I'd love advice on these shots. I think they were some of the best from this location so it would really help if I could hear how to improve them. Specifically with adjusting ISO, Aperture, or shutter speed.


I really like this shot but I'm not sure if it's too dark. How could the lighting be better?

1.


I felt like this had a lot of potential because of the splash of blue and the amount of stuff on the floor but I don't really love how it turned out. How could I make it better?
2.

I couldn't figure out the most interesting way to frame the room and get my friend in it. I like how this shot turned out but I think it definitely could be better.
3.


I'm shooting with a Nikon d3100

The only two that bother me are the last two. I feel like the second is a bit high...? But, it also is leading into the door frame as much as the floor towards the end. It's weird, hard to pinpoint what's off to me in that one. Though, if it were mine, I'd have cropped the distracting blue/white door thing out on the left.

The last one doesn't seem to be straight. I try to use the most prominent line to base a straight edge off of if I bork it in camera.

Honestly, I like the first one. I don't think it is too dark at all. If possible, I would have turned the highlights down a tad more in the windows. I realize that would make it a bit darker in the hallway, but I think it would come across nicer. The first is a good shot, very similar to something I would take.

I'm always a huge fan of dark photography as long as you can still make out the details of the main subject(s). So that being said, I love the exposures you've gotten.

Two biggest things that jump out to me:

- Pay close attention to centering your composition. I can see what you're trying to do with the hallways shots especially, and you got REALLY close to perfect centering...but they feel very very slightly unbalanced still due to the photos not being taken from the exact center of the halls (look at how the ceiling's lines are slightly off from center). The second shot got it almost right, but it feels a little off kilter since the lines in the door at the far end of the hall aren't straight up and down.

- It seems like the second shot was taken from a standing position, and because of that there is a very slight downward lilt to its framing. Hallway shots are always more effective from the perspective of the first shot; you got the vertical positioning of the camera exactly right for that one.

I would say the third and final shot is not as strong as the other two because of the vantage point the picture was taken from and the off-balance crop of the photo. Places with lots of lines like that auditorium has look much better when you either follow them very closely with your framing, or deliberately go against them. This shot feels more like a quick candid exposure on the go, whereas the other two feel far better composed. I personally would not include it in a set, but if you feel strongly about it, I'd bring up the brightness on this one just a tad, and perhaps brighten up the person on the left of the frame just a little bit to draw the eye to him.

Excellent locations and good work! Keep it up.

Posted by xAxKx I'm always a huge fan of dark photography as long as you can still make out the details of the main subject(s). So that being said, I love the exposures you've gotten. Two biggest things that jump out to me: - Pay close attention to centering your composition. I can see what you're trying to do with the hallways shots especially, and you got REALLY close to perfect centering...but they feel very very slightly unbalanced still due to the photos not being taken from the exact center of the halls (look at how the ceiling's lines are slightly off from center). The second shot got it almost right, but it feels a little off kilter since the lines in the door at the far end of the hall aren't straight up and down. - It seems like the second shot was taken from a standing position, and because of that there is a very slight downward lilt to its framing. Hallway shots are always more effective from the perspective of the first shot; you got the vertical positioning of the camera exactly right for that one. I would say the third and final shot is not as strong as the other two because of the vantage point the picture was taken from and the off-balance crop of the photo. Places with lots of lines like that auditorium has look much better when you either follow them very closely with your framing, or deliberately go against them. This shot feels more like a quick candid exposure on the go, whereas the other two feel far better composed. I personally would not include it in a set, but if you feel strongly about it, I'd bring up the brightness on this one just a tad, and perhaps brighten up the person on the left of the frame just a little bit to draw the eye to him. Excellent locations and good work! Keep it up.

^ This x2. The framing instantly struck me as "off" in the last two photos for the reasons outlined in the previous posts.

I agree with turning down the highlighting in the first photo; I find those windows at the end to be a bit distracting.

Personally, I would have upped the level of the blacks themselves, and maybe framed the shot a few steps back from where you were to capture the light coming in through the doorway on the left, to try and get an effect similar to this:



Note that my photo is slightly too dark, unfortunately due to the environment I was shooting in (all windows covered in boards with very little light; the photo was a 90 second exposure that was heavily tweaked in post). That said, you can see the "highlight" effect from the doorways, with the dark areas in between.

For the last one, I would have put your friend sitting on the edge and to the side of the stage thing, and taken the shot facing the stage, with it centered. If that explanation makes any sense. Straight-on shots with an accent following the rule of thirds can really make for a great photo.

The first one is definitely my favorite as well, but I would take either a step forward to conceal the doorway on the right or back to include it in the shot.
My biggest advice to you is to work on your framing. A few inches here and there works wonders for making the shot feel complete. Honestly with a little straightening out the last picture would be something I would love to have hanging on my wall. All in all very good work
Cheers!

You are on the right path...here is what I personally do to resolve issues the other posters have mentioned:

1) Symmetrical shots: I look down at where I am standing in the hallway or look up at the overhead lights to get a sense of where I should be to nail the shot. If needed I use post production to refine the framing.

2) Distracting foreground items: In picture #1 I would take half a step forward to cut the door frame. In #2 I would move my position in the hallway and possibly close the door slightly to lower the light impact. This can also be adjusted in post production to ensure the viewer is drawn to the center subject.

Overall picture #1 is the strongest of the three. Keep at it!