Photo Critique (March)

[Father Jack]

Don't do that !!! There is ample opportunity for some great pattern and texture shots at that location, so if it's close to home, definitely go back ..

Good shooting.

FJ .. aka The professor" LOL ..

 

[Doylem]

I feel like I'm on American Idol facing two <gasp..! > Simon Cowell's. <~sniff..~>

FatherJack: thanks for the suggestions. Most likely I'll just move on... and give it up on this one.

Well, I gave my TV away a couple of years ago, which means that I have only the haziest idea about American Idol and Simon Cowell (and how good it is to write those words...), though I hear he is a sort of 'pantomime villain' who humiliates the punters. Yawn...

Right, since we've not given your beach pic very good 'style marks', feel free to give this shot of mine the Simon Cowell treatment. The 'point' of it is the dog bounding from master to mistress, across the empty beach, but I appreciate that the dog occupies only about 0.5% of the picture area. The people kinda remind me of brackets - (...) - enclosing the space between them. But, in all honesty, it's probably just a rather featureless pic of three figures who seem too far away. Basically, does it 'work', or is it just a bit dull?

 

[markjewiss]

i was just so focused on my vacation, in Cozumel mexico, i forgot almost everything i knew lol.

Cozumel? Great place! I was there in June last year with the family, we stayed in the Iberostar hotel - where did you stay? I'll try and upload one of my Cozumel sunset shots soon...

Mark.

 

[Stig McNasty]

Well, I gave my TV away a couple of years ago, which means that I have only the haziest idea about American Idol and Simon Cowell (and how good it is to write those words...), though I hear he is a sort of 'pantomime villain' who humiliates the punters. Yawn...

Right, since we've not given your beach pic very good 'style marks', feel free to give this shot of mine the Simon Cowell treatment. The 'point' of it is the dog bounding from master to mistress, across the empty beach, but I appreciate that the dog occupies only about 0.5% of the picture area. The people kinda remind me of brackets - (...) - enclosing the space between them. But, in all honesty, it's probably just a rather featureless pic of three figures who seem too far away. Basically, does it 'work', or is it just a bit dull?

It's more the coulours, with steely blues and greys overlain with a slight pink tinge that I like. The characters are a distant (no pun intended) second. Maybe it's more of 'alone, together'. Nice tho'. Thanks for putting it up.

 

[unknown87]

For me Doylem, the fact that the figures are so distant makes the frame. I absolutely adore this photo, probably because it really hits home with a personal story I have. The ONLY thing I maybe dislike is the beach at the very front of the frame; I don't think the textures work with the rest of the picture. Maybe the very top of the sky could be cropped slightly... Aside from that, top notch photography!

4/5

Edit: Tried my version of a crop. I hope that's ok, I know some people hate it.... Personally, this is what I'd have done.... Not sure if it make a 'better' frame, just something I tried. Apologies if it causes offense, its not meant to!

 

[Doylem]

For me Doylem, the fact that the figures are so distant makes the frame. I absolutely adore this photo, probably because it really hits home with a personal story I have. The ONLY thing I maybe dislike is the beach at the very front of the frame; I don't think the textures work with the rest of the picture. Maybe the very top of the sky could be cropped slightly... Aside from that, top notch photography!

4/5

Edit: Tried my version of a crop. I hope that's ok, I know some people hate it.... Personally, this is what I'd have done.... Not sure if it make a 'better' frame, just something I tried. Apologies if it causes offense, its not meant to!

Thanks... It's fine to crop. No offense. Yes, there are other possible crops. i thought the dark areas at top and bottom held the pic together, stopping your eye from wandering out of the picture area.But it's all personal taste...

It's an amazing bay (2nd biggest in UK), and so flat that when the tide goes out, it goes out ten miles! So at low tide it's a vast area of sand (and quicksand ), well vast for UK ayway. So people go there who need a bit of space.

It can be a lonely place...

 

[fett]

I took this Bull shot while driving around the back country near Calgary scouting new locations for landscapes. A little info on the photo - it's two exposures blended together in photoshop.

