LPS20 - Unofficial Feedback Thread
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Registered Users Posts: 1,383 Major grins
pyroPrints.com
Registered Users Posts: 1,383 Major grins
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ofcourse, it was difficult narrowing it down.
in no order:
In entry order..
I also have a question for the community. One of the great features of LPS was that those of us poor unfortunates that weren't in the top 10 got some feedback from Shay or another designated individual. Given how busy all judges are, perhaps we should consider giving feedback to everyone who enters ourselves, similar to this unofficial thread but all inclusive. Maybe break up the entries into groups of 20, start individual threads, and people can comment as they deem fit. I would hope the goal would be that everyone got at least one comment to help them along. Does this seem reasonable? Would people be willing to try something like this or is it just too big?
Just a thought....
Website: Tom Price Photography
Blog: Capturing Photons
Facebook: Tom Price Photography
I liked Hawkeye's idea of feedback. I don't claim to be skilled at evaluating photography or making recommendations, but with the lack of participation at this point, I thought, if I provided some, maybe some others would chip in as well and we could get the energy back up on this. Usually by now there are a couple of pages of "unofficial feedback" OK, so here it goes. I will provide the best I can. Hope you don't mind.
2- Love your angle. The visual lines are good as well. Story fits, but would like a stronger empahsis on the topic. Maybe a little stronger lighting to make the photo pop a bit more. De-emphasize the background a bit may help bring attention more to subject. I find my eye drawing tot he white space in the background.
3-Good photo. Engaging subject, pleasant expression, good angles. Would like to see the eyes sharper and maybe some seperation by the chin to the corner.
4- Leads the viewer into a story. Good mystery. I like how you left some to the viewer to decide. Good dramatic lighting. I would like to see more hints to the story though to get it to the next level of engagement such as a slight reflection in the window of hint of what is inside.
5-Good composition, good bw conversion, like the visual lines. I would like to see more depth defined by lighting, whether it was multiple lights on the subject, and/or a seperation light in the background.
6-Very cute baby with a great, soft light. I would like to see more context and personality though. Maybe an extreme in expression with some hint or reason why. Also, I would reduce the amount of space around the baby to pull more attention. Also, a little stronger contrast to make it pop a little more.
7- Good seperation from the background. Pulls attention well to the subject. Would like to have more to the story. Why is she plugging her ear? Why the smile? Is there a story with the conversation that could be expressed? Love the light in the hair.
8- Great photo for the conditions. Always hard to get a good theater shot. Love the expression on Javar. The colors and contrast are great. For the contest, I would love to see this cropped tight on his face; really focus on his great expression.
9- Expressive capture. Movement captured through zooming and hand motion. Like it. Good unsual angle and tight crop provide good empahsis on the subject. Background window pulls too much for me. I like that you zoom blurred to soften it but a little more de-emphasis on the window I beleive would make this even stronger.
10- Erie, haunting. An emotional image. Expression captures the emotion very well. Dark tones add to the nightmareish theme. I do find myself wanting a little more highlight. But maybe that would kill the "dark" feel. The dark eyes are appropriate. Some of the post production looks a little too pushed / distorted. Strong image overall.
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
11- What an amazing...oh wait a minute, that one is mine. The tears look fake. Get them right if you are going to do tears. Five hands? What is that about? What is that in her eye...? Oh I get it. Hair on her left shoulder should have been fixed. Post production almost makes her look painted.
12- Great seperation from background. Like the blue. Great expression. Would like to have seen the same expression without the card and let the story be told by the subject. A tight crop with his face filling the frame with some off camera lighting would be fun to see.
13- Nice serene expression and capture. A feeling of peace conveys well with this photo. I fight with the crop in my mind. Is there a different crop that would work better? The BW conversion is on the darker side; a little heavy in the mid tones, but does this add to the peace of the photo? Would have to see variations of a fuller range conversion.
14- Great photo. Complete story is told with the addition of the title. Very fluid composition with great eye leading lines. Main leads to the face, which leads to the reins which lead tot he hand and back around again. Nice photo.
15- Way to fill the frame! Definitely a face and a great expression. Story told. Good BW conversion. Would have been fun to have a fly on his nose.
