Skieur's brutally honest critiques

skieur

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Can others edit my Photos
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Post it here. I'd be happy to do it for you. Just make sure to check back to see the critique.

The method is simple. Just post your photo here the same you would in any other thread, and I'll quote it in my critique of the photo. Be prepared, though. I won't be merciful, no matter the level of beginner. :wink:

The only rules:
NO LINKS
Please limit your posts to 3 photos
Please limit your amount of active posts to 1. That is, do not post another set of photos until the previous has been assessed.

I look forward to seeing your photos. :mrgreen:
Thanks for stopping by.
Mark

To be brutally honest about critiquing the critiques, you are taking a very limited, emotional approach to whether the shot says anything to you. "Professional" critiquing involves the technical side: You did not notice mention of over or under-exposure, camera angle, depth of field etc. and the one suggestion about wide angle would have flattened the shot in a negative way. Only one comment about editing and that was very vague. No suggestions about how to improve any of the images in post. A more thorough critique of the technical side is warranted on some shots.

Composition needs to be evaluated in a more specific way including the visual effect (positive or negative) of shape, colour, texture, lighting etc. or the position of the picture elements and whether a better placement was possible. You did not use the term: centre of interest, either, and the fact that at least one image did not have one and that the centre of interest must have some level of visual impact for the viewer. A clichee shot for example is often one with a boring centre of interest that requires a more original approach from the photographer.

These are just a very few pointers. There are many more.

You provided a few comments but definitely not a critique.

skieur
 
An opinion on this dirty shot?!
ac9bbd0d.jpg
Excellent sharpness. Great use of depth of field to isolate the main subject. All the components are in the shot: the football, the mud, the feet front and back of the ball and the player. The framing of the player's face visually with the arms and legs is very effective. Despite being accidental, you picked the perfect moment to shoot. The concentration in his expression on the ball comes through clearly as well. A great shot to illustrate the nature of the game and the visual impact attracts the viewer. 10/10

skieur
 
skieur said:
Excellent sharpness. Great use of depth of field to isolate the main subject. All the components are in the shot: the football, the mud, the feet front and back of the ball and the player. The framing of the player's face visually with the arms and legs is very effective. Despite being accidental, you picked the perfect moment to shoot. The concentration in his expression on the ball comes through clearly as well. A great shot to illustrate the nature of the game and the visual impact attracts the viewer. 10/10

skieur

Thanks for the feedback, the main aim i look to achieve in fast paced sports photography is sharpness and impact, which is interesting when most people suggest to set the camera auto focus to release(which captures everything). I prefer focus, as I can't use a soft image...
 
IMG_0048.jpg


Tear it up! I was trying to get some feed back on a c&c post but no one would tear it apart so I knew what to improve on!

The major problem here is compositional. What is your centre of interest? Why did you take the picture? What were you trying to communicate to the viewer? Why did you choose to have a washed out white background? You have not succeeded in giving visual impact to whatever your centre of interest is. What part of the photo is the eye of the viewer supposed to be drawn to?

From a technical standpoint, the yellow/green cast screams over-exposure and the white washout confirms it. The rule for framing is to not only NOT cut off part of your centre of interest, but not to even have it at the edge of the frame. Focus should be used to isolate the centre of interest and it should not look haphazard with no apparent visual reason for some things being blurred and others being in focus.

You need to look at www.photoinf.com or one of the many books available to get a better idea of what to shoot subject-wise and how to compose the photo within the frame.

skieur
 
R1-04386-015A.jpg

Again, perspective is off. This subject is one that could actually have been cool, but the position from which you shot it was just not done well. The composition isn't great, there's entirely too much dead space. 4/10 for potential.

Have fun...

The above critique does not really say anything. "off", "not done well", "isn't great" etc. certainly dos not tell any photographer what they did wrong and how they could have improved.

Technically the shot is over-exposed which you can tell from the whites on the side of the sun direction and towards the horizon although there may be some fog mixed in with the haze in that area. The camera angle (not perspective) creates a flat head-on shot with no visual interest. It would be better shot from a 45 degree angle or from closer up with a wide angle lens. Although it is difficult, these kinds of shots are better without tourists in the scene. The 3 people in this shot can be cloned out in postprocessing. Software filters in post can also be used to reduce the over-exposed look.

