Hey pdxflint, I think this photo is fantastic, and I have to disagree with ryan1524 that the reflection and the way you framed it take away from the photo. On the contrary, I think it is the only way to convey the meaning that you did.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Photo Critique (March)
- Thread starter brendanryder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Hey pdxflint, I think this photo is fantastic, and I have to disagree with ryan1524 that the reflection and the way you framed it take away from the photo. On the contrary, I think it is the only way to convey the meaning that you did.
Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, I admit the second one is plainer, but I just love how the colours spread across the spectrum, in that one.
@fett - I love the black and white. You made a relatively dull object pop out, the detail is nicely brought out by the B/W contrast.
Here's another one of mine from that night at the campsite.
@fett - I love the black and white. You made a relatively dull object pop out, the detail is nicely brought out by the B/W contrast.
Here's another one of mine from that night at the campsite.
Hey pdxflint, I think this photo is fantastic, and I have to disagree with ryan1524 that the reflection and the way you framed it take away from the photo. On the contrary, I think it is the only way to convey the meaning that you did.
He was one of several interesting characters I encountered who added to the diversity of a rapidly gentrifying area of town.
To me this photo is about the way that people cope with rapid changes in the areas they live in and the human brightspots, those ever interesting people, that maintain their identity and individualism in the face of increasingly homogenous landscapes, typified by starbucks, brownstone condo like buildings like in the reflection, etc.
I wouldn't have immediately come to this conclusion had you not said that last bit about the diversity in a rapidly gentrifying are, but i would've gotten there eventually.
Visually it is very interesting, with many exquisite and meaningful details for the eye to focus on. Your subject has wonderful body language and expression that helps convey your theme. Exposure and development seem spot on, nice and contrasty. I can't find too much that i would change so overall, 4/5
Thanks for the in-depth feedback. The appeal to me is the same as you described, but since I had many photos to choose from for this project, this one didn't get chosen and I just wanted to see if it might have worked. So far, 1 against and 1 for...
First, I hope it isn't your car...
This shot does a good job of expressing the despair of urban blight. The apartment complex appears unoccupied, but the photo is suggestive of how the blighted neighborhood might look even if folks were living there. The ironic sign in the trunk of the rusted out car seems to be saying "walk, since driving's out of the question," or telling a story of total disregard for the original intent of the sign cautioning drivers about pedestrians crossing the street. Perhaps this car collected a pedestrian or two along the way, and was ditched.
In the end since you mentioned New Orleans it becomes clear that the floods decimated the area, and this is some of the lingering detrius of the human condition in this neglected area of our country. There is a somewhat humorous ironic tone to the shot, but the underlying story is grim. Good shot, nice eye to notice this. As far as photographic aesthetics go, it's fairly basic, but that's reality and the picture works for me. 3.25/5
There's an almost surreal feel to this picture. Did you punch up the colours or was that wall so amazingly bright blue that it threw off the metering in your camera? LOL. Interesting to contrast the guy's expression with all the bright colour around him. It looks almost as if he;s unhappy to be forced in that environment - even his shirt seems to glow.
@superted666 - Interesting idea, but i think you should've diffused the light a little bit. the strong shadows make for a nice dark mood, but it feels forced. If you tone down the light. and have some faint detail on the dark side, I think that'd give the photo an even more ominous feel.
First of all; pardon my English, its not my native language...
@OCBC - I love signs, they are so cool... But if i was you i would have worked to clean up the setting a little bit, and then when the picture was taken, i would have made the colors more crispy.
Since there has been some discussion about concert photography, i thought i post a concert picture myself:
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N(borrowed)
Lens: Canon 85mm f/1.2 (borrowed)
Aperture: f/2
Shutter: 1/400
ISO: 800
(Yes, its cropped, a little to much meaningless room behind him, filled up with a large, attention taking LED screen)
@OCBC - I love signs, they are so cool... But if i was you i would have worked to clean up the setting a little bit, and then when the picture was taken, i would have made the colors more crispy.
Since there has been some discussion about concert photography, i thought i post a concert picture myself:
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N(borrowed)
Lens: Canon 85mm f/1.2
(borrowed) Aperture: f/2
Shutter: 1/400
ISO: 800
(Yes, its cropped, a little to much meaningless room behind him, filled up with a large, attention taking LED screen)
^very nice. Those LED screens go nuts under camera capture because of the way they work, unless you time it just right. I think the way you did, empty space filled with smoke and colours are way more appealing than any screen could have done. 4.5/5
Here is one of mine
thanks but i was just curious what you guys thought of the photo. it was taken like 4 years ago when I had no clue what I was doing but I do appreciate the help. BTW, I really like yours, love the dusty look of the black and white. The barb wire fence adds to it to. I'm only a newbie at photography, but maybe a shot angled from the ground more??? Or maybe it wasn't possible with the tall grass, who knows.
NW 21st Ave. Portland, OR
Cinema 21 is an old neighborhood theater in NW Portland that specializes in independent niche films that usually run for a week, sometime just for the weekend. Scanned from b/w workprint.
Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Illford Hp5+ film
TimJim: I almost love that shot of the Cuban gentleman. The colors, ambience, expression, even the cigarette, his shirt is amazing... but you cut off his feet. That's my gripe. 3/5 (-1 for cutting off his feet)
Superted666: I find my self liking this shot more as I come back to it. I always find extreme side lighting and contrast to be interesting, and project mood and personality, and texture. I like the composition. The tone and color of the wooden blinds softens the overall effect, makes it more organic. I don't know... I just like it. 3.5/5
Lightglance.com: Great example of a concert shot that works. Colors are excellent, sharpness of the performer, especially his face and eyes are spot on. Also, good emotion captured. It's a dynamic shot, and you did a good job cropping/composing the image to do away with unnecessary clutter. 4/5
Cinema 21 is an old neighborhood theater in NW Portland that specializes in independent niche films that usually run for a week, sometime just for the weekend. Scanned from b/w workprint.
Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Illford Hp5+ film
TimJim: I almost love that shot of the Cuban gentleman. The colors, ambience, expression, even the cigarette, his shirt is amazing... but you cut off his feet. That's my gripe.
3/5 (-1 for cutting off his feet)Superted666: I find my self liking this shot more as I come back to it. I always find extreme side lighting and contrast to be interesting, and project mood and personality, and texture. I like the composition. The tone and color of the wooden blinds softens the overall effect, makes it more organic. I don't know... I just like it. 3.5/5
Lightglance.com: Great example of a concert shot that works. Colors are excellent, sharpness of the performer, especially his face and eyes are spot on. Also, good emotion captured. It's a dynamic shot, and you did a good job cropping/composing the image to do away with unnecessary clutter. 4/5
@Ryan1524 - Thanks, i was shooting from a external wireless flash which was literally just out of frame, will try shooting through a home made diffuser to see how it ends up or alternativley i could add more ambient light maybe?
Love the fire shot btw, what is that on the right hand side, a person?
I tried for ages to try get a 'localised' light feel for a photo of me peering through my blinds. I was shooting close to the blinds, quite a tight composition but i couldnt seem to get the effect i was going for. I think it was this experiance which led to this picture....
@pdxflint - Thanks for the comment
Forever a student of photography!
Love the fire shot btw, what is that on the right hand side, a person?
I tried for ages to try get a 'localised' light feel for a photo of me peering through my blinds. I was shooting close to the blinds, quite a tight composition but i couldnt seem to get the effect i was going for. I think it was this experiance which led to this picture....
@pdxflint - Thanks for the comment
Forever a student of photography!
Thanks superted666. I think it was somebody's leg. I checked out your gallery, great pictures. I wish my friends were less of camera-phobic.
@pdxflint - I like this. Feels peaceful, like living in a friendly tight-knit, small community (the b/w might have added to that). Seems like everybody there knew each other, and are just easily chatting away on the street in their old stomping grounds.
@liveexpo - Very nice. love the lighting.
@pdxflint - I like this. Feels peaceful, like living in a friendly tight-knit, small community (the b/w might have added to that). Seems like everybody there knew each other, and are just easily chatting away on the street in their old stomping grounds.
@liveexpo - Very nice. love the lighting.
Double dating
Another in the series on northwest Portland neighborhood. Scanned from workprint.
Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Kodak T-max film
Another in the series on northwest Portland neighborhood. Scanned from workprint.
Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Kodak T-max film
Pdxflint; I love it. The only thing, and this is probably my niggle more than anyone else's, is the tree (?) in the middle of the two couples. It just... breaks up the photo. Its still an excellent frame though.
Here's mine...
Feel free to be brutal, its all learning right!?
Here's mine...
Feel free to be brutal, its all learning right!?
Carrying on the idea by fett:
5/5 for me. love the texture, color and sacred/mundane subject
Thanks. It's actually a utility pole of some kind, with posters plastered on it. I can see what you mean, but it is what it is on the streets. I didn't want to stalk these folks taking their picture all the way, so I just watched my surroundings and seized opportunity by pulling out my little camera at the last moment and grabbing the shot.
Here's mine...
Feel free to be brutal, its all learning right!?
I like the tonal qualities (looks a bit like some "filtration" applied) and the lines of the bridge drawing my eyes into the picture. Overall great composition. Where's the location? And give us some exif info. 3.75/5
Would be good to get some constructive comments!
The shot is real stylish, has some great thematic and textural qualities, but it would have been better with a real model and some light on the eyes. I really like the monotonal effect with minimal color. Keep working at it! 3/5
I'd like to know a little about the photo to gain some perspective on how to critique it (where, who.. exif info, etc.) But without that I can say I like the tonal qualities and the breadth of the scene, with the people in the foreground giving some sense of scale - makes me wish I were there shooting photographs too. I'm not sure what/who the subject is. It would seem the people are the subject because they are nice and sharp while the rest of the shot is somewhat soft. I'd like to see the whole photo sharp as a tack because the gorgeous mountain scenery beyond the meadow foreground demands it. 3.25/5
Low tide, Siletz Bay, OR
Just going for more of an abstraction here... not sure if it works...
Model: NIKON D50
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/500 sec
Aperture: f/9.0
Focal Length: 31mm
Just going for more of an abstraction here... not sure if it works...
Model: NIKON D50
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/500 sec
Aperture: f/9.0
Focal Length: 31mm
Okay, you got me there...
Poor choice of words, perhaps. I meant more of a higher contrast, monotonal picture where texture and shapes take precedence over an obvious subject... actually no close-ups of sand, shooting with 31mm, but I do get your point. Thanks, professor!
Sorry, I suppose I was a tad brutal ....Okay, you got me there...
There is quite a few abstract parts to this photo, perhaps enlarging a portion of the image to concentrate on the areas of pattern and texture would do the trick.
Okay, you got me there...
Sorry... but if "texture and shapes" are going to "take precedence over an obvious subject"... then there's got to be more shapes... and more texture...
I feel like I'm on American Idol facing two <gasp..!Sorry... but if "texture and shapes" are going to "take precedence over an obvious subject"... then there's got to be more shapes... and more texture...
> Simon Cowell's. <~sniff..~>FatherJack: thanks for the suggestions. Most likely I'll just move on... and give it up on this one.