Critique and Suggestions Please

Status
Not open for further replies.
I like the composition in #2 and #3.

The causeway in #2 is an effective leading line and the use of the ROT for both the horizon and the light house makes the photo dynamic.

#3 is also nicely composed, if a bit tilted and having some other technical issues.
 
I see no wrong but rather agree with the ideal the Traveler took the time to type out. Where is therudeness in his honesty?
 
Well, if I ask a question, I expect to be fed answers. Then I would go out and try to put the advice into practice and see what happens.
If I dont wanne be fed the answers, I wouldn't ask the questions, right ?

And what if the answers are simply available, have already been given many times?
Perhaps asking the same questions over and over is tolerable from grade school children, because they don't know how to find answers, don't have to be responsible.
I expect more from adults.
 
I am unpleasant or rude to those that take snide shots at me and, if it bothers you, I encourage you to put me on ignore so you will be spared that sight.
Just let me know and I will do the same to you so I won't be tempted to look at pictures you post.

Comfy?
Do you accept Friend requests?
 
I like the composition in #2 and #3.

The causeway in #2 is an effective leading line and the use of the ROT for both the horizon and the light house makes the photo dynamic.

#3 is also nicely composed, if a bit tilted and having some other technical issues.

Thank you KmH! This is all I was looking for really. I've done my research and taken a couple classes on photography; I just was looking for input from more experienced photographers than myself. I'm going to go in and fix the tilt in #3. You mentioned other technical issues with the picture, could you elaborate on this? I'm not looking for free handouts, I'm just trying to see my artwork through the eyes of someone who knows more than I do. Its very discouraging to post pictures for your "role models" (for lack of a better term) to look at and then to be met with this type of response. I just want to know what I could maybe improve for next time.

The_Traveler, I thank you for your straightforward answers. I am not looking for free answers, I just want a professional opinion of my work. I don't expect you to tell me exactly what I need to do to take a great shot, that's a ridiculous assumption; I just want to know what, in your opinion, I could maybe have done different. Like I said, don't give me free answers. I don't care if you like them or not, but if you don't like them, let me know why. If you do, let me know why. That's it. You posted an excerpt on giving critiques, yet you seem to have taken any of your advice on giving critiques.
 
The_Traveler, I thank you for your straightforward answers. I am not looking for free answers, I just want a professional opinion of my work. I don't expect you to tell me exactly what I need to do to take a great shot, that's a ridiculous assumption; I just want to know what, in your opinion, I could maybe have done different. Like I said, don't give me free answers. I don't care if you like them or not, but if you don't like them, let me know why. If you do, let me know why. That's it. You posted an excerpt on giving critiques, yet you seem to have taken any of your advice on giving critiques.

I asked you back.
Why do you think they are good?
I asked several other questions to help you exercise some of the critical processes that you need to develop.
Telling you simple technical things won't develop the larger concepts.

Just pick the one you like the most and I'll walk you through it.
Or do them all.

You are the one who needs to learn the critical process, not me.
 
I think this thread deserves a touch of bokeh balls at this moment...take note of the bokeh balls that begin this video--and note the year>>>>1969!!!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, if I ask a question, I expect to be fed answers. Then I would go out and try to put the advice into practice and see what happens.
If I dont wanne be fed the answers, I wouldn't ask the questions, right ?
That is one weird expectation.
 
@FranDaMan,
if you take a look at The Traveler's posts, you'll notice he's one of the best critique givers on here. His responses are never just a "the exposure's off", he'll always include much more detail,
all he did here was respond appropriately to what was said,
no reason to be rude. And being rude to the more educated, experienced photographers on here will just lead you to missing out on his helpful advice.
 
Alrighty...I'll do my best to critique one of my shots and hopefully we can go from there...

5693562550_475a838a6c_z.jpg


The thing I think this picture has going for it is its composition. The way its set up, I think it looks really peaceful and calming. The rocks are a nice guide to the POI. I'm not sure if this fits under composition, but the lighthouse definitely seems to pop out against the mostly blue fore/background. Do you think there is too much above and below the midground? I've tried a couple different croppings on it and I can't quite decide. I keep goin back and forth; on one hand, its nice and symmetrical with the lake and the sky balancing nicely, but on the other, is it too much?

My two bigger concerns with this photo would be: 1) It almost looks a little under exposed to me. The sky and the lake are quite dark but maybe that's a good thing? It helps to make the POI stand out much more. I shot this at ISO 64 f/4.5 and 1/800. 2) I feel like a great amount of detail is lost in the lighthouse. It almost seems like the focus point is in the rocks instead of the lighthouse, which is definitely not the effect I was going for. Maybe if the focus point was on the lighthouse, it would not have lost the detail that I feel is missing.

I haven't altered this image in anyway, its as-is off the camera. Do you think there is really anything that I could do as far as post-prod that would help?




I feel like I owe you an apology...I now understand (I think...) what you were trying to get me to do: take a step back and really evaluate my own work. Now that I have, I don't like this picture nearly as much as before. Spotting your own flaws is much more helpful in learning than is just being told what is wrong with them. If I don't get anything from this thread regarding these shots, at least I feel more confident in critiquing my own work. I still like these photos a lot, but as with any art form, there is always room for improvement.
 
I think the observation about the space and the exposure is quite astute. There is a real dynamic range problem when you have a bright white object that is the POI and the rest of teh composition is much darker.

Luckily you can mask out the background and the water and burn in the tower a bit to get the detail you want in the POI.
Re: the space. - Everything in this picture is lateral lines - waves, rocky promontory horizon - and the lighthouse makes a nice balance to that - a neat compositional joke.
That being said, you might want to crop this to a wider landscape form so that the aspect ratio mimics the lines in the image. As you said, you might not need all that sky and water and a crop will also place the lighthouse in a more powerful point, not under so much sky. (my crop may be too much.

You could also darken the top corners to keep the viewers' eyes in.




towet5693562550475a838a.jpg
 
Do you accept Friend requests?

Sure but I don't know what that means.

I am officially unpleasant and rude and you might be tainted by that.:lol:
What that means, as far as I'm concerned, is that there are people here that appreciate a well thought out response, critique and possible avenues to take to improve on the submitted image and rasing questions that only the OP can answer, but likewise will make the readers ponder on their future photos. Futhermore, I find it refreshing to read a frank, unbiased and emotionally detached response as to why posters should attempt to find the answers to their own questions first rather than be spoon fed, to use introspection on the value of their image and to genuinely become their first critic, establishing a bar or goal to obtain in their development as individuals and as photographers. Lastly, it is my hope that some people will realize that the English language contains polysyllabic words.

If I stand alone with these thoughts and considerations, then I stand alone.
 
5704219372_8b4250c7bf_b.jpg


Thanks for the reply. I cropped this in a little bit. I liked what you said about all the horizontal lines and the lighthous; I never even noticed that. I also did some dodging and burning to the picture and sharpened up the lighthouse a little. I think this looks much better but there are still some dark spots around the lighthouse...I'm very new to photoshop...I don't know how to mask out the background. I have limited internet connection at this point so I can't look into it right now, but I will as soon as I have a better connection!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Most reactions

Back
Top