Some photos, critque requested
 

Hey all, i'm relatively new to the forums, but I love photography. Here are my three favorites of mine.

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2...1025rv5.th.png

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7...3210qu0.th.png

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2...1025ml8.th.png

I try to work with B+W more because i think there's more room for error. Critique is encouraged, and consider all of these photos works in progress. I would love to hear what you all think!

Since you're looking for crits :), my first issue with them is that they are all a bit lacking in contrast. This could just be the quality of the scans, and is quite easily fixed in some photo editing software. It shouldn't require too much tweaking.

The first one has a nice concept behind it, but I think the composition could be better. The horizon cuts the photo almost in half, and the horizontal position of the dogs makes me wonder if they were meant to be centered, or if you just couldn't decide where to place them. Perhaps that would be fine if the vertical angle of the photo were slightly different, as in if you had tilted it down slightly, or kneedled behind the animals. The only other thing about the photos is that the dogs are slightly cut off at the bottom, I would have liked to see a bit more of the wooden deck to pad them into the image. As it is, I focus more on the other elements of the image than the dogs, and it makes me wonder what the intended subject was.

The second image is moody and lonely, but there's not much else to speak of. I like the hint of tall grass in the foreground, and the cloud bank on the other side of the lake. The horizon is well-placed in this photo.

The last one I probably like the best, because it's relatively abstract but has a nice visual texture to it. Again, it's lacking in contrast, but that seems to bother me a bit less than with the other images. The depth of focus is also nice in this photo. I like how the jumble of yarn is in focus, and the surrounding blanket, which has a tidy pattern, is unfocused. It's almost a commentary on how it's the negative, unruly, irregular things that stand out the most.

Nice work, I hope to see more!

Thanks so much for the thoughtful reply. I agree with you on the contrast, but these were taken with a camera whose lightmeter was broken and were not developed by me, so I was unable to mess with them. I also haven't gotten around to the usualy fooling around in photoshop. Thanks for the thoughts on my first picture. I didn't really apply the rule of thirds to it, and i wasn't putting too much thought into the composition, but I did like the concept (i love my puppies:p )

Just to add more photos to this thread, I am posting a picture that I took while traveling in the British Virgin Islands. The photo itself I liked, but what i'm really proud of is what I've been able to do with it in Photoshop. Again, critique is encouraged.

Thanks again for your comments bermuDa!

Original:
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/8606/p1010891nl1.jpg

Final:
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3...boatconir6.png

bump

Gilligan's island anyone?

I really like the picture with the dog. I think it was well-timed as well as an interesting pose for the little guy.

As far as black and white goes, I tend to agree with you. However, have you considered trying certain filters on some of these pictures? I'm a fan of using black and white except for a certain feature of a person/object/whatever. For example, a picture of a flower with one of the petals shown in bright colors.

Overall, I like your pictures, you have a good eye.

The lack of contrast works in the second picture-gives it a dreamy appearance.
The first one could just be cropped a bit off the top-not too much to cut that sky effect, though.
I agree with Bermuda-the third one is a great textural piece, but needs a little more contrasting.
I like the boat photo; its clarity all the way through is good(something I still struggle with in perspectives) and you didn't make the common error of centering and sacrificing the scenery and other details as a result.(too many 'center' the largest object before considering its surroundings)
Nice work!