my son took this with his cell phone

[Kali]

I think it is fantastic. I don't know if it has been "enhanced" or manipulated but I would love to get some feedback on it!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I think he did a lovely job, my dear Kali!

I love the colors and the composition.

I would encourage him, if I were you!

[Kali]

16. thanks!

he has been encouraged! I am going to show him this thread as well.

[libodem]

2. Really nice

I would buy a print like that. Sweeeeet.

[Kali]

17. I may try to print it.

good idea, thanks!

[Hoppy]

3. How tall is he? Did he get the 'elevation angle' as a conscious choice?

If so, particularly a great shot since he put extra effort and awareness into it.


The second row of plants detracts. (I don't expect him or anyone else to go chopping the plants but moving to the left might have improved the photo.

What does he like about it? What would he change?

I am not trying to be negatively critical on this. But you asked and these are things he needs to consider. Not necessarily now, but certainly some time.

All in all, nice photo. Relaxing, and good that he recognized the beauty in the sunset colors.

From here: The iPhone is great for beginning photography and maybe there is no need to go beyond it. I started with the iPhone 2 and worked my way up to the Nikon D800. (The D800 has 24 dials and buttons. I know how to use 5 of those but it got me to where I want to be. I am now selling stuff.) I have even sold photos I took with the iPhone 2.

Maybe the next step is to ask him or suggest places where the two of you can go to look for photographic landscape subjects. There are iPhone photography websites. Maybe he can get ideas there.

Its a long road but that is the best part of it. I have been concentrating on photography since 2008. Before that, the usual stuff... picture of family dog chasing the family cat...Neither of the bastids would pose long enuf for a good shot. But the fun of it is with the question I asked above and other similar ones.

I am handicapped with the photography angle in that I was born blind in one eye. (Yeah, I know. A half blind professional photographer. I should have taken up ukulele instead.)

But my growth and fun comes when I get home and display a days effort on the computer screen. Then I can ask myself. what is good about it? What would have made it better?... and so forth.

I will sometimes look at a landscape and drive 50 miles the next day to re-do it or wait for better sunlight or whatever i think will improve it.

I have about 4,000 photos on the computer and backed up (make sure he does this.) Of those, maybe 30 or 40 make me happy. 5 of those are such that several people have purchased copies.

I am 71 years old and retired with a pension and I don't need the money from selling the photos. The sales do nothing more than pay for gas.

The joy for me comes when I have an hour or two at the end of a day and I have spent enuf time with D.U., gmail and such and maybe return to the photos on the computer. There are always one or two photos that I took maybe last week or two years ago and just glanced at them when I first copied them to the computer. I look at those again and say, "Damn, that was actually good."

If your son continues with photography, that is what I wish for him. Even if he never sells a photo, I hope he can look at a photo that he took some time ago and say, "Damn, that's good."

I hope this helps.


H

[Kali]

18. hmmm

He is under 6 foot. I am not even sure of the exact location of these rocks. I think it is across the interstate as he has been working on some fence over there, but from the shadow it looks like it is evening (view is to the east or south east).

Which plants are you calling the second row? the tall spindly things (ocotillos in leaf)? or the woody branches to the left? I like both sets of ocotillo, they are kind of what strikes me with the boulders.

I am not sure what he likes about it, I haven't had a chance to talk to him. I stole it off of facebook LOL. Not even sure what his phone is, some android I think. His grandfather did soem pro photography and he has an aunt that has done some academic/pro photo work in archeology.

Ha I have a family story about ukeleles. It involves clueless Russians and a spoiled daughter. Crazy last minute shopping, handling in airports/planes and then finding a much better one closer to home.

Thanks for your comments, I am going to show him this thread.

[Hoppy]

34. The ocotillos.

I haven't had opportunity to spend time in western states, except Calif. so I don't know the names of plants.

My first ambition when I get free time is to go to Texas and photograph Blue Bonnets.

[ReRe]

36. Ahhh...

I love Blue Bonnets! I tried my hand in the garden a few years back with Blue Bonnets. They are the most darling plant with a delicate blue and white flower unlike any other.

