Update on OU course

[Julia]

Hi,
Just finished week two of the OU course. (I am supposed to be on Week four )

For those interested, Week One was looking at the basics including the difference between what the eye sees and what the camera sees; composition - rule of thirds and choice of subject. The course includes a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and we are asked to upload our photos in there.

For the first assignment I chose to take pictures of familiar objects from above and below head height including macro and distance shots. I have uploaded a few of my attempts into my gallery.

http://dpnow.com/galleries/showgallery.php/cat/770

Comments welcome.

Julia

[peter]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Julia

Thanks for the update. This is something I would not mind having a go at so it will be good to see how you get on as the weeks go by. You say you are two weeks behind what happens if you fall to far behind.

[Julia]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Peter,
There is a CMA (computer marked assignment) due in on 18th June covering week one to six. CMAs cannot be late so I have to catch up by then. Also there is an 'end of course' assignment that has to completed by the end of the course, which is ten weeks from the 1st May. Wish me luck

Julia

[peter]

Re: Update on OU course

Thanks again for that update. Oh and good luck.

[SteveM]

Re: Update on OU course

Do you have a personal tutor? I dont know how this course is run but ones ive done before had a personal tutor that pointed out where you were going wrong etc and whom you could call for help if you were stuck.

steve.

[Julia]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Steve,

Apologies for the delay in replying. Other OU courses (Maths) I have done have personal tutors but not this one. We upload our photos on to a Website called 'Open Studio' and we are allowed to comment on other people's pictures. So far I have had some good comments, although nice are not very helpful.

This is from my latest attempts. Comments wanted.

Julia

[Pops]

Re: Update on OU course

Personally I would have been pleased to have got this shot. The composition is great as is the b/g blur but I suspect that, seeing how this is course work and subject to hard critique, there will be comments about a lack of sharpness to the wings and tail.

[Julia]

Re: Update on OU course

Thanks Pops, I was lucky - I just pointed the camera in the right direction and pressed the button. The next one was of him landing.

Julia

[coupekid]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Steve,

Apologies for the delay in replying. Other OU courses (Maths) I have done have personal tutors but not this one. We upload our photos on to a Website called 'Open Studio' and we are allowed to comment on other people's pictures. So far I have had some good comments, although nice are not very helpful.



This is from my latest attempts. Comments wanted.

Julia

Hi Julia,

Some useful information there, thanks!

As you have asked for comments, I will give them, though I am no expert!

Firstly, I know how difficult it is to get shots of these fellas, so top marks for catching him in flight!

To me, the shot looks a little over saturated, and possibly a little too contrasty.

I think I would also be tempted to do a slight crop to increase the drama.

I hope you dont think I have overstepped the mark, but I have had a fiddle to illustrate what I mean.

By the way...I do think it is a lovely capture!

Cheers,
Ben

[Ian]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Julia,

Some useful information there, thanks!

As you have asked for comments, I will give them, though I am no expert!

Firstly, I know how difficult it is to get shots of these fellas, so top marks for catching him in flight!

To me, the shot looks a little over saturated, and possibly a little too contrasty.

I think I would also be tempted to do a slight crop to increase the drama.

I hope you dont think I have overstepped the mark, but I have had a fiddle to illustrate what I mean.

By the way...I do think it is a lovely capture!

Cheers,
Ben

Hi Ben, I have seen the original frame ind it's already a major crop from the 8MP original

I was pretty impressed - Julia only had a kit lens on her camera, so this was a 90mm equivalent focal length, nothing more.

Ian

[Julia]

Re: Update on OU course

Thanks Ben,
Any comments welcome - best way to learn

Julia

[Stephen]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Steve,

Apologies for the delay in replying. Other OU courses (Maths) I have done have personal tutors but not this one. We upload our photos on to a Website called 'Open Studio' and we are allowed to comment on other people's pictures. So far I have had some good comments, although nice are not very helpful.

This is from my latest attempts. Comments wanted.

Julia

Hi Julia, I wonder if for a shot such as this where you are panning, but at the same time you want to have the bird sharp, you need a faster shutter speed. I realise a blurred background is probably desirable, but you only had 1/60th sec and it hasn't frozen the bird enough IMHO Also a little confused by the choice of exposure mode

[SteveM]

Re: Update on OU course

ok here goes.

On the good side, i like the way the heron is flying into rather than out of the picture, good position on the "third" line, good background blur.

On the bad side, the birds head is not totally sharp inthe picture im looking at, but that could be a function of jpeg compression or something, or it could be movement or lack of focus point.

The body of the bird looks to be blown out too. I have a shot of a fish eagle and whilst everything else looks good its white tail is blown out and theres nothing i can do about it and its so annoying to me, yet when i look at your pic, i notice its blown out but it doesnt detract as much as i thought it would. Maybe ill open my archive and post my eagle.

On the whole i do like this pic.

steve.

[Ian]

Re: Update on OU course

Hi Julia, I wonder if for a shot such as this where you are panning, but at the same time you want to have the bird sharp, you need a faster shutter speed. I realise a blurred background is probably desirable, but you only had 1/60th sec and it hasn't frozen the bird enough IMHO Also a little confused by the choice of exposure mode

Oh yes - a weird scene mode; probably selected by accident

Ian

[Julia]

Re: Update on OU course

thanks for all the comments. Here is the next one. I was trying out different ISO number and I think I got them the wrong way round but with a little help from Elements I think I have repaired it. Please let me know what you think and 'yes, I was that close to it'.
Julia