Looking for some critiques

[Abraxsis]

Hi, This is my first post here in the Photography thread seeing I have only recently become interested in it. I went to college to be a Psychologist earning a PSY degree and a SOC degree before graduating. I decided to take some time off and kinda just fell into a job at a toy company. I started developing toys and doing graphic design/imaging and realized that artistic/creative endeavours were my life. I generally only post my shots for my friends, but I have been told by a professional photographer that I have "the eye" (somehow I feel that is a completely subjective comment, lol) and that I just needed to learn some more of the basics. So I've decided to post my personal site here to hopefully get some feedback on my work thus far. The images there represent what I feel are my best shots over the 5 months that I have been actively shooting on a regular basis. Constructive critisism is always welcome.

http://www.abraxsisdesign.com/Photography/photocontents.htm

FYI: All images on the site were done with a Powershot A620 7.1 MP digicam. Im hoping to upgrade to a Canon 400D/EOS XTi DSLR in the near future, just depends on how my skill increases.

 

[mcmadhatter]

I love the airport and florida skys as well as the golden wave they are lovely images. personally I feel that some of the portraits loose something as the background is in focus as opposed to the subject. I would recommend the upgrade to a DSLR, it'll help you improve, I know I noticed a difference after several months of using my 350D.

 

[Abraxsis]

I love the airport and florida skys as well as the golden wave they are lovely images. personally I feel that some of the portraits loose something as the background is in focus as opposed to the subject. I would recommend the upgrade to a DSLR, it'll help you improve, I know I noticed a difference after several months of using my 350D.

Thanks for the feedback. Those images you commented on are actually supposed to look that way. My artistic take on it is that a portrait should be just that, a "freeze frame" in times, but IMO a standard portrait rarely has any depth or character. Even if the photographer is EXCELLENT, there is still something cold and lifeless about them. So clean and crisp, like Im packaging something sterile. When the subject is slightly out of focus, and the background is sharp and clear I feel it not only give the image some temporal movement, but some mystery and added depth. But that's just my take on it and I find I have a tendency to over think these things, lol. Ill keep it in mind, perhaps compromise in the middle where the subject isn't SO out of focus? Just a slight blur to give the right feel to the image.

 

[beavo451]

Thanks for the feedback. Those images you commented on are actually supposed to look that way. My artistic take on it is that a portrait should be just that, a "freeze frame" in times, but IMO a standard portrait rarely has any depth or character. Even if the photographer is EXCELLENT, there is still something cold and lifeless about them. So clean and crisp, like Im packaging something sterile. When the subject is slightly out of focus, and the background is sharp and clear I feel it not only give the image some temporal movement, but some mystery and added depth. But that's just my take on it and I find I have a tendency to over think these things, lol. Ill keep it in mind, perhaps compromise in the middle where the subject isn't SO out of focus? Just a slight blur to give the right feel to the image.

You have a good eye, but the OOF (out-of-focus) portraits do not work for me at all. Maybe if the composition was stronger, but it would be difficult to make an OOF subject interesting. Right now, it just looks like you messed up taking somebody's picture.

To add mystery and depth, control your lighting.

 

[John T]

...............Constructive critisism is always welcome.......

Interesting pictures for a beginner - well done!

However, not wishing to be "picky" I think the intro on your site could do with a bit of correction! You state: " ...I believe that Art isn't something that cant be taught and that everything in this world in interpeted within the eyes of the beholder...." etc.

Did you mean to say "...I believe that Art is something that can't be taught and that everything in this world is interpreted within the eyes of the beholder.... Constructive criticism, however, is always welcome"

 

[ChrisA]

Just one comment: Don't use Flash. Keep it simple, plain old html works fine.
OK you can use Flash but please make a link to a non-flash based alternate site.

I can't see any of the images.

 

[Yakamoto]

Overall, very nice set of shots. I even like some of the oof ones, I know I shouldn't for technical reasons, but artisticly they work. You seem to have a good eye for composition, my only critique would be to not center the horizon on your landscape shots.

 

[Abraxsis]

Just one comment: Don't use Flash. Keep it simple, plain old html works fine.
OK you can use Flash but please make a link to a non-flash based alternate site.

I can't see any of the images.

Sorry about that. I try to check to ensure that my site is loadable, even by older standards. I'll def. throw up an HTML interface as soon as I can.

 

[Abraxsis]

Just one comment: Don't use Flash. Keep it simple, plain old html works fine.
OK you can use Flash but please make a link to a non-flash based alternate site.

I can't see any of the images.

OK, I put up an HTML version.

 

[ChrisA]

OK, I put up an HTML version.

Thanks.

I like some of the work. Some things I don't like are 1) portraits except for the little girl. But I still think people or at least ther eyes need to be sharp. 2) I don't like symetry. The "rule of thirds" really does work most of the time.

I do like abstract photos. but most would work better if cropped to put the major elements off center.

I think you have the technical stuff down. Maybe study art books and the work of the masters to go farther.

I will reserve judgement on the B&W photos untill I get my monitor calibrated but as I see it on my screen now they all lack pure whites and pure blacks, they are mostly middle grays. Could be a monitor adjustment thing

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

Your story seems familiar.

I received my BA in psychology in 2005, after 5 years of studying in it. Never planned on being a psychologist, but I did enjoy the learning process associated with the field of understanding people. After a year as a post-bach student studying mainly theater, I started working on my MFA in photography. This is the current stage of my life.

Given your background, I would really dig from those textbooks on Freud and Pavlov, behavioral psychology and coping mechanisms, etc etc, and see how you can utilize that understanding in your photography. Case in point, I'm currently working on a project that embodies the defense mechanisms. What can you pull from undergrad that can be approached in your photos?

You have good composition in your photos. Color still needs work in some, particularly of the portrait of the man in the room. His skin seems way too harsh inside of those conditions. The blurred portrait idea is interesting, though still a bit lacking in execution. If life is a movement, and this is represented by an out of focus face, then wouldn't the background have the same issues going on? What if you shot it all with a small aperture to increase depth of field? Our eyes take in everything sharply, though we have to look directly at something to gather this. Only with one eye closed do we "blur" the background when looking at something.

Keep doing it. Maybe take an intro to photography course in a local college. It's a great learning experience and helps you mainly just to think more about photography. In my experience, no teacher tells me HOW to shoot something, only that I have a REASON behind my shooting, whatever it is. Either premeditated or after the fact. Even if it's because you liked the arrangement of a stack of chairs. Whatever it might be...

Have fun with it!

 

[Abstract]

I like the "Grandma" photo even though she's out of focus. It has a nice feel to it. However, I don't like the other two OOF photos.

Oh, you should try increasing the contrast of the "Grandma" photo. I think it'd help.

I also like "Golden Wave", "Sunrise outside My Office", "Hwy 192" and even the photo of the "Old House", which is simple but still done very well.