A place to start

[maccas0001]

Here is my very first photo to share.

This is the best shot of a recent trip away with my 1st DSLR. Took a few from here and deleted most, I liked this one for composition.

There are other good shots of people, and kids, but I don't feel comfortable posting them with out their permission.

I have not done any post processing, as I don't know how. That will come a little later after I understand the camera a little better.



Right now the learning curve is like climbing a cliff face and most important I am enjoying it

Macca

[biggerry]

climbing a cliff face and most important I am enjoying it

top stuff, thats the most important part - enjoying it!

Looks like a nice location, somewhere up in the hills behind/north of taree i assume?

You have some stunning photography locations close by up there at Old Bar...looking forward to seeing them!

[rflower]

Well done. A good start. It looks like a nice spot to go to.

Some suggestions if I may

I am not sure of your photography knowledge or background, so if I mention something that you already know, I apologise in advance .

Read up on the internet (this site has a wealth of information by itself), about the aperture and shutter speeds and how they affect photography. Play with the different settings on your camera, with a view of moving away from the automatic mode, and into Shutter Priority (TV on Canons I think), Aperture priority (AV) or even Manual (M). Things like this allow you to take control of your photos, and what is in focus etc, and less relience on the camera deciding what it is taking a photo of.

The log in the foreground seems to dominate the scene a bit. I think this is because it is so big (around 1/3 of the vertical height), the left hand side is a bit brighter than the rest of the image and it looks like your focus has locked onto the cuts / grain of the log in the middle towards the bottom, so that section looks sharper and draws my eye away from the rest of the image.

I would have liked to see the focus more on the 4wds in the centre of the frame. Maybe the aperture could have been decreased (which would have given a greater depth of field in focus - from front to rear)

I would look at cropping the image by removing from the bottom of the image to just under dark black shadow near the middle of the log to the join with the little tree on the left hand side

Hope this helps
Have fun with your new camera, play lots and take lots of photos (digital film is cheap). Post your results up for comments here and you will learn heaps.

[surenj]

Welcome and hope you enjoy your stay! Keep em coming.

[maccas0001]

Thanks for the responses,

biggerry, that campsite is a private camp ground at Friday's Creek, Coffs Harbour. Good facitilies and plenty of room.

rflower, had a look at info, taken with camera set at Av, 18mm, f8, 1/200sec & ISO-100. Thought the aperture would be enough but have to use more as you pointed out the foreground is all that is in focus. Played with the crop and see what you mean. Please keep the advice coming as my knowledge is very limited.

surenj, I will do my best

Macca

[rflower]

Thanks for the responses,

rflower, had a look at info, taken with camera set at Av, 18mm, f8, 1/200sec & ISO-100. Thought the aperture would be enough but have to use more as you pointed out the foreground is all that is in focus.
Macca

Also look at the auto focus control points. I shoot with Nikon (but I assume the Canon cameras are the same). My camera has a number of focus selection points, that can be used singularly or in multiples to set the actual point that is in focus for pictures taken. Depending on settings chosen in the camera, these points can be set manually (IE I choose what the picture is of), or automagically by the camera, and then the camera decides what is in focus for the pictures taken.

I am not sure what focus mode you were using, but perhaps your focus selection has locked onto the bottom, and since the log is so close to you physically, is why it appears a lot sharper then the items in the mid and background?