# Critique is recommended



## Adventuringtheoutdoors (Feb 25, 2015)

Hey guys, as some of you may know im a novice to photography and I highly recommend any critique you may have good or bad on some of the shots i recently took of some sandpipers. I have a thick skin and really just want to get better so please send them my way, no hard feelings. Thanks in advanced!

Christopher Warden
Nikon D3200


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## dieselengine9 (Feb 26, 2015)

Those are good captures.  I'm not good enough at taking pictures to offer critique; I'm more of an encourager and I like that others here are as well.  It makes this subforum really nice.


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## Uptonongood (Feb 26, 2015)

I like your photos.  Your second photo is good, there is a technique where you center the bird to the side of the view finder on the opposite side of the direction it's looking.  In other words, the bird should be on the left side of the photo, the space gives it "room to fly".  Am I explaining that in a way that makes any sense?

I'd cut, crop and zoom the second photo for more of a closeup.  Reviewing the first one again, I crop around the three subject birds, and zoom on it, too.


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## wvdawg (Feb 26, 2015)

You are getting some good bird shots.  To me, the first one looks slightly out of focus on the birds (perhaps focus was on the clump in front) and could be better cropped.  I really like #2 - the only thing I might do in post processing is a slight crop as mentioned (rule of thirds) and a slight levels adjustment to boost the colors.   You are doing great!


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## Adventuringtheoutdoors (Feb 26, 2015)

@Uptonongood, yes that does make sense. I know what you mean by the room to fly because when they eventually took off I had half shots with them.

As far as all of these photos, none have been edited or cropped. I do need to start editing these photos. Any suggestions on what is best to use for photos?

@wvdawg, as far as focusing, what I have been doing is trying to use manual and I will snap as many shots as I can, I will notice many do become out of focus. Figuring out the manual option on the camera, will that come with experience or should I just let the camera do the work for me and use Auto Focus?

Thanks guys for some of the critiques! 

Christopher Warden
Nikon D3200


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## FERAL ONE (Feb 27, 2015)

i shoot manual control, but not manual focus. i do move the focus point around a lot but still let the camera auto focus.  color wise i think they would benefit with a boost in saturation and a boost in blacks on the levels for some seperation.


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## wvdawg (Feb 27, 2015)

Adventuringtheoutdoors said:


> @Uptonongood, yes that does make sense. I know what
> 
> @wvdawg, as far as focusing, what I have been doing is trying to use manual and I will snap as many shots as I can, I will notice many do become out of focus. Figuring out the manual option on the camera, will that come with experience or should I just let the camera do the work for me and use Auto Focus?



I use auto focus whenever possible, unless I am intentionally trying to manipulate an OOF area in the shot.
I use Photoshop Elements for post process, but there are many good options out there.


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## Lonestar (Mar 7, 2015)

A lower f-stop would serve to isolate the bird(s) from the grass.


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## Smokey (Mar 11, 2015)

Always keep the rule of thirds in mind. I learned it from some of the guru's here.
http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/


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## GAJoe (Mar 15, 2015)

Great advice above. I shoot Canon and don't know the options Nikon bodies offer. Can your camera do what Canon shooters call "back button focus"? That is you have a different button than the shutter button set to trigger the auto-focus. With a busy foreground it is best to use a single focus point and this option to get focus and then when you trigger the shutter button it will not automatically refocus on something in the foreground. You can get a good focus then recompose the shot using rule of thirds if you want and as long as the subject is the same distance away you maintain focus. The goal is usually to have a sharp focus on the eye closest to you if you can.
Enjoy your new hobby,
Joe


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## Sea dawg1978 (Mar 17, 2015)

The back button focus you are referring to is just a focus lock, im sure that Nikon has an equivalent.


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