[ksnyder]

Hi. I took this picture and I realize much of it was out of my control. It is unedited except the size reduced. What do you think? How would you edit a picture like this?

The second picture I took with a phone cam. Thank you for your opinions.

[StudioJ]

They're both very impressive, especially the latter coming from a phone cam. I love seagulls

Oh and before I forget, welcome to Shuttertalk, I hope you enjoy your stay here!

[shuttertalk]

Hi ksnyder! Welcome to shuttertalk!

What an awesome first post... you really like to make first impressions, don't you?

I like the bird picture particularly - lovely perspective and love the golden colour.

The photo of the rings - maybe looking through the rings might give a better effect?

Nice anyway...

[Don Schaeffer]

Hi ksnyder:

Welcome to this budding forum. Ilove the birds but can't see the whole photo--apparently some of the right side disappears off my screen. Would you mind putting a 640 X 480 version up. I like the compositin of the phone canera photo, but not the lack of sharpness.

--Don

[shuttertalk]

Hi Don.. the images are 640x480

I've resized them a bit smaller for you though! ksnyder, I hope you don't mind

[Polly]

Yay! Seriously nice pix!

Polly

[Rufus]

Greetings!

[slejhamer]

Nice! Welcome!

[dewy]

Very nice photos, what kind of camera do you have that quality of that Phonecamera pictures is very nice =)

[adam]

nice!
The birds one is super! how did you get that? amazing...

All those birds flying reminds me of today, two seagulls screaming like crazy taking turns swooping down on the ducklings which were hiding behind the mother duck.

nice pictures! Wow

[Toad]

K:

Love the composition of the second one. That is exactly why I want a camers phone - not because I think the quality of lens and resolution will be anything to rave about - but because you might get those occasional great shots that you would misss otherwise - as for improving them - that is why the Lord gave us Photoshop.

The first one is great too - I realize that taking pictures of birds in the air is as much happenstance as anything else - but nature smiled on you that day.

Welcome to Shuttertalk!

[ksnyder]

Thank you all for your comments. The camera I used for the bird picture is a Canon s30. The cell phone pic was a Motorola v710, 1.3 meg.

The bird pic was taken at the Santa Monica Pier in California. A huge storm was moving in. I got in as close as possible to a gull pirched on a handrail at the pier. I tipped the camera and took a number of pics trying to place the dark storm clouds behind the white gull as much as possible. The seagulls in the background may have though I had food. The storm made for some interesting lighting conditions. I got a number of great shots that day.

[de_axeman]

Hi ksnyder - I have a CanonS30 too, though I doubt I use it as much (and as well) as you do. I like the bird picture - when I first saw I thought you were flying up there with them...

[dewy]

K:

Love the composition of the second one. That is exactly why I want a camers phone - not because I think the quality of lens and resolution will be anything to rave about - but because you might get those occasional great shots that you would misss otherwise - as for improving them - that is why the Lord gave us Photoshop.

The first one is great too - I realize that taking pictures of birds in the air is as much happenstance as anything else - but nature smiled on you that day.

Welcome to Shuttertalk!

you mean there is a god?
* dewy preys to god, eer Adobe =P... not to bust me for piracy lol

[jericho]

Great to see a new face.. with pics in hand!

Looking forward to 100s more.

[Petographer]

Welcome to the forum. I really like that 2nd shot. So far the best composed photo I've seen from a phone cam. Maybe clone out the person walking. I find him/her distracting. I want to focus on the rings. Sharpen the firsy rings a touch with an unsharp mask.

[Cailean]

Sharpen the firsy rings a touch with an unsharp mask.

Nagging question:
Why is it called 'unsharp' mask if it sharpens? Shouldn't a tool called called 'unsharp' make things unsharp?!

[Petographer]

Not really too sure. The unsharp mask doesn't sharpen the whole image. Maybe that is why. I'm sure a more knowledgable person will give you an answer.

[potplant]

oh, i always thought unsharp = blur! gotta rread manual again

[potplant]

oh, i always thought unsharp = blur! gotta rread manual again

[Toad]

Unsharp is named that way because there is a classic and long standing misunderstanding between the terms "sharpness" and "sharpening". Sharp means in-focus with a good lens - sharpening is an software algorithm for finding and highlighting edges - which has the side effect of causing visual artifacts.

But frankly, Phil Askley says it all way better than I can. Check it out...

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary...ing_01.htm

The term "unsharpening" was originally coined because they wanted to have you believe that the new sharpening algorithm reduced the artifacts associated with sharpening - and was therefore much superior (which it is).

It is still very confusing terminology.

Toad

[ksnyder]

Petographer, Thank you. The rings were a bit over my head so it was hard to see the LCD. Also, I had just gotten the phone cam and didn't notice the sensor was very tilted, the original needed to be rotated and cropped before posting. I tried your suggestions, they are much appreciated.

[guerito]

Hmm... Personally, I liked it better with the person walking. I find it a little empty now. Actually the person was were I could rest my eyes when I was tired of staring at the first ring.

But then, this is only me and I never was good at appreciating modern art.

Really, is there anybody else feeling like me about some pieces of art? The day before yesterday I've been in a hospital. They had paintings hanging there, probably showing the works of a local painter. To me, they looked like painted by a three year old, then scratched and trampled on, left out in the rain for two weeks and finally dried again. I wouldn't want any of them in my living room even if I were paid for hanging them.

So, ksnyder, don't take my opinion too seriously!

[Cailean]

then scratched and trampled on, left out in the rain for two weeks and finally dried again.

Ever notice how artists can look that way too?

[Toad]

I prefer the person in the photo as well.