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Photo Critique / Re: Newbie requesting critique for improvement for Dreamstime/Fotolia rejections
« on: June 09, 2010, 18:02 »
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I especially got a kick out of all the post with the collection of rejections (I look forward to seeing all of them shortly).
Things I saw posted that I understand:
- 18-200mm while easy to use is not clean as a prime or macro. Yeah I got this lens to just learn how to use the camera and for vacations as a walkaround. The 12-24 (the predecessor to the current 14-24) set me back about $1k and I know that is pretty sharp but has limited uses. I'm looking for a decent beginner macro lens (knowing I'll probably be going to full frame soon) and a decent prime (I hear everybody talking about the Canon/Sigma 50mm 1.4 and 1.8s but no recs for Nikons - suggestions?)
- High ISO is bad. Yeah I didn't even know what ISO the camera was using when I took some of those (since the camera was still new to me). Lot of shots were done at night or under cloudy conditions in Seattle so I guess I need to just force the ISO lower and use a tripod/monopod and faster glass. Anybody have a link to a thread about how to set up better studio lighting than using the one SB800 Speedflash I have on the camera's hotshoe?
- The pics submitted have LCV. Yeah I saw all the posts in the newbie area. Sunsets, while they look cool, are a dime a dozen. I've looked through Shutterstock and Dreamstime top sellers and can see all those business pics and vectors. I don't think I have the skills/time to do vectors or 3D. I'll pick up tabletop isolated shots - if nothing other than to improve my skills and wow myself. Nothing like a close-up macro of strawberry glistening to wow the wife haha.
I guess I need to learn how to use CS5. I have no idea how to even begin to improve the colors on the green sands beach pic. I personally believe that is a nice pic (even if not done correctly) - where else on earth do you see green sand?
As for the hydrangeas - well I know everybody says all the easy ones have been done already. Well the few hydrangea ones that sell a lot on Shutterstock are altered wallpapers. The most popular realistic blue or white hydrangeas pics look worse than my pics (or at least to my untrained eye). I figured mine were better. I've seen several people say if you see an image you know you can shoot better or change creatively go for it. So that was my thinking with the hydrangeas.
I live in Los Angeles so there's enough stuff for me to shoot - I just need to find the time (and money) to shoot it
Things I saw posted that I understand:
- 18-200mm while easy to use is not clean as a prime or macro. Yeah I got this lens to just learn how to use the camera and for vacations as a walkaround. The 12-24 (the predecessor to the current 14-24) set me back about $1k and I know that is pretty sharp but has limited uses. I'm looking for a decent beginner macro lens (knowing I'll probably be going to full frame soon) and a decent prime (I hear everybody talking about the Canon/Sigma 50mm 1.4 and 1.8s but no recs for Nikons - suggestions?)
- High ISO is bad. Yeah I didn't even know what ISO the camera was using when I took some of those (since the camera was still new to me). Lot of shots were done at night or under cloudy conditions in Seattle so I guess I need to just force the ISO lower and use a tripod/monopod and faster glass. Anybody have a link to a thread about how to set up better studio lighting than using the one SB800 Speedflash I have on the camera's hotshoe?
- The pics submitted have LCV. Yeah I saw all the posts in the newbie area. Sunsets, while they look cool, are a dime a dozen. I've looked through Shutterstock and Dreamstime top sellers and can see all those business pics and vectors. I don't think I have the skills/time to do vectors or 3D. I'll pick up tabletop isolated shots - if nothing other than to improve my skills and wow myself. Nothing like a close-up macro of strawberry glistening to wow the wife haha.
I guess I need to learn how to use CS5. I have no idea how to even begin to improve the colors on the green sands beach pic. I personally believe that is a nice pic (even if not done correctly) - where else on earth do you see green sand?
As for the hydrangeas - well I know everybody says all the easy ones have been done already. Well the few hydrangea ones that sell a lot on Shutterstock are altered wallpapers. The most popular realistic blue or white hydrangeas pics look worse than my pics (or at least to my untrained eye). I figured mine were better. I've seen several people say if you see an image you know you can shoot better or change creatively go for it. So that was my thinking with the hydrangeas.
I live in Los Angeles so there's enough stuff for me to shoot - I just need to find the time (and money) to shoot it