Sutton Coldfield Park - 10 Image Set

[Anton17]

Got lost today several times by simply walking towards where the sky was good and seeing what the land brought me.

I came home and viewed the shots I'd taken and felt utterly defeated. I know I'm very inexperienced but I'm doing something wrong pretty badly and was about ready to throw the camera and myself into the trash. The unprocessed RAW images I get are so lackluster... everything from losing focus to blown skies (overcast trap), not being in the zone and just a bad, bad day.

This has been my first weekend with my 40D and looking at everyone's photos here it really puts perspective on how good you all are at what you do. I am determined to get there, even though this has been a real gutter day, so all comments and criticisms would really be taken on board.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

 

[Anton17]

7)

8)

9)

10)

 

[Dave W]

We all have our off days but I think you're being a little harsh on yourself.

It's a nice and varied set with some good composition, you obviously have an eye for a shot so keep your head up.

 

[Anton17]

Cheers, Dave. I'm not giving up yet.

 

[Karlos]

I live about 2 miles from the park and have always found it hard to get a good photo there, it's just too familiar for me to find interesting if that makes sense

but I think you've done really well, especially with numbers 4 and 5

 

[timbo46]

Well I enjoyed looking at them They bought back some happy memories of going there most weekends with my grandad, that was when you had to pay to get in and it still looks the same. He used to lift me up to look at the trains over that bridge

 

[Anton17]

I live about 2 miles from the park and have always found it hard to get a good photo there, it's just too familiar for me to find interesting if that makes sense

but I think you've done really well, especially with numbers 4 and 5

Thanks, Karl. I spent so much time walking because I knew in terms of composition there just wasn't anything of particular interest. It's hard since when you're there on these vast fields, almost plains, you want to capture it but can't. There was also the fact that 3/4s of the sky were overcast mesh and I wasn't about to try and shoot into it.

It was a hard experience but hopefully I can learn from it and progress. Cheers for the comments.

Well I enjoyed looking at them They bought back some happy memories of going there most weekends with my grandad, that was when you had to pay to get in and it still looks the same. He used to lift me up to look at the trains over that bridge

Thanks, Tim. I was taken there a lot as a child, too, also with my grandparents and I used to love the walks. You still have to pay to get in. It took me the best part of 5 minutes standing by the railway track wondering whether I should try the shot seen in number 5 since I didn't know if the tracks were active - then I couldn't remember which line was active and which was ground. :shrug:

I like the shot so it was worth the risk... of death.

 

[Ian D J]

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself as I thought that was a pleasent collection of photos. Okay, I think perhaps the sky on that day wasn't exactly inspiring but you did well considering what you had to work with.
Out of the collection I do have a favourite and that is the railway line one. I thought that has a lot of interest, especially where it "kinks" in the mid-distance.
Like what others have said, we all have our off days. Heck, I have plenty of those myself!

 

[Anton17]

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself as I thought that was a pleasent collection of photos. Okay, I think perhaps the sky on that day wasn't exactly inspiring but you did well considering what you had to work with.
Out of the collection I do have a favourite and that is the railway line one. I thought that has a lot of interest, especially where it "kinks" in the mid-distance.
Like what others have said, we all have our off days. Heck, I have plenty of those myself!

Thanks for the words, Ian. The clouds were awful to work with in some shots but it's a good lesson for it. I think I should try and explore some other forms of photography since landscape limits me to where I can go and what the weather is like on the composition for a good shot.

I wasn't sure about trying the train track but it seems to have worked. I'll try some more moody shots in the future.

 

[TheTimeChamber]

I like number 4 best