Unhappy
cmr164
Registered Users Posts: 1,542 Major grins
280mm (70-200L IS with 1.4x)
1/500
f5.6
1/500
f5.6
Charles Richmond IT & Security Consultant
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
0
Comments
70mm
1/512
f5.6
ISO 400
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
70mm
1/50
f2.8
ISO 400
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Where are you?
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
Here is a friend's child. Her name is "Amore", somehow fitting. This is from Cebu.
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Oh yea... I am right with you on your philosophy as regards 'shopping.
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
But since you ask for it....
Picture one:
Kids looking miserable can be sweet and sympathy evoking, but this kid just looks mis. full stop. I think it's to do with a lack of catchlight in the eyes. They look a bit dead. Also, if you work along the rule of thirds principle, then where is the viewer supposed to look? I would probably have gone for a crop that gave a little more of a focal point like maybe (that's if the eyes had some light):
It seems I can only upload one per mail, so I'll do them individually.
I like the smiley guy as I said before. I think the light is a little flat though. I would probably use photoshop to add a little warmth. I think's hes got a great look, but again, I think it might benefit from a bit of cropping to make those fabulous eyes more of a focal point. When shooting (given the option) I would probably have pulled back a bit to get more in the "under chin" area. Or if I didn't have a choice, then I would've forfeited some of the cap for having the eyes higher.
Picture 3
Cute kid, but no part of that photo is in focus, so i would discard it on that basis.
Picture 4.
I like this shot. She's cute, the eyes work well, but you've got problems with flare behind her head. You could try a graduated filter layer to tone down the brightness of the top of the shot (i'm not great at that sort of manipulation as I tend to reduce manipulation to a minimum (for reasons mentioned before), or again, you could crop hard. As you might've guessed that would be my preference.
The other problem you have is that there is a lot of clutter in the shot, visually, which detract from just how cute she is and how great her face looks. Yes, here it comes again... CROP
That would be my feeling. But of course, this is utterly subjective, I am no more or less qualified to make that judgement than anyone else on here, but I guess if there's something doesn't work for me, I think it's better to say so than just to say "yeah, great, keep shooting". I would prefer people to be honest about my work too. Taste is obviously a personal thing, and such views ALWAYS need to be taken with a bit of a thick skin, but technical errors are technical errors. End of. If I simply don't like a shot at all, then I tend to just keep stumm.
or even as far as...
ISO400
70mm
1/250th
f5.0
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
I want to post a note of appreciation of Yvonne's comments as well. I think they were well thought out and constructive and will help cmr improve his images. And I think this is what he was requesting.
I agree with Charles that some times folks seem a little too reluctant to give straight forward answers to requests for constructive criticism. It is a fine line sometimes, and I think Yvonne did an excellent job of critcism and suggestions for improvement as well. Criticism - without helpful sugggestions can just be cheap shots , but her suggestions were dead on and informative and educational for myself and other readers as well.
Charles asked for suggestions for cropping of his last image.
I have two alternatives to offer depending on what he wishes to emphasize. I think there were several competing subjects that caught his eye and that the image lacks a primary subject as a result. Like Yvonne said - CROP closer, and then CROP closer again. Good advice.
I disagree with Damon who has an excellent eye, but it is my opinion that the child's image is not best served by being in the dead center of cmr's image.
My first try I tried to retain some of the colored cloth in the upper right and move the child to the right lower third - It looks like this. ( the images will be poor quality as I had to use the 800 pixel attachment displayed on dgrin)
It retains some of the warmth of the colored cloth, but...
Crop closer ( if you can ) and you get this which is more focused on the center of interest to my eye
I am very interested in alternative opinions that include suggestions for further improvement. Merry Christmas to All.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Pathfinder's last crop, well, it takes away the distinguishing characteristics of the setting, and makes it any poor child in a slum type situation.
On brutal honesty, I only want it when I ask for it. If I do ask for it, I don't think it serves any purpose to "make nice", then the person posts their photo on the Challenge and it never gets picked.
When I see something I think is going to get picked up as a flaw, I mention it. Usually. Then I often get jumped on as in the phrase, "ginger, it is beautiful, don't you see those shadows". I did not say another word.
I have said, over and over, that if possible, I like center placement over the rule of thirds, that is a quirk of mine, but I would never encourage somone to put something in the challenge that way. On that issue, I often don't notice as it is not a peeve of mine. So someone else has to pick up on that.
The photos Yvonne was referring to, I agree with her. Except, I am not sure what can be done re the last photo. The apron/pinnafore (sp) is distracting to me. Perhaps it would be better served in black and white or sepia. Not to cover a flaw, but to play to the photos strengths and minimize any weaknesses, most photos have them.
