Thoughts on my Photography?

[Lewiscpullan]

Hi I was wondering if some of you could judge some of my photos as I am only 14 and I would to know what I could improve on and see what you liked about my photos. 

http://mediawomble.myfreesites.net/gallery

 

Also it would be great if you could tell me what you think of my YouTube channels to. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoaaSYGz5gezP0Ieg9B2yhA

https://www.youtube.com/user/carstudios1

 

Thanks, Lewis

[Mantis21]

I don't know a whole lot about photography, but it looks great to me. 

I just watched your bose sound link review and it was good, just don't let your music overpower your voice. I see a lot of YouTubers use music for visuals and either turn it way down when they are talking or cut it off. The quality of sound is good though. 

Again I don't know much about filming either, but I think you can get a handheld stabilizer for recording cars and stuff (reduce bounciness).  

[Lewiscpullan]

19 minutes ago, Mantis21 said:

I don't know a whole lot about photography, but it looks great to me. 

I just watched your bose sound link review and it was good, just don't let your music overpower your voice. I see a lot of YouTubers use music for visuals and either turn it way down when they are talking or cut it off. The quality of sound is good though. 

Again I don't know much about filming either, but I think you can get a handheld stabilizer for recording cars and stuff (reduce bounciness).  

Yeah I know my friends often complain about that so I am saving up for one now.

Thanks a lot for the tips

[ALwin]

39 minutes ago, Lewiscpullan said:

Hi I was wondering if some of you could judge some of my photos

 

Remember, you asked for this.  Here are my comments regarding your photos:

• I'm certain you don't have an actual tilt shift lens or a lensbaby, so likely you are recreating the miniature effect in PS.  Don't!  It doesn't work with your photos.
• What parts of NYC did you photograph that makes any of the buildings or neighborhoods interesting?
• People take photos of their pets with their phones and overshare them on social media, so what's so special about your dog?
• Oh goodie, you managed to take a photo of someone riding a motorcycle... from behind.  And he's right in the middle of the frame.  I don't even want to look at the horizon which isn't level.
• Another sunset photo... there's like tons of them on Google Images already.  And again this horizon, you don't know how to hold the camera level?  Maybe you should get a tripod and bubble level for the camera.
• Looks like any of the thousands of cars on the streets. Oh, a green car... I guess you are practicing Photoshop?
• Wow, there's just so much blue sky, you can't even tell that there is a moon.
• I guess the bird must be camera shy to be looking away, or just doesn't want his/her photo taken.  You really shouldn't intrude on their privacy.
• OK the kittens' photo looks cute... only because I love cats.
• Hmm, looks like the alley where someone tried to mug me with a knife once and I kicked his arse.  I can't tell, all alleys look the same to me, especially from these angles.  Or maybe it's Diagon Alley and you didn't notice any of the hidden magical crafts shops?
• Are you 100% certain that's a photo of Chester cathedral?  Maybe it's the famous Notre Dame in Paris.
• Backlit leaves... how interesting. Not!
• Congratulations, you learned how to look out the window with a camera.  I wouldn't have known you were looking out of a watch tower without your description.  I guess this photo is one of the many exceptions where a photo does NOT speak a thousand words.
• The B&W pier photo looks nice, but man you need to think about off-centering.

 

OK as for your videos, I took a look at one and it was enough.  I don't mind the camera shake or the fact that you shot it in 50p.  But do something about the colors and contrast.  It looks so bland.

 

[Lewiscpullan]

9 minutes ago, ALwin said:

 

 

Remember, you asked for this.  Here are my comments regarding your photos:

• I'm certain you don't have an actual tilt shift lens or a lensbaby, so likely you are recreating the miniature effect in PS.  Don't!  It doesn't work with your photos.
• What parts of NYC did you photograph that makes any of the buildings or neighborhoods interesting?
• People take photos of their pets with their phones and overshare them on social media, so what's so special about your dog?
• Oh goodie, you managed to take a photo of someone riding a motorcycle... from behind.  And he's right in the middle of the frame.  I don't even want to look at the horizon which isn't level.
• Another sunset photo... there's like tons of them on Google Images already.  And again this horizon, you don't know how to hold the camera level?  Maybe you should get a tripod and bubble level for the camera.
• Looks like any of the thousands of cars on the streets. Oh, a green car... I guess you are practicing Photoshop?
• Wow, there's just so much blue sky, you can't even tell that there is a moon.
• I guess the bird must be camera shy to be looking away, or just doesn't want his/her photo taken.  You really shouldn't intrude on their privacy.
• OK the kittens' photo looks cute... only because I love cats.
• Hmm, looks like the alley where someone tried to mug me with a knife once and I kicked his arse.  I can't tell, all alleys look the same to me, especially from these angles.  Or maybe it's Diagon Alley and you didn't notice any of the hidden magical crafts shops?
• Are you 100% certain that's a photo of Chester cathedral?  Maybe it's the famous Notre Dame in Paris.
• Backlit leaves... how interesting. Not!
• Congratulations, you learned how to look out the window with a camera.  I wouldn't have known you were looking out of a watch tower without your description.  I guess this photo is one of the many exceptions where a photo does NOT speak a thousand words.
• The B&W pier photo looks nice, but man you need to think about off-centering.

