Young Writers Society

Over the past year I've gotten really interested in photography, but only had a crappy digital to use. However, my parents recently bought a Canon Powershot G12 HD camera so I'll be posting photos taken on that soon. In the meantime, here are some photos from the past year or so ... critiques much appreciated!


^ Taken while I was on vacation in the British Virgin Islands. Unedited.


^ Taken using my cellphone's camera, haha. I have a slight obsession with trees ...


^ This one was taken using a HD camera, my friend's Canon Powershot G11.


^ Taken out the front window of the car. Unedited - the blue colour comes from that blue streak at the top of the car windshield.


^ The water is so blue! Another shot from the caribbean.


^ Another camera phone shot.


^ My friend's cat. The blur effect wasn't intentional but I kind of like it ... ?


^ I added the text; it's from a song ("Time is Running Out" by Muse). I also added a sepia effect.


^ Palm trees in the BVI.

Feedback is very appreciated!

First pic: Unedited? Wow, pretty place! Don't really have any complaints, overall nice effect.

Second: Oooh, this one looks spooky, and I love that tree (whatever kind of tree it is, it's just kinda awesome). The moon's got a really cool glowy silver effect on the whole picture.

Third: Well, I think it tells a story, which is always neat, but it's not so much the style I'm into. Still a clear shot and such.

Fourth: Well the car windshield actually had a pretty cool effect on the picture, because it adds a piercing blue. If it weren't in a straight line, it'd be even better.

Fifth: Nice...

Sixth and Seventh: Both of these are just kind of a headache to look at, the first especially. Way to think outside the box, though.

Seventh: Love the old-fashioned sepia effect, and the text is great too.

Eighth: Nice. Not much to say really.


Some of these really stood out as interesting pictures. I like a lot of these.

Hi Wolf! Pink here. :3

I must say all these pictures are quite amazing. I, for some reason, always have a difficult time finding good photography sites where I live. It's difficult because the places where I want to take pictures are off limits. -__-
Anyway, the first picture is wonderful, I like the fact that it's a bit monochromatic and it'd make a pretty decent postcard or something. My main nitpick with this picture would probably be the sun, it's like a smudge and I'm sure if you had some photo-editing software you could make it shine more or something so it doesn't look as...smudgy. lol

I like the second picture, it's pretty good besides the fact that it seems quite cluttered. I like the sun in the back, it doesn't stand out but it's there if you see it and gives the picture a little something extra. The third one isn't as great as the others mostly because it seems a bit dark on the ends. The shadow that is cast over the pills by the fingers makes it look slightly unprofessional as well as stripping the pills of it's 'main attraction' since well, it does seem to be the prime theme of the photograph.

Now the next one is absolutely my favorite. I love the blue hue in the clouds and the way it all pushes together in the corner of the picture and leaves some negative space there. The blackness that works it's way in from the left is slightly annoying but it blends itself in so it's not too bad. My main problem is the street lights. Be gone you! Other than that, it's quite a fantastic picture.

I had to turn my head for this one. You can always shift your picture clockwise so it's easier to see. Anyway, besides that bit it seems to be a very nice, clean shot. It's quite perfect...not much to critique it's just missing that 'feel'. That extra bit of emotion that makes it feel calming and serene. Right now, it's just a pretty picture but I think that feel might be missing because it's flipped. :/ I dunno.

Okay, I think you made this upside down on purpose and I actually like it that way. It gives the mind some work, even though it's not that grand you could just flip a picture and it could make all the difference but it that trick doesn't work on all snaps. Good job.

Blurry cat is cute. =D Not much to say about it. Sephia effect on the trees on the next picture is nicely done. I think the text matches well with it too. Gives it a little something - I don't know what to call it though. However, as a personal opinion, I would've put the text as "time is running out" instead because of the connection with the trees. It seems like the trees are pretty leafless and looks a bit dead so it would connect to the little 'time is running out' thing. Well, it makes sense to me. xD

Last but not least, the palm trees. Beautiful picture, there isn't any weird effects and it looks quite natural. What makes this picture nice is that the ends of the leaves look yellow and I'm not sure but are they dying? lol Anyway, it's quite good because it gives the shot more color and enhances the overall feel. When taking natural photography I always find that colorful things look a lot nicer, especially in plants and all.

Overall, these are wonderful pictures and you did a very good job taking them.

-Pink

Hullo, Wolf! I hope you had a wonderful holiday (and a fantastic Christmas if you celebrate it).

Now, congratulations on having a new camera to take your photos with! Personally, I am a Nikon girl, but Canon does have some wonderful models of point and shoots even some remarkable dSLRs. I also haven't really looked into the Canon G12 HD, so I cannot say if it's something brilliant or not. Now, to talk about your photos - I was shocked that you had taken some of these on a cell phone, as they are remarkably grain-free and not too noisy! Usually camera's on phones are not too good.

