Okay, here it goes.

[Mutley]

I've been lurking in this group for awhile, but I've never posted a pic because... well lets be honest, because I'm :scared:

A few people encouraged me to post some pics here and said you guys would be nice and all. So, be honest, but in a nice way.

Here they are, in honor of this month's photo contest theme:





I have a not really expensive HP digital camera, and I know nothing about taking pictures with it that wasn't in the manual. So, how are they?

on edit: proofreading is your friend.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I like 'em...

...especially the sunset, which is my favorite thing to take pictures of. (Or is it a sunrise? Whatever.) Also, I'm like you -- everything I know, I learned in the manual. :)

[Mutley]

2. at least I'm not the only one!

And thanks. That was a sunset... I never get up in time for sunrises.

[ConsAreLiars]

3. They look like you enjoy photography as art..

You might play with cropping the bird pic to place it off center, maybe more toward the upper left quadrant, or try all 8 directions, and see what difference these compositional options make. (Keep the ratio of the rectangle at 2:3 so you are replicating the kinds of framing options you had while shooting, assuming a bit longer telephoto maybe.

On the sunset you might have included a bit more terrain at the bottom.

A great advantage of digital is that it makes experimentation easier.

[TahitiNut]

4. Good observation, imho. I'd leave room in the direction the bird is facing

That way, the framing ties to the subject, methinks. :shrug:

[Mutley]

5. I do enjoy photography as art actually.

I like to get pictures that will turn out looking a bit unusual. I thought the same thing about the bird pic, but wasn't sure if i was "right".

And as far as the sunset pic goes, would that still apply if the "terrain" is a grocery store? Lol, 'cause it is. I was at work and this was the only angle I could get the shot without leaving my post.

[ConsAreLiars]

9. Put a parking lot or a grocery cart or a roof outline in it and see

what happens. Might be a fun contrast. Get the reflection off a chrome bumper. ???

[Mutley]

12. Is this any better?

It's not the same scene. This pic was taken in front of my house a few days ago.



I almost felt like there was too much foreground in this one. But the rest were too blurry.

[RagingInMiami]

6. A sunset photo will always be stronger with something in the foreground

Whether it be a tree, a shoreline, a house or whatever.

Welcome to the DU group.

[Mutley]

13. Thanks!

It's so nice to be welcomed. :blush:

[Longgrain]

7. What great stuff mutley, I'm just an amateur digital photobug myself

But that hasn't deterred me from posting around the group. You can learn a lot from these guys, so stick around.

[Mutley]

14. You're an amateur?

Wow, your pictures, and especially your paintings that I've seen are amazing.

on edit: proofreading is your friend.

[ET Awful]

8. I really like that first pic :)

It has a very abstract feel thanks to the silhouette. Almost feels like something you'd see as a movie poster for a Hitchcock film or something :)

The second one is nice too, but that first one is just . . . cool :)

[Mutley]

15. That bird pic was one of the first pictures I took with this camera

when I really knew nothing at all about taking pictures. I hadn't even read the manual at that point. It's one of my favorites out of the hundreds that I've taken since.

[superconnected]

10. ah, someone who sees the clouds.

So many people don't see them. I'm always happy to look at clouds.

The bird pic is wonderful. It's like an ink painting.

[ConsAreLiars]

11. The Seattle area has clouds galore and glorious clouds

Not those silly little puffy things - every imaginable kind and shape and color and power - and still more that no one other than a sci-fi illustrator could imagine. The routes I travel most frequently have many great views, and the changing sky is always a major part of the experience. Sometimes it is the whole of it. Numinous, and all that.

(Edit to add: Thanks to mutley_r_us for posting that pic. It's the kind of sky that reminds us of such experiences.)

[Mutley]

17. You're welcome!

I wanna see these types of clouds! I didn't take this picture.. someone posted it in the lounge yesterday.



I don't know what's up with these clouds but they leave me speechless!

[Mutley]

16. I have tons of cloud pics

I've always loved weather so clouds are one of the things I focus on. The others seem to be trees and cool looking buildings in my city. I posted a pretty nice pic of a storm brewing in the weather group if anyone is interested.