CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISIM ON PHOTOS PLEASE Oh and 1st post!!!

[lollypops]

Hi I m a photo student and i m trying to put a portfolio together I have never really had my photos critiqued properly from anyone unbiased so please (with out making run and cry!!!) could i have advice and even suggestions on what should be scrapped or worked on.


I shot all images in raw and have the originals i like very contrasty images often set in a studio and done venture style with a white background. All the images have been altered in photoshop- some have simply had the levels adjusted others have been altered to give different colours or blown highlights.

I m hoping to apply for a degree so my portfolio images are going to sell me I still need to do lots more images and hope to post them here when i do.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2324/2186876999_d10fa6e634.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2187664040_702ea4b2d8.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2187665090_7e10c36df9.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2094/2186936611_46d6f7a74a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/2186936447_426fe9ce5c.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2003/2186944101_07f68250f9.jpg

[Marcel]

Hi lollypops, and welcome to the forum.

I've moved your post over to People and Portraits, in the General Photo Sharing section, as the Indepth Critique forum, where you put it, has a limit of one photo per day :)

Kind Regards

[lollypops]

Oh ok and thank you

[hypnotic]

Welcome to the forum lollypops ... :wave:

You will also need to reduce the size of your photos to a max of 800 pixels on the longest side before the pixel police get onto the case ... :D

[CT]

The extreme contrast isn't really my thing but it's intentional so I wont comment on that. What I do like is that you've thought about where you place your subjects in the frame and you're not afraid of a bit of empty space.

In the first shot I think she's a bit too close to the corner and could come in towards the centre a little, but the others seem fine.:)

The bad news is the pixel cops are here and your images are oversize for our forum limits and I'm breaking your links. You can either just leave the clickable links or resize your images to 800 pixels on the longest side then replace your img tags.

Oh and welcome to the lunatic asylum!:wave:

[natjag]

1 and 2 I feel are too contrasty.
4 and 5 the subject needs a bit more light (oh and a spot needs to be cloned out)

Looking again at 4 and 5 the lighting on the subject doesn't match the background. It just looks a bit flat.

[WanderingMind]

Welcome lolly :)

No 5. and 6 are my favourites.

5 the background light seems a little harsh and the way the model is lit looks a little flat, the model looks comfortable, natural.

I really like no.6, nice shot :) If I was being picky - you can just a say see his other eye, the angle makes it look closed. The plaster marks on the background wall are a little distracting, might be worth cloning out the bigger ones.

[WanderingMind]

Hope you don't mind, iv'e tidied up the marks on the wall :)

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/GT4m/2186944101_07f68250f9_b.jpg

[DoubleT]

i like these. having a big background really helps.

it looks like they are just there in nowhere, if you get me?

[lollypops]

No wow thank you for tidying up the wall- i see what you mean it looks alot less distracting now :) As for 4 I like that one too but i think i m going to have to play around abit i think your right the model does look quite flat but hopefully it's saveable.

[AlanMac]

Here's some of my observations - the Venture look is almost there, the only difference is that Venture go for the upbeat happy look, but your subjects in the first two or three look a bit miserable. It's probably what you're after but try a B&W conversion as well, I think it's more in keeping with the subject. I like No.4, a pretty girl in a natural looking pose, but you need to get more light on the face. The other thing is she is completely cut off just below the shoulders - get her arms in the shot, preferably folded and resting on a table or something similar to give the photo a "base".

[CarlukeDave]

I really like number 6, I quite like 5 & 4 as well, not that keen on the first three. I'm no expert ***.

[icecavern]

1 is good, slightly too much contrast but otherwise I like that one. 4 & 5 I feel are ok composition wise but the model is far too dark.

[whiteflyer]

Hope you don't mind, iv'e tidied up the marks on the wall :)

It's much better without the marks, but still not too sure the white balance is correct.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q142/whiteflyer/junk%20stuff/2186944101_07f68250f9_b.jpg

[SimonTALM]

I like them all, I agreee with the others that perhaps they are technically very slightly off perfect; blown highlights on the arm and neck of image one, too much contrast in 2&3, and I think the eyes in 4&5 are very slightly soft - could be focus or in need of USM and the face is in too much shaddow. However that's nitpicking to my mind, I find the poses and the composition interesting and I especially really like the way you've put the model in the very corner of the frame and the amount of white space in the first one. I can easily see this appealing to a magazine layout with this forming a corner of a page.

In the last one, yes the white ballance doesn't look correct but I don't think this is problem as to me it appears that this was deliberately set to appear warm and intimate (I find whiteflyers edit too cold).

