Jim
#1 and #4 - You would get more of a sense of depth if you shot the instument running diagonally from one corner to another. I can't esplain it very well, but you just get more length and depth when you go diagonal. See here Themed Photo Challenge #14: Music I think f/4 might have been better than f/5.6 - you need more in focus at the front, and a steeper decline as you go back.
The BW shots are good.
ty Rob...I know what you mean about the sense of depth,Only got my camera 6 months ago and starting to get to know what i can do now.....I can see how I want the pic to turn out....just not clued up enough on how to do it yet![]()
We have all been there. The best thing to do is just to experiment. Don't worry about trying to turn out great shots. Just pick specific subjects that can improve your skills then try different camera settings and compare the results. It's one of the best ways to improve.