Heaven on Earth . . . First photos with my dslr

[Kathy O]

Here are the first photo's taken on my new Nikon D5000 dslr camera. These were taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado this past week. This is the first time I have ever used a dslr -- I have a lot to learn, it was a lot of fun!! Advice is welcome but please be gentle!!

Kathy

[votto]

Very much charming images. Nice start. All the best

[Ludwig]

Well, you certainly got a great start. These are absolutely beautiful photos. But since you expectected some comments, here are a couple of things that has me marking down the second and fourth photos. There is just a bit too much black in the second image. I love the coarser waves and reflection. That part I like better than the first photo. It is still a captivating view and I can't say how it might be made better. The fourth one is a lovely photo. I would like to see more on the right and don't like the broken bush in the foreground. Maybe a strong crop of the bottom. The other photos are gorgeous. Did you add the vignette in the first photo in post-processing?

[Kathy O]

Very much charming images. Nice start. All the best

Thankyou Sayantan!

[Kathy O]

Well, you certainly got a great start. These are absolutely beautiful photos. But since you expectected some comments, here are a couple of things that has me marking down the second and fourth photos. There is just a bit too much black in the second image. I love the coarser waves and reflection. That part I like better than the first photo. It is still a captivating view and I can't say how it might be made better. The fourth one is a lovely photo. I would like to see more on the right and don't like the broken bush in the foreground. Maybe a strong crop of the bottom. The other photos are gorgeous. Did you add the vignette in the first photo in post-processing?

Thank you for your compliments and your advice! Yes I did put the vignette in the first photo in the post - processing. When I look at the first photo and the second photo it is hard for me to decide which I like better -- I keep leaning towards the first photo! Thanks again!

Kathy

[jjbacoomba]

Kathy those are very nice photos. You have a goos eye for composition. I think all thats needed now is some post processing time with these lovely shots. There are little things that come with time,some have been mentioned. Just shoot ,shoot ,shoot!

[Kathy O]

Well, you certainly got a great start. These are absolutely beautiful photos. But since you expectected some comments, here are a couple of things that has me marking down the second and fourth photos. There is just a bit too much black in the second image. I love the coarser waves and reflection. That part I like better than the first photo. It is still a captivating view and I can't say how it might be made better. The fourth one is a lovely photo. I would like to see more on the right and don't like the broken bush in the foreground. Maybe a strong crop of the bottom. The other photos are gorgeous. Did you add the vignette in the first photo in post-processing?

Do you like this photo any better???

[Colin Southern]

Hi Kathy,

Hope this isn't too brutal

- I'd suggest not putting too many images in one post -- it makes it a bit of a mess when folks try to critique them all (all kinda gets mixed up).

- Take a good look at your images and be brutal about discarding portions of the image that don't contribute anything significant (like the water at the bottom of the shot).

- Don't be afraid to crop the image to make it look more panoramic (eg a 2:1 for even 3:1 aspect ratio)

- Don't forget presentation; bit like the difference between army food and restaurant food; it might be the same vegatables & meat, but a world of difference in how they look.

- In post processing, use the fill light control to reveal shadow detail; as a rule of thumb (which I sometimes break by the way), try to avoid large black areas with little detail (eg the trees).

Hope you don't mind, but I've given yours a quick makeover to illustrate some of these points ...

[Kathy O]

Hi Kathy,

Hope this isn't too brutal

- I'd suggest not putting too many images in one post -- it makes it a bit of a mess when folks try to critique them all (all kinda gets mixed up).

- Take a good look at your images and be brutal about discarding portions of the image that don't contribute anything significant (like the water at the bottom of the shot).

- Don't be afraid to crop the image to make it look more panoramic (eg a 2:1 for even 3:1 aspect ratio)



- Don't forget presentation; bit like the difference between army food and restaurant food; it might be the same vegatables & meat, but a world of difference in how they look.

- In post processing, use the fill light control to reveal shadow detail; as a rule of thumb (which I sometimes break by the way), try to avoid large black areas with little detail (eg the trees).

Hope you don't mind, but I've given yours a quick makeover to illustrate some of these points ...

Thanks for all the good advice Colin!!

[rpcrowe]

I love this area. The Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most beautiful venues I have ever shot. I visited the RMNP well over ten years ago and only had a P&S camera with which to shoot. I remember how impressed I was with that beautiful stone church.

I visited RMNP in late May or early June and there were elk all over. In fact an elderly lady had just been trampled by a cow elk in her own garden in the town of Estes Park (which is the town at the entrance of the RMNP). The cow and its calf had wandered into the lady's garden to graze. She decided to try to shoo them off and got between the cow and its calf. WRONG MOVE! A large cow elk may "look" docile but when she thinks that her calf is in danger, she can be quite formidable. Rocky Mountain elk cows average 225 kilograms (500 lb), stand 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) at the shoulder. That is a big animal!

Congratulations on your new camera... Keep up the shooting, post processing and the printing...

[RockNGoalStar]

I wish the first photos I took with my DSLR were as good as these.

Nice job!

[Ludwig]

In the Saint Malo photo you really have two good images. The sunset and the chapel. You tried to include both in your first photo but it did not work too well. Your second crop has still too much on the left. I would cut right through the middle of the tree. The added foreground, clever as it is, just detracts from the reality of the picture.

[Kathy O]

I love this area. The Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most beautiful venues I have ever shot. I visited the RMNP well over ten years ago and only had a P&S camera with which to shoot. I remember how impressed I was with that beautiful stone church.

I visited RMNP in late May or early June and there were elk all over. In fact an elderly lady had just been trampled by a cow elk in her own garden in the town of Estes Park (which is the town at the entrance of the RMNP). The cow and its calf had wandered into the lady's garden to graze. She decided to try to shoo them off and got between the cow and its calf. WRONG MOVE! A large cow elk may "look" docile but when she thinks that her calf is in danger, she can be quite formidable. Rocky Mountain elk cows average 225 kilograms (500 lb), stand 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) at the shoulder. That is a big animal!

Congratulations on your new camera... Keep up the shooting, post processing and the printing...

I love ROcky Mountain National Park, we go there every summer, it never gets old!! Thanks for looking!!

[Kathy O]

In the Saint Malo photo you really have two good images. The sunset and the chapel. You tried to include both in your first photo but it did not work too well. Your second crop has still too much on the left. I would cut right through the middle of the tree. The added foreground, clever as it is, just detracts from the reality of the picture.

Ludwig, Thanks for your comments! I guess what I like about the second St. Malo photo is that I do not have the bushy foreground (like in the first photo) but I still have the water and the reflection for the sunset. Thanks again for looking, I really do appreciate the comments!! It gives me a different way of looking at my photos!

[Kathy O]

I wish the first photos I took with my DSLR were as good as these.

Nice job!

Thanks a lot Tommy, I still have a lot to learn but that is what makes it fun!!

[phugiay]

Nice photo. What kind of camera do you use?

[Colin Southern]

Nice photo. What kind of camera do you use?

It doesn't make any difference

[Kathy O]

Nice photo. What kind of camera do you use?

Thank you, I am shooting with a Nikon D5000

[Kris V]

Thank you, I am shooting with a Nikon D5000

I have the same camera and I love it! You really seem to get the hang of it already.
If only I had more time to play with it a little more.....

[Kathy O]

I have the same camera and I love it! You really seem to get the hang of it already.
If only I had more time to play with it a little more.....

I have the same problem, I work 44 hrs a week and not only that I live in an area that does not have much scenery so I have to look really hard for something to photograph! I guess that's when you try to get creative!