Really interested in C&C

XavierP · Jan 13, 2013

This is my first post. Really interested in your opinion on this image. Was entered in a local photo contest. Didn't expect to win but thought it would at least get mentioned. Judges were from a local community college. Photo that did win was of a old lady lighting a cigar in Cuba. Looked like a snapshot to me but it took the prize. Any comments are welcomed. Thanks

651stp · Jan 13, 2013

I'm not sure if it's just my phone but the photo looks either soft or to much skin smoothing. I'll take a better look later.

Lmphotos · Jan 13, 2013

The guy in the picture looks very soft, it seems like a good concept but something about it is lacking the emotion needing to come across

Granddad · Jan 13, 2013

Welcome to the forum.

Obviously we can't judge what the successful images were like in comparison to yours. A photo of an old woman lighting a cigar in Cuba is becoming a bit of a clichéd subject but it could have been brilliantly executed. Also, what were the goals of the competition? What was the aiming point and did you get anywhere close to the target? Sorry to say that, although I like the concept you have here, nothing about the actual image "pops" out of the screen and hits me in the eye. The focus appears to be more on the lady's shirt than her face, there are no open eyes to show emotion or to pull the viewer into the photo. A petty nitpick that hit me when I looked at the larger version is that the guy didn't shave his neck that day, this little factor adds to the lack of clear definition between lines. You have greys merging into greys (not sure how many shades of grey but probably less than 50) ... What am I looking at? My first thought was lovers but half a second after that came the thought, could he be a vampire after her neck?

If you changed your permissions to allow editing I'm sure someone will show you what can be done. People here are generous with their time for members who have potential and are willing to listen. I've learned more in 18 months on this forum than I ever did before and my work has improved considerably as a result.

Don't be disheartened, this forum is well known for honesty in C&C (if you want your ego stroked post it on Facebook) but if you stick around and pay attention you could learn more here than in many photography classes.

Chris R · Jan 13, 2013

I like the concept but it does look too soft. The B&W processing also looks a bit boring to me. Last but not least, the watermark is hideous.

cgipson1 · Jan 13, 2013

A little soft, and very tight framing.... there is also a slight lack of contrast.

Edit.. I agree, that watermark is terrible!

KmH · Jan 13, 2013

Chris R said:
Last but not least, the watermark is hideous.

I thought, "What's up with the yellow stain?"

For me the tonal range is to shallow and the image needs more contrast.

Scuba · Jan 13, 2013

Soft and needs contrast. Also, the guy's eye needs to be more visible to help with the emotion.

nycphotography · Jan 13, 2013

Scuba said:
Soft and needs contrast. Also, the guy's eye needs to be more visible to help with the emotion.

This. Plus the emotion should probably not be a grimace in a tender couple shot.

If both parties are part of the subject of the picture, you need both of them to be interacting and visible.

Having not seen the wining picture, while you say it was snapshotty, I'm guessing it was a well composed and presented snapshot of something interesting. The "something interesting" is (probably) what got it considered at the top, and the lack of technical flaws is (probably) what kept it from being dismissed against other images.

Yours may have been interesting (although to be fair, we've all seen this shot a thousand times before). But the composition misses surely kept it from winning.

XavierP · Jan 13, 2013

Thanks to all for their input. This is what I needed. After reading all replies, I can clearly see the problems. In hindsight image probably should not have been made a b&w. not enough contrast. I was going for something soft and dreamy. That's why it's a little soft. Just executed poorly. I will surely use all advice for next attempt. I will try again soon.

As for the watermark, thanks, I like it. C'est la vie.

Granddad · Jan 14, 2013

XavierP said:
Thanks to all for their input. This is what I needed. After reading all replies, I can clearly see the problems. In hindsight image probably should not have been made a b&w. not enough contrast. I was going for something soft and dreamy. That's why it's a little soft. Just executed poorly. I will surely use all advice for next attempt. I will try again soon.

As for the watermark, thanks, I like it. C'est la vie.

One thing I noticed on the watermark is that it's too low quality to see what it actually is, even in the large version. All I can see (and my eyes aren't that bad) is something that looks vaguely like the little lion they stamp on eggs here in the UK to show they're from an approved source. Beyond that I can't see what the text is, it's too pixilated. So all it really achieves is to distract from the photo. Even if it was clear I'd avoid the mustard yellow.