Unlike PinkShearwater, I find myself not liking the first photo. Although the warm, almost sepia-looking tones are lovely, I find myself a bit frustrated with the overall appearance. I think this is mainly because of the bright sun flare that is the sun in this photo. In general, it just looks like a big white smudge on the photograph, but I honestly think that if you edit it like Pink suggested, it will come out looking much too fake and over-edited; the only way you could have fixed that in my mind is retaking the photo in this exact location all over again, and maybe trying to cut the sun out of the frame somehow. Do you know what I mean by this? Also, when looking at this photo I can sense there were some boats in the water, because of the long sticks poking into the sky. Except that area is much too dark, and we cannot see the boats. Either edit the area so we can see the boats (maybe some lightening and highlight-editing?) or edit the photo so the sticks are not pointing into the air.

The second photo is quite to my liking, actually. I love the dark and dreary gray, black, and white tones that dominate this photograph. No, I am not 'emo,' I just like the overall dark appearance. Even the sun is nice, though it still does appear very smudge-like as was the sun in the first photograph. I also like how the tree/bush is on the right side of the photograph; it gives a kind of 'frame' to the photo that is appeasing to the viewer's eye.

I am sorry to say that I almost completely detest this third photograph. One of the multiple reasons I find this photo un-appeasing is because of how posed it appears to be. Generally, it takes away emotion from the photograph/scene if the whole thing looks utterly and completely posed. Second of all, the hand in this photograph looks discolored and the shadows much too dark - which makes me wonder if you messed around with the saturation/contrast of this photo.

The fourth photograph does not sit much better with me, either. The sun in this photo really flares out and leaves a bright, white hotspot in what is nearly the center of the photograph. Not only does this hurt the viewer's eyes a bit, it's also shows poor photography skills. On the other hand, I do quite like the blue effect on the top of the photograph that was caused by the tint on the top of the car's front windshield.

Do I look funny with my head tilted at this angle? I would really be grateful if, before you post your photos next time, you rotate them in a simple photo-edit program (iPhoto, etc.) just so they are facing the correct angle and we, the reviewers, do not have to tilt are heads oh so painfully. Besides that, however, I love this photograph. The lovely blue of the water is so divine! I am jealous of you having such a wonderful place to photograph at.

The sixth photograph is definitely unique...or something. I think the angle you have this at is fascinating, and I would actually leave it this way if I were you. Reminds me of 'defying gravity,' or something like that. On the other hand, I don't find a tennis ball as an interesting enough subject for such an otherwise interesting picture.

The picture of the cat is, obviously, blurred. You say you like it that way - I say it looks much too sloppy, messy, and amateur. When photographing quick-moving subjects like children or jumpy animals, you need to be quick (and I mean quick!). Blurry photos like this are truly a pity because this cat looks so cute otherwise, with those wonderful green eyes.

I love this next photograph with the text on it and have no critiques, as it is absolutely and wonderfully beautiful. Last but not least are the beautiful palm trees (a lovely sight when it's snowing cold and blizzards galore for most people right now). I do believe you should have just focused on one tree, because it looks somewhat cluttered at the moment and you have cut off the trunks of several trees.

Overall, you definitely have some potential as a photographer, but still have a few things to work on like finding more interesting subjects, making the sun less 'smudge-y,' among others. However, most of these are a joy to look at and I do believe you have some wonderful photos even in this batch.

Keep photographing, and I hope this helps.
xo Mizz

Hello
Well, congrats on your new camera! I'm sure it's a lot of fun. And you always seem to get passionate about something when you get something new, like a camera, don't you? Photography is a fantastic little hobby.
Anyway, mini rant over... onto reviewing
(I'll make general comments on the photos, then how to improve the photographs which are here)
Alrighty,
1. The orange-sepia tones are stunning. It's got such a romantic aurora to it, and the fact it's unedited really adds to that! Although, I wish you would have moved a few steps to the left, so you would have just got the boats, water, and the hills. That would have been a perfect photo for me.
However, this one isn't bad at all! So, to improve it, I would maybe just increase blacks and saturation (although not by very much), just to see. Obviously you can decide yourself if it makes the photo better so maybe just play around in a photo editor!
(I always recommend Lightroom. Although it's expensive, once you buy it, it's yours forever. It's a fantastic little program, professional photographers use it, so if you are maybe considering photography as a career, I'd definitely invest. If not, maybe something like photofiltre, which is free and it's quite good at editing photos too!)
2. This is creative, so good work! Crop out the thick hedges at the side though (try to keep the aspect ratio). It's distracting from the wonderful shapes of the trees. I'm also not sure which way I'm supposed to be looking at this one - does it need turned, or is it already the right way around?
3. This is an interesting concept, and the pills are certainly bright and grap your attention. However, the angle is a bit mehish- not very exciting, is it? And the shadow on the girls/guys hand doesn't help. I think you could easily retake this picture, maybe getting at a lower level? and ensuring there is good lighting. Trust me when I say this, when you take a photo and get feedback on it, usually 9/10 cases, the second attempt is so much better!
4. I'm not sure if I like this one. The blue drags your attention away from the traffic lights, so they're kind of just there rather than being a part of it. Of course, retaking this if you're in the area again will be easy - get out of the car, and stick to the rules of thirds (in this case, 1/3 land, 2/3 sky?).
5. This is a nice, pretty photo. But there's nothing special about it. Maybe some editing will help, like increasing contrast etc...
6. I wish this was the right way up. The DOF is really nice here! The tones are really rich, and it's just a really good shot!
7. I don't like this one, and I'll have to agree with mizzle with her comments. I think you need to increase the shutter speed with animal shots, so so much. Obviously, not so much the image turns out too dark. It's about getting the balance right.
8. This reminds me of something I'd see on tumblr or something. And I'm not sure if that's good or bad. If you want to do cute, feel good images, or ones which really relate with people, then this is spot on. If you want to be a professional and technical photographer, then this isn't really what you want to be doing. Obviously it's up to you to decide what you want to do, and what you enjoy the most.
9. Nice photo, just crop out that stuff at the bottom (there's like a cm of leaves?), because it's a little distracting. And maybe just increase contrast etc. Play around and see what you like!
Other wise, good shot!

