Plymouth Bank Holiday - First Critique Request

[robindotadams]

Second trip out with Macro lens on club outing to Plymouth (still need to get Porthkerris pix up). All critique useful as it's the first time (ever) I've published anything - all advice readily received - be blunt - it's the only way I'll learn!!!

[DDT uk]

I did wonder if anyone had dived over the weekend. I know that I didn't.

For me the 4th is by far the pick of the shots, although I think that it would benefit from a really close crop of the fish. The lack of depth of field really helps.
My second choice would be the 2nd shot; the better of the two blennies.

As a pointer, just remember to try to keep as low as possible.

By the way, these stupid machines at work have a mind of their own and didn't want to open any of the second row and so I'll have to look at them when I get home.

Daniel

[KenByrne]

I like the leopard spot goby, I know how hard they are to get close to. I also like the jewel anemonies, they are really difficult to light in a way that shows them off well.

It's a great start to using a DSLR I look forward to seeing more.

[robindotadams]

Darn... stop being so complimentary!!!... I was hoping to develop and find things to do better!!!

[KenByrne]

OK the two weakest shots are the white anemone, it doesn't fill enough of the frame and the starfish arm. I think the starfish arm would have been much better placed on the diagonal, that way it would have given a more dynamic image and filled far more of the frame.

[triplefin]

okay well I had a really good look at all of them as they are just the sort of pics that I love to take and as you have asked I'll say something about each one, but critique is always just a personal view
1. Velvet crab - the white deadmans finger is distracting so I would crop it out, it may even benefit from a little bit of cropping of the bottom as well - try it and see or just hold a piece of paper over the screen.
2. Tompot - lovely pic - I'd crop just a little of the left so the space doesnt dominate the picture quite so much.
3. Tompot - I dont know what post processing prog you are using but I'd try and bring up the reds/oranges just a tad on this one.
4. Scorpion fish - not sure about this one, it would look better if the left eye wasnt in shadow, think its just the placement of the strobe that may be wrong on this.
5. Leopard Spotted Goby - as has been said, buggers to take pics of they are so jumpy so well done.
6. Deadmans finger - lovely, super
7. Anemone - nice pic bbut i would crop it on the sides and bottom
8 Jewels - lovely pic again, perhaps try and get rid of some of the larger bits of backscatter if possible
9. Jewels - super, lovely colours
10. Starfish - a nice pic but the problem is the background is heavily dominated by white which is quite distracting and detracts I feel from the intricate little leg - not sure that cropping heavily would make a huge difference either, could try tweaking the contrast a bit more and see it that brings it up a bit more.

Altogether some very very nice pics, thx for posting

[DDT uk]

On picture 8 I would also try to flip the picture. Shots tend to be more pleasing if they come up from the bottom rather than going down. There are some nice diagonals. I am sure Rob will correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember that it is better to have things coming from the left and so make the diagonals come from the bottom left corner.

[Cussy]

Originally Posted by DDT uk

I am sure Rob will correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember that it is better to have things coming from the left and so make the diagonals come from the bottom left corner.

Can't remember where I read it, but things that come into a frame from the left are viewed as friendly, yet things in from the right are seen as dangerous or suspect. Think its something to do with the way we read, so maybe if you are Arabic it's the other way around?
Rob

[robindotadams]

Now that's the sort of critique I was hoping for... looking to improve all the time... thanks guys!

[Cussy]

One thing I just noticed is all images are 4:3 aspect (or whatever), so you've done no cropping. Don't be afraid to. Square images can look really quite special.

I'd rotate the two jewels anti-clockwise. They may well have been growing downwards, but the non-diver doesn't know that. The only time I wouldn't do that is if you have a background of green that clearly shows where up is.
Rob