16- Gross subject, but well executed. Very deep lighting; great tonality. Simple composition, very effective. Would like to see the behind the scenes and see your post production as well.
17- Great idea! She blends right in as one of the dolls. Very precious. I would like to see a compasison photo with either a vinette or goboed light on the little girl. My eye keeps going to the blue eyed doll on the right frame. I would de-emphasize that a little. This is hard to critique because the blending in with all the dolls is a major part of the composition. But I just find myself wanting more attention to her still.
18- Wonderful. Simple composition. Story is effectively told, good lighting. The only thing I could nit pick on this is the closed eye looks smashed by the thumb. Maybe if the hands were al ittle more to the right of the frame and the closed eye was completely conceiled by the thumb by moving the hands closer to the camera. Don't know...would have to see both. Well done.
19- Classy photo. Love the top hat. Good BW conversion. Would like to see a little stronger sharpening/focus. Your title is fun. Would have loved to see the guy in the top hat stairing at the horse with a focused expression and raised eye brow to convey the title more. Also, would have been fun to have seen why we wanted the horse to "shut up".
20- Title and photo work well together. Great edgy conversion. What could you add to show more story or personality? Was he sitting on his Harley? Would that have detracted from the subject though? The windblown hair contributes to the theme title but visually throws my eyes out into the background.
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
I made the suggestion so I should at least contribute. It's only an opinion so I apologize in advance if I unintentionally upset anyone. I will do page 2.
11 - The Evening News. I personally love this picture. I'm pretty simple so if a picture makes me stop and look and generates an emotional appeal I like it. Beautiful lighting and skin tone. You almost believe she can have that many hands. The picture draws me in and makes me want to stay and look.
12 - Here's Your Sign. Well shot and meets the theme. One of several along these lines so differentiation is an issue for me. Which one to choose?
13 - Quest. I felt the hands could be more isolated because I wasn't drawn to them right away. The first thing I saw was the out of focus face rather than the in focus hands.
14 - Conversations. Yielding to the Master's Touch. It didn't engage me right away. The hands are sharp but the eyes of the horse don't appear to be in sharp focus so it doesn't draw me in.
15 - Pondering Partisan Politics. Again, well shot and thematically on track. Nice details in the skin and beard.
16 - The Collection. I love the mood and composition in this. I happen to know this wasn't Photoshopped which makes it all the more creepy.
17 - One in a Million. This is one I was drawn to right away. Reminds me of a scene from ET. Nice lighting and composition.
18 - Framed. Must be my day to be reminded of movies. This to me is reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange. I don't know if that was intended so it may just be my odd mind. The framing and lighting are to me outstanding.
19 - Please Shut Up. To me the subject is the horse on the left but it's a little soft. I would also like a little more contrast to bring out some detail in the back of the coat.
20 - Rough Rider. The post processing on this caught my eye. The details that come out in the jacket are great.
These are only my opinions and what the heck do I know about photography
Website: Tom Price Photography
Blog: Capturing Photons
Facebook: Tom Price Photography
thanks a lot for the effort to comment. it is indeed the best part of this exercise (along with the motivation to shoot for a theme, always exciting), to give us hints to move along. thank you, much appreciated!
21- Very engaging photo. Everything leads you to the eye. So the next level...stronger contrast and balance in the BW conversion. Have the eye more wide open then blur the edges of the photo to lead the eye to the "eye" even stronger.
22- Your dogs are beautiful. This expression creates visual tension. It makes the viewer ask, where are the ears? are they tied back? Is that why the eyes are narrow? Lots of questions which is good. I would like to have a story from the photo though. Is there something you could show to relate why your dog has the expression it does? Then some window light or off camera lighting to create depth to the photo will help set it off. Also, a deeper distance of focus from nose to eyes would help in this photo as well.
23- I like this photo. The visual leading lines are very engaging. Hand, up the arm to the shoulder and face, to the draping robe, back to the hand. The only two things I would change with this, or at least look at, is to make the hand the highlighted area instead of the shoulder; add more sharpening to the hand. I like the separation from the background.