 

OK as for your videos, I took a look at one and it was enough.  I don't mind the camera shake or the fact that you shot it in 50p.  But do something about the colors and contrast.  It looks so bland.

 

Well thanks for that it was really helpful... Although next time you review someones work try to add positive comments to as that way they know what there doing right. But thanks a lot (even if some weren't that helpful).

 

Thanks, Lewis

[ALwin]

25 minutes ago, Lewiscpullan said:

try to add positive comments

I would, if there were anything positive to say about any of the photos.  I can recommend you some books on photography you should read.

• Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision by David duChemin

• Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Stronger Images by David duChemin

• The Visual Toolbox: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs by David duChemin

• The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

• Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash by Joe McNally

• The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets from One of the World's Top Shooters by Joe McNally

• The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes by Joe McNally

• National Geographic 125 Years: Legendary Photographs, Adventures, and Discoveries That Changed the World by Mark Collins Jenkins

• National Geographic The Covers: Iconic Photographs, Unforgettable Stories by Mark Collins Jenkins

• The Bang-Bang Club, movie tie-in: Snapshots From a Hidden War by Greg Marinovich (also watch the movie, it's very good)

• Unreasonable Behaviour: An Autobiography by Don McCullin

• The Camera, The Print and The Negative by Ansel Adams (these are three separate books)

• Vivian Maier: Street Photographer by Vivian Maier and John Maloof

Also take inspiration from the works of photographers, like:

• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Kevin Carter (a member of the Bang Bang Club)
• Vivian Maier
• Sebastião Salgado
• Nick Brandt
• Dorothea Lange
• to name a few.  Look online for photos they've taken, buy published photography books containing their works. Learn from them.

[Lewiscpullan]

1 hour ago, ALwin said:

I would, if there were anything positive to say about any of the photos.  I can recommend you some books on photography you should read.

• Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision by David duChemin

• Photographically Speaking: A Deeper Look at Creating Stronger Images by David duChemin

• The Visual Toolbox: 60 Lessons for Stronger Photographs by David duChemin

• The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman

• Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash by Joe McNally

• The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets from One of the World's Top Shooters by Joe McNally

• The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes by Joe McNally

• National Geographic 125 Years: Legendary Photographs, Adventures, and Discoveries That Changed the World by Mark Collins Jenkins

• National Geographic The Covers: Iconic Photographs, Unforgettable Stories by Mark Collins Jenkins

• The Bang-Bang Club, movie tie-in: Snapshots From a Hidden War by Greg Marinovich (also watch the movie, it's very good)

• Unreasonable Behaviour: An Autobiography by Don McCullin

• The Camera, The Print and The Negative by Ansel Adams (these are three separate books)

• Vivian Maier: Street Photographer by Vivian Maier and John Maloof

Also take inspiration from the works of photographers, like:

• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Kevin Carter (a member of the Bang Bang Club)
• Vivian Maier
• Sebastião Salgado
• Nick Brandt
• Dorothea Lange
• to name a few.  Look online for photos they've taken, buy published photography books containing their works. Learn from them.

Wow... Ok I wasn't expecting you to be that harsh. But ok I will try some of those books. Do you have a site that you upload your photos/videos to as I would love to have a look at them.

[ALwin]

1 hour ago, Lewiscpullan said:

Wow... Ok I wasn't expecting you to be that harsh. But ok I will try some of those books. Do you have a site that you upload your photos/videos to as I would love to have a look at them.

I tend to put my stuff on Flickr, when I have the time.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/a-lwin/

[vanished]

You could watch DigitalRev TV on YouTube.  Some of their videos are basically just pointing out some of the common/overused photography techniques/stereotypes.  It's a good watch for anyone, since it's also just a good comedy

[ALwin]

1 hour ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

You could watch DigitalRev TV on YouTube

DigitelRev is funny and does teach some nice things to beginners.  However it doesn't teach someone how to think like a photographer.  This takes experience and studying what elements well known photos have and photographers do.

