Photography critique

Question

My sister had her new camera at the beach last weekend. I love the way the pictures I took came out, even though I didn't use any of the buttons. Anyway, I love this photo that I took, but I was wondering if any of you with more photography experience would give me some tips on how I could have improved this shot. I want to learn about the technical aspects of photography before I invest $1k into a nice camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/photographybyjulia/2726598144/

I would love some advice, but please remember that I am a novice. Keep it simple. Thanks!

Answer 1

By the way, it's probably not a good idea to take that particular camera to the beach. Salty air / water and the sand do not mix at all with it.  

Answer 2

Learn proper composition. This is a typical amateur shot in which the subject is always dead in the middle of the photo. Very uninteresting and gives the photo a look of just being a waste of lots of space.

This would be far better if the subject had been placed to the left of the frame, with the expanse of beach in front of her. This would give direction and purpose to the shot.

This type of thing is usually done by just focusing on the subject in the center of the frame by pressing the shutter button half way down, then while holding the button half way down to lock exposure and focus, you would then move the camera to place the subject to the left of the frame, then press the shutter the remainder of the way down to take the shot.

It takes a fraction of the time to do it compared to the time it took me to write it, but learning to properly compose will do wonders for your photos.

steve

Answer 3

They are interesting, especially for a beginner.  Yes, there are some compositional problems.  And a big pet peeve of mine is a tilted horizon!  They would have been better simply by taking them late in the afternoon or early in the morning, whichever gets the best light at that location.  But they are a good beginning.

Take a class if you can, or pick up a book or two on beginning photography.  You can start to learn the technical and artistic stuff that will make you a better photographer.  Best wishes!

Answer 4

Awesome !  Well done !

The size and subject position in the photo, the sense of space, closeness, and distance, the balance of earth and sky,  and balance of land and water , the balance of increasing and decreasing shades of blue and contrast with the red, contrast of nature and human, all so wonderful !  Her sense of exuberance and joy seems to be the centre of the picture, and the bending backwards catches our attention, like "this is no run-of-the-mill pose, hey,  look at this picture longer !"  Its intriguing !, balance of timeless conservative world / nature, and abstract, human creativity, strange bodily position and motion.  I love it !  Nice woman too :)  

I like the other picture in the album too, the one with her pointing with her leg and foot to the point in the far distance where the land and see and horizon meet--- the future, meanwhile presenting left (sea) and right (land) with her arms and hands.  Thats all the above with elegance instead of intriguing strange falling-back position.  

I love your pictures :)

Answer 5

Just for the sake of critique, I would like to see the horizon level with the foam running off the corner of the image. The people in the background need to go. Otherwise it looks like a fun and playful picture.

Answer 6

its a good photo but the upper half of the body you can't really see. If it was at a different angle it would be a great pic though

Answer 7

I think you needed to be closer to your subject.  And I agree the people in the background need to go.  Actually it is hard to tell if the subj is of the woman or of the water and sky.  

Answer 8

It's a nice simple picture but the tilted horizon is disastrous. I disagree with those who think you ought to have been closer: the balance of beach and figure gives a good feeling of space and freedom, which I think the picture is trying to evoke. Without the background figures, this feeling would have been stronger.  

Answer 9

I love it! It's so beautiful, she looks like a dancer :)

It makes me happy and tingly inside! Try close ups of the full body and seperate parts of the body. Good luck!