Is anyone interested in a real critique thread?

[The_Traveler]

removed by owner

 

[Bo4key]

I'm interested even just to read this thread.

I'm quite inexperienced and I'm really enjoying seeing others work and seeing more experienced photogs critique them. It's been a great learning resource so far.

 

[Compaq]

Great idea, I'd like it very much. Getting proper C&C in the newbie forum is a little "hit 'n miss" business nowadays, and it's a neat "addition" to the game thread.

 

[The_Traveler]

OK, one of you post a picture, saying what you think about it.
If no one else chimes in then I'll try and critique it

Lew

 

[D-B-J]

Warped Reality

I love the texture i got out of the wood, especially from the black and white conversion. But i feel like the composition is really lacking, but i'm not sure how i could make it better.

 

[molested_cow]

Like the control of DOF even though I would like a little more focus.

Would have burnt the wood more to make the texture more prominent if that's what you really like about the photo.

 

[Crece]

A blurred foreground is usually distracting and not pleasing to the eye. A smaller f-stop and possibly a tripod could help. I especially don't like the foreground and background out of focus. You might try shooting from the side instead of the end and moving in closer if it is the grain that interests you. This could work in color or black and white. Maybe you could shoot it at sunset to get richer colors.

 

[Crece]

Also, if you are going for texture side lighting can help a lot be it flash or natural light.

 

[Compaq]

I for one love the DOP in this. The foreground bokeh just magnifies the depth in this. Black and white works fine, and the textures are nice. The line play in this is very nice, imho. And yet, there's just something with this (great) picture that I don't really, what's the word, believes, and part of it is that wall on the right side. Imo, it doesn't do anything for the images; I don't feel it adds to the composition.On a side note, I find that having to scroll the page to see the entire image doesn't let me see the picture as a whole, and I'm left looking at different parts of it at different times. I, for one, would like to be able to "take in" the entire thing - but perhaps it's just my monitor?I don't have anything to say about any technical aspects of the photograph. Can I ask where the sun was located when you shot this?

 

[The_Traveler]

Clearly you wanted the very shallow DOF because you chose a large aperture and sort of a graphic image.
That sort of brings up the issue of how does the rest of the image interact with the actual subject?
The background is sort of standard OOF scenery and doesn't seem to fit with the content.
Perhaps a different viewpoint (from overhead) or a different much tighter crop would have removed the stuff that doesn't work and concentrated teh view on what does fit.
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I have no idea how one gets to post here.
Perhaps when comments sort of fizzle out and someone has something they'd like to hear about they just post it and everyone waits their turn.
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[D-B-J]

Wow great critiques. Very helpful and insightful. Who's next?

 

[D-B-J]

I for one love the DOP in this. The foreground bokeh just magnifies the depth in this. Black and white works fine, and the textures are nice. The line play in this is very nice, imho. And yet, there's just something with this (great) picture that I don't really, what's the word, believes, and part of it is that wall on the right side. Imo, it doesn't do anything for the images; I don't feel it adds to the composition.On a side note, I find that having to scroll the page to see the entire image doesn't let me see the picture as a whole, and I'm left looking at different parts of it at different times. I, for one, would like to be able to "take in" the entire thing - but perhaps it's just my monitor?I don't have anything to say about any technical aspects of the photograph. Can I ask where the sun was located when you shot this?

It was an overcast day, so not really sure

 

[Compaq]

I'll add a quick edit where I tried to bring out the textures a little more. I also cropped away the stuff behind the... the... erhh... not sure what you call those things
Just did a curves adjustment where I darkened all tones a bit, and burned a little on the shadows to make them stand out more. You'll have to see if it was an improvement or not.

Mayhaps I've just made it under exposed

 

[D-B-J]

I'll add a quick edit where I tried to bring out the textures a little more. I also cropped away the stuff behind the... the... erhh... not sure what you call those things
Just did a curves adjustment where I darkened all tones a bit, and burned a little on the shadows to make them stand out more. You'll have to see if it was an improvement or not.

Mayhaps I've just made it under exposed

I like the crop, but i feel the photo is now underexposed. But i also like that there is more detail. And those are two pieces of staging, that fold out into a triangular shape that we put a ladder on to work on a roof, siding, etc.

 

[Compaq]

Yep, a balance between the two. I overdid it. You'll find the golden midway