The subject does not have a great deal of visual impact, so this is where a photographer needs to decide either not to take the photo at all, or figure out how to use techniques, filters and lenses etc. to create an unusual visual point of view to give it more visual interest.

skieur
 
R1-04386-011A.jpg

Some people like this style of editing (if you edited it, and it's not a faulty photo). Indeed, it works for some, not for this. The subject, while interesting as far as trees go, really isn't being used well photographically. The muted colors and almost haze toward the top make it very unappealing. As does the clipping of the branches on the left and right. The subject isn't really all that interesting, without a complementary subject, that is. 1/10
Mark

Not to discourage your critiquing efforts, but I am astounded that you would suggest that it's not a faulty photo and you don't like the style of editing (if it was edited.). It is considerably over-exposed, so it definitely is a faulty photo and I doubt very much that it was edited to make it worse. The subject is a clichee tree/lake or tree/ocean shot and not interesting. As to "not being used well photographically", that is clear as mud in the area of communication.
The colours are not muted. They are over-exposed. As to the subject being not all that interesting, perhaps that is where you should have begun.

skieur
 
Here some random shots for you to critique.



5662747419_5be2fdb14e_b.jpg

Great sharpness, colour and framing using the tree and the colour leaves. The clouds in the blue sky create a great background too. Lighting and exposure are also perfect. To mention a couple of minor weaknesses, I would like to have seen the golden spaniel? looking at the photographer and I would brighten the eyes of both dogs in postprocessing. It would make a good calendar shot.

skieur
 
I'll play

1.
IMG_2984.jpg


/QUOTE]

The fall leaves in the water content has been done before, even by me, successfully, but you have added a unique personal approach and style. The usual approach is all leaves floating or all leaves under the water. The water droplets on the leaf and the texture of the water that it is floating on create visual interest and attract the eye of the viewer. The diagonal position of the leaf creates more interest than a straight vertical or lateral leaf position too. I don't by the way see centering as a problem or weakness in this shot. The fact that the leaf is dead suggests the end of the season.

From a techical standpoint, exposure and colours are right on and sharpness and depth of field are well handled, considering the limitations when shooting this close.

A very effective, visually interesting shot.

skieur
 
As to the subject being not all that interesting, perhaps that is where you should have begun.

skieur
Whether something is interesting uninteresting is a personal, value judgement. You're berating other people for inept critique then writing stuff like this (?)
 
R1-04386-015A.jpg

Again, perspective is off. This subject is one that could actually have been cool, but the position from which you shot it was just not done well. The composition isn't great, there's entirely too much dead space. 4/10 for potential.

Have fun...

The above critique does not really say anything. "off", "not done well", "isn't great" etc. certainly dos not tell any photographer what they did wrong and how they could have improved.


a flat head-on shot with no visual interest. It would be better shot from a 45 degree angle or from closer up with a wide angle lens.

these kinds of shots are better without tourists in the scene.

create an unusual visual point of view to give it more visual interest.

skieur

You're doing just the same as what you dismiss as non-critique. More interesting ..to whom? Better... for whom.

Skieur i guess :)

Perhaps the purpose of the image is to show 'tourists' visiting the building. Perhaps the purpose of the image is to show the structure and view on a bearing 260 degrees west. Perhaps someone has researched for years to indentify the place were their relative worked as a light house keeper and finally gets to see it - plenty of visual impact c/w a 'wide angle close up' which does not show the whole building or any context.
 
I'll play

1.


2.
P7030061.jpg


3.

Although somewhat a clichee shot, what is different here is the pollen all over everywhere..including the bee which would bring a smile to some viewers as well as providing some visual interest. In post, I would probably re-shape the flower by cloning out the parts that are cropped by the frame. The background is the major problem particularly the orange flower and the wood which are 2 of the major visual distractions. I would probably suggest a very tight top and right hand side crop to a least reduce the visual problems.

skieur
 
R1-04386-015A.jpg

Again, perspective is off. This subject is one that could actually have been cool, but the position from which you shot it was just not done well. The composition isn't great, there's entirely too much dead space. 4/10 for potential.

Have fun...

The above critique does not really say anything. "off", "not done well", "isn't great" etc. certainly dos not tell any photographer what they did wrong and how they could have improved.


a flat head-on shot with no visual interest. It would be better shot from a 45 degree angle or from closer up with a wide angle lens.

these kinds of shots are better without tourists in the scene.

create an unusual visual point of view to give it more visual interest.

skieur

You're doing just the same as what you dismiss as non-critique. More interesting ..to whom? Better... for whom.

Skieur i guess :)

Perhaps the purpose of the image is to show 'tourists' visiting the building. Perhaps the purpose of the image is to show the structure and view on a bearing 260 degrees west. Perhaps someone has researched for years to indentify the place were their relative worked as a light house keeper and finally gets to see it - plenty of visual impact c/w a 'wide angle close up' which does not show the whole building or any context.

You don't understand. It does NOT matter why the image was shot. What matters is what the average viewer sees. If the "purpose of the image is to show 'tourists' visiting the building then it is poorly done because the centre of interest should be the tourists and that is NOT the case in this image.

