Photography Critique

**Gustin** · 10-08-2005, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

Don't like the colors at all. Bad pose. No detail. I don't really know what or who I'm looking at. It's so unatural.

Sorry.

Thanks for the criticism.

Quote:

I don't know if you used channel mixer to convert this, but if you did you used too much of the Red channel. Try lessening the Red and uping the Greens.
It just lacks much tone and contrast.

Her hair is in her eye - which is distracting. The car in the background is distracting.

The light is pretty decent though.

I didn't use the channel mixer, however I still have the original, so I'll try it.

I don't normally pose my pictures... I don't like doing it. Her hair is in her eyes because that's the way it was when I took the picture. I don't know, it just feels like I'm faking it if I pose people. That's just me though.

Quote:

Yeah the focus would've helped.

A little tip: don't show these kinds of pictures.

Seriously - when it comes to taking photography seriously. You just don't show your mess up shots. You show the best of the best and you learn from what you know you did wrong or the things you didn't know you did wrong that others have pointed out to you.

Also....the composition of this photo is off. She's too far to the bottom of the frame. It would've looked better if you shot vertically and had the top of her head close to the top of the frame, while not touching it.

I wouldn't normally show this one, but I'm glad I did. I hadn't even noticed the things you mentioned in the last paragraph. Thanks.

Again, thanks for the criticism. I'll keep it in mind for later.

Elizabeth · 10-08-2005, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

And the last one is lovely. Something to try with such scenes is a slow shutter speed. That way the water looks like a white curtain.

Thanks for all the advice. I can't do anything with shutter speeds as my camera is a point-and-shoot. I don't even have a zoom.

Must...rememdy...soon.

Oh, and Kyle, I had no idea there was anyone's head in the waterfall picture until you said something.

Grasshopper359 · 10-08-2005, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

This is a great shot except for the blur. And no amount of photoshop sharpening is going to fix that.

This is what I've learned over the past eight years of photography and editing: all things are possible for those who have an abundance of time and patience, and a good understanding of the tools at their disposal, so long as they have a good picture (ie. proportion, colour, etc) to use. In this case, I couldn't settle in and take a really nice picture because I was in the middle of the aisle, and a group of kids on a school trip was passing behind me, so I had to constantly move to let people through. But I saw the shot - the yellow plate floating on the water with the fruit and butterflies on it, against the dark background, and I had to take it and hope that I could fix any problems that rushing and poor lighting caused in Photoshop. Incidently, it took me an hour and a half with Adobe Photoshop 7.0, but I'm satisfied with the results.

Before:

After:

Elizabeth · 10-08-2005, 09:24 PM

Few more I forgot about.

PontiusPirate · 10-08-2005, 09:36 PM

Now that there are more people posting, I feel as if I should lay down some guidelines (Brandon, correct me if I am wrong..).
1) This is a serious thread. Please only post if you want some advice/critiquing. If you do not want criticism, please take your photos elsewhere, such as the Photography thread.
2) If you have "altered" pictures (other than a little contrast, etc.) please take them to another thread. If there is not one made for it, please make one. I know quite a few would most likely be interested.
3) Please resize photos to an acceptable size. Some people are still in the dark ages of dial-up.
4) Again, this is a SERIOUS thread. Submit what you believe to be your best, not just anything. "ANYTHING" is now for the "usedtobeserious" Photography thread. Do not be angry with those who critique your work, They are trying to help. But also--Critiquers--do not just critique for the sake of saying something. Find legitimate problems, but also show parts that are done well. Be helpful.

I think that is it.
This is not to say that any of these things are happening...I just feel that I need to put these out there before this thread becomes like so many others.
That is all.

Love
Chelsea

Meggie moo moo · 10-08-2005, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

I don't really like the pose either. Something more elegant would've suited her better.

She's rather shy, she didn't want to show her face too much. But yeah, I probably should've gotten her to do something else as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

Your post production is always so saturated. This can be good sometimes, but not overall. The grass looks fake. Don't just saturate for the sake of saturating. Do it selectively and because it needs it.

I admit, I go crazy with effects. I'll lay off the saturation next time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

But it really is an image that has potential.

Thankee.

[QUOTE=Cadence]Pretty cool - but this would've been better served in a different location. The fence and house in the background take away from the mood.

But good composition. Take notice of the S-curve shape in your subject. Note that that is a very good thing when it comes to posing people. It's generall pleasing on the eye to see that.

Again...watch the saturation.
[/QUTOE]
I'll remember that S-shape thing.

I might have to disable my saturation option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

The effects are terrible in terms of photography. It makes it look like a painting. If you want a painting - go paint. If you want a photo go get some with your camera.

The paper (or whatever it is) in the background is waaaay disctracting and ugly. Throws off the harmony of the colors of the pencils.

Look for a better composition - perhaps something more close up and diagonal.

That's my effects fetish again. Sorry about that.

Thanks for the advice, I might try lining up my pencils and shooting them again sometime.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

Haha and here it's not saturated enough. That and the detail on the birds is gone. That would've been nice to see.

I thought it looked alright kind of 'hazy'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

The composition is odd. It's not necessarily wrong...it's just odd. Doesn't really do much for me.

It is odd, isn't it...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

I think you have a lot of creativity - it just needs to be shaped and harnessed.