For a degree in photography I am sure that these will stand you well - focus on the technical elements more perhaps both in lighting and in post processing and I am sure you will excell.

[lollypops]

Thank you everyone for the constructive advice- I agree that technically they are not quite there yet, presumably though the whole point in a degree would be to fine tune skills and help me go from imperfect to perfect.

The no6 shot was taken using tungsten and was shot in my living room- the others where are in a studio using flash. The image came out warmer because the tungsten lighting is warm- I chose to exagerate that- although I'm now doubting that decision.

I did think carefully about the composition and I'm glad that shows. I'll post some edited images as soon as and would be grateful if you could advise- better worse or scrap :)

[lollypops]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2190166694_fdee7cbaf6.jpg

This one has had the layer duplicated then desat and opacity dropped- better than the contrasty one? I m not sure which i like best they both have they're qualities :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2392/2190167410_6a276dc70a.jpg

I adjusted levels although i m not sure its enough to save it- its def an improvement though.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/2188480194_3115cd45ee.jpg

Not completly sure about this one :|

Black and white anyone? :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/2189414277_e74b51c292.jpg

and a new one

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/2189378567_1aa893afbb.jpg

pixel police if these are wrong i m sorry just tell me where i m going wrong :):love:

Again all comments welcomed and greatfully appreciated

[SimonTALM]

3rd one I don't like at all but I do like the B+W on the fourth I think it definately improves the shot.

I really like the new one, but if I was to nitpick again I am distracted by the series of stray hairs across the model's nose and eyes and the blown highlights in the the pink hair to the top right. Once again though the composition / pose etc. is great.

Remember, just like everyone else here I am only giving my opinion and although I'm never wrong it doesn't make my opinion correct :D.

[lollypops]

Thank you I really wasnt sure i liked the 3rd one either- some one suggested solerizing it and it doesnt add to the image i think it makes it look quite blah:)

I m glad you like the new one- it was a purely opertune shot the model is a friend thats also on the same course as me at the mo- although she has no idea she's the model in this shot so i was supprised it came out well. It was taken in daylight at about 2-3 ish in October. Would a bounce have stopped the high lights from blowing so to speak?

and does anyone know any photographers who deliberatly do blown highlights and extremly contrasty images(if i can say it was purposly done- no one will be any the wiser)?!

Thank you again for your help and advice

[SimonTALM]

and does anyone know any photographers who deliberatly do blown highlights and extremly contrasty images(if i can say it was purposly done- no one will be any the wiser)?!

:lol: I don't but I think you'll definately do well and get in to university if you can find one - seen "History Boys" perchance? :lol:

[DaveHope]

Wow, wish i'd come across this thread earlier - some great pics :)

I really like the first image in your first post, would like the subject to be slightly larger though, perhaps up to the diagonal so that it fills about half the image? other minor thing is the shoes, they're too purple :) - My eyes get drawn to the shoes and not the image (that's not something that usually happens -- I hate shoes)

Unlike the others, I like the new image you introduced in the second set of pics. Only thing I don't like with it is the blown our hair in the top right of the image.

.. hrm, think I need to get myself a studio :)

[lollypops]

No I haven't seen History Boys- i hear its ment to be great though i may hire it this week- your not the first to mention it to me :) I m applying for the college I m at at the moment Plymouth College of Art and Design its an FD, but i cant help comparing my photography to other peoples- which is good in the sense it always makes me want to be better- but bad because it can seriously damage my self confidence- i tend not to show my work around at college if i can help it :)

Shoes! I'm a girl its all about the shoes- seriously thanks for the comment I'll try tonning down the shoes a tad so they're not as punchy :) and good idea about the positioning

what do you think- is this what you ment? (havent tonned the shoes down yet- need to work out how to first!)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/2190515426_0e7e0ae790.jpg

Here is also the original image of the new one- i think i edited it for the better- do you? :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/2190515690_2efcf8b7a8.jpg

[DaveHope]

Shoes! I'm a girl its all about the shoes- seriously thanks for the comment I'll try tonning down the shoes a tad so they're not as punchy :) and good idea about the positioning

what do you think- is this what you ment? (havent tonned the shoes down yet- need to work out how to first!)

Yep, that's exactly what I meant :) - Much better IMO :thumbs:

Here is also the original image of the new one- i think i edited it for the better- do you? :)

The hair doesn't seem as blown out in the edit, but I preferred the contrast in the first :)

[lollypops]

and I almost forgot- its not one of my most favourites but....http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2244/2186878831_1155b83f61_m.jpg

I agree Dave i definetly like contrast! :)