My FIRST post in Photography Group (yikes!)--Comments much appreciated!

[Whoa_Nelly]

This is my first posting in the Photography Group. Comments and critiques would be much appreciated. I would love to hone my photography skills.

These two photos are from last weekend while visiting the CA central coast.

Thanks!
Nelly

Peeking Pup




Bright Cove

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Welcome, WhoaNelly...

:hi: I really like that little dog. I think the California coastline is so beautiful. I used to live down there myself in Marin County, and we make trips back pretty often. I love the way it smells.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. It's a seal pup :-)

It's a very relaxing place to hang out all the way 'round. I try to make it over the hills from the central valley to spend time there every couple of months.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Oh, wow, I wouldn't have guessed.

That makes it even cuter. Is it one of those seals that hangs out around San Simeon. Here's one of my pictures from there last May.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Love your photo!

My photo was taken off of Harford Pier at Avila Beach.

[F.Gordon]

5. Hi Nelly

Interior Designer? We have "a little" in common. ;-) And a Beatles fan? You aren't pushing "Retro" are you. :)

Very nice photos. I'm so envious of everyone round' here that lives near "large bodies of water". Hope you hang for awhile. You'll learn tons. I've gone from a horrible hack to a tolerable hack in less than a year just by what I've seen and read from all the great people here.

:hi:

[Whoa_Nelly]

6. Hi there!

And the connection re: Interior Design is....?

Just recently changed my avatar from Will Rogers (a personal friend of my grandfather), to something fun...and Beatles are ALWAYS good :)

Thanks for your response to my photos. Have been told I have a pretty good eye, but there is always more to learn :hi:

[CC]

7. Welcome to the photogroup

Whoa_Nelly. Great pics. I had to do a double take on the seal pup too. Though strange dog face then though no she is in Cali it is a seal. Love that shot and that it makes you look twice.

[Whoa_Nelly]

8. Thanks!

The seal pup was under the pier on a loading platform. Here's a photo of its flipper:

Flipper!

[okasha]

9. Absolutely adorable seal pup!

And a great, sharp portrait, too. One suggestion--I'd crop. Take off the distracting top white layer (surface of pier?) and maybe about a quarter of the width from the left. That would draw the eye immediately to the pup's face as the center of attention. (Our eyes automatically go to the lightest spot in a photo.)

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. How's this? (2 recrops)

And thanks for your input, okasha! :hi:

[okasha]

11. Great! Both crops look good.

They really draw the eye immediately to the pup's face. One more suggestion, if I may--the water is so calm and the waterline across the pylon is so straight that it looks as if the post is just hanging in the air. I'd take some off the bottom, too, just enough to shave the left bottom corner off the post. I think that would "anchor" the pylon and make the context clearer.

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. LOL the post is hanging in the ait

The post is actually a support that is horizontal and sticking out from underneath the platform the pup was on.

But I do appreciate your view :thumbsup:

How's this?

[okasha]

15. Well, drat, no wonder it looked like it was hanging in the air.

It was! :D

This is a notable improvement, but I'd still take off a taddy more, just enough to clip the corner of the horizontal support. Another possibility might be to burn it (just the corner, that is) a bit so that it blends into the dark water and the outline is lost.

Everything else looks great. The white on the pup's face draws the viewer's attention straight to his eyes. Good work!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

12. YEs, much better

good work

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. Thanks!

I like the second recrop best :)

[Cobalt Violet]

16. Nice shots.

:hi: I like the crops. I'm new here myself. It's been about a week.

[Whoa_Nelly]

17. Hey there, Cobalt Violet!

Your s/n conjures up a very pretty color!

Thanks for checking out my photos. Will look for yours in this group :hi:

[Cobalt Violet]

18. I've yet to show any of mine in the group.

I did enter the contest. I've just been checking out other peoples stuff. There is some impressive work in this group, including yours.

[Whoa_Nelly]

19. My most humble thanks

and hope to see you share yours here!

Am keeping an eye on what the Feb. contest will be....or has that already been decided?

[alkaline9]

20. very cute pup!

and I like the water photo too... it looks very refreshing, I wanna jump right in!

[mogster]

21. I really like the Peeking Pup

How inquiring ;-)

Good photos, Whoa_Nelly. If I'd suggest something; maybe straighten the horizon a bit on the Bright Cove photo?

[Whoa_Nelly]

22. Hey there, mogster!

How's this for straightening (thanks for the tip!)