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September Critique Thread
- Thread starter mrgreen4242
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OK, I'll bite. 
The spider is probably the most successful. The composition is really good, and we get a sense of a subject in its environment.
The flower is too centered and too distant, I think.
The Chevy shot would be nice if the lighting on the tail fin were better and if the reflection weren't some distracting parking lot in the distance. Otherwise, I think the lines of the photo are good.
The baby should be looking at us, not at something that is out of focus. Because the in-focus baby is looking away from us and nothing else is in focus, there is nowhere for the eye to rest, so the photo seems unresolved.
I like the lighting in the last shot, but I feel as though it's a photo without a subject. Could you maybe crop it to give the empty bench more emphasis? (Maybe crop out the street and just give us the sidewalk?) Just a thought.
The spider is probably the most successful. The composition is really good, and we get a sense of a subject in its environment.
The flower is too centered and too distant, I think.
The Chevy shot would be nice if the lighting on the tail fin were better and if the reflection weren't some distracting parking lot in the distance. Otherwise, I think the lines of the photo are good.
The baby should be looking at us, not at something that is out of focus. Because the in-focus baby is looking away from us and nothing else is in focus, there is nowhere for the eye to rest, so the photo seems unresolved.
I like the lighting in the last shot, but I feel as though it's a photo without a subject. Could you maybe crop it to give the empty bench more emphasis? (Maybe crop out the street and just give us the sidewalk?) Just a thought.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. It's funny you liked the spider, it was my least favorite.OK, I'll bite.
The spider is probably the most successful. The composition is really good, and we get a sense of a subject in its environment.
The flower is too centered and too distant, I think.
The Chevy shot would be nice if the lighting on the tail fin were better and if the reflection weren't some distracting parking lot in the distance. Otherwise, I think the lines of the photo are good.
The baby should be looking at us, not at something that is out of focus. Because the in-focus baby is looking away from us and nothing else is in focus, there is nowhere for the eye to rest, so the photo seems unresolved.
I like the lighting in the last shot, but I feel as though it's a photo without a subject. Could you maybe crop it to give the empty bench more emphasis? (Maybe crop out the street and just give us the sidewalk?) Just a thought.
RE: the flower, I'm curious if you think that macro photography should still try to place the subject at one of the "corners" where the third lines intersect, like you would with regular photos. I seem to see most macro shots center the subject more than normal shots, but I really don't know.
The Chevy was litterally a spur of the moment opportunity. The lighting I had to work with was the light in my work lot at lunch, and the reflections were, well, my work lot at lunch. The composition of the shot and the focus were about all I could control (with my skill set and equipment) so the fact that you liked the lines makes me feel pretty good.
With the baby (my son) I was trying to get a feel of "looking at things through his eyes" but with the low light at sunset I was shooting a pretty wide aperture and so the depth of field was more narrow than I think would have worked best. I agree that there's not a strong subject there. WOrks well as a desktop photo though.
The color/light was what I liked in the last photo, too. I'll play with the cropping, I really appreciate the suggestion on that one.
Thanks again for taking some time to look at those. I will definitely consider your suggestions next time I'm out taking pictures.
very good man....keep it up... it too much of a noob to "critique it" hehe. Man these D40 are great aren't they? (I have one too! )
)
very good man....keep it up... it too much of a noob to "critique it" hehe. Man these D40 are great aren't they? (I have one too!
Thanks! I'm trying to figure it out, but there's a lot to learn. I got the D40/x Field Guide, and it's helpful, but I'm slowly moving through the 200+ pages.
I just got back from an Obama rally where Hillary Clinton spoke and it highlighted my need for a longer lens. I'm goign to have to start bargain hunting for a 55-200mm VR now. :/
Anyways, thanks for the kind words. Also, I recropped that street photo this morning, and was wondering if this worked for you a little better, Phrasikleia...
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MUCH better! Now it has a nice sense of mystery about it: what would it be like to sit on that bench? Where is everyone? That sort of thing. I also really like how the green lights on the sidewalk recede into the distance, giving the image depth.
I actually really like this shot. I don't find the cars distracting, it kind of goes with the theme of the shot, cars on a car. And I like the lines, nice composition imho.
Also, the cropped street works much much better.
Can we enter our own photos?
Have at 'em
Yes! That's the idea - a place for everyone to get feedback. I'm a newb, but I will say that I love the landscape, and the dragonfly is good, but I would have liked to see the whole bug in focus. It looks like the head is just outside the focal plane. Still very good shots.
Can we enter our own photos?
Have at 'em
I like the composition of the first one and the warm colors on the mountains (where is that, by the way?). I wonder what could be done about the lighting, which seems rather dark in most of the shot. The solution that comes to mind is HDR, but perhaps someone else will have some suggestions.
I agree with mrgreen4242 that the entire bug, or at least just its head, should be in focus. I'm sure he wasn't the most patient model, though.
I like the composition of the first one and the warm colors on the mountains (where is that, by the way?). I wonder what could be done about the lighting, which seems rather dark in most of the shot. The solution that comes to mind is HDR, but perhaps someone else will have some suggestions.
I agree with mrgreen4242 that the entire bug, or at least just its head, should be in focus. I'm sure he wasn't the most patient model, though.
Thanks for the comments, everyone!The first pic is in the middle of a cow field in the eastern sierra at sunrise. Once I get the D40 I've been eying, I'll have to try an HDR of the same place. That probably would have worked extremely well in this case!
As for the dragonfly: it does seem like the camera focused on his tail :\
How I long for the ability to manually focus!
Again, thanks for the advise!
This was taken yesterday, my first use of my Rebel XSi. I am not happy with the way it turned out and I think it has to do with the technique. Too much going on, I guess? Anyway, the exposure came out a bit dark so I just upped it a touch with Aperture. Please give me some feedback, its appreciated!
This was taken yesterday, my first use of my Rebel XSi. I am not happy with the way it turned out and I think it has to do with the technique. Too much going on, I guess? Anyway, the exposure came out a bit dark so I just upped it a touch with Aperture. Please give me some feedback, its appreciated!
I'm no photo pro, but I'll repeat some advice given to me that helped with a shot that I liked, but wasn't quite right. What's the subject? I should be able to tell what you want me to see immediately when my eyes land on on the photo. Is the subject the building? The trees? The people?
I hope/think that will help.