Photo Contest Help!

ntbbc6 · Mar 21, 2008

Hey guys,
I'm entering some of my pictures in photo contest on my campus. If you could give some feedback on either changes or your favorites, i would really appreciate it.

Thanks!
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

rickyracer25 · Mar 21, 2008

number 8 is my fav. closely followed by number one. I didn't care for 2,3 but that's just me

invisible · Mar 21, 2008

rickyracer25 said:
number 8 is my fav. closely followed by number one.

My thoughts exactly. The only thing about #8 is that I'm not sure I like the square shape of the image.

spiffybeth · Mar 21, 2008

i really like 6 and 8

skieur · Mar 21, 2008

Number 8 has a major composition problem: too much balance. An odd number of items creates visual tension and directs the viewer's eye. In a balanced composition the eye wanders all over the place. This problem is further compounded by balancing the cool colours with the warm colours.

In number 9 the dark semi-transparent blotch in the middle of the falls distracts the eye. Beyond that, experimenting with different shutterspeeds, closer framing, and postprocessing would have improved this shot as well.

Your black and whites display a tendency toward too much contrast particularly in number 5. Tonal range is extremely important in black and white which means a lot of very selective postprocessing. I don't see that as having been done in these photos.

Number 2 is also too balanced composition-wise, with the window in the centre of the frame.

skieur

Hobbes · Mar 21, 2008

I am really a newbie but I do like #6 because it looks weird and cool but what the heck is it? some kind of weird flower? or toy?

plentygood · Mar 21, 2008

1 or 8 definately. They rest are all good, but to be honest they are too cliche to win. Cliche shots usually have to be REALLY good and REALLY stand out to win.

But, 1 and 8 are really good and really stand out (to me atleast). I wouldn't go with 8, because, like previously mentioned, my eyes just wander through. The overall effect is pleasing, but in the 1st one, you are immediately directed to the gold tab and then your eyes move to the rest.

KevinDks · Mar 21, 2008

I like number 6 the best - all those seeds (?) look like little eyeballs, as if this were some kind of alien's head.

In an ideal world you would have had enough depth of field to get both the front and back edges of the seed head in focus, and the background more out of focus, but in spite of that it still looks like more of a competition winner than any of the others.