I would have liked to get closer and get some different angles but to tell the true I was a little afraid of the bull. He is standing at the gate in the fence and it didn't really look like it would stop him.


No need to critique this one it's just to show what the bull looked like.

 

[Eauboy]

I took this Bull shot while driving around the back country near Calgary scouting new locations for landscapes. A little info on the photo - it's two exposures blended together in photoshop.

(Insert BullShot/BullSh*t joke here)

 

[Abstract]

4/5

Edit: Tried my version of a crop. I hope that's ok, I know some people hate it.... Personally, this is what I'd have done.... Not sure if it make a 'better' frame, just something I tried. Apologies if it causes offense, its not meant to!

Yeah, I like your crop a bit better than the original. I didn't like the top or bottom of the photo, so you kept the best parts.

As you don't seem to know that dark, indoor concerts with fog machines preclude the use of a flash, demand high ISOs and slower shutter speeds, then I have to take your advice with a grain of salt. Were I able to take a flashless indoor shot in a dark, foggy room at 1/800 with an ISO of 160-200, that would just be awesome, but there is no universe in which that is possible. I chose to go with the downsides of an indoor venue, and not try to minimize them. The shot is not an accident; it an effect. As for no publication using it, tell that to my editor.

I'm sorry, but I agreed with pdxflint's assessment. Even at an indoor concert, the photo you took on the 1st page was just a blurry shot of a band taken from someone in the crowd.

And yes, I have shot bands before.

I took this Bull shot while driving around the back country near Calgary scouting new locations for landscapes. A little info on the photo - it's two exposures blended together in photoshop.

I would have liked to get closer and get some different angles but to tell the true I was a little afraid of the bull. He is standing at the gate in the fence and it didn't really look like it would stop him.


No need to critique this one it's just to show what the bull looked like.

I like it, but I would have liked it more if the cow was slightly better lit. I know that's not your fault, and these sorts of shots are usually unplanned and spontaneous shots, but a bit of flash would have done it, especially if the flash wasn't attached to your camera.


Anyway, here's one. I already have some issues with it. I didn't think the shot would be anything I'd care about, so I didn't do much planning.

EDIT: Wow......looks horrible in Firefox.

 

[Doylem]

I like it, but I would have liked it more if the cow was slightly better lit. I know that's not your fault, and these sorts of shots are usually unplanned and spontaneous shots, but a bit of flash would have done it, especially if the flash wasn't attached to your camera.

Can I just step in here, before there's a tragic accidemt. I'm no expert on flash, and I'm no expert on bulls... but I'm pretty sure of one thing: they don't belong together. The idea of disorientating a bull, with horns THAT big, with a little flash-gun (on or off the camera...) sounds like a death-wish to me.

By the way, PM me if you need to know the difference between a cow and a bull...

 

[fett]

Can I just step in here, before there's a tragic accidemt. I'm no expert on flash, and I'm no expert on bulls... but I'm pretty sure of one thing: they don't belong together. The idea of disorientating a bull, with horns THAT big, with a little flash-gun (on or off the camera...) sounds like a death-wish to me.

By the way, PM me if you need to know the difference between a cow and a bull...

I usually have my flashes with me whenever I go out but this day I just grabbed my camera and went. In fact I had just taken all my lighting gear out of my car the day before which is probably lucky. Like Doylem said the bull and flash probably wouldn't mix well. Also I'm not sure what the farmer would have done if he passed by and some city slicker had a shoot through umbrella setup taking photos of his bull.

 

[Lightglance.com]

Bridges have cool shapes, and you can take many good pictures of them, but this one i did not like. The background crashes a little to much with the bridge, and there is missing some detail on the bridge. Overexposure? I'm missing some composition... 2/5

Love the picture, the world seems so big. In contrast to this being a landscape picture, you have the running dog witch gives the picture some action. 4/5


Because of the bull picture, i was reminded of this picture i took 2 and a half years ago, 1 week after i got my first DSLR(350D). Technical this picture isn't the greatest, overexposured and so on. But i love how the 3. different colored cows come walking on a single line.