24- Love the angle of the shot. Your conversion is very good as well. The focus on the little finger is nice. Focusing on the theme may require a more dominant emphasis or position for the hands. Nice photo.
25- Very expressive and very themed for the contest. Exposure reveals details in the whites. Sharp contrast to the background works well with the mime. I also like the left to right liniar eye flow of the photo. The only thing I could think of to consider for a variation is a more specific hint of what is going on in her mind.
26- Love it. Captured the curiosity of a child very well. The only thing I would change on this photo is making it just a little crisper. Very moving.
27- How to you fix perfection? Great lighting, great expression, great eyes, great post production. Very nice.
28- This is a fun idea. Simple composition with a theme. Very expressive hand. Some post production work on this and it will come to life. Distance of Focus increased a little more to keep the diamond and front part of the hand in focus would be fun to see as well.
29- This photo has a lot of potential. The idea is great. It took me a while to get the story. If you can make the story recognizable imediately, you will capture the viewer and get their emotions. The selective coloring is fun but doesn't add to the photo in my opinion. I would love to see it either color, or bw, or sepia. The dust covered photo (if I interpreted it correctly) would have been better presented if a circular wipe reveal showed the underliing face. The tears were hard for me to recognize, but I like the idea. Very creative and emotional story.
30- Awais, your street portraits are great! I especially like the story behind this one. Lots of personality, simple portrait without distracting background. Very well done. Like it a lot.
26-
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
32- Creative entry. Only "face cards" in the set. I like the long shadows. A camera angle at table level may have made the cards seem larger than life. This along with a partial shadow being cast onto the other cards may have added some dimentionality to the composition. Fun approach and good idea.
33- This is a great portrait. Engaging model with great eyes and expression equal to the title. Composition is great. Definition from the background great as well. Well done.
34- Very unique entry. I love the lighting and your expression. Also love the strong contrast. It fits the expression. I do like your avitar better. It give me a story. It almost looks like you used a strip light which makes it feel like you are sticking your head through the brushed opening. I like it. This entry would have been fun if you had your hand on the glass where you had just wipped it clean. This may create a fun visual story. Just wipped the window to look inside and saw something suprising.
35- Love the pruney fingers. Brings back memories of long baths as a kid and dishes as a teenager. Fun composition. Captures the curiosity of the child very well. I would like to see the BW conversion a little more full spectrum (deeper darks). It would also be fun to see this same shot through a wide angle lens distorting the hand to be huge with the child in the background still. Still like it a lot.
36- Love the title. Good seperation from the background bringing attention to the subject. A couple of things that I feel would improve the photo is some visual tension such as a different angle with the watch. Also, a more full range would be pleasing as well.
37- This could be a post card. Very simple composition works well. For the competition, creating more story may have been helpful. Sands of time...does that mean it is eroding? Would have been fun to have been there as the waves were washing up on it. Great diagnal line in composition.
38- Way to fill the frame with your subject. Creates a good image. Also like the visual lines. I want to know the story though. What is causing this mood? Is there something to add that will hint to the viewer and pull them in? Exposure seems just a hair dark as well.
39- Image and the title make you look twice! Great conversion, fun interpretation. How would you take it to the next level? Humm... I don't know; unless you colorized it to sausage color.
40- I looked at your website. You have some great images...some of which I felt would have been very strong entries. There are some elements to this photo that are contributing that otherwise wouldn't have worked. Being frustrated is amplified by being in a cluttered environment. I would like to see more emphasis in the theme, such as the subject closer in the frame. Also, maybe a more direct indication of what is causing her frustration.
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
Peace, gail
Good luck to everyone.
My images | My blog | My free course
Thank you hawkeye for your feedback - I find it the best of compliments that you are convinced there was no Photoshop involved in this scene. I apologize if my previous comments about it led you astray I think the quote that confused you is...
" I will hint that the whole scene is shot on site - the wall, all the jars and the hands are all actually there."
This was meant to explain that I did not individually take each jar and place them into a scene one by one in front of the brickwork. All the jars were brought on site and filled. There is some photoshop work but not as much as some might think. I will leave the full explanation until the official results are in and I will then post a "behind the scenes" explanation.
