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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> The Critique thread -- let's be productive!
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09/06/2012 02:03:57 PM · #1
Ok -- Too much bellyaching going on around here. Too many people wanting comments and not getting them, too many people not wanting comments and getting them.

Let's do something productive!!

A good chunk of us want and welcome suggestions on how we could have improved a photo. Yet an even bigger chunk of us are afraid to give those comments because of past experiences.

Here's where we can do it!

If you want a critique on a photo -- post it here. This is a no-holds-barred type of thread. People will feel free to give their honest opinions, suggestions, examples, etc.

Posters: You may learn something. You may get your feelings hurt. Take a chance, and enjoy! Feel free to have a discussion and disagree with a critique. But you're not allowed to take it personally. You posted here wanting a critique, appreciate that people take the time, even if you strongly disagree. Live and learn.

Critiquers: Give you honest opinions. Make suggestions. I recommend being constructive, however. "Your photo sucks!!" Doesn't really give much information. I've learned much more by critiquing others than by critiquing myself. It's much easier to do. :) If someone completely disagrees with your critique -- don't take it personally. They were going for something different.

Feel free to edit someone else's photo. Sometimes it is much easier to show than to explain. But if you do show, explaining is nice, too. :)

Viva la DPC!
09/06/2012 02:10:22 PM · #2
Ok -- I'm afraid no one will post before this rolls off the page, so here's one with which to start.


09/06/2012 02:12:52 PM · #3
I tried something different and got pummeled. What are your thoughts?

09/06/2012 02:16:35 PM · #4
You got my feedback on that one in private. I'm curious to see if others are in agreement or not.

I'll play. I almost entered this one in a freestudy. There are some things I'll tell about the shot once I have initial, uninfluenced impressions.

09/06/2012 02:17:01 PM · #5
Originally posted by bmartuch:

I tried something different and got pummeled. What are your thoughts?



For me, it's the 800 pixel limit. You can see it's skis, but with my lousy eyesight, I can't really get in and explore them. I want more. I'm actually not anti frame -- the funny thing is I want a big red bow in the upper corner of the skis. The framing is actually interesting with the title because it looks like a Christmas package. Also, the highlights on the skis are bright at the top. It would be easier to look at with the highlights taken down.



Message edited by author 2012-09-06 14:18:16.
09/06/2012 02:19:26 PM · #6

09/06/2012 02:21:41 PM · #7
Ignore the title, it was the best at that time.
09/06/2012 02:24:57 PM · #8
Originally posted by cowboy221977:



I would have been tempted to crop this down significantly. The leading lines of the tracks and the bridge are very interesting. It's a nice sky, but it leads my eyes away from the interest in the photo. Plus it looks like it needs a little straightening? I'd be curious to see what it looks like cropped in from the left and down from the top.
09/06/2012 02:28:53 PM · #9
Originally posted by Venser:

Ignore the title, it was the best at that time.


Simple thought -- the guy just seems to far down, and you glance past him and back, and I keep going back and forth. What about flipping it horizontally so your eyes start with the light and go to the dark?

It's quite a cool shot. Gotta run -- I'll come back to it later.
09/06/2012 02:44:01 PM · #10
Originally posted by vawendy:

Originally posted by bmartuch:

I tried something different and got pummeled. What are your thoughts?



For me, it's the 800 pixel limit. You can see it's skis, but with my lousy eyesight, I can't really get in and explore them. I want more. I'm actually not anti frame -- the funny thing is I want a big red bow in the upper corner of the skis. The framing is actually interesting with the title because it looks like a Christmas package. Also, the highlights on the skis are bright at the top. It would be easier to look at with the highlights taken down.

I pretty much agree, although I don't care that much about the detail because I think the overall "wrapping paper" look is the real subject. I've used highly-angled borders a few times myself, and once even figured out a way to make a hexagonal picture within the Basic rule set ...

(see other images in that folder for a step-by-step series)
09/06/2012 02:58:15 PM · #11
This is a nice idea, Wendy. I have left comments on some of the images in this thread, but maybe I was supposed to comment in the thread?

I posted this last night to the color side challenge. It's gotten just 2 views and no comments. I like it, but I am attached to the subject and have trouble seeing it objectively.
09/06/2012 03:15:08 PM · #12
Here's one I'd really like some critique on, really trying to work on my "Expert Editing" sooo let er rip
09/06/2012 03:15:27 PM · #13
Originally posted by markwiley:

This is a nice idea, Wendy. I have left comments on some of the images in this thread, but maybe I was supposed to comment in the thread?

I think either is fine, copying to both places is best ...

Originally posted by markwiley:

I posted this last night to the color side challenge. It's gotten just 2 views and no comments. I like it, but I am attached to the subject and have trouble seeing it objectively.

I think I'd tone down or just tone (add more color) just slightly to the very brightest highlights on the forehead. Right now they make me focus too much on just that part rather than her whole face.

Otherwise I like the use of light and negative space, pretty good capture of the emotion of the moment.
09/06/2012 04:24:29 PM · #14
Originally posted by bmartuch:

I tried something different and got pummeled. What are your thoughts?



Based on the comments I'm getting, the people don't like the border. That wasn't done purposely. I shot the picture at an angle and then rotated it back. The by product of that rotation is the border which is the color of what ever the background color is. If there were a way that I could rotate it without getting that border, I would do it. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish that?

To me, it was all about the rotation and not the border.

