[Cadence]

We all need it - really.

This thread will be for serious, constructive criticism of any photo that you post here. It is meant to further your creative eye, learn techniques, and to get ideas that will make you a better photographer.

So let's not get hurt if someone finds problems with your work. This will only make you better. Don't be afraid to to show your work.

For those of us who give an assessment please do so to aid the persons photography - not just because you don't like it. Give reasons why it could be better - tips for exposure, post-production, perhaps sites that will expand creativity, etc...

It would be equally beneficial to point out what good you find in the photo. If you like something...be as encouraging about it as you can without making any of us sick.


(and if nobody gets involved with this thread I will go and pick people's pictures myself and rip them apart....i kid - i kid)

Originally Posted by The Word of Chelsea

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.

This is not to say that you can't do some serious photoshop on your photos. Just be sure it's tasteful and at least somewhat natural. People add gaussian blur, color casts, diffuse glow and all sorts of effects all the time, but it must compliment the photo. Don't just add effects for the sake of effects.

3) Please resize photos to an acceptable size. Some people are still in the dark ages of dial-up.

Photos should be no more that 550 pixels high, and no more than 550 pixels wide.

4) This thread isn't for excuses, either. You will get a critique no matter what the circumstances were while you took the picture. The point in all of this is for us to learn our mistakes and to be mindful of them the next time we take photos - so as to not have a photo ruined by any unfortunate circumstances. I wouldn't show a picture that was supposed to be of a beautiful flower, but was ruined because the tripod fell over while the timer was going off. A bad image is a bad image.

5) 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.

6) This is all to make you a better photographer


Love
Chelsea

Let's get dirty . . .

[stringsamateur]

Good idea. Now if my scanner was up to it and I had my account on BP up and running, I'd just give the link to my copyrighted photos. I'll see what I can do.

[ApparentlyNothing]

I'm definitly getting in on this. I've got more I want critiqued, but this is what I have now.

[SmileAndFollow]

This is one of my favorite pictures Ive taken. It was on a whim while I was sitting at a stoplight. I messed with it on the computer a bit because I just have a simple digital camera, but I might get more into photography eventually so let me know what would make it better.

[ApparentlyNothing]

Originally Posted by SmileAndFollow

This is one of my favorite pictures Ive taken. It was on a whim while I was sitting at a stoplight. I messed with it on the computer a bit because I just have a simple digital camera, but I might get more into photography eventually so let me know what would make it better.

My personal critique would be that there isn't much color variation. Or, I guess to be technically correct since it's black and white, there aren't very many values. Work with the original more and maybe try and bring some more variation in to it.

[SmileAndFollow]

Originally Posted by ApparentlyNothing

My personal critique would be that there isn't much color variation. Or, I guess to be technically correct since it's black and white, there aren't very many values. Work with the original more and maybe try and bring some more variation in to it.

I would try but I cant find the original... I was looking for it because this one looks really grainy, but no luck.

[ApparentlyNothing]

Yeah, I noticed the grainyness too, but I figured it was a filter you put on for effect. Not too sure how I felt about it, so I just didn't mention it.

[Silent One]

Originally Posted by ApparentlyNothing

I'm definitly getting in on this. I've got more I want critiqued, but this is what I have now.

Those are some really good pictures you've taken dude, I love the lighting on the first and third ones. Nice job! I'm not really much of a photographer at all though so I don't have a highly critical eye when it comes to viewing other people's work. ... By the way, I'm one day older than you

[PontiusPirate]

We all need it - really.

Except, of course, Brandon.

And for those of us who give an assessment please do so to aid the persons photography - not just because you don't like it. Give reasons why it could be better - tips for exposure, post-production, perhaps sites that will expand creativity, etc...

I believe it would also be helpful to point out parts that are rather well-done, just to have some contrast.

[Cadence]

This is a cool scene. Those lights are a great location.

What I would've done differently, though this was probably a candid, would be to pose them differently and space them out. The guy in front takes away from the image...so you should pose and position him differently.

I would've exposed for them as well. Do you know much about spot metering and exposure compensation? I know you didn't have a tripod and exposing for them would've caused a slower shutter speed. but...perhaps you could go back there with a tripod and find a better exposure.

Exposing for the people would've burnt out the lights from beneath and probably would look really cool. It's something you'd have to play around with.




Pretty girls in pictures always make the photo 10 times better. haha. (care to hook me up? jussst kidding)

This is a really good photo, though. Did you take this in black & white, or did you do the B&W conversion yourself? (if so how did you do it?) Because the tones are really great.

What would make this picture perfect would to have used a larger aperture (around 2.8 or so) to thrown the background out of focus....perhaps not too much, though. But to lessen the distraction of the cars and the house and bring focus on the girl.

Also...I would've snapped another shot when the guy walking by had passed. He takes away from the lovely subject.

That and I would've included a little more of her hand in the bottom of the picture. Or get rid of it....but I like knowing she's crossing her arms. A good rule about body parts is that you should never cut something off at the joint. Fingers have a lot of joints.

But good, good image.



again...great use of the lights. its such a rad scene. I would've exposed for the girl, again, to blow out the lights. You can see that the area around the lights are properly exposed, and that would be fine if that were the subject.

You could've silouhetted her too...but i think the former would suit best. Great idea though.

Get a tripod.

what kind of stuff were you using? What kind of lens range - what was the largest aperture on it - what kind of camera? film?

good job. (what is your name by the way?)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by PontiusPirate

Except, of course, Brandon.

whatever.

I believe it would also be helpful to point out parts that are rather well-done, just to have some contrast.