Overall:
You've got a lot of potential, so well done on that! Just keep trying, and the more you try, and learn from your past photos, the better yours will become (trust me, YWS and my photography boyfriend have helped me a lot with their critical eyes! )
And don't feel down heartened! We've all got to start somewhere, and you're already quite good!

-snails-

I have to say the 4th photo, in my opinion, is really good.
I think it has nice depth to it and the power lines move your eyes around the picture. Also like the blue on the top from the blue tint of the window, gives it interest.
It looks like the sun where the power lines intersect and I am surprised how well this turned out considering it is hard most of the time to capture a decent picture involving the sun. I also cannot tell what the black shadow is on the top left corner, is that maybe the rear view mirror?

Hi there


1. Really nice silhouette- you have some beautiful tones in the background, and the focus is perfect. The only problem is that I can't quite find the focal point. My eyes keep on wandering around, and admiring the focus, which is good, but it's hard to find a good place to rest. The sun seems like it would make a good focal point, but it's quite bland by itself. Also, the reflection in the water is a little distracting. I think (I know it's unedited as of yet) you could crop it out, and it would really make this is a stronger shot.


2. This is superb for a cell phone shot- again, wonderful silhouette. I think that you could (again) have a stronger focal point, but this is a great picture, even better than the last. I too love trees, by the way. Though I can never seem to really get any decent pictures of them. I'm more of a macro person myself.


3. I feel like this was a really good concept, but the execution is kind of "meh". The lighting is nice, but doesn't make the photo strong enough as it is. There is no real atmosphere, and I feel like this would need to be bleaker, would need a grimy background or something. Just my opinion though. Really well defined focal point and colors- the stuff on the right edge is a little distracting, but no big deal.

4. This photo is mostly interesting because of the color- I really like the clouds, but there isn't much there. You need to better define the focal point, and I think this would be good. Without a focal point, it's just a street. Also, watch out for centered horizons.

5. Beautiful shot- I'd rotate it, but I don't think this needs any work otherwise. Nice focal point and framing- really well done.

6. LOVE the DOF and focus in this. The colors are perfect, as is the focal point. I'd turn it right side up though.

7. Looks cool.


8. Great use of text- personally, I'm usually not a huge advocator for text, but it works perfectly in this picture- without it, there would be no focal point. I also love the sepia tones, and ti's wonderful that it's slightly out of focus. Pictures with text are oftentimes distracting if the actual picture isn't at least a little bit blurry.


9. Great focus, but again, you need to define the focal point. Well done otherwise.



Overall:
Work on your focal points and rotate your stuff appropriately; otherwise, all of your pictures are excellent. You definitely have the type of eye for this stuff, and I really look forward to seeing more stuff from you!

-Coral-

I like them all.
Maybe some of them, like the one taken from the care is a little bit too dark in the top left corner. But it's ok.
Then one I like the most is the one with the tenis ball. Next time try to get even lower , so we can barely see the ground.
That's kind of all.
*bows*
P.S. Kitteh <3

My favorite has to be the one with the tennis ball. It's beautiful. All of these pictures are beautiful, I have to say. You're amazing at this. I loved how the sky picture was taken with the blue tint in the car, it gives it this feel of something taking over. Your pictures are absolutely stunning, I hope you don't stop at photography! The beach pictures were absolutely beautiful. They make me jealous of you. I have always wanted to go somewhere beautiful, somewhere to take me away from troubles. Your pictures got me half-way there.

Haha my uncles a photographer and he hasnt done anytihng as good as these =P excelent job in my opinion. i like how nature gives you the same effects that some people spend 2 hours on a computer to make. by the way tell your friends cat he/she is fearsome =P cas she deffinatly struk fear in me with his/her scary walking lol. nicely done

Thank you everyone for your feedback! I really appreciate it.