Two steps forward, three steps back

[IShootPeople]

I've been working on improving my various skills lately but I've been running into a few snags.

I think I'm getting closer to making sure my photos are sharper, though I'm still not totally there yet. I am getting better though.

This past weekend, I went to visit some friends and we did a short photo day Saturday. I got a few pictures that aren't too bad. Sadly, the one shot I was looking forward to isn't going to work because of a blown out sky that I just don't know if I can fix in editing.

But below are the photos I did get. I'm not totally thrilled, but I see improvements. Any thoughts or comments are welcome, especially on the PP!

[bnnrcn]

Hi Kim I especially like #1 and #3 . IMO #4 needs a bit more PP, I find it bright.

[Donald]

I'm not totally thrilled, but I see improvements.

And that's learning. So, many congratulations on being someone who's willing to study and critically assess your own work in order to improve.

By the way, you've posted these at full size (4000+ pixels on the long edges). As such many folk will find them very slow to load. Can you try re-sizing them so that they are posted at a smaller size. I usually post at 1024 pixels on the long edge.

[CanadianJake]

nice captures. I enjoy #1 a lot.

[IShootPeople]

Hi Kim I especially like #1 and #3 . IMO #4 needs a bit more PP, I find it bright.

I agree. I had a tough lighting situation there, so I'm still working on the PP for that set of images.

Donald, sorry about that! I always forget!! I'll replace them with smaller ones.

[Joselito]

Hi Kim, Congratulations on these series. I like #1 the most.

JC

[Adrian]

Nice work. In my view the following would help:

in 1 the bush on the left is distracting but is otherwise a very nice shot, best version is in mono.
The graveyard shot is too centred with a rather phallic look about it. I am not sure what you were trying to achieve here, but here is far too much in the image and you have placed the tall stone in the centre, which is probably not ideal composition. It is very "busy" with so many stones and active sky.
The flowing water is again very central compositionally, though it works a bit better here. I wasn't sure if you were trying to use a long exposure to smooth out the water - the story of the picture does not jump out at me.

For me the best shot is the first one, but it needs cropping.

Keep up the good work.

Adrian

[John 2]

Very interesting series Kim. Its good to have a critical eye in PP. That will translate into what you see in the viewfinder next time. First two for me because they tell a story of decay and the elements taking over but for me the roof highlight top right draws the eye a bit. A bit of selective PP will adjust that. Strangely, the mono is better than the colour in that respect and so there must be detail in the original. The last two look over exposed slightly. There are no real blacks in the gravestone image for instance. Try taking them down a bit in PP. Finally, my instinct would have been to take a couple of steps to the left for the gravestones. That would have avoided the tomb in the background far left and emphasised the symmetry of the gravestones you were actually interested in. All IMHO of course. Keep taking pictures and enjoying it. In the end, that's what counts.

[deetheturk]

Nice series Kim