Sharing Comments and Criticism..

[momamy]

love this thread!

 

[fractal]

Now that we have gotten the ball rolling..
Not sure if I like this shot or not, but it does make me hungry:

Sliders at Chappaqua Station by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Adam, looks underexposed to me. Also not crazy about the centering of the subject. A lower angle placing the first slider either in the lower left or right using rule of thirds. Great use of depth of field - by placing the slider in the lower corner you can then create a pattern "line" with the out of focus sliders moving into the center. Were they as good as they look?

 

[fractal]

And here's photo of my daughter I really like, but I've got mixed reactions when showing it to people I know. I mean it was a dark room, handheld flash and actually got close on focus with a pitch black evf.

Caroline Art - B&W on Flickr

I like this and can't really find much wrong with it. What is she looking at?

 

[fractal]

I visited a museum a while back and nothing seemed to work for me. There were lots of cool lights, shapes, reflections but nothing really came of it.

Some examples.

With the sarcophagus, would you have been able to reach over the box and take a shot from above? I had a similar issue a few years ago at the Football HOF.

I agree with Adam on the second shot. There is a strong temptation to go wide in museums, which I've done too often, but now I try to "get personal" with the artwork/artifacts.

 

[fractal]

So taking the feedback here on the first shot I posted, including my own feedback when I looked more closely.....

This is my new result after new cropping and photoshopping:

models125-16-E

dit.jpg by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Still far from perfect. As a footnote, I wasn't there for the express purpose of shooting landscapes. I was waiting on the arrival of a model for a shoot and essentially did a couple snap shots as the sun came up. I likely would have moved closer to the water and framed it with far more thought, if I was there just to shoot landscapes.

Much better to me!

 

[dmaxphil]

I like this and can't really find much wrong with it. What is she looking at?

It was some sort of craft - that you sew designs on this grid thing - can't think of the word for it.

 

[dmaxphil]

With the sarcophagus, would you have been able to reach over the box and take a shot from above? I had a similar issue a few years ago at the Football HOF.

I agree with Adam on the second shot. There is a strong temptation to go wide in museums, which I've done too often, but now I try to "get personal" with the artwork/artifacts.

Yep. I shot a bunch of wide and at the end I came a way with nothing more than documenting the trip to the museum. I tried to get close on a few. Here is one at the butterfly exhibit.

Another wide that looked cooler in person.

 

[havoc315]

ok...... Let's try getting criticism on a shot that I mostly like..

Road Through the Yukon by Adam Brown, on Flickr

 

[havoc315]

Yep. I shot a bunch of wide and at the end I came a way with nothing more than documenting the trip to the museum. I tried to get close on a few. Here is one at the butterfly exhibit.

Another wide that looked cooler in person.

The butterfly could benefit from some sharpening and detail enhancement and it is a bit underexposed.

The dinosaur works for me. It's a very nice shot.

 

[havoc315]

Adam, looks underexposed to me. Also not crazy about the centering of the subject. A lower angle placing the first slider either in the lower left or right using rule of thirds. Great use of depth of field - by placing the slider in the lower corner you can then create a pattern "line" with the out of focus sliders moving into the center. Were they as good as they look?

Considering we ended up getting 3 or 4 plates of them, 1 after another... yeah, they were good. Mind you, there were also drinks flowing with the sliders. So this was an example of drunken photography as well...

 

[TheBigE]

So I had an idea for a new thread. We all seem to do so much photo sharing, within the threads of our own camera brands......
We have some great photographers on this board. And many of us, myself included, are still growing as photographers, often learning from each other.

So I thought I would try this thread...This is a chance to learn from each other. We should all try to have a bit of a thick skin... I am happy to take harsh criticism of my work.

I'll go first and put myself out there:
Sunrise at 5 Island Park by Adam Brown, on Flickr

First off, great idea and I really appreciate you starting this initiative. This can only be beneficial (thick skin required).

With regards to the above photo (mind you some comments have already been applied, but I thought I would add what i first thought when I saw it...) I really like the sun coming up, but struggle to really understand what is important in the photo. By that I mean either moving the Horizon up more, maybe from the ground looking up? Or move the horizon down more including more of the sky and less of the ground. Of the two I think the first would add more emphasis. Getting down the the ground (wet?) and shooting up through the trees and thereby moving the horizon up in the photo.

Here's one of mine. I took a bunch of shots of this sponge boat and at the time I was so excited because it was interesting to me. Don't really like any of them including this one.

So, fire away, what could I have done better?

