Improve Me...

[chittalr]

Hi,
I am still in my diapers with DSLR.... n this is the very first one I took with the new camera. I don't know how I did. I don't know what I need to do!!!!!! Long story short.... need coaching.......
P.S. I am new to the forum as well; correct me if I posted at a wrong place!

[Mad Aussie]

Welcome to ph.ca Chittalr

This is exactly the right place for your photo and questions. Good on you for jumping right in!

Just looking at your EXIF data to get an idea of what you did ...

Camera Model: NIKON D90
Focal Length: 60mm
Aperture: f/4.8
Exposure Time: (1/30)
ISO equiv: 560
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (Auto)

Firstly, the overall exposure is quite good. Her face is quite bright even though no flash was used.
You used only 1/30th shutter speed which is very low and may account for a slight lack of sharpness. Usually we don't go under about 1/60th when shooting people if possible to reduce the chance of movement and blur.

I guess it must have been darker there than the photo really suggests as an ISO 560, f4.8 and 1/30th are all sensitive light settings. The low fstop was a good choice to blur that background a bit to isolate the subject.

Composition wise I think there's more you could have done. Ask yourself now, when looking at this photo, what is IN the photo that doesn't help to make the girl look better or make her be THE subject?
You'll see things like cars and street that really don't add anything here at all other than bright spots and other distractions.
Now imagine leaving her where she is but swinging your camera to the left a little so she is on the right side of the frame. With luck we'd see the fence still come from that lower left and lead our eyes to the girl and the dark, green tree would fill the background and provide a strong contrast to her skin tone and that bright pink outfit.
The right composiiton is as much about what you exclude from the photo as it is what you leave in.

Hope that gives you something to work on

[Bambi]

I can add nothing to what MA said, except that I might have put a bit more of her body in the frame. But I did want to say welcome

[Iguanasan]

Mad Aussie has summed it up very well! I too will simply add a "Welcome to the forum!" message and let MA's critique stand for itself. That's a fair bit of info to take in all at once.

[Marko]

Welcome to the forum chittalar and excellent critique MA.

I'll add what i always add....if the subject has eyes, that's where the focus should be sharpest.
Always focus on the eyes! If your autofocus won't focus on the eye, then dump the autofocus and go manual.
Unless you are going for a special effect, if the eyes are too blurry, it's game over and the photo becomes a souvenir photo.

[chittalr]

Thanks guys, Will try to take and post another one after the suggested changes..