"more visual interest" to the average viewer, to answer your question. By the way the building does not have to be "in any context" to make it a shot with visual impact which draws the eye of the viewer. It depends on the photo techniques used by the photographer.

skieur
 
As to the subject being not all that interesting, perhaps that is where you should have begun.

skieur
Whether something is interesting uninteresting is a personal, value judgement. You're berating other people for inept critique then writing stuff like this
(?)

Not personal at all. A centre of interest in composition is a subject with some visual impact to draw the attention of most average viewers. What Mark was saying indirectly was the subject did NOT draw his attention. That is a valid composition related comment and what was meant was that it would not draw the visual interest or attention of MOST viewers.

skieur
 
There are some interesting assessments of my photos, and I plan to weigh all of your opinions the next time I go shooting.

Again, perspective is off. This subject is one that could actually have been cool, but the position from which you shot it was just not done well. The composition isn't great, there's entirely too much dead space. 4/10 for potential.

Not to make an excuse, but the way to the lighthouse was a narrow stairwell and it was difficult to get another angle. I will try harder next time.

The above critique does not really say anything. "off", "not done well", "isn't great" etc. certainly dos not tell any photographer what they did wrong and how they could have improved.

Technically the shot is over-exposed which you can tell from the whites on the side of the sun direction and towards the horizon although there may be some fog mixed in with the haze in that area. The camera angle (not perspective) creates a flat head-on shot with no visual interest. It would be better shot from a 45 degree angle or from closer up with a wide angle lens. Although it is difficult, these kinds of shots are better without tourists in the scene. The 3 people in this shot can be cloned out in postprocessing. Software filters in post can also be used to reduce the over-exposed look.

The subject does not have a great deal of visual impact, so this is where a photographer needs to decide either not to take the photo at all, or figure out how to use techniques, filters and lenses etc. to create an unusual visual point of view to give it more visual interest.

Getting a few filters has been on my to-do list. I can see what you mean about it being over-exposed. It's likely that my light meter is failing, so I'll try to compensate for that next time. Although the tourists may be distracting, I actually clicked the shutter when there were the fewest. I wanted the lighthouse to look populated, but not crowded either. As a personal choice, I would rather use digital software to fix blemishes in the film (I've gotten negatives with dirt on them) than "fix" a lack in composition. However, I do sometimes crop, especially because the eyepiece has a narrower field of view than what is projected onto the film.

Some people like this style of editing (if you edited it, and it's not a faulty photo). Indeed, it works for some, not for this. The subject, while interesting as far as trees go, really isn't being used well photographically. The muted colors and almost haze toward the top make it very unappealing. As does the clipping of the branches on the left and right. The subject isn't really all that interesting, without a complementary subject, that is. 1/10

You're right about the clipped branches. I have another shot of this tree-stub which was better in this regard. I didn't edit the photo myself (but maybe some automatic enhancements are done in the lab). What got me into this shot was how small the tree appeared. I'll think about complimentary subjects next time, at least to provide a sense of scale.

Not to discourage your critiquing efforts, but I am astounded that you would suggest that it's not a faulty photo and you don't like the style of editing (if it was edited.). It is considerably over-exposed, so it definitely is a faulty photo and I doubt very much that it was edited to make it worse. The subject is a clichee tree/lake or tree/ocean shot and not interesting. As to "not being used well photographically", that is clear as mud in the area of communication.
The colours are not muted. They are over-exposed. As to the subject being not all that interesting, perhaps that is where you should have begun.

You're right in that it's a bit over-exposed. Again, it could be my light meter. so I'll be more careful next time and maybe jot down what stop and shutter speed I used and ask you guys if I did it right/wrong. I'll work harder on making the subject more interesting. Do you have any suggestions for this one though?

I'll think about investing a few lenses too. Right now I only have one film camera and one lens to go with it. I have felt like I missed some opportunities because I couldn't get the right field of view for a particular shot. However, I want to stick with this one to learn as much from it that I can and to do as much as I can with the limits that are present.

These are fun to read! And again, great photos here from everyone else! (Photography is hard)
 
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Taken while standing on the deck of a boat bobbing in the water.


610693647_AdpR8-L.jpg


Its a beautiful bird, and nice space on the right letting him fly. Even with the bokeh the background is a tad distracting due to the vertical tree trunks. Focus looks great on the eye, and its nice the way he is bright so pops from the background. Some of the highlights seem hot though, if you shot this in RAW I bet you could recover them.

Agreed, Spacefuzz. What is very impressive with this shot is the extreme sharpness and texture given the flying bird and the boat platform for the photographer.
The texture of the feathers in the white areas indicates the exposure is pretty close to being right on. The tale and beak could be slightly darkened in the blue areas in postprocessing but you would need to see the results to decide whether the action was appropriate of not. The tree trunks in the background are indeed a problem but aside from a master job at cloning or perhaps darkening the whole background, I don't see any other possible solutions.

skieur
 

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