[enough]

4. Aside from beautiful colors and shapes, I like how the scale could be

miniscule or vast, and how it could be desert or underwater.

[angstlessk]

9. my point too..could be stones or could be boulders

which makes it an excellent photo

[Kali]

19. ah, that might be it!

it does look like it could almost be underwater!

[dickthegrouch]

5. Republicans awaiting a vote on ENDA

Can I suggest a title?

[Kali]

20. hmmmm

that reminds me. I need to call the county repuke party and ask them to remove the campain signs up by my gate. I am not supporting any opposed repukes. I did have a state treasurer sign up for the primary, but there were no Dems running and he lost so I already took that down.

[Crewleader]

6. A terrific shot Kali

your son has an eye for good photography!

[Kali]

21. thanks!

I am kind of thinking he does indeed.

(was there just some warp thing here at DU? pages would not load)

[Crewleader]

28. something went funny then...

I got disconnected...site too busy when trying to get back. Now I'm back!

[Kali]

31. it seemed like other sites were OK

at least the one I checked. LOL

[Crewleader]

32. LOL....:-)

We're OK now...

[handmade34]

7. ...

[Kali]

22. thanks!

[Mira]

8. Love the dimensionality

Excellent placement of the objects in the shot. You're right to be proud of it

[Kali]

23. thanks

I don't trust myself but I do like it a lot.

[ChazInAz]

10. That's why I love living in Arizona!

Sometimes, especially around rains, the light and colors take on this beautiful, subdued effect. It's almost ethereal.
Was this taken during our recent rains?

[Kali]

24. the light this time of year!

oh man!

[Dont call me Shirley]

11. Love those Ocotillos, beautiful pic. Looks like southeastern NM

[Kali]

25. close

SE AZ. thanks!

[Dont call me Shirley]

41. Love Bisbee in the autumn.

[Leith]

12. Beautiful!

That looks like fire coming up over the ridge. Or is it part of the sunset?

[Kali]

26. it is looking east and I am pretty sure it is later in the day

so it is sunset reflected off rain or virga.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Very nice.

[Kali]

27. thanks!

[chervilant]

14. Excellent composition and framing.

Follows the rule of thirds. Imagine what he might do with a good camera!

[Kali]

29. I know right?

of course I want a good camera first.

[chervilant]

40. Maybe you could share?

I know, I know, you'd probably see that camera once in a blue moon!

[matt819]

15. Beautiful photo

He's got a good eye.

[Kali]

30. thanks,

I am going to show him this thread.

[Hoppy]

33. One more question, what is his age?

[Lunabell]

35. Beautiful

Thank you for sharing.

[ReRe]

37. Yip...

...there's a photographer inside that young man. Would be a great print with southwest interior design. Encourage him!

[Hoppy]

38. A bit more to ad..

Cell phone cameras are excellent universal purpose cameras. But those cameras have limits.

They distort on some scenes. For instance, in landscapes, you might see utility poles bending toward center of the scene. That is not good if the utility poles are used to give a sense of a vast, open space.

Cell phones cannot be adjusted for light. You can tamper with the computer, but not the camera.

But all-in-all, they are the best. Light to carry. Always there.

[hunter]

39. It's lovely.

Ocotillos are marvelous, especially when they are growing new leaves and dancing about in the rainy season. You live in a very beautiful place.

All electronic cameras, especially cell phone and inexpensive digital cameras, "enhance" the image in some ways, compensating for exposure, contrast, white balance, etc... It's only the expensive cameras that can record the raw digital image as it's detected by the sensor.

The quality of my own photography is inversely proportional to the quality of my cameras. The more settings I have, the more I tend to over-think things. I'm also more likely to have an inexpensive camera with me whenever I see something I'd like to photograph.

I can also be clumsy and forgetful. I hate dropping an expensive camera into the ocean, or leaving one out someplace where it gets stolen. Misadventures like that have happened more times than I care to admit.