The smiley guy is a natural choice, but I thought there was something lacking. Maybe by playing with the lighting, that is a thought. Or a crop, I will try anything to get a basically good photo in, those teeth are great.
ginger
Almost always, I am looking for comments that will improve my technique.
Examples include those offered for cropping in my bird postings or Harry's
comment regarding what makes a good bird photograph.
Many times, I'm not sure how to reply to a post. Whether the poster is
looking for objective comments or acknowledgement matters to me and
the last thing I really want to do is upset someone. The other part of
making comments concerns how to effectively critique a photo--I know
nothing other than what I like or don't like about a shot.
I've seen a lot of images that are nice but could be better in my own work
and I feel the environment for constructive critique is better here than other
forums.
A suggestion is to create a forum for critiques or perhaps add a key
word in the subject to indicate you'd like constructive comments.
What other suggestions do folks have for critique?
Ian
Well, I don't usually want a real critique unless I ask for one, like if I am trying to decide something, or have a bad feeling. I will ask for brutal honesty when I want it.
On the other hand, if a horizon is off, oh other things that can be fixed, I don't mind someone saying that I might try this or that and see if I like it.
But a trash job, I am not looking for unless I ask. This is helpful, for instance. Lynn, the moderator, she oohed and aahed over a shot of mine (that is what I really want), then she suggested that I make the shadows darker) I bristled a bit, I am the sensitivie type, but she worked me through it, it was a minor repair with valuable information. If she had come in without the ooohing and aaahing that she is so good at, it might not have worked as well. I have noticed her doing that more and more lately, when she is online.
The rule for therapists is not to give advice unless asked for it. If it is given unasked for, the person who does the advising will usually get kicked in some way for giving the advice. There is a difference between the two questions, "Does this dress make me look fat", and the question, "which dress would you wear if you were me".
In giving advice, I would tread lightly. I don't usually............I am just giving you the advice I think you asked for, but I find it difficult to follow. I am not a teacher by nature. I don't praise things I don't like, but I usually find it difficult to trash something constructively that I don't like. I either ignore it, or do something else not very constructive.
I work kind of under the thing, "unless asked, don't tell". Unless I am bored and looking for something to do. Then uh oh.
ginger (I think all this can be put right in the threads we have now.)
I'll go further. Even if you can not formulate the constructive 'fix' still tell me you dislike a pic. I will not take it as a cheap shot!! Tell me what you can. Hey sometimes it is a lot easier to see what is wrong than to see the fix and too often I see folks making up fixes for shots that just aren't going to make it.
Not sure I agree with you. The rule of 3rds can be a crutch that gets in the way....
If the shot is to be not centered but still maintain the elements that I find key, maybe something like this:
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
I posted the previous crops because you explicitly asked for alternatives and they were not meant as criticisms but as alternatives that seemed to work visually for my eye. Actually I did not really think about the rule of thirds that much - It is true that generally I agree with the conventional thought that central placement frequently does not work that well. But like most rules in art, the rules can always be broken effectively sometimes. But sometimes also means "not usually", to me anyway.
I like your last crop Charles, I think it is a much stronger image than the first one with the hands in the lower left corner and I think it may be better than my first one on reflection.. I looked at that possibility on my screen, (retaining the rags or towels) when I chose to crop slightly further down on the superior margin - As I said in my post where and how you crop IS a function of what the artist choses to emphasize, as I am sure you are well aware.
I preferred to concentrate more on the child and the cloth's above her head seemed to compete with the child's face for my attention so I eliminated them. You prefer to include them - perhaps to demonstrate more of her living environment - a very valid approach in portraiture.
I preferred my final crop as I thought the child was the primary subject irrespective of her social status. - Ginger seemed to like the child as a smaller central element with more depiction of life for a poor child in a tropical climate. I sometimes feel photos taken to demonstrate the harshness of life for some folks border on being exploitive. But that may just be a problem in my thinking. She is a lovely little child.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
The picture does not demonstrate "the harshness of life". It is a child in her home leaning out an opening and as such shows the nature of life. I have lived in many countries and have been friends with high and low. People are just human beings and wealth matters not. Only character matters.
These people are somehow my people and I have only respect and liking for them. You will see the difference if you look at my pictures from Bermuda, Tahiti, Spain, Japan, etc. I have a house in the Philippines now and it is my home. I am in Boston just to settle affairs and sell off belongings. By August I will only have the house in Cebu.
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph