I just finished my homework

alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
edited November 28, 2014 in People
Hi all,
it was almost two weeks that I had to finish my "homework"... it took me some time since photography (at least until today) is not my main think.
The initial post where I have explained my homework was posted here.

In a brief. I am finishing a very basic web site for my wife, that she is starting her singing career and in my first post I have described that a. I do not have many photos of my wife (actually she has the less of any person I have shot) b. and those I have are taken under difficult conditions 1. no control of the lighting or 2. a small compact camera (these shots are more like "just pose there for 10 secs and lets rush to take the first train back home").

So I had made a selection of something like 60 photos that I asked you help me to reduce them largely in number. I could not really do this my self since I am in love with her and thus not very easy to pick the ones that do look good. Thanks a lot for the answers that finally bring us today with only 15 shots.

(In case someone wants to can still have a look at the initial pool here and suggest more that have to go to the shorter list, I am presenting today.

This list of current 15 shots were edited in lightroom (that was my homework) and are perhaps close to completion. The last think I would like to ask you is to pick like 3-4 of them and if you fancy comment overall the way you like. The purpose of these shots are for a web page. In case also helps she sings Chamber Music 17th up to 20th century.

The shots will be given at the bottom of this post, but alternatively you find all these 15 shots in the smugmug gallery I set up for this purpose. The gallery is here (in case you prefer to see photos that way you have to click on each thumbnail to see the full photo, since the thumbnails are crops of the images).


I would like to thank you in advance for your reply and the overall feedback so far.

Regards
Alex




#1
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#2
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#3
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#4
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#5
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#6
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#7
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#8
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#9
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#10
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#11
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#12
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#13
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#14
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#15
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Comments

  • CavalierCavalier Registered Users Posts: 3,071 Major grins
    edited November 16, 2014
    Hi Alex,
    Here are my comments and favorites:

    #1 and #2 Both shots have a red nose, but she is outside in what looks like cold weather, so may be forgivable. I like #2 better than #1 - the color is better.
    #3 and #4 - I like the color shot better than the BW. the color shot is softer.
    #5 is cute, but not sure if it is appropriate for her website.
    #6 and #7 - both are good with the red dress against the plain background - she pops in both. However is #6 a little to serious? And #7 shows her in action.
    #8 - I wouldn't use this one - it really doesn't show much personality and seems a bit off balance.
    #9 - No. This one makes her face look unsymmetrical and not very flattering.
    #10 - this one looks a little too posed.
    #11 - I like this one
    #12 - this one is OK, except that the yellow building draws the focus away from her.
    #13 - Ok, but a little out of focus
    #14 - Good and nice smile.
    #15 - Also good with a very natural smile.

    Please remember, I am not a professional photographer and not in the music industry - so take my comments with that in mind! :uhoh Overall, you are doing a good job processing the shots that you have selected. thumb.gif I wish you luck with the website and I wish your lovely wife luck with her music career.
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited November 16, 2014
    #1 intrigues me - imagining it is her time alone to contemplate her next performance.

    #3 I like the pose, but the aspect ratio seems unusually narrow - a little too narrow for me. Perhaps crop again with some negative space.

    #7 Capture of her practicing? How about a shot of her performing - posed or real - without the music book.

    Both #9 and #11 appeal to me. I would clone out the handle on the window though as it is distracting. #9 aspect ratio seems unusually narrow, but I think it would work well.

    Consider enhancing eyes - in LR use "Iris Enhance" for #9.

    Phil
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
    edited November 17, 2014
    Hi and thanks a lot for your feedback. I would like to comment back but first lets allow 1-2 more days for more members to comment.

    Regards
    Alex
  • r3t1awr3ydr3t1awr3yd Registered Users Posts: 1,000 Major grins
    edited November 17, 2014
    3, 5, 8. If she were my wife, those would be the three I print to 16x20 and hang around the house.

    Hi! I'm Wally: website | blog | facebook | IG | scotchNsniff
    Nikon addict. D610, Tok 11-16, Sig 24-35, Nik 24-70/70-200vr
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2014
    I know you're hoping for detailed feedback from me, but I'm just not going to have an opportunity to go through these shot by shot right now. Computer time is extremely limited and I'm barely keeping up at all! Sorry... What I can say is my comments from earlier posts stand.............. thumb.gif

    ETA: you may want to explore using different retouching techniques - looks like these were all done with the clarity slider in LR. It can do a bit, but when it's too much everything gets a bit "fuzzy" and it's kind of obvious.
  • alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2014
    stand thumb??? What does this mean? thanks for feedback though
  • FoquesFoques Registered Users Posts: 1,951 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2014
    none of the shots are screamers to me. Sorry.
    Arseny - the too honest guy.
    My Site
    My Facebook
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited November 18, 2014
    "Stand" in this context means "my earlier comments are still true". Thumb up icon to show encouragement.
  • alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2014
    Foques wrote: »
    none of the shots are screamers to me. Sorry.
    Hi,
    thanks for the reply

    from the
    http://www.thefreedictionary.com/screamers


    scream·er (skremacr.gifprime.gifmschwa.gifr)n.1. One that screams, especially one that sings harshly or stridently.
    2. Slang A sensational headline.
    3. Slang One that evokes screams or laughter: The comedian's act is a real screamer.
    4. Slang An exclamation point.
    5. Baseball A hard-hit line drive.
    6. Any of several large aquatic birds of the family Anhimidae, of South America, that have a harsh resonant



    I guess then you mean the 6 :P

    Alex
  • FoquesFoques Registered Users Posts: 1,951 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2014
    Ah, you crazy, Germans! :D
    I'm not a fan of them is what I was saying.
    #8 could have done it for me has it been taken from a lower vantage point, but the other shots.. eh. Great start, though!
    Arseny - the too honest guy.
    My Site
    My Facebook
  • alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2014
    _Haha thanks for the nice replies (I am not german btw :P and I do not even speak them... funny life)
  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2014
    To be blunt, if she is using this for professional reasons I wouldn't use any of them. They are good for capturing her, but for something professional there isn't anything that jumps out. Instead of trying to rescue these shots, do another session with what you have learned from this shoot. They just come across to me as trying too hard or just being uncomfortable during the shoot.
  • alaiosalaios Registered Users Posts: 668 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2014
    Hi,
    I just wanted to say thanks to all that have replied me. I can now see some of the mistakes you mentioned so in the near future I would be practicing on those more.
    My homework ends with some editing of two more shots that I liked

    i-zzw3PDb-M.jpg

    i-dPDcZSV-M.jpg
    To those that have replied me, I will send them the web site I developed in case they want to have a look
    Regards
    Alex
  • AlexSharkAlexShark Registered Users Posts: 198 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2014
    alaios wrote: »
    I had made a selection of something like 60 photos that I asked you help me to reduce them largely in number.

    I'll give it a shot, not by going through the photos, but by offering a guideline, since this problem is very common to me.

    Say, you only have one screen. Which one of the lot you'd make your wallpaper? You have 5 sec to answer.
    Photography is about what does not meet the eye
    Be my guest: Alex Braverman Photography
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