Don't consider it doom and gloom, Cakey, just part of the learning process. Not every photo you take will be a 'winner'. The joy is in the trying. The fun is in the finding. The pleasure is in the photograph. At the end of the day the photo is yours to do with what you will. When you give it to us it becomes ours to do with what we will. But who is to say any of us have the same thing in mind that you do?
As you learn the skills you will want to apply and please others. That 'sells' photos. You will also find a path to your own imagery. It may not please everyone but if it pleases you then you have achieved your purpose. There are many conventions in photography and they change with the times. You'll probably try them all at some time or other. Then you will find your own 'eye' and something new will appear. It may not win prizes or receive critical aclaim on this blog but it will put a smile on your face, even if you never show it to anyone else.
Improvementcomes with time, practice, experimenting, watching, copying, studying, and maturing as a photographer. Take on what is said here as encouragement. Thats what criticism is. It only seems harsh because we thought differently about the photo and we tell you what we think.
Just tell us to **** off and get on with learning. We're just a bunch of old grumpies anyway.
Cheers
Tom


_D301123 by tom.dinning, on Flickr

I agree with what Tom has said, but would like to add, sometimes a certain subject or scene before you may not always be easy to capture in a universally pleasing way.

Try not to take things as personal attack, be open to everyones comments & thoughts, they are only trying to help with an honest view. If we all just say "nice shot" then it all becomes pointless.

We all share a love for photography so lets help each other, I know I take some rubbish shots at times, I hope you and the rest of the forum would be honest, tell me so

Hey Cakey - it's certainly not doom and gloom as you've picked up on a fab subject here.

Tom - The joy is in the trying. The fun is in the finding. The pleasure is in the photograph. Even for an Aussie - you should patent those words. Your cricket team could use a coach

It's hard to be subjective after so many comments but for what it's worth....there is a huge bright halo of stones that I suspect were included in the brightening of the boat. Composition wise it's also a bit central and squashed at the bottom.

The difficult bit (as requested) is knowing how to suggest how you could have got a better shot.......

For what it's worth I'd have got in closer, perhaps also lower with a wider lens and put more of an angle on the boat. I'd have also tried to get something slap bang in the foreground to add some depth.

Anyway - enough twaddle.......what are you doing posting BLUE ?

Sugar Daddy Chelski and Sugar Daddy Shitty (that's a speach impediment) shouldn't be getting themselves over the two greatest RED teams.

Cakey accept criticism gracefully and understand that not everyone likes the same thing.
Yes you might think it is a fantastic photo in your eyes but others may well see things differently.

The photo is ok as far as I can see but there is nothing spectacular about it.

My tip of the day

What I would say is sometimes over editing can ruin a picture so something to be aware of

Bazza

cheers Tom ,Ken and Phil
dont worry about me ,I have far more important things going on in my life than to get upset over a picture
all I was pushing for was why ?
wrong processing ,wrong angle ,wrong light ,should of binned it or shouldnt of taken it in the first place ?

this is straight out of the camera (embedded jpeg)
pouring with rain ,stuck with the angle as the wooden post are the boundry of a car park



then I put it through CS5 using the histogram taking out the kids and a few dust bunnies but still not happy with it



then I was trying out a new plug in for CS5 called Topaz which has a single photo HDR which I loved compared to the other two pictures which is the one I posted .

and as you can see even the one straight out of the camera has lightening of the pebbles ,not something I done but something the hdr has highlighted more.

cheers Bazza like I said Id rather some one say its crap rather than nice one Cakey but Id still like to know why

Cakey
In the control panel next to your name there is a section with this in it. As you havn't ticked these boxes you won't get the answer why your looking for.

Look at settings and options
edit options
and find


C&C Ok?Are you happy for other members to offer critiques on your posted images?
YesNo C&C Ok?:

Bazza

they all ready have hahahahahaha
but lets not worry about it ,lets call it marmite

Hi cakey.
My wife's family don't like me talking to Liverpool supporters so I'll be quick.
The original shot has a nice bit of human interest instead of being just a shot of a boat. That might be worth working with. The weather is grim - as always. That might be worth playing with as well. I know you said this is just a shot but there's a bit you can store in your head for the next time. Instead of looking for objects to photograph, look for thinks happening around objects. See if you can find an angle that brings all the lements together. Here I see a beached boat, kids on the sand, a dramatic stormy sky and an uly sea. If I asked you to write me a story with those things in it what could you come up with?
Do the same with the photo.
Easy peazy!

I don't want to get into this controversy! But I want to say my piece and rest on it...you have turned a ordinary photo into a pretty good colored pencil drawing..not a easy thing and you did it very well...photos don't have to stay looking like photos..not to me.
Now I see the original photo I wonder why you cut so much of the interesting stuff off....the kids and all make the photo tell a story and I like that.
No gloom and doom in this photo for me...I just favor the photo as taken over the artist rendition of it. Thanks for using it to start a very interesting thread...I learn something too...even at 76, I enjoy learning...Shirley