I need some feedback here

S

Stu W

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I was trying to get the feel for indoor shooting, no metering, and shot some pics of my family doing their thing. I thought they came out pretty good, but my wife and kids think they're lousy. This is a shot of my daughter doing her homework that I especially liked. Leica M3, dual range Summicron @ f2, kodak 400cn film. Stu
http://mysite.verizon.net/stuems/homework.jpg
 
Aside from the green color cast of the film, I think it's a very nice shot. It's sharp, well-focused and great use of depth of field.
If I had to absolutely knit-pick I would say adjusting your position to allow your the subject to hide the shape in the background just above her back would clean it up a bit.
She has a great natural expression but maybe that's the problem. I know my girlfriend and many of my friends hate the candid photos of them because they would rather be smiling or posing! Sometimes it's only us photographers who like natural, unposed photos!
 
Dave, the family criticism on this shot was her hair is a mess and she has a lousy expression on her face. God, she's a teenager doing homework. I know you hit the nail on the head with this one. Thanks. Stu
 
Recently, I sent a few pics of my girlfriend to an old friend who hasn't had a chance to meet her. She wrote back saying these were all artsy portraits and she looked different in each one. Didn't I have any normal pics, she asked. I told her normal pics are for the DMV :).

I like your shot, but can see why many people might not quite "get it."


-A
 
Good mood capture - soft light - skull and crossbones top. :D

In fifteen years she will be glad to know you loved her enough to photograph her as a teenager.
 
Good photo! Lots of people (like the women in my family) dislike their own pictures that I made, but like the ones I did of everyone else! Get it? Try this trick sometime: flip the neg in the enlarger (or in PS) and print it up "backward." Then show it to them! Remember, people are used to seeing themselves in a mirror!
Keep it up!
 
Stu,

I really like the picture...seems a good embodiment of clasic M photography. Great subject and decent composition.

Cheers,
AJ
 
I'm not qualified to criticize. I know what you mean about family criticism, though. If I point a lens at my wife she always says "don't waste film". My kids run the other way yelling "don't cheese me!"

But then the other day my wife looked through my scans folder on her own, and went out of her way to tell me she really liked what I am doing. Good thing - so long as I seem a little talented and fascinating she will keep going to bed with me.
 
When we see ourselves in a photo, our automatic reaction is to judge our appearance, not the quality of the image. Almost always, we're unhappy with our image because it does not look like the idealized portrait we carry around in our head. I do it, you do it, we all do it.

That said, your focus is on your daughter's face. I've come across folks who think a photo with any areas not in sharp focus is a "bad" photo.
 
It's an OK photo that is good if it has personal meaning to the photographer or his family, a nice record shot.

As far as having any impact on anyone else, it's an average snapshot.
 
Not every photo has to be a pretty pretty picture. Stu, you've captured an unguarded moment in real life. I predict this photo will become a favourite family photo years down the road.
 
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Stu,

I too have a daughter and have many shots of her that she may not like right now...show them to her again in about ten years...
BTW...I like it too...
 
I agree with gregg and FrannkS. It's a very nice snapshot. It looks and feels "true". In a few years she will love it as well, and be glad you captured it.
 
Stu, I just catalogued a large bunch of old slides, and I can tell you 1) it's a very nice picture of your daughter and 2) it will be greatly appreciated and cherished in years to come.
 
M. Valdemar said:
It's an OK photo that is good if it has personal meaning to the photographer or his family, a nice record shot.

As far as having any impact on anyone else, it's an average snapshot.
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right, it is a snap shot. The only light was the ceiling light, no metering-used the pocket guide, and it was the quickest focus and shoot you've ever seen. I didn't want to arouse the subject. On the other hand, when I saw my daughter falling asleep doing her homework I felt like capturing the moment. I was satisfied with the results, although I think the Summicron added much more than a point and shoot would have. Stu
 
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