The Critique thread -- let's be productive!

09/07/2012 04:24:08 PM · #51

Originally posted by snaffles:

OK here's the outtake which I probably should have used for Railway. Thoughts?

Having just commented on the original... I have to say this is much better. Seeing your face really helps with engagement, even though you are gazing off to the side, and now you are much closer to the vanishing point so the leading lines draw straight to you. I likely would have scored this a point higher than the original, which on its own isn't any great shakes, but multiply by 100 and you might have had a much better outcome :-)

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

09/07/2012 04:25:54 PM · #52

Originally posted by kawesttex:

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

...and thanks in advance (even for the brutally honest stuff).

Commenting for the critique thread

Had this been in a challenge, I would probably be scoring it around 6-7 (providing it met the challenge!)

I would echo much of what has been said.... I think you could stand to lose the entire top third of the image (maybe a square crop) as that seems like wasted space. Her right hand has blown out highlights, and she has something sticking out of her ass - Both of which serve to detract from an otherwise nice pose.

I agree squatting can be unflattering, but I think you get away with it here. I personally don't mind the hard lighting.

On the whole, a good shot, just not a great shot.

As an aside - from a "Fashion Police" viewpoint, those boots are shocking!

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

09/07/2012 04:26:36 PM · #53

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by chazoe:

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

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 completely and utterly disagree with that statement. The background figures add interest and context, and it's lovely the way the dust obscures them.

+1 to Don's post. Actually +100 to Don's post.

I think it's truly lovely, and I'm not sure that I'd change a thing. If I did, I'd bring out more contrast like others have said.

I've done two things -- linear contrast and lightened the center and darkened the outside.

Incredible shot -- jagar's right. :)

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/07/2012 04:26:49 PM · #54

Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:

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.

Commenting for the critique thread - somehow I missed this at voting time, I think I was taking a break from voting at the time. I would have scored this a 7-8 depending on the strength of the competition in the free study.

I'm really just echoing other commenters now - for me the amount of white is overwhelming and a portrait crop might help with that or just an off centre composition. I also agree that the right arm looks a bit dirty, but not enough for me to mark down.

Other than that, the clarity and processing are spot on. What keeps this from being in the 9-10 range for me is that extra spark of something 'different' and little (picky) things like the crumpling of her dress around her right breast, her hair obscuring the necklace and suchlike which just feel like a lack of 'polish'. Of course, with her tattoos, piercings, and hair colours, she probably wouldn't suit being so perfectly polished.

I think the 1-4 marks you got were uncalled for, but it's the large amount of 5's that probably did you. I'm not getting why this would be a 5 (i.e. below average) - completely disagree with that.

On the whole a very good image, but with room for improvement.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/07/2012 04:28:28 PM · #55

Originally posted by lawrysimm:

Originally posted by vawendy:
Ok -- I'm afraid no one will post before this rolls off the page, so here's one with which to start.

I think the cows head being down at the ground is not very engaging. I would feel more of a connection with the shot if the cow was looking at you.

That's an American Bison (a.k.a. "buffalo") â�� its spinal anatomy doesn't really allow it to raise its head much higher than that.

09/07/2012 04:28:44 PM · #56

Originally posted by cowboy221977:

Here is an old one that I like to bring out occationally just to see if any fresh faces have any critique. I understand why it didn't do well in the challenge....It pays to read the rules...lol

Commenting for the critique thread - clearly you got slammed for the DNMC.

In a relevant challenge I would probably score this 5-6 depending on the strength of the competition.

It tells a story, but is clearly focussed very tightly. A wider angle view of the destruction might give a broader context.

As to this particular composition, the very bottom of the shot has some rocks that distract - a quick clone of at least the lower ones would help but that's almost insignificant. Maybe a high contrast (even HDR) black and white might be more impactive.

The shot also seems to lack a bit of clarity (especially around the top of the building) but that may be because I am viewing on an iPad currently.

09/07/2012 04:30:02 PM · #57

Originally posted by mariuca:

This one was just rejected at 1x. My 6th submission, one published. The one published went almost unnoticed here, at DPC.
I would really like any honest critique.

Commenting for the critique thread - although I have just read your description, I would have called this as a clone... The patterns of the stray hairs on her forehead and above her crown are just too exact to have been 2 different people, as was the position of the booklets (albeit the clever flipping of one the images on the booklet is a nice sleight of hand) and her fingers... Too many similar elements to have happened by chance :-)

That said, you have clearly fooled some, so you can't have done too badly!

For me, the dead giveaways apart from the girls themselves is the noise pattern is interrupted quite clearly around the girl on the right so to make this more believable you could perhaps add some noise after the edits to smooth those areas out - looks like a lot more editing artefacts right up the fit hand side of the image - have you cloned out another frame or something?