 

Addendum:

Photography is the art of visual story telling.  The image a photographer takes should stimulate the imagination of the viewer, in most cases¹.  Photos taken by journalists are telling the story of what is happening at/to the location/people in the photo.  Travel photographers are sharing the culture and history of the places they visit to the audience back home.

 

A photo should provoke some sort of emotional response in the viewer.  It can be anger, outrage, humor, whimsy, nostalgia, sadness, love, hate, peace, serenity, etc. but it should provoke an emotion.

 

If you have to write an entire essay to explain the story that your photo contains... your photo is weak.  That doesn't mean you cannot provide a description, but it should be minimal.  The photo should be doing most of the work.

 

Go look at some of your favorite photos, think about what makes them your favorite.  Here's one of my favorite photos that stimulates the imagination and provokes quite a bit of humor.

 

Tennis Girl by Martin Elliot

 

Here's another photo that provokes a strong emotional response. It represents everything that is fucking wrong with this world.  Every time governments, NGOs, international organizations, human rights groups, etc. pat themselves on the back and celebrate that they've taken a tiny step forward, I think about this photo and want to scream at them.

 

Or even one of my own photos, taken of children who are not able to fully enjoy the happiness of being a child.  What people in developed countries take for granted, those in developing countries can only dream about.  So yes, when people ask me to judge their photos, I am harsh for a reason.

 

These days, the only reason I have for visiting a book shop is to browse photography books.  I look through them to see the works of people who have published their photos, see if any of them contain something new or if they interest me enough to make it worth buying.

 

Forget buying books like the two I list below, the don't really help a beginner grow.

• Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera

• Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography

You don't need a bunch of similar books, you don't even need such books when your camera manual contains information that explains how ISO, F-stops and aperture, shutter speeds, flash sync speeds, etc. work.  Of course those books explain it better, but the knowledge is available for free on the internet.

 

1. There are some cases where the photo is not intended to tell a story, but to document something.  Some event photography is just recording memories, the stories they tell are only relevant to the subjects in the photo (e.g. a lot of wedding photography).  But of course there are some exceptional wedding photos that invokes the viewer's imagination into creating a story.

 

Of the OP's photos, this one (and the only one) that interests me.  These two kittens look like they are planning something.  All the other photos... sure they have a story, but they are completely weak and boring stories.

[Bsmith]

I agree a lot on what @ALwin says(note, the tennis "girl" is rumoured to be a guy, not sure)

most photo's need to tell or show something, try to find a subject and show the story behind it, if it doesn't tell a story or cover anything, then it has to be perfect or show something that makes it interesting or shows something normal in a new or artful way and even then it has to be near perfect, this mostly count towards product and model photography.

I admit that it is hard to keep that in mind when you are starting out, but be harsh for yourself and DO NOT share everything you shoot, only what you deem worthy enough.

I have one picture in particular for what this goes if you ask me.

What's "wrong" here.

1) the subject, the focus is centred on the leaves and looks sharp, but is not drawing my attention, the building behind actually is, since it's also in focus.

2) the watermark, okey I understand the will to protect your shots, but you need to find balance between something good looking and creative, but that doesn't draw attention or makes the subject hard to see.

3)focus, changing your focus can do a lot, currently both the leaves AND the church, making me wonder what the actual subject is here.

 

I admit that I picked a shot where I could give a lot or critic, but I  could do the same with shots of my own that I did share, because the "perfect" picture that has no mistakes and that everyone likes.

So a small list of tips from me.

1. keep trying and don't give up.
2. share your shots in places where other photographers/artists will see them and give feedback, like flickr.^A
3. don't be afraid to try something new, it can go badly or incredibly well.
4. Don't focus too soon on selling your content, create a network and contacts first, avoid being a sell out.^B
5. get your name out, contradicting what I said earlier, don't be afraid to share something you doubt of yourself, it can pack out amazingly well or just fail going around.^C
6. never sheer critic or critics, they seem harsh but are a source of points you can improve.
7. stock up knowledge, idea's and experience.
8. know your gear.
9. getting known takes time, ALOT.
10. challenge yourself and seek up the limit of your gear through challenges or picture sharing.
11. going quickly viral only requires the right shot/video to be shared/seen by the right people and is nearly impossible, so patience is key.

A) you might want to take a look here if you plan on joining flickr.

B) Might be a bit baised opinion, but I watched some video's and he is more about selling sometimes then about the content he covers himself. acts like he makes no mistakes, makes everything seem easy.

C) personal examples, based on views and what I heard about them directly.

[Chrisokane]

The best advice I can give it a try and see the constructive side of the harsh comments. 
Your photos aren't bad for a relative beginner.
Try to shoot in Manual mode take and your time, think about the composition.

Photograph everything and keep trying.