Summer camp

[Judobreaker]

Just a few pictures I shot during summer camp last week.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The knee on number 4 bothers me a bit and I'm not sure I really like the way the hands are cut off on number 2. These are the crops I liked most though, the hands were shot like this and I don't want to crop that girl photo any more just to get rid of the knee.
Oh yeah, that horizon going straight through the dudes head isn't too brilliant either which sucks because I really like the shot except for that little detail. Didn't realize it until I got home. -.-

C&C welcome.

 

[Big Mike]

As an outside viewer (not knowing you or the subjects or the location/camp etc.), I'd like to more connection from subject to viewer. These have a 'snapshot' feel to them because most of them look like you just snapped a shot whenever. #2 is OK because he's doing something and #4 he's almost looking at the camera. #4 & #5 just look like you grabbed the shot at an awkward time/angle etc.

Sure, there is something to be said for 'candid' photos, but if you had just called out "Hey, look over here", it would have made all the difference in the world.

 

[amolitor]

#1 is quite wonderful. Graphically powerful, evocative of a moment, really well done.

#2 is nice enough, but it's mostly a record of someone playing a recorder. The background has nothing really good going for it.

#3 is just a picture of a dude, not a bad one, he's got a little something going on with his expression, but there's nothing else there.

#4 and #5 are all about the hands. The echoed forms of the hand in the flying hair are wonderful. I'd probably crop #4 just above the knee and call it good.

 

[Judobreaker]

Thanks for the replies.

I disagree a bit on the awkward angles Mike, although we possibly just have a different view on what is awkward.
I actually like the fact that they are not looking at the camera but at something else. Sure sometimes it's good if someone looks at the camera when his/her photo is taken but that always makes it a photo of someone that knows their photo is taken which makes it an entirely different sort of photo.

The background of #2 isn't very special, I know. It's the best I could get though as it was in the middle of a very busy street.
I've played around with the crop of #4 a bit and got a crop without the knee that I like much better.

 

[Big Mike]

I disagree a bit on the awkward angles Mike, although we possibly just have a different view on what is awkward.
I actually like the fact that they are not looking at the camera but at something else. Sure sometimes it's good if someone looks at the camera when his/her photo is taken but that always makes it a photo of someone that knows their photo is taken which makes it an entirely different sort of photo.

That's fair...there aren't any rights or wrongs here, this is art...after all.

It's really the last one that I find awkward, in that your shooting from below her and she's in an awkward pose (looking down, chin tucked in and wrist cranked).

I know what you mean about getting photos of people who know their photo is being taken...it changes everything. I find that this is especially true of teenagers, especially girls. They tend to shy away or just ask weird when they see a camera pointed at them. That's not what you want...but I think that what you have here, isn't as strong as they could have been. For example, the subjects are looking out of the frame, not really doing anything...so for the viewer, it's lacking interest. But if we could see that the subjects are doing something (dude with the recorder), or if we can see that they are looking at something (or interacting with something), then it gives the impression that the photo is telling a story.

It's a specific skill to get people to engage the camera (and thus the viewer) without that awkward shyness or weird posing. Sometimes they just have to feel comfortable with you taking their photo, sometimes it's about snapping the photo before they fully realize what's happening. It's about waiting for 'The Decisive Moment' to snap the shutter.

Just as an example, look at the first photo (a very nice image). Now imagine that the top girl wasn't looking to the side, but looking at you or at the girl in front of her...and the next girl, and finally the girl at the bottom...if she was looking at you (or at least up) with her hair blowing like that and at the same time, running down the hill....then you would have an outstanding image, rather than a nice one.

I didn't mean to go on and on about this aspect...but I just feel that that is what your images are missing...and otherwise they are very good.

 

[amolitor]

Having the subject looking at the camera changes everything, but it doesn't make it better or worse. I think the girl looking over in the direction of the birds is absolutely essential to making the first photograph work.

I could write it all out again, but I wrote it once on my dumb blog already, so: Photos and Stuff: Portraits II

 

[Judobreaker]

Yeap, I know all about the girl teenager shyness problem.
I can definitely see your points on the last one, she could probably have a bit more flattering pose. ^^

 

[janineh]

I like #1. The rest doesnt do much for me, bc you can't see any emotions. Best to take photos if ppl show some sort of reaction to something and/or looking towards the camera.

 

[HughTFall]

Of all the pictures that @Judobreaker posted; I like # 4 a lot. Its simplicity and innocent-looking touches me.

 

[rokvi]

Having the subject looking at the camera changes everything, but it doesn't make it better or worse. I think the girl looking over in the direction of the birds is absolutely essential to making the first photograph work.

I could write it all out again, but I wrote it once on my dumb blog already, so: Photos and Stuff: Portraits II

What birds?

 

[Judobreaker]

There's 2 birds just above the horizon on the left in the first picture.