Critique, you've got to be cruel to be kind.

[C.R.Brown]

I'd like some feedback on what you don't like, think is wrong, think I could work on etc. The following are pics from the past 2 weekends. They weren't shot with critique in mind or theme, these were just the 'best' of what I saw and photographed.

I also hope this doesn't come across as a desperate grab for eyeballs but I'm looking for honest feedback.

Thank you in advance

 

[monochrome_joy]

5 & 6 people sitting photos, first one: bad lighting, dappled tree lighting rarely flatters. Second, dudes playing guitar: get closer, I mean way closer like arms length or maybe a 5 feet. For the rest of the B&W's I like the contrast and lighting, you do well at seeing this.

 

[kshapero]

I like them all a lot.

 

[C.R.Brown]

Thanks for taking the time for feedback. I have problems with photographing people, in that I need to overcome my lack of self confidence in that regard.

 

[Gaspar]

O think the one with the red wheel migh look better if cropped close to exclude the background.

 

[shadowfox]

No.1 I think is missing something on the empty sky side (I take similar photos, and I am equally puzzled at how to improve them 🙂 )

No.2 That dark shadow on the left is distracting, also the photo is lacking something distinctive to rest my eyes on.

No.3 Good shot, I just wish the bottom of the tire is not clipped.

No.4 The intersecting lines are not interesting enough for me.

No.5 As post #2 says above

No.6, 7, 8, I like it the way it is. No. 7 being my favorite in this set.

Thank you so much for putting up your photos for critique. I learn a lot from looking at them also. If I may suggest for next time, please put numbers on the photo, so your viewers don't have to scroll up and down to count which photos they are talking about.

 

[Phantomas]

Cruel? OK 🙂 I don't find most of the photos interesting, from an outsider perspective (meaning I wouldn't stop to have a look if i walked past them). # 4 could have been an interesting geometrical composition, but not enough is going on in the shot, maybe frame lower/include more of the wall?
Now the last two shots I like a lot! #7 - beautiful colors and nice arrangement of objects. #8 - just classic.

 

[C.R.Brown]

If I may suggest for next time, please put numbers on the photo, so your viewers don't have to scroll up and down to count which photos they are talking about.

I will definitely do that.

I agree about #1, clouds would add something, so, good thing its not going anywhere I can easily go back.

I was probably trying to make something out of nothing with the brick wall and shadows in 2 and 4. I like 4 better of the two.

Thanks all for the comments. Mostly things I had already been criticizing myself for, although I'll disagree about the framing on the tire. I should have tried to take different compositions of that shot for choice though, I tend to see what I like and not tend to experiment, just go with my initial gut reaction of the scene. I had a hard time getting an accurate focus. Out of 10 shots 8 were some how focused on the engine in back where the lens was focused on the reflection.

 

[foggie]

Regarding the two photos of the people sitting:
You are too far away and shooting from the coward's angle. (Coward's angle is where you can see the side of their face but are mostly out of their field of vision. It doesn't make for interesting photos.) In those two specific cases, getting closer would help improve the photo but I still don't think subjects and lighting are interesting enough to make it a good picture.

The last photo might be OK. The bottom 20% and right 20% of the photo are distracting and add nothing.

The rest of the photos I don't like at all.

I recommend looking at the works of Depardon (for his angles) and Bruce Davidson (for his humane environmental portraits).

Good luck~

 

[excellent]

It looks like you shoot what people think should be typically shot with rangefinders. Almost as if its blinding how you really want to portray it. The last 2 have great potential but are missing something.

 

[martin s]

They don't do anything for me. The people shots (5&6) are shot from a weird angle, maybe from too far, maybe weirdly composed (5). The first kind of works, the last one I know some will like but is not my cup of tea.

//EDIT: I didn't read foggies comment before I posted mine, but I pretty much agree.

martin

 

[C.R.Brown]

Thanks all for the additional commentary.