Basic Photography Class Photos: Week 1

Each week of my photography class, each student brings in 5 pictures and during the last half of class, we discuss them. Each week I will post here the pictures that I submited as well as the comments they received.

Our first assignment was to bring in our 5 best pictures. Well, I really don't have 5 "best" pictures yet. Since I have had my camera I haven't taken a lot of pictures for a couple of reasons, 1) I don't really know how to use all of the fancy things my camera can do (hence the class) and 2) I haven't had a whole lot of time. When I do take pictures, I have tried to do more complicated things than just looking at composition. I had a photography class in high school and feel I have a pretty good grasp on composition. Anyway all this to say I knew all of the pictures I submitted weren't really "best" quality. I was really only confident in two of my pictures.

PHOTO ONE

I took this picture while I was in Arizona over Christmas. I had never attempted a silhouette shot so thought I would give it a shot.
Teacher comment: It's nice. Just a silhouette. (My take was he wasn't very impressed)

PHOTO TWO

I took this picture when I was in Central Park this summer. I really don't think it was that great of a photograph but it was one of the first pictures I took on my own (without Michael's help) in which the foreground was in focus and the background was not.
Teacher response: Eh.

PHOTO THREE

This is another photo I took while I was in Arizona over Christmas. I took it because I liked the way the grasses overlapped the water.
Teacher comment: Not a good subject.

Now for the only two photos I have that deserve a "best" label. These were the two I was confident about.

PHOTO FOUR

I shot this in Times Square. I love this picture, but I can't really take a lot of credit for it. Yes I did press the button but Michael set everything up so it would look like this. But still, it is my picture so it is one of my BEST. Hopefully I will learn how to repeat this picture without any help!
Teacher comment: This is a very nice shot. Excellent composition.

PHOTO FIVE

I took this picture in a waterfront park in New Jersey. This is what I consider my BEST picture because I did it completely on my own.
Teacher comment: Pefect composition. Excellent. Very well done.

Next week our assignment is to submit 5 photos that use the rule of thirds. I better get shooting!