Woohoo! I only just got a camera, so these are my first dabbles into the lake of photography (that was some weird imagery there). I hope that with critique I will enhance my photo-taking skills. Thanks for the critique.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grasshopper359

This is what I've learned over the past eight years of photography and editing: all things are possible for those who have an abundance of time and patience, and a good understanding of the tools at their disposal, so long as they have a good picture (ie. proportion, colour, etc) to use.

A good picture is one with a sharp subject too (unless one is going for some sort of blurry effect).

If you're saying that you can make blurry images sharper then I have quite a few photos for you to work on.

Quote:

In this case, I couldn't settle in and take a really nice picture because I was in the middle of the aisle, and a group of kids on a school trip was passing behind me, so I had to constantly move to let people through. But I saw the shot - the yellow plate floating on the water with the fruit and butterflies on it, against the dark background, and I had to take it and hope that I could fix any problems that rushing and poor lighting caused in Photoshop. Incidently, it took me an hour and a half with Adobe Photoshop 7.0, but I'm satisfied with the results.

I understand complications while taking a photo. I've shot plenty of weddings. But this thread isn't about excuses. It's about critique. If you enter a photo - it gets critiqued no matter the circumstances.

Quote:

Before:

After:

I see the difference, of course, but the final image still has it's problems. While you've made a few improvements this image wouldn't probably make it into a magazine publication due to the lack of sharpness. Actually - while I like the color that was brought out in the wings - the rest of the image looked better in the original. For instance the tub wall, the oranges and the plants behind are way too saturated and look oversharpened.

You'd have been better off sharpening the whole thing and then going back in your history states with your history brush and then painting the sharpness result onto only the wings.

So, like I said, this is a great shot, it's just unfortunate it's blurry.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PontiusPirate

Now that there are more people posting, I feel as if I should lay down some guidelines (Brandon, correct me if I am wrong..).
1) This is a serious thread. Please only post if you want some advice/critiquing. If you do not want criticism, please take your photos elsewhere, such as the Photography thread.
2) If you have "altered" pictures (other than a little contrast, etc.) please take them to another thread. If there is not one made for it, please make one. I know quite a few would most likely be interested.
3) Please resize photos to an acceptable size. Some people are still in the dark ages of dial-up.
4) Again, this is a SERIOUS thread. Submit what you believe to be your best, not just anything. "ANYTHING" is now for the "usedtobeserious" Photography thread. Do not be angry with those who critique your work, They are trying to help. But also--Critiquers--do not just critique for the sake of saying something. Find legitimate problems, but also show parts that are done well. Be helpful.

I think that is it.
This is not to say that any of these things are happening...I just feel that I need to put these out there before this thread becomes like so many others.
That is all.

Love
Chelsea

Spot on. I shall put this at the beginning (with a few minor adjustments).

Grasshopper359 · 10-08-2005, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

Here are a few of mine. I have no clue what I'm going when I take pictures, but I'd really like some tips for improving.

*Edit: Ignore the graininess. Crappy scanner.

Generally, what I look for is something that interests me, it catches my eye, it stands out from the rest of the scene, and I make that my focal point. Things like an object of a different colour, or distinct form. Once I have that, I set up my ratio - keeping my focal point in one section of my frame and giving it 1/3 proportion of the frame (top, bottom or side third, depends on what's around it). If there's a lot of space with nothing in it, I try to adjust my proportion to eliminate some, but at the same time, you don't want to have so much clutter in your picture that it distracts from the focal point.

This is good. I like the colours and the general lighting (but then, I do tend to prefer more austere colours - greys, browns and dark greens). Let me see if I can clean it up a bit.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.M. Murdock

Aaaand. I would especially like Brandon to work on mine, but anybody can have at me.

Damn it! I wrote a huge reply and it got erased. I'm not up for writing it again right now haha. Soon though.

Sorry bud.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 10:39 PM

If you all wouldn't mind - we've added some new regulations for this thread, and it'd be appreciated if you could have a look see. It's just to clear something up.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 10:50 PM

From a wedding I shot in Chicago:

Have at it.

SmileAndFollow · 10-08-2005, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadence

From a wedding I shot in Chicago:

Have at it.

This picture SUCKS!

Im just kidding. The only thing I can see that I would change is the lighting. The top right corner seems too dark and her arm kind of dissapears. It only would need to be a bit brighter. Again I dont know how you would go about this, but Im sure you do. It also could be cropped at the bottom. Too much quilt. Other than that its rather nice.

SmileAndFollow · 10-08-2005, 11:09 PM

[IMG]Me and Chelsea went out to take some photos a while ago and I completely forgot about it. Here are my favorites that I took. No effects or anything.

This is the last shot of the day for me.

A pot.

Some numbers that took me forever to get a good shot of and now that I see it again the numbers are covered up too much... But it takes a lot of work with my little point and shoot to get the right thing to blur.

A picture of something I tried before but got myself in the picture. The other one is in recent pictures thread.

Cadence · 10-08-2005, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmileAndFollow

This picture SUCKS!

Im just kidding. The only thing I can see that I would change is the lighting. The top right corner seems too dark and her arm kind of dissapears. It only would need to be a bit brighter.

haha.

I was kind of going for that gradual darkening thing. But if it's unpleasing to the eye...i should definitely think about that.

Quote:

Again I dont know how you would go about this,

Photoshop my dear friend. Photoshop.

It's a beautiful thing.

Quote:

It also could be cropped at the bottom. Too much quilt. Other than that its rather nice.

Yeah I've been trying to figure out if I like that or not. I think if it were a different material it would look fine in the foreground. (wasn't too thrilled with the whole quilt thing anyway.)

I appreciate it.