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My first set of images done with the new camera, and also my first go at PP.

Unfortunately I didn't shoot in RAW, definitely will next time.

Shot with a canon 300d and the standard 18-55, ( no other lenses yet... ) at Myalup, about 1.5 hours drive south of Perth.

no way of avoiding the fly...they were in plague proportions on the weekend.


Tried to get a shot of the bee flying...but lacking in skills




This guy was playing at Capel Vale winery...I can't remember how well he played, but the 2005 Cabernet merlot is fantastic!


Please rip in...I need all the help I can get.

The first one is nice with good colours. You could clone out the fly. The second seems a bit washed out to me and, well, it's a bee's bum. Perhaps try to get around and get the side or the front when it has just landed (yes, I know that this isn't as easy as it sounds!). To me, the third and fourth lack interest. I would have moved around to the left of the guitar player so that you didn't have the fence and the amps in the background. It also looks like the sun was quite bright, not the best time to snap a portrait.
Keep posting, it's the best way to learn and improve!

Thanks Marvin,

I was desperately taking photo's of anything and everything to break in the camera, and was also shooting at 2pm ish...

So the first one is a keeper, I'll try to clone the fly out and repost it.

The rest hit the recycle bin...

Handlebars don't be too quick to bin stuff. be sure to check out your exif data to see what settings you have used & keep all that info in the memory banks for your next excursion. You will also start to see improvements in composure etc when you look back at your old photo's too

Is it a good idea to burn all the 'maybe' photo's onto cd/dvd for later? Kind of like making your own stock footage bank i suppose.

Well, I tend to keep everything. I sometimes go back and play with photos I thought were crap, usually when I learn a new PP trick or something. I wouldn't say that the other 3 were bin material - also remember that, even if not technically perfect, they capture a moment in time (well, I think that is true with people pictures unless their heads are cut off or something!) A different crop to focus on the main subject can change them too. I have done a very quick and very dirty edit on a couple of them so you can see what I mean. Please let me know if you would like me to remove them and I will.

Awesome, I'll try that later this weekend with the originals.

I have no issues with anyone PP'ing my images. I think its excellent for demonstration purposes, and is only going to help myself and others learn the tricks. Its sooo much easier with an example.

I seem to have it stuck in my head that the images should be kept to 3:2...this is obviously not the case. Is there any hard rules (that can be broken later!) as far a cropping and length/width ratio's?

I am actually really looking forward to re-visiting a few older images with fresh eye's and some new tricks.

The only time I worry about ratio is when I am going to print it for framing. But, please bear in mind I am certainly no expert and others may disagree. There are some very, very good PP masters on the forum, I guess it comes with time and experience. I would definitely be shooting in RAW. Do you use Photoshop?

yes I have CS2, I am reasonably literate with it.