On the 'phone

juggler

juggler

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Simon
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A candid available light shot from a party. As ever when I look at shots after I've taken & edited them I start to notice so many flaws that I don't feel like uploading them but nothing ventured...

I'm not entirely sure about the angle, though I actually like the height and ornate ceiling, and I think I've overdone the highlight recovery.

On the other hand perhaps I should have increased the exposure on the woman and let the highlights go completely?

Oh, and I shouldn't have cut her left hand off. And the weird fringing at the back of her dress is the result of my distinctly average photoshop cloning skills.

Any other feedback most welcome!


S9070872_edited-1 by juggler100, on Flickr
 
You could have reduced most if not all of the fringing in camera raw, theres a tick box and adjustment for it under one of the panels.

I like it, I dont think you need to adjust the highlights or shadows any more. You've caught some nice lighting and shadow coming through the window and onto the curtains/wall. I like this image :)
 
The thing with cutting her hand off seems to be because you have way more space at the top of the shot than you need. I do it all the time, end up kicking myself because I have lopped a leg off or something with a mile of space about their head.

Not that I am speaking from experience, because it is still something I have to work at, but checking the edges of the shot when you framing it would possibly help (might help me too :p) Other than that, lovely catch
 
Carlh said:
You could have reduced most if not all of the fringing in camera raw, theres a tick box and adjustment for it under one of the panels.
Click to expand...

Ah.. but only in the full version which comes with Lightroom, I think, not that in Elements. I'm planning on buying LR this weekend. The fringing wasn't too bad but it was exacerbated when I cloned out a child's head which was emerging from the subject's posterior(!)

Auwyn said:
The thing with cutting her hand off seems to be because you have way more space at the top of the shot than you need.
Click to expand...

I wasn't sure about the space at the top. I think it adds to the sense of grandeur but it does look a little unbalanced.

Auwyn said:
Not that I am speaking from experience, because it is still something I have to work at, but checking the edges of the shot when you framing it would possibly help
Click to expand...

This is something I often forget to do.

Thanks, both, for taking the time to reply.
 
In the spirit of trying to be constructive on the art/composition side of things I am interested in what you think this image 'says' to a viewer?

Not knowing anything about the venue or the girl - I am tempted to say it is a picture of a girl on the phone and isn't particularly interesting? I am not sure of the intent though. A candid shot is not good just because the subject didn't notice you. It has to have a story, an interest, a reason. Otherwise its just a plain photograph. I am not sure I see this here.

Sorry if you feel my comments are unpleasant but it often helps when trying to select, plan and process the shot to think of these things.
 
Rich_Ellis said:
In the spirit of trying to be constructive on the art/composition side of things I am interested in what you think this image 'says' to a viewer?

Not knowing anything about the venue or the girl - I am tempted to say it is a picture of a girl on the phone and isn't particularly interesting? I am not sure of the intent though. A candid shot is not good just because the subject didn't notice you. It has to have a story, an interest, a reason. Otherwise its just a plain photograph. I am not sure I see this here.

Sorry if you feel my comments are unpleasant but it often helps when trying to select, plan and process the shot to think of these things.
Click to expand...

Not at all, the reason I selected this shot for critique was that I thought it was a nice image - despite the minor flaws I'd noted for myself - but was still missing something and I hadn't worked out what it was. You're quite right, it works as a personal shot if you know the woman, the event and so on but otherwise isn't one for a portfolio.

In fact she'd stepped away from the main body of a party to take the call to where I'd just got my camera out. Perhaps a better shot would have been to include the party in the background - that may have told more of a story then.

However, the light and shadows in that case would have been utterly different :(
 
juggler said:
Not at all, the reason I selected this shot for critique was that I thought it was a nice image - despite the minor flaws I'd noted for myself - but was still missing something and I hadn't worked out what it was. You're quite right, it works as a personal shot if you know the woman, the event and so on but otherwise isn't one for a portfolio.

In fact she'd stepped away from the main body of a party to take the call to where I'd just got my camera out. Perhaps a better shot would have been to include the party in the background - that may have told more of a story then.

However, the light and shadows in that case would have been utterly different :(
Click to expand...

Agree with juggler. Try and get a story across in your images. Possibly wait for a reaction to the conversation. You obviously saw great light coming through the window. IMO I would of scooted another foot to the right to get more of a glimpse of the left side of her face. I find that when the nose cuts the cheek line, it just makes the nose look bigger.
I know it was candid and you couldn't pose her, but her right arm look massive because its pushed against the body. Two things you can do. Do bird impressions in front of her, flapping your arms and try and get her to follow. This might encourage a reaction your looking for or crop closer.
Hope this helps
 
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