This one is busy, (I think that is the comment from others as well) For me, somewhere in this photo is a detail or items that could be the focus. Using a shallow DOF on a specific item has potential in this photo. I am not sure there is a crop or other PP that could change the "busyness" of this photo.

To me, that still is one of my biggest issues. Especially when shooting portraits, you need to pay attention to so many factors. Pick the best angle and location for the light. Pose your subject. Be conscious of the aperture you're shooting. I'll often neglect to notice some stray elements in the foreground or background.

Fortunately, you can do wonders with photoshop at times.

I like this shot of my son, except for cutting off the tip of his foot:
alaska-326-Edit.jpg by Adam Brown, on Flickr

But as I was taking it, there was a girl passing by the railing on the far right. Now, I liked the composition, so I didn't want to crop her out. If you look very very carefully at the railing, you can see it is photoshopped. But you really have to look pretty carefully to tell. I tried to remove the guy in the background playing with his shirt, but the background was too complex for me to remove him with my limited photoshop skills. I feel like a total novice whenever I open photoshop.

I do like the composition and idea, and it is one area where I always forget to really LOOK at the photo when taking it. I have found that from time to time I can look at a photo and wait a second and it clears up more....also looking at the photo before pressing the shutter button and evaluating it from a PS perspective. I know my level of skills and the capability of the program, and I can ask myself is this something I can photoshop or not. Sometimes just a slight reframing puts things in a position that makes it easier in Post to clean up and remove. However, those moments are rare for me...but they do come. I also think that getting down just a touch a eye level also helps a bit.

Took this portrait of my Nephew. It was my first "real" portrait shoot. whoops - no feet for you! lol.

Other than the obvious of the feet missing, There is much contrast in the rocks and your nephew. I am wondering in Post if you could bring down the saturation of the rocks and enhance the color of the jeans and shirt. This effectively would reduce the eye's focus on the rocks and really bring out the focus of the photo. Just a thought

I visited a museum a while back and nothing seemed to work for me. There were lots of cool lights, shapes, reflections but nothing really came of it.

Some examples.

I really like the feelings of these photos, and like the balance of light and darkness it reallys adds to the overall feeling. I could not see the EXIF, I am curious of the basic data on these photos. I do not see any noise in the black areas - was this handheld or with tripod?

And here's photo of my daughter I really like, but I've got mixed reactions when showing it to people I know. I mean it was a dark room, handheld flash and actually got close on focus with a pitch black evf.

Caroline Art - B&W on Flickr

Nice photo, my only comment is it is not really discernible what she is looking at and I think that takes away from the story a bit.

Now that we have gotten the ball rolling..
Not sure if I like this shot or not, but it does make me hungry:

Sliders at Chappaqua Station by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Good to me, ready to eat...I would like to see a bit more DOF for more of the food in focus.

ok...... Let's try getting criticism on a shot that I mostly like..

Road Through the Yukon by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Great capture and really like the ominous clouds. I wondering if you took four steps to the left and positioned the camera in the middle of the road (maybe a touch lower) how that would improve the composition. It is just a thought, but I do like the colors and the forbidding feeling of this image. Well done.

I will follow up with a few of my favorites and also plan on updating this thread I just had eye surgery so still working on getting back up to speed.

 

[TheBigE]

Let me throw a few of my favorites out there....all critiques are most welcome. Thanks

This is one from Denmark this summer. I really like the colors, for me I wish I would have re composed a bit to ensure the aft end of the green boat was in the photo.

Here is the Great Belt Bridge we passed under

This was actually a Pano, I like the story, I wish I could have brought a bit more of the colors out in this photo.

This is from teh Vatican and still one of my favorites today. I have it in color but I think teh B&W is just as good

 

[fractal]

Let me throw a few of my favorites out there....all critiques are most welcome. Thanks

This is one from Denmark this summer. I really like the colors, for me I wish I would have re composed a bit to ensure the aft end of the green boat was in the photo.

Here is the Great Belt Bridge we passed under

This was actually a Pano, I like the story, I wish I could have brought a bit more of the colors out in this photo.

This is from teh Vatican and still one of my favorites today. I have it in color but I think teh B&W is just as good

Boat shot - love the colors and love the lines. things that slightly bothered me - as you said missing the back corner of green boat; grass in top left corner and chunk of wood in bottom right corner. A lower angle might have taken care of all those issues.

Bridge - cool image! I don't know if I like it with the deck of the boat or without. I would image a shot as you about to go under or just after you clear the bridge with the lines going from top corners to bottom corners would be more interesting.

Vatican - great angle and I love the B&W. Love the lines, helll you can practically overlay a Fibinocci spiral right on to it.

