It will run as many layers as you got memory. Read the entire About Pixia page before using.

Click Here for Pixia.

You sometimes see these programs for sale. They are Freeware. Do not pay for them.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

samurai_ag said:


> The best thing you can do to start with is pick up a book or two that teaches about how the camera works in general...that will open your eyes to what the camera you have is capable of.....don't let your abilities or limitations of the camera discourage you however try to work within the limits of your camera. The best learning I have ever had is looking at shots others have taken and examine every inch of them and try to understand what the photographer was trying to do....


A very valid point about cameras. Examine your own work with the same instensity.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Welcome aboard Austin. I see you've met most of the regulars. Look forward to seeing more of your stuff.


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Hmm.. Turns out we do have a tri pod


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Another good read is "The Digital Photography Book" by Scott Kelby. Lots of good information crammed into those pages, and some down to earth explanations also.
Mike


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## Shed Hunter (Mar 14, 2006)

Your flower pics are very nice. I like the dog shot also. Seems you are a very quick study. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on you photos. Welcome to the forum.
SH


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

you know that photobucket thing is cool! i just have to try and figure out how to get the white away from behind my signature. 

beautiful flower photos!

try using the 'sharpen' feature just once and see if it makes a difference.
rosesm


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Koru said:


> you know that photobucket thing is cool! i just have to try and figure out how to get the white away from behind my signature.
> 
> beautiful flower photos!
> 
> ...


Right under the color option there is one that says back ground... Right under it there is a check box that says Transparent background.. Just Click it and it clears it up..

That should do it..

Here this should help..


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

oh thanks Austin! i couldn't see for looking.

rosesm


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## Primer (Jan 12, 2008)

Koru said:


> oh thanks Austin! i couldn't see for looking.
> 
> rosesm


Your welcome! :biggrin:


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