Thank you everyone else for enjoying my image and putting it in your top picks.
Until I return from my shoot....:D
Continuing with Page 5. Standard apologies apply. If you agree with what I say then you are a great artist and I am a genius, if you don't agree then there is someone standing here holding a water pistol to my head making me type these things
Moving on....
41 - Face of Innocence. Nice composition to my eye. Good focus on the flower and to her nose. It gets a little soft starting at her eye which personally I would have liked to still be in focus.
42 - The Time is Near. This is one of my favorites. I kept looking for a face that wasn't there.
43 - Strong Direction.
44 - Frozen in Time. I like the basic idea but the face gets lost for me. Maybe stronger contrast in the BW treatment may have brought out more of the features. There is a lot of great detail in the lichen on the statue that could possible be brought out further.
45 - The Craftsman. Another of my favorites. Love the angles and the focus that draws you to the hands.
46 - Cleansing. There was something about this whole page that I just enjoyed so many of the pictures. Lighting, sharpness and the isolation of the hand are all great in this picture. One of my favorites. I get inspiration from this shot.
47 - She's moving tomorrow; out last day together. Great title that gives you the context for the shot. You are drawn to the hands.
49 - The Photographer. Good shot with nice BW treatment. I think I would have liked a tighter crop to get more of the face.
50 - Cold. Yes it is. Great lighting and detail here.
Website: Tom Price Photography
Blog: Capturing Photons
Facebook: Tom Price Photography
T
www.studioTphotos.com
"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
----Ruth Ann Schubacker
Thanks for the feedback. I actually thought about doing the hands up as well to give the illusion of me wiping glass. Just not enough time. And congrats to the winners.
Not even a single vote from the actual judges though? :cry
Best of luck to all that made it into the final semi final.
Aaron Newman
Website:www.CapturingLightandEmotion.com
Facebook: Capturing Light and Emotion
Shatch,
Thanks for taking the time to give some feedback on my and so many other photos. I really appreciate that you took the time to do this. It gives me a little more to work with for the beginning of the next LPS (or whatever replaces it).
There have been so many great photos recently, it must be hard for the judges to decide. I know it would be for me. And feedback like this all the time would make it even harder to judge. Great job everyone, this is why I participate at this photography forum, and not other ones.
http://jziegler.smugmug.com
I hope I have not offended any of you great photographers who I did post my remarks online for. If so, I appologize. I was just trying to add to this great forum.
Best wishes to all.
Some of My Photos: app.electrikfolio.com/v/steven-hatch
I appreciate anyone's feedback. Everyone in this contest has more skill than I and I was waiting to hear what you and Hawkeye had to say about mine.
Thank you ...
Same here.
www.fastcatstudio.com
www.fastcatstudio.net - blog
Shatch, I think it's great that you are giving your time. I have been anxiously awaiting mine. I have been feeling like a failure though out this last quarter and any feedback is better than none. So please pm me or email my critque because I value your opinion as well as others on dgrin of my work and want to learn and understand everything I can.
I understand that photography like art is very subjective but I still would love to hear your opinion on how I could have improved etc.
thanks, and peace to you.
gail
I'm a relative newcomer to the LPS contest, qualified for Semi-Final 4 my first try and I have absolutely no idea why because it was the Flash/Ambient chanllenge and critiques haven't been done. I know generally why my other efforts haven't made the cut, but I most certainly appreciate someone like you who will take the time and effort to critique the non-qualifiers.
peace, gail
But the feedback needs to become a dialog. If more of us comment on the pictures the photographer can begin to see the pattern in improving his/her shots. In seeing others opinions any shot we all learn.
I will continue to give feedback for whatever it's worth. It's just an opinion, it won't bite, and you can say why you agree or disagree (in a nice way of course, we're not intending to hurt anyone's feelings.)
Website: Tom Price Photography
Blog: Capturing Photons
Facebook: Tom Price Photography
I loved this shot when I took it. I had about 8 different shots I debated over entering this round. I thought about cropping tighter, but felt the diagonal lines of his arms led you to his face with that wonderful expression.
