first time posting - anzac day 2011, perth

[Big_grant]

hey all,

this is my first time posting. im pretty new to the photography scene but was in perth over the weekend and took some photos down at the anzac day march. i don't normally do a lot of people shots, i prefer landscapes and it was my first attempt at trying some black and white images.

i was using a Nikon D90 with the 18-105mm kit lens. all shots are handheld.





always love a seagull shot

[Remorhaz]

Welcome - I quite like #2 - one suggestion for next time would be to not cut off the trailing had at the wrist (same goes for the bird shot as well probably).

[barry]

Well done for a first post.

I agree with Remorhaz about cropping too tight.

Also I find the background a bit distracting in #2. Maybe open up the lens a bit and throw the background out of focus.

Some advice I got from a local press photograher once was nail the exposure and keep the background simple.

Hope this helps.

[biggerry]

Great to see some other Anzac Day images!

Lookign at the second image there is a lot to like, I am a fan of the side profile portrait and the BW conversion here. The BW conversion has very nice blacks and crisp whites. Compositionally, as mentioned having the hand chopped of is not crash hot, however I know how you feel I have half a dozen shots where missing limbs runined the composition.

However, for this composition I think you are in 'no mans land' for lack of a better expression, too far out and not close enough. Hence I would consider cropping tighter, crop just below the medals and stick with a 6*4 ratio, this would mean the viewer is locked into the face and the medals and there is nothing else to distract, this is important since the BG is a bit busy and can compete with teh main focus points. Additionally brightening teh face and darkening the BG would also get her to stand out more.

hth and good work on your first post.

[Big_grant]

thanks for all the comments, unfortunately i didnt crop the birf or lady's hand out on purpose (i was focused up higher and cut them off )

as for the background, the lens i was using only goes down to 5.6 at 105mm, which is what i was using (definitely not enough blurring ).

i have tried cropping the one of the old lady a bit tighter and this is what i came up with:

[biggerry]

i have tried cropping the one of the old lady a bit tighter and this is what i came up with:

Alrighty, I reckon your on the right track here - however it feels too tight now, she needs a bit of space to 'look' into, this is important in my mind because there is no eye contact with the viewer.

I would back off the crop a fraction and even position her head in the right hand side of the frame.

I hear what you are saying with regard to the focus point - you really need to preset your focus point to get the head in the right position in the frame, I do this incorrectly all the time, focus point in the middle and hence I get a head right in the middle of the frame and too much space in the wrong area