350D + kit
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/800
ISO: 200

 

[brendanryder]

5/5 for me. love the texture, color and sacred/mundane subject

thank you

Cozumel? Great place! I was there in June last year with the family, we stayed in the Iberostar hotel - where did you stay? I'll try and upload one of my Cozumel sunset shots soon...

Mark.

we didnt stay at the Iberostar, we stayed at the oxidential

 

[Abstract]

Would bulls get bothered by the flash if it hit them from a diagonal angle? I'm not really sure how much a flash bothers an animal like that.

By the way, PM me if you need to know the difference between a cow and a bull...

You're right, I don't know the difference. I've milked both, but the bull appeared to enjoy it more.

 

[Doylem]

Would bulls get bothered by the flash if it hit them from a diagonal angle? I'm not really sure how much a flash bothers an animal like that.

Well, there's one way to find out...

 

[brendanryder]

I took this Bull shot while driving around the back country near Calgary scouting new locations for landscapes. A little info on the photo - it's two exposures blended together in photoshop.

10/5 for being from Calgary

 

[thinkband]

Hi guys,

I am a newbie so no need to rate me. I went to the beach in San Diego today and took alot of sunsets. The first shot I thought was one of my better pictures and the second one obviously is very bright. Obviously the sun was not as harsh in the first picture. I wondered if there is anything I can do to reduce the extreme light entering the camera. Change the aperture? A certain filter? Change the ISO? Thanks

I have no PP'ed btw, as I am not very good. I am able to do simple things though.

 

[Abstract]

I'm not going to rate your 2nd photo because even you acknowledged that it's too bright.

The 1st one is much better. If you want to take more photos like this, then just use a faster shutter speed. If you're already using your fastest shutter speed (depends on your camera, but most DSLRs have a shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds), then change to a higher f-number (eg: f/11). Either way, I recommend you use a shutter of approximately f/8, and whatever shutter speed works for you. This advice will work for a DSLR and some advanced smaller cameras, but not all.
If you don't want to "guess" which shutter speed you need to use, then I suggest setting the exposure compensation to -1 1/3 or something (a setting almost all point and shoot cameras will have), and pointing the camera towards the ground. Don't point the camera at your feet. Just point it at something that's 10 feet away or something, and half-press the shutter button. Most cameras will lock the focus AND the exposure at this object.

Don't worry about the sun being out of focus. It can't be. Focusing your camera on the object that's furthest away is the biggest, most obvious mistake photographers do when taking landscape shots. They think they need to focus on the mountain in the background, when they really should be trying to get things in the foreground to be sharp. In your case, it's the sand, rocks, and water you need to be sharp.

Your 1st photo is a 3/5 in my book. I'm using my personal scale, so don't take that as an insult. I always believe that the very middle rating is average (eg: 5/10 means the photo is better than half the photos I see posted here). I'm probably going to give very few photos a 5/5).

 

[Abstract]

Poor dog. It was old and could barely stand up.

I don't have a name for my photos, so I guess I'll just call it "Poor dog".

 

[liveexpo]

Thanks for the feeedback. The series wa based on using a mannequin instead of model, as a critique on the state of modern fashion photography - which tends to place an emphasis, not on image content, but how physically perfect the (mainly) female models are. Below is the final shot in the serious which i titled immolaition - self sacrifice, specially through burning. Working on the idea that following high fashion is self destructive n the end...

I liked you're first image of the street series very much, good expressions captured, and your composition offers the viewer much to 'read' around the image. The second (double dating) didn't have as much of an impact - personally, i wouldn't have waited until the group formed a better shape between them..Still nice to see some film stuff. I have a 120 roll of Ilford PanF of the shots below which i can't wait to get printed!

Another in the series on northwest Portland neighborhood. Scanned from workprint.

Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Kodak T-max film

 

[Father Jack]

Another in the series on northwest Portland neighborhood. Scanned from workprint.

Konica Big Mini 35mm
ISO 400
Kodak T-max film

Nice pic, reminds me a little of the work of Lee Freidlander

 

[pdxflint]

At the grill...