I had originally wanted to go in a completely different direction, but time was not on my side this past week.
I really liked your entry. The addition of the reflection in her eyes was that final touch it needed. As your own feedback stated, i wished the tears looked a bit more real...but that seemed like a minor thing to me. It may have even worked without them. The look on her face was more of shock than sadness. Technically I thought your entry was great. Her skin tone looked good. Even all the shadows seemed to fall where they should. I know that not all the hands were in the shot at the same time, but the shadows make it believable.
I do appreciate your feedback. I apologize for the lack of response until now. I worked a Bridal Show all day Sunday and spent all of yesterday with a migraine trying to send out follow up emails to hundreds of brides. (booked my first wedding from it this morning!!!! now just 1-2 more will pay for the darn booth fee)
I think you have gone well above and beyond to try and comment on each entry and think it is much more appreciated by everyone than you may think.
Thank you.
www.heatherdunnphotography.com
My Blog My Facebook Page
GIVING BACK - How will you give?
Page 6, my apologies, disclaimers, blah, blah, etc....
51 - Trust. Love the shot, Gail. Similar treatment to 'Strong Direction' but I liked that one a little better. The hand on the right to me is a little hot and so some of the details in the skin are lost.
52 - Ent Baby. Nice capture. To me the tree on the right may be superfluous and I might have tried a tigher crop.
53 - Our Future is Bright. Nice picture of a beautiful baby. I would have liked to see the colors in the flowers behind. Maybe put them slightly out of focus to isolate the face.
54 - Got Virus?. Yeah, like I'm going to comment on the Dark Sith Lord himself. As usual nicely done. There were others of this type that I liked a little more.
55 - Slap Me Five. This lost the theme for me. The subject to my eye was the dog and not the paw/hand interaction.
56 - Little Sleeping Hands. Nicely handled depth of field. To me the blanket was somewhat distracting. Maybe without the blanket it would have given more emphasis to the hand.
57 - blood on his hands. Great composite! I spent a lot of time looking at this and love the detail and the feel. For me I think the technique somewhat overwhelmed the theme and I lost the feel or hands or face.
58 - Freedom? Another shot I loved. Great detail and feeling. I wish I had taken the picture.
59 - Concentration... It certainly hits the theme. There were a couple of distracting elements for me. The bright middle line pulls my eye away from the subject.
60 - Heads. Great shot. I need to practice using flash to get this isolation. Great detail in the face, hand, and coin.
Website: Tom Price Photography
Blog: Capturing Photons
Facebook: Tom Price Photography
Thank you Hawkeye for your critique! Much appreciated. I was torn over the blanket as well. It came down to the submitted shot:
Maybe I should have choosen the other but who can tell. After the contest was over my wife told me she liked the other better. Now even I think it probably was the better choice. Man this contest is fun. Thank you again.
Now on to....
Shatch,
I think the work you've done is an incredible service to the other entrants. Please know that your critiques are appreciated and your definetly qualified. I've checked out your website and your photos are amazing. I hope that I can continue to improve and be able to seriously compete with you and all the other extremely talented photographers here on dgrin. You are qualified to give feedback and I hope that in the next couple of days I can find the time to put some up here as well. You didn't make it to my entry but I would love to hear any feedback you have for me.
Thank you
Mike
P.S. Thank you Aaron for putting me in your top 12 - that's the first time i've made another contestants top anything. You made my day!
Satch, I think the feedback is great. It let's me see how others view things and I can compare it to how I view an image. Now if I hadn't made a global change to my account and shot myself in the foot (#31 DQ'd) by accidentally turning off external links.......
www.achambersphoto.com
"The point in life isn't to arrive at our final destination well preserved and in pristine condition, but rather to slide in sideways yelling.....Holy cow, what a ride."
not that i plan on c&c anyone, just seems to be easier than typing a novel:D
shatch, thanks for the input,
i will however return the c&c...
shatch: well yours was so bad it almost didnt make my top 10:D
what i really like about yours was it seemed to have a glow as if she was watching tv.....
i didnt like the tears.....
but i liked the overall glow.
oh, the nuke was a plus