[nilanjanray]

Simba, our Irish Setter


An old lamp that was taken out after a long time.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Simba, our Irish Setter

Hmm, this pic needed a deeper DOF because of the distance between nose and eyes.

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

An old lamp that was taken out after a long time.
Attachment 1045981

This is very nice.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

An old lamp that was taken out after a long time.

The tilt is an eye sore, please correct/clean your object before taking a pic

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

The tilt is an eye sore, please correct/clean your object before taking a pic

No, no... I like it because of the Tilt, it adds character to this pic.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hmm, this pic needed a deeper DOF because of the distance between nose and eyes.

Point taken - such shallow DoF is not pleasing for a long nosed creature. This was shot with the 50mm lens @ f/1.8 with focus on his left eye, that is why such shallowness. Was trying to see what came out @ f/1.8. Liked the colour and bright eyes.

I could have used my 70-300 from a distance to cover the entire head and keep the entire face in focus.

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

The tilt is an eye sore, please correct/clean your object before taking a pic

Hmmm...I took the photo because it was tilted and covered with some cobweb.

Here's another one, of my daughter this time. I seldom take indoor photos, have been experimenting.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Simba, our Irish Setter....

Nilanjan try the same with bounced flash, it will give a beautiful, smooth light on his hair, if you are bouncing at the right angle, it may give a catch light to his eyes too. Experimenting is always good, thats the best way to create classics.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by HellwratH

Technical merit is not needed but a slight detachment is needed.

You can overlook technical merit only if your composition and oomph factor more than makes up for it.

Originally Posted by anekho

2) I honestly like the photos I uploaded. Yes, there are a million areas that need improvement, but I spent time taking these photos. I was running manual mode (which isn't my comfort zone). I spent time post-processing them, till I was satisfied with the output. By posting here I was hoping I'd get constructive criticism. Proper composition is somewhat of a vague phrase, but if you mean implementing the rule of thirds etc. I've been practicing doing so. These particular photos, however, are occasions where I've stepped out to experiment. Because you only learn with experimentation.

I am sorry I was not too detailed in my comments earlier. I thought it was plain to the eye that those pics had nothing going for it. Ok, this time I will discuss in details.

I judge photographs based on 3 aspects.

1) Composition: How well have you composed the shot? I don't like to go into rules of composition, you can find them aplenty in the web. And you don't always have to follow it, if you know how to break it. This is not an exact science, but art. You start off with following the rules, apply it correctly, then dare to break it. That's the journey.

2) Technical Merit: This is about making the camera do exactly what you want. After you composed the shot, did you focus correctly on the intended object, was there a shake, did you get the right DOF for your shot, did you get the intended exposure for your shot, did you use the right type of lens, etc.

3) Oomph Factor: This is something hard to explain and hard to understand. This goes beyond composition and technical merit, often not in your control. If you are shooting a landscape, you can expect the scene to provide it. If you are shooting a portrait, the expression of the person can provide it. If you are shooting an object, a quirk in the object can provide it. For example, the tilt and cobwebs on the lamp gave the ooomph factor in nilanjanray's pic. Think about a child's pic, if the kid was giving a blank look, there is no oomph, but if the kid was showing an emotion, it has oomph. If the pic gets a reaction out of you, it has oomph. If you just gloss over it without a feeling, it doesn't.

I usually don't bother uploading a pic on this thread unless it has all three.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Simba, our Irish Setter
Attachment 1045980
Attachment 1045981

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hmm, this pic needed a deeper DOF because of the distance between nose and eyes.

A PUG doesn't need deeper DOF because of his flat face





Camera: Sony Alpha A35
Lens: Minolta 50mm f/1.7

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by clevermax

A PUG doesn't need deeper DOF because of his flat face

Lol. And very nice!

Originally Posted by shajufx

Nilanjan try the same with bounced flash, it will give a beautiful, smooth light on his hair, if you are bouncing at the right angle, it may give a catch light to his eyes too. Experimenting is always good, thats the best way to create classics.

Thanks for the suggestion. Made me think of flash photography which I have never thought or researched about. I don't have an external flash unit, so did some Googling to figure out an easy way to bounce. In the end fitted a visiting card in front of the flash at 45 degrees angle (with a white wall a few feet behind) and clicked. Will try with a larger white cardboard next.

Here is a spontaneous photo clicked today with that method (50mm lens):



Need to experiment with flash EV values, distance from the wall and angles.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by clevermax

A PUG doesn't need deeper DOF because of his flat face

Love these images. Even a non-dog lover would like this guy for sure. I know atleast 4 families who bought a pug after the vodafone ad went viral !!

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Here is a spontaneous photo clicked today with that method (50mm lens):

The difference is huge. Use only bounce flash wherever you can. Its good to invest in a stand alone flash. Yongnuo is very affordable and reliable. I had them for over an year, never failed. Had got mine through ebay HK.

Here is one from my collection. This is bounced 100% to the back wall. Direct flash would have killed this image. Its straight from camera, no processing.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by shajufx

Its good to invest in a stand alone flash. Yongnuo is very affordable and reliable. I had them for over an year, never failed. Had got mine through ebay HK.

Here is one from my collection. This is bounced 100% to the back wall. Direct flash would have killed this image. Its straight from camera, no processing.
Attachment 1046388

The brown stairs look nice with the colour. Post wedding shot?

Will check how much the Yongnuo and the Nikon ones cost. Though my first priority is to upgrade my wildlife/nature gear.

A few of my outdoors photos - what I like shooting.

Brahmani Kite in Bhadra, shot handheld from a boat in the late afternoon


Night shot, Eastern Kumaon Himalayas.


A Pine Marten scampers across a mountain road. I had 4-5 secs to stop the car, get out and shoot before it vanished.


A male tusker near Masinagudi. Late afternoon sun, red flowers on the ground.


A bird in a Coonoor tea estate.

[blue_pulsar]

Shivanasamudram on a dry day

Wrong timing, wrong season, but I like this composition, hence posting.

Comments and suggestions from experts welcome.

Sepia:


Color:

[avingodb]

Sharing some pics from my recent trip to Kota and Bundi

[bluevolt]

(pic source - google)

Can someone please explain how to take such pics? Is this a PP job or taken with some settings?

I would like to take such pics in my upcoming inter-college festival.


(pic of my friend)

[venkat_iyer]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Night shot, Eastern Kumaon Himalayas.

A Pine Marten scampers across a mountain road. I had 4-5 secs to stop the car, get out and shoot before it vanished.


A male tusker near Masinagudi. Late afternoon sun, red flowers on the ground.


A bird in a Coonoor tea estate.
Attachment 1046399

Loved the pine marten click! great timing, Nilanjan!

Here are a few frames from a recent trip to Nepal (Dec 2012)

A juvenile Bronze-winged Jacana riding a rhino

A rhino and a croc together

A monitor lizard peek-a-boo

A grey-headed canary flycatcher

A Black-throated Sunbird