C&C - be gentle please! :)

[jme_cay]

Just want some constructive criticism. I'm trying to better my photography and I welcome your opinions.
The first one (the cow) looks better printed out. The texture I applied in photoshop gives it an almost leathery look. (Is leathery even a word? it doesn't look right..lol)
The frog, well yeah, it's just a frog. But I want your opinions on technique etc.
Thanks!

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[Majeed Badizadegan]

Both of these photos are good. I think the processing is fitting on#1.
The dof, color, and sharpness make #2 a winner

 

[WesternGuy]

First one is interesting, looks almost like a watercolour painting - something out of the old west. Not sure I like the total vignette effect, if that is what it is(?). Maybe back it off a bit(?) - don't know.

#2 (please number your posted images in the future - thanks) is okay, but it would be better if the entire frog was in focus. As it stands, only its face and the leg sticking out is in focus. My 0.02¢ FWIW.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

 

[MrsLittle]

I like #1 best. I am hearing some sort of western shoot-out theme and rattlesnakes in my mind.

 

[BastiaanImages]

The editing on the first one is great, really makes the western atmosphere come out. The sharpness of the frog is great but I agree wit WesternGuy that it would have been better if the entire frog was in focus.

 

[sanderso]

#1 is interesting, but doesn't work for me (relying on the effects to tell the story?).

Really like #2. DOF is great and emphasizes the little guy's face and how tough life is being green. If he were in full focus I think it would just be a frog.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Not too bad. I like the cross process feel of #1. It gives it an old 50's western movie feel.

 

[KenC]

The vignette is a little overdone on the first, otherwise an interesting treatment. The frog is good - what needs to be in focus is sharp - the eye - and the fingers(?) as a bonus. If it's printed/displayed much larger the out-of-focus snout (? - don't know names of frog parts) might become a little distracting.

 

[ph0enix]

You don't want gentle. You want honest! Trust me on that

 

[jme_cay]

Rotanimod - Thank you
Western Guy - The effect around the edge was part of the texture I applied. It was darker on the outside and faded towards the middle (and it added the yellow tint, which I'm kind of on the fence about, not sure if I like it or not). I'm not sure what to call it either, not really a vignette. I see what you are saying about it being a little too much. I'll remember to number them next time. This is my first photo post, I didn't even think about numbering them. As far as the focus on the frog, I was practicing with DOF on my kit lens to see how shallow I could actually get it. (18-55mm 3.5-5.6). I was excited to be able to get it that shallow with just that lens, but I do get what you are saying. Thanks for your input
Mrs. Little - Thanks, that's the effect I was going for. Glad it worked for you!
Bastiaan Images - Thank you. I'm glad the sharpness turned out good. I was hand holding the camera and it was a little shady where the frog was. I let more light in by slowing the shutter and using a larger aperature vs raising the ISO. My camera gets grainy fairly quick and I didn't want a lot of grain in this picture. If you blow it up to 100% or more you can see some blur in the eyes (so don't blow it up ok? lol)
Sanderso - the picture was pretty boring before adding the effect. I couldn't zoom in anymore ( and wasn't going to get any closer to this cow lol) so I was kind of limited on what I could do. (Unless you have some suggestions that I didn't think about?) As far as using the effects to tell the story, yes I did do that but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. I like adding effects (think HDR...the effect is a huge part of the story). But of course, that's all a matter of personal preference I believe, as pretty much all art is.
DiskoJoe - thank you!

Ok, all that being said, it seems the biggest concern with these 2 photos is more a matter of personal preference? (Correct me if I'm wrong.) As far as composition, exposure etc., they seem ok?

 

[bazooka]

As far as photography goes, #1 is pretty weak. Take away all the processing and you just have cow looking at the camera. WITH the processing, as digital art, I could totally see this being used on a boot box or an ad of some sort.

#2 I like. Both eyes in focus. It does not bother me that the rest of the frog is oof. I don't like the abrupt edge of the dof area so you probably could have tapered this a bit at f/8 or so... but still, solid shot, pleasingly smooth, complimentary color pallette. Well done.

 

[jme_cay]

Bazooka - I agree about it being pretty weak without the editing. What could I have done differently with the lens I have 18-55 kit lens and I was right up to the fence. A different angle maybe?

 

[Dillard]

while some like a deeper DOF...I'm a sucker for shallow macro work! :thumbup:

 

[kundalini]

Another vote for slightly heavy vignetting on #1.

The angle of the frog would prevent much of the body to be in focus with a macro shot. I like it as is. :thumbsup:

... I am hearing some sort of western shoot-out theme and rattlesnakes in my mind.

Me too.

 

[jme_cay]

Phoenix - honest is exactly what i want. That why I posted them What I dont want is the "you suck, sell your camera" type of comments that I see way too much of in the forums.