 

[havoc315]

Let me throw a few of my favorites out there....all critiques are most welcome. Thanks

This is one from Denmark this summer. I really like the colors, for me I wish I would have re composed a bit to ensure the aft end of the green boat was in the photo.

Here is the Great Belt Bridge we passed under

This was actually a Pano, I like the story, I wish I could have brought a bit more of the colors out in this photo.

This is from teh Vatican and still one of my favorites today. I have it in color but I think teh B&W is just as good

No fair... You posted great shots, lol.
The boats.. the obvious that you pointed out. Shouldn't have cut off the aft of it. But still very nice.

The pano is fun. Hard to judge in a small size, but certainly nice to use as a web banner. I may have preferred if you took a few steps to the right, to get a bit more of the ship into the frame on the right side.

Your last shot... Fantastic. May want to lift the shadows in the lower right corner just slightly, but that is extreme nitpicking. I really like the shot... This is the type of detail shot that I'm just never able to accomplish myself it seems. But I really love the flow of the lines and curves. The B+W treatment really works as well.

 

[TheBigE]

Bridge - cool image! I don't know if I like it with the deck of the boat or without. I would image a shot as you about to go under or just after you clear the bridge with the lines going from top corners to bottom corners would be more interesting.

I have these too....

Trying to pick one was difficult, without context the Panorama tell more of the story.

 

[havoc315]

First off, great idea and I really appreciate you starting this initiative. This can only be beneficial (thick skin required).

I've found this to be the best way to improve as a photographer -- harsh direct feedback from other photographers. Having friends and family members say "ooh, you take such nice pictures" -- simply because they are actually in focus and properly exposed, doesn't do much to grow. Reading books and looking at other people's photos does help... But the best is to get feedback on your own photos.

And yes, very thick skin is required.

Getting down the the ground (wet?) and shooting up through the trees and thereby moving the horizon up in the photo.

I wondering if you took four steps to the left and positioned the camera in the middle of the road (maybe a touch lower)

You really want to make my arthritis suffer!! lol. Seriously, this is one of the big disadvantages of a traditional dSLR with my sore joints. Such a temptation to always use the viewfinder, since the live view sucks. Which results in almost every shot being at eye level. For the sake of a good picture, I need to be willing to get down lower more often.

I will follow up with a few of my favorites and also plan on updating this thread I just had eye surgery so still working on getting back up to speed.

Your eye seems to be recovering nicely... Thanks for participating in the thread.

 

[havoc315]

I have these too....

Trying to pick one was difficult, without context the Panorama tell more of the story.

The first is underexposed... I might have tried to give it an HDR look in post.
I almost love the second. You have a spot on the let side of the bridge, not sure if that is a discoloration of the actual bridge. Either way, I might clone out that spot. And I do wish the bridge was perfectly centered between the 2 flags. Would have created a great balance.

The shot is first shot is very familiar......
I don't love this shot of my own, but:

alaska-329.jpg by Adam Brown, on Flickr

alaska-330.jpg by Adam Brown, on Flickr

I like your composition and framing much more than my own, but I think your images could have benefited from more aggressive processing.

 

[TheBigE]

...You really want to make my arthritis suffer!! lol. Seriously, this is one of the big disadvantages of a traditional dSLR with my sore joints. Such a temptation to always use the viewfinder, since the live view sucks. Which results in almost every shot being at eye level. For the sake of a good picture, I need to be willing to get down lower more often......

Yes it can be difficult, for the boat shot I was laying on my stomach hanging over the edge of the pier...yet still needed to get lower. This all needed to be accomplished in a fraction of time as we were on a guided tour...plus I had a backpack on. It is tough!! But it is amazing how just a point of view change (usually lower) can really make the difference in the dramatic impact of a photo. My next steps are to try a view from "above" using a Monopod.

 

[fractal]

Considering we ended up getting 3 or 4 plates of them, 1 after another... yeah, they were good. Mind you, there were also drinks flowing with the sliders. So this was an example of drunken photography as well...

Which leads to the question -

which is worse;

Drunken photography or drunken post processing

Having done both I would say overall the results are usually ugly but on rare occasion genius.

 

[dmaxphil]

This leads me to the idea of underexposing, lifting shadows etc. To my eye the Vatican shot above needs more contrast and shadows. It seems so may shooters now are more enamored with showing off ultra high DR that everything they shoot begins to look HDRish. I fell in to this trap but now prefer dark, shadowy contrasty images. Think of your typical Leica shot. https://www.flickr.com/groups/leica/ Also DPR has a great Leica forum with tons of good shots. More comments coming.