Improving existing photos/annoying thread

[AppleMatt]

Hi,

I've recently been taking an interest in improving my photography. This has come partly from reading online guides and magazines, but more from looking at 'good' photos and trying to decide what makes them good. I'm never going to be anywhere near a pro, but I don't like the complete 'facebook/holiday' look most of them have now.

But, I'm at a loss as to what to do with the existing photos I've already taken. I've been playing around trying to make them look better but, to be frank, I really don't know what I'm doing. At all.

I just read a thread about making home-made movies look more professional and (contrary to my expectations), the advice was to reduce contrast. I've played around with faces (trying to blur the background a bit and crop it to bring the face 'closer') and some diving photos (the colour is completely shot at depth, I don't know how to get it back but I've had a stab at improving the composition)

Can anyone offer some advice on how to improve my already-taken photos, or at least point me to some reputable online guides.

Please, no flames, it's really basic stuff I'm after and most threads are 'histogram this, white balance that' .

AppleMatt

 

[AppleMatt]

Not necessarily my 'best work', but probably the best example of how I've aimlessly hacked around.

 

[toxic]

Can anyone offer some advice on how to improve my already-taken photos, or at least point me to some reputable online guides.

First of all, I dunno any online guides. With that out of the way, learn about composition. I recommend the book The Photographer's Eye by Michael Freeman. Ask some artist friends for tips or critiques. Once you know something about composition, you can possibly crop your existing photos to conform to those rules.

Other than that, I guess you can use gaussian blur to simulate a shallow depth of field.

 

[shady825]

If your photos are in RAW format you could use a program such as Apple's Aperture 2, to recover highlights, adjust exposure and things of that nature.
You can download a free 30 day trial. It really is a great program! I would recommend it to anyone! Even if your photos are not in RAW you can still make some adjustments to them with Aperture. If you have any questions about it feel free to ask.

 

[AppleMatt]

Thank-you to both (and I mean that sincerely). They're not in RAW format, unfortunately. I'll definitely look into the book - composition is my first stumbling block I think.

(no-more uploads, I'm sure I've given the idea. The other half isn't allowing me to upload a 'demonstration' picture of her)

AppleMatt

 

[wheelhot]

This is what my uncle whom is a photographer tells me:

"Read books is important, but having more experience in taking photos is more important and as you continue taking photos, so as your skills will improve"

So yeah, some of the photos you taken might not look like a pro now, but dont let it bring you down, keep on taking those shots, even if it might be the same object, sometime because of the lighting, it will make that shot taken at that certain time look much better then your previous ones. So dont think "oh, I took a shot at that place already, I dont need to take it again" cause sometime, like I mention, (esp. in landscapes), lighting or weather can give a whole lot difference in the pictures.