Indeed...i meant to put something to that effect in there....will do. thanks.

[PontiusPirate]

And....here are the photos.
Please do not take into account the graniness. These were taken on a small vivatar snappy camera. I will try to post some new ones later.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SmileAndFollow

This is one of my favorite pictures Ive taken. It was on a whim while I was sitting at a stoplight. I messed with it on the computer a bit because I just have a simple digital camera, but I might get more into photography eventually so let me know what would make it better.

Not too bad for a grab shot. (i don't mean that sarcastically either)

I like the grain in it actually. I'm in love with highspeed film, so that's probably why.

He's right about the tones though. B&W's are all about tonal range, shape and texture.

Let's pretend that this wasn't a grab shot - I would've exposed for the tree (probably with a little under exposure on it to keep darker tones). That way would would have more tones throughout the whole scene and you would have texture in the trees. unless you were going for the silouhette thing, but then i'd urge you to find a better suited subject as there isn't much to the whole shape of the tree.

Also...the objects in the upper right hand are distracting.

But...I like the grain and feel of the whole thing a lot. Analyse and know how to get this feel and stick with it - just find some more interesting subjects that will complent the dramatic tone.

Hope this helped.

[Cadence]

haha i love these.

Originally Posted by PontiusPirate

Please do not take into account the graniness.

No no...the grain is wonderful....though...you can't really see it. Either way...they're good.




Fog is amazing. Dead trees in the fog are amazing. Good shot.

I would've just composed it to where the bench was closer to the bottom of the frame - showing more of the top of the tree. And to keep the leaves in there it would've been good to get closer to the ground and have those leaves fill the foreground.

Just a minor adjustment - but it's really a great shot.




This one is just as great. The only thing is that there is empty space on the left side. In camera, I would've cropped it more like this:

(sorry i lost the border)

I'm not sure everyone would agree - it's just my opinion.

*EDIT* now that I look at it more I like it the way it is. It could go either way though.

Lovely photos Chelsea.

[ApparentlyNothing]

Originally Posted by Cadence

This is a cool scene. Those lights are a great location.

What I would've done differently, though this was probably a candid, would be to pose them differently and space them out. The guy in front takes away from the image...so you should pose and position him differently.

I would've exposed for them as well. Do you know much about spot metering and exposure compensation? I know you didn't have a tripod and exposing for them would've caused a slower shutter speed. but...perhaps you could go back there with a tripod and find a better exposure.

Exposing for the people would've burnt out the lights from beneath and probably would look really cool. It's something you'd have to play around with.

Yeah, all of these photos were taken pretty spontaneously. Posing people wasn't too much on my mind at the time. I'm fairly new to the camera I was using, so I was more focusing on getting setting correct and not as much about posing people and such. But I can see what you're saying about the posing and such. And yeah, because I had no tripod, I had a hard time trying to balence as slow of a shutter speed as possible but still getting a decent shot. I'm planning on going back with a tripod though and taking more pictures. I took a ton of pictures there, many that were ruined because of the blur. I have a tripod with it, I just didn't bring it with me because I didn't want to carry it around and I didn't expect needing it.

Pretty girls in pictures always make the photo 10 times better. haha. (care to hook me up? jussst kidding)

This is a really good photo, though. Did you take this in black & white, or did you do the B&W conversion yourself? (if so how did you do it?) Because the tones are really great.

What would make this picture perfect would to have used a larger aperture (around 2.8 or so) to thrown the background out of focus....perhaps not too much, though. But to lessen the distraction of the cars and the house and bring focus on the girl.

Also...I would've snapped another shot when the guy walking by had passed. He takes away from the lovely subject.

That and I would've included a little more of her hand in the bottom of the picture. Or get rid of it....but I like knowing she's crossing her arms. A good rule about body parts is that you should never cut something off at the joint. Fingers have a lot of joints.

But good, good image.

Again, this was a spontaneous shot. Doesn't make a lot of those small things ok, but it explains it. We were just getting ready to leave for that Sleeping At Last show and I pulled out the camera to show it off. It was a random shot that I didn't even expect to come out as good as it did.

It was originally taken in color and then cropped a little in Photoshop. I also desaturated it and upped the contrast just a little. As for the larger aperature, I was actually going for the smaller depth of field so the background would blur, but I guess it just didn't come out like I was hoping. The aperature was at 6.3 and the shutter speed was 1/15. So yeah, I probably should have set a bigger aperature. Of course, I could always try and fake it in photoshop, but that's not the same.

But thanks for the advice on not cutting parts off at joints. I'll definitly consider that more in the future.

again...great use of the lights. its such a rad scene. I would've exposed for the girl, again, to blow out the lights. You can see that the area around the lights are properly exposed, and that would be fine if that were the subject.

You could've silouhetted her too...but i think the former would suit best. Great idea though.

I tried silouhetting on a few of the other shots, and it didn't really work as well. She kinda just looked like she was a dead body or something. Haha, yeah, so I liked this one better since you could see her a bit more.

Get a tripod.

Haha, I know I know. I got one. When I go back, things will be much better.

what kind of stuff were you using? What kind of lens range - what was the largest aperture on it - what kind of camera? film?

I was using my college's art department's Canon Rebel XT. I couldn't tell you the lens range because I don't really know. I'm really new to the Rebel XT, and just photography in general really. I don't know the biggest aperature, though I'm sure someone else might know what it is for the Rebel XT. I think it might go up to 30-34, but I could be wrong.

good job. (what is your name by the way?)

Thanks The name's Jon.