Pictures with my new D40 56K Warning

[Friskaburger]

Hey guys, I just recently bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D40 (the noob DSLR haha), and here are a few shots that I took with it. I went in with photoshop and basically did some auto levels and color as well as sharpen. This is pretty much the first time I've used photoshop and it's a pretty daunting program! I really don't know what i'm doing, and I'd really like to get some input and maybe some suggestions! Thanks guys.

 

[killagoby]

Great shots man. How much did that camera run you?

 

[Friskaburger]

Thanks! it was around 550 with shipping and tax.

 

[Mache62]

wow! your first time huh? nice shots! I love that tang shot!

 

[Friskaburger]

Haha yeah I'm avoiding the work from my summer semester and instead reading up on photoshop online and looking at articles here haha. It's always easier to figure out programs when you have something that you should be doing instead!

 

[killagoby]

Nice man. Gotta get me a DSLR.

 

[edwing206]

Those shots are great! That goby is nice. What kind is it?
Also what lens are you using?

 

[djc1026]

I believe it's a pink spotted watchman.

Dave

 

[Lpabsolute]

Sweet Pics

 

[Friskaburger]

Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah it's a pink spotted watchman goby. Behaves basically like a YWG but when I got him, he was pretty large. He was in my 55g which I unfortunately had to take down. He now resides in my friend's 125 gallon tank now.

I'm using the kit lens the 18-55mm that comes with the D40. I hear it's not too bad of a lens for a kit lens. I hope to one day get myself a nice macro prime, but at the moment the camera itself was a stretch!

Can anyone give me some criticism or insight? I'd like to improve my picture taking if i can!

 

[Jeff]

Very nice pics
Post some more please.

 

[VoidRaven]

I call bull! With shots like that there ain't no way you're a noob!

Welcome to the DSLR world! If you'll just fill out this form here....sign here, here, and twice here....all of your paychecks will now be directly sent to www.bhphotovideo.com to make things simpler

Hope you're enjoying the new camera. Did you go with the D40 or D40x?

 

[bigfish52]

I agree, can't be a noob, as those shots are too nice! I've tried Photoshop and see how it could take forever to master.

Beautiful shots, we'd love to see more!

 

[Friskaburger]

Haha wow thanks guys!

VoidRaven: I have the D40. The D40x was just coming out when I was looking to buy, and alot of people said the extra megapixels didn't warrant the large price difference between the two. I'm pretty happy with my purchase.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Pictures look great! The first and last pictures are next to flawless IMO. Personally, I would use PS (photoshop) to remove the green thing infront of the Goby. Use the Stamp/Clone tool, or try and retake it if you can. On the first, the Seio is kinda distracting in the Background. That one's a pretty easy fix as well. On both pictures, use the same tool and get rid of the little lines left by the bubbles/floating things in the water that show up on the darker surfaces. Just my critisizm though.

Oh, look at this too for some photoshop stuff:
good-tutorials.com

You can also use google and just type Photoshop tutorials. Look at things like the unsharp mask too if you haven't already.

Hope this helps! Great Job again!

 

[Friskaburger]

awesome thanks! yeah those two things were also bothering me and I was wondering how I could tackle that! I'll look into it, thanks again for the links to the tutorials!

 

[Snowboarda42]

Here's my quick try at the first one:

Before:

After:

I used the clone stamp tool and added a little more color, comparing your photo to the actual anthias in my tank, getting the colors as close as I could. Might look different on your monitor though.

 

[Friskaburger]

very awesome! i wish I could compare them to the actual anthias but they reside in my friend's tank back home in california. I'm in boston now =( Clone stamp is the technique you used to get rid of the Seio?

 

[Snowboarda42]

Second Pic:

Before:

After:

 

[Snowboarda42]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10086927#post10086927 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Friskaburger
very awesome! i wish I could compare them to the actual anthias but they reside in my friend's tank back home in california. I'm in boston now =( Clone stamp is the technique you used to get rid of the Seio?

Yup. It looks like a stamp on your toolbar. All you do is press and hold alt + click a point where you want the texture and color to have clone, release alt, and click where you want it to appear. Play around with it a little bit. If theres any more you want me to mess with, PM/Email them to me and I'll do it and tell you what and how to do it. Snowboarda42@hotmail.com