35mm b/w

Canon Eos A2
Canon 28-105
Illford HP5+ 400 b/w
scanned from workprint


Doylem: Concerning your pic of the two people and the dog on the low tide of the bay... I love it! The dynamics of the dog's energy and the emptiness of the space provided with a wonderful sense of scale by the tiny figures... I feel as if I'm actually watching them, and can hear distant shouts of master, and distant yelps of delight from the canine companion. Makes me a bit misty, as it's a scene I can relate to... in a word - good! 4/5

Lightglance and "Professor" FatherJack : Thanks for the comments on my street shot. The one thing about these kinds of shots, they're all about opportunity, and seldom is perfection allowed.. and certainly no do-overs. FJ, I appreciate the reference to Friedlander - one of my favorite photogs - and it's nice that the shot would even evoke a mention of him. Cheers!

 

[Father Jack]

35mm b/w

Canon Eos A2
Canon 28-105
Illford HP5+ 400 b/w
scanned from workprint


Doylem: Concerning your pic of the two people and the dog on the low tide of the bay... I love it! The dynamics of the dog's energy and the emptiness of the space provided with a wonderful sense of scale by the tiny figures... I feel as if I'm actually watching them, and can hear distant shouts of master, and distant yelps of delight from the canine companion. Makes me a bit misty, as it's a scene I can relate to... in a word - good! 4/5

Lightglance and "Professor" FatherJack : Thanks for the comments on my street shot. The one thing about these kinds of shots, they're all about opportunity, and seldom is perfection allowed.. and certainly no do-overs. FJ, I appreciate the reference to Friedlander - one of my favorite photogs - and it's nice that the shot would even evoke a mention of him. Cheers!

No problem, great shot.
Sorry about my spelling of Friedlander ... can never remember if it's Frie or Frei ... But anyhow it's the thought that counts.

Regards
The professor LOL ..

ps
Did you file out the neg carrier on your enlarger or is the hint of a 35MM frame edge from "Photo Frame" software?
Regardless of which, looks great.

 

[thinkband]

I'm not going to rate your 2nd photo because even you acknowledged that it's too bright.

The 1st one is much better. If you want to take more photos like this, then just use a faster shutter speed. If you're already using your fastest shutter speed (depends on your camera, but most DSLRs have a shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds), then change to a higher f-number (eg: f/11). Either way, I recommend you use a shutter of approximately f/8, and whatever shutter speed works for you. This advice will work for a DSLR and some advanced smaller cameras, but not all.
If you don't want to "guess" which shutter speed you need to use, then I suggest setting the exposure compensation to -1 1/3 or something (a setting almost all point and shoot cameras will have), and pointing the camera towards the ground. Don't point the camera at your feet. Just point it at something that's 10 feet away or something, and half-press the shutter button. Most cameras will lock the focus AND the exposure at this object.

Don't worry about the sun being out of focus. It can't be. Focusing your camera on the object that's furthest away is the biggest, most obvious mistake photographers do when taking landscape shots. They think they need to focus on the mountain in the background, when they really should be trying to get things in the foreground to be sharp. In your case, it's the sand, rocks, and water you need to be sharp.

Your 1st photo is a 3/5 in my book. I'm using my personal scale, so don't take that as an insult. I always believe that the very middle rating is average (eg: 5/10 means the photo is better than half the photos I see posted here). I'm probably going to give very few photos a 5/5).

Thanks alot for the great information. I actually did not know about the shutter speed thing. My friend told me that I needed a set of filters for different instances. The UV one would remove glare? Does the ISO I use outside matter that much? Thanks

 

[Lightglance.com]

I love the contrast in this picture, and the light as well. Love the way you have gotten so much expression from a display doll. Is it on fire? Or what is the motion in the light?

One handheld RAW // Shutter: 1/1250 // Aperture: f/6.3 // Focal Length: EXIF say 300mm, but i have never owned or used a 300mm lens. So its somewhere between 18-55(Canon kit lens) // ISO 100 // Camera: 400D //

Please critique me...