Technicals aside from an editing point of view, I actually really like the engagement of all 3 faces and the symmetry is intriuiging. With a bit more effort at the editing this could be a real winner.

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

09/07/2012 04:32:33 PM · #58

Originally posted by bmartuch:

I could have rotated this one too but I left it the way it was. I thought it was a cool angle.

Commenting for the critique thread - I see I gave this a 4 in original voting. For a free study I set the bar of expectation somewhat higher than normal and had this been in a relevant themed challenge it may well have been scored 5-6. Also with free study's moreso than any other, I adjust my votes based on the strength of the competition and tend to use the full range of 10-1 so you may have just been competing with a high standard of images that month.

The main issue for me is the leading lines throw my gaze immediately out of the frame to the left, so I have a hard time looking 'at' the image. Maybe being closer to the wall and having the lines go 'into' the frame rather than across it would hold my interest more.

I also found the colours to be a competing distraction - this may really benefit from a high contrast (or HDR) black and white treatment.

This shot just didn't do it for me.

bmartuch

Nikon D7200

09/07/2012 04:56:21 PM · #59

What did I do wrong in this one!

cowboy221977

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

09/08/2012 12:42:28 PM · #60

Thanks for the comments on my couple pics...I have not had he time recently to leave any critique on any of the shots in here but plan to this afternoon

MinsoPhoto

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/08/2012 01:35:52 PM · #61

I was going to enter this in the July FS but I did a bit more cloning then I thought would have been legal.

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D PC

09/08/2012 01:53:58 PM · #62

Bombed and only 4 comments...although the 4 comments were really encouraging! Now someone please share their inside view of why this one did so badly?

chazoe

Nikon Z7 FX

09/08/2012 02:08:29 PM · #63

Originally posted by antje1777:

Bombed and only 4 comments...although the 4 comments were really encouraging! Now someone please share their inside view of why this one did so badly?

I left this inthe comments section also.

Honestly, I love this. It reminds me of a still from a classic movie or something. My only guess as to why it didn't score well is because it's in a FS. In an architecture challenge I could easily see this ribboning.

I think one unfortunate thing about FSs is that people will sometimes speed vote because of the large number of entries. I could see people taking a quick glance at this shot and giving it a 5 without noticing things like the birds and the awesome light show.

My only critique would be that it might look a little better if the words on the pillar were'nt cramped all the way down at the very bottom. But, that is just a tiny nitpick.

nam

Sony DSLR-A580

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

09/08/2012 03:31:44 PM · #64

For the critique thread:
I like that the column and its base are off center and I also like the bird flying into the frame on the left. There may be another bird in the center, but I can't tell. You have some lovely comments, but for me the image is boring. Since the perspective is head on here, I feel all the verticals and horizontals should be parallel to the frame. I would like a wider tonal range (feels flat to me) and more texture, but these are personal preferences.

09/08/2012 06:27:48 PM · #65

Originally posted by chazoe:

Originally posted by antje1777:

Bombed and only 4 comments...although the 4 comments were really encouraging! Now someone please share their inside view of why this one did so badly?

I left this inthe comments section also.

Honestly, I love this. It reminds me of a still from a classic movie or something. My only guess as to why it didn't score well is because it's in a FS. In an architecture challenge I could easily see this ribboning.

I think one unfortunate thing about FSs is that people will sometimes speed vote because of the large number of entries. I could see people taking a quick glance at this shot and giving it a 5 without noticing things like the birds and the awesome light show.

My only critique would be that it might look a little better if the words on the pillar were'nt cramped all the way down at the very bottom. But, that is just a tiny nitpick.

Thank you so much for taking the time of writing you comment!

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

09/08/2012 06:30:58 PM · #66

Originally posted by nam:

Thank you and I appreciate your critique. Could you please elaborate on the idea of making a wider tonal range?

I tried to make all the lines parallel to the frame, but the building is not level and I therefore I was unable to do so. I made the choice to level the column instead as it is most visible... :) Took several shots all with the same outcome

Message edited by author 2012-09-08 18:34:09.

nam

Sony DSLR-A580

09/08/2012 07:21:44 PM · #67

Originally posted by antje1777:

. . .

Thank you and I appreciate your critique. Could you please elaborate on the idea of making a wider tonal range?

I tried to make all the lines parallel to the frame, but the building is not level and I therefore I was unable to do so. I made the choice to level the column instead as it is most visible... :) Took several shots all with the same outcome

I meant I thought the blacks could be blacker and the whites whiter. I know it's impossible to take this kind of shot without lens distortion. I was suggesting that you might be able to correct more of that distortion with a transform tool in post-processing. I gave it a try on the tones and the distortion. I used levels and the skew tool in Elements 7. The warp tool would also have been useful but is not available in Elements. Here's what I came up with - as I said earlier, it's mostly a matter of personal preference.

Message edited by author 2012-09-09 08:15:15.