Message edited by author 2012-09-06 16:25:20.
09/06/2012 04:24:38 PM · #15
Thanks for the feedback on this shot folks. It sounds like I was probably looking at a with-the-pack finish had I entered it.


This was shot in some dim but very good quality light from a nightclub we were outside of. Bryan was just leaning against his bike, chatting away and I recognized some good potential in the scene. At ISO 3200 and 1/6 second handheld, I was quite pleased to get something this good because I didn't really expect to get the shot. This was one of my first rides with the Night Riders and this shot helped establish a rep for me as one of the group's skilled photographers. Since then, I have had a number of people come up to me at rides and say how much they like my photos. (On the other hand, none of these folks are impressed by riding 30 or 40 miles, that's an average ride for them.)

But as we all are aware, what gets your friends and relatives wowing over your photos is often just average when you toss it out among other amateur photographers. There are enough minor flaws (such as the focus being a tad off) that it would have been held back. In addition, it probably comes off as a posed portrait done with strobes and a softbox, so I think it would have been compared to that genre, rather than street photography, which is what I actually consider it.

Message edited by author 2012-09-06 16:25:27.
09/06/2012 04:31:36 PM · #16
Originally posted by littlemav:

Here's one I'd really like some critique on, really trying to work on my "Expert Editing" sooo let er rip


I would parrot whay Mark has said. It is a fantastic image with the potential to be absolutely stunning. Now you know I rate stunning higher that fantastic lol.

Like Mark said, the fence and goings on in the background don't add much and I think it would look better with just the cowboy, the horse, and the dust.

I think this would sell as is, with those little tweaks I think it would sell even better.

Added this in comments section also.
09/06/2012 04:37:36 PM · #17
Originally posted by bmartuch:

I shot the picture at an angle and then rotated it back. The by product of that rotation is the border which is the color of what ever the background color is. If there were a way that I could rotate it without getting that border, I would do it. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish that?

You can come close by setting the Background color to exactly the same color as the DPC voting-page gray backgound (take a screenshot and sample it), but it would still have a 1-pixel black line around it. :-(

You can try converting it to 256-color (Indexed Color) mode, then saving as a GIF with the frame selected and set to be transparent so it will match any background, but that would not be legal as an entry (must be JPEG = no transparency), and would in any event still have that black line around it ...
09/06/2012 04:43:45 PM · #18
Originally posted by littlemav:

Here's one I'd really like some critique on, really trying to work on my "Expert Editing" sooo let er rip

The horse's rear legs look partly transparent?

I'd bump the contrast/saturation of the cowboy just a bit, but I like the faded figures in the background — I think they add context and contrast to the subject. If you're good at dodging/burning consider darkening the darker parts of the clouds just a little.
09/06/2012 07:29:31 PM · #19
Bumping this back up because Wendy did a real good thing and more people need to take advantage! Thanks for all the particaption
09/06/2012 07:29:48 PM · #20
Hmmm...I thought this would do a lot better, like mid-6 range as opposed to the high 5s. My commenters all seemed to like this shot, so comments/critique welcome.

@ littlemav....love the saddle bronc and the colours, but think I have to go with what others have already said, a bit more contrast. Also watch that teeny skirf of blue from the original image on the back of the saddle. Frankly, if you increased the contrast and then did a b/w on it, I think it could be a killer image.

Message edited by author 2012-09-06 19:30:26.
09/06/2012 07:34:24 PM · #21
Originally posted by snaffles:

Hmmm...I thought this would do a lot better, like mid-6 range as opposed to the high 5s. My commenters all seemed to like this shot, so comments/critique welcome.

@ littlemav....love the saddle bronc and the colours, but think I have to go with what others have already said, a bit more contrast. Also watch that teeny skirf of blue from the original image on the back of the saddle. Frankly, if you increased the contrast and then did a b/w on it, I think it could be a killer image.


Those 1,s 2,s and 3 really kill this image sue should been higher
09/06/2012 07:59:02 PM · #22
Copying my comment to the thread as well as the photo discussion - seems like a good idea as that way the photographer will have the critiques all together with the image AND anyone posting will bump the thread :)


What happens if you lighten the shadows quite a bit? Your legs just run together as a black area on my monitor and I could use more detail in the shadow area of the torso, face and hair, and trees on the right side, too. Other than that I am in awe - of your ability to get this kind of focus on a SP AND on your ability to run and jump that many times in one session. Wow.
09/06/2012 08:19:53 PM · #23


I can take it, let er rip. It was basic editing.

...and thanks in advance (even for the brutally honest stuff).
09/06/2012 09:02:28 PM · #24
Originally posted by vawendy:

Originally posted by cowboy221977:



I would have been tempted to crop this down significantly. The leading lines of the tracks and the bridge are very interesting. It's a nice sky, but it leads my eyes away from the interest in the photo. Plus it looks like it needs a little straightening? I'd be curious to see what it looks like cropped in from the left and down from the top.


thx Wendy.;..I do wish that you left this on the pic as well...I am going to try redoing the shot...1st with just editing and if that doesn't work a new shot...Well see. Thx again
09/06/2012 09:36:00 PM · #25
Added my thoughts to most of the posted images. Should we be posting the comment in the thread as well? Anyway here is one of mine, I really thought this was at least a 6.3-6.5 but the voters didn't. This was actually shot outside in a parking lot with a large reflector behind for the white and AB800 as the main and an additional reflector for fill.

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