Just finished a new project, would love some critique.

[jbot]

Hi all, I've just finished up a new series that I've titled "Labour."

It documents the time I've spent as a construction worker.

I would love some critique on the images themselves, the series as a whole, and the layout of the website that displays them.

Thanks so much in advance.


The series can be seen here: http://jaredk.ca/labour

Samples:

 

[DNG]

Good set....
The center is my favorite... The geometry is perfect.
The others are good also, shows the labour and energy.

 

[hipsterdufus]

Nice job. You obviously have a strong eye for composition. Keep up the good work.

 

[willie_901]

I think you use silhouetting effectively. Your compositions appeal to me. My criticism is these photos do not portray the action and physical exertion of construction work.

The web site is clean. I would prefer a slideshow option for mor convenient viewing on mobile devices.

Thanks for sharing your work. I liked it.

 

[JayM]

Those are great and you should keep doing them and keep them somewhat abstract as they are which at the very least nets you the bonus of NOT being another drop in the "Blue Collar Photodoc" bucket 🙂

 

[ishpop]

I liked the set. You have your own unique take on the scenes which is refreshing. I agree with another poster that I dont fel the grittyness and labour aspect through these photos, but not sure if you wanted that to come through. Aesthetically, composition wise, the photos are pleasing and consistent. A nice set al around.

 

[farlymac]

Here's a word I don't use much, thanks to an old girlfriend who used it too much. But it applies to your photos. Fantastic! Keep doing that, and you'll have a fine collection to show in a gallery. They make me wish I'd had a camera along when I was doing similar work.

PF

 

[van_d]

I really like the series, all well composed. My only critique is the same as willie. The silhouettes are nice, but it would be nice to see more action and labour included in addition to your silhouettes. My favourites are the middle one in the OP and the first one (top left) on the website.

 

[Vincent.G]

(+) You are very skillful in using lines as well as shadows and silhouettes in your photos.

(-) Photos seem to show what others are doing but not what you have done or were doing. I can only assume you did the same thing as those people working.

 

[Pablito]

I don't generally comment on this stuff.. #2 crop out the static guy keep the image .. walking R to L .. w/ reflection .. great shot!

you asked.. should have kept his head in the reflection.. learn..

no, that ruins the picture. it's best un-cropped and non symmetrical.

 

[jbot]

Wow! I posted this and headed out for the evening and I come back to a full page of replies. Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.

I think you use silhouetting effectively. Your compositions appeal to me. My criticism is these photos do not portray the action and physical exertion of construction work.

The web site is clean. I would prefer a slideshow option for mor convenient viewing on mobile devices.

Thanks for sharing your work. I liked it.

I guess I didn't express this anywhere, but one of my goals with this project was actually to show a more static view of construction. I think a lot of people think "physical exertion" "Dirty" "movement" "busy" when they think construction. I guess I wanted to break that mould and portray more of a peaceful view of labour. The quiet in the storm. I think I might add something to that affect to the little blurb at the top of the page.

A slideshow option is a great idea, and I'll look into adding it. Thanks for taking the time to write some feedback.

Those are great and you should keep doing them and keep them somewhat abstract as they are which at the very least nets you the bonus of NOT being another drop in the "Blue Collar Photodoc" bucket 🙂

Haha wow, thanks a lot.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I like the formalist composition, the perfect arrangement of forms and shapes in the picture plane. My only criticism is that the photos appear to have been made from underexposed negatives, as the dark tones are flat grays without either detail or a deep black tone. The technical stuff is easy to improve, you have the aesthetic part perfect.

 

[Richard G]

I like the images in many ways of course, but not necessarily as a depiction of work or labour. The third one in your original post shows a typical posture of a builder pushing up the end of a tape measure, or carefully passing up some length of something. The silhouette style is fine if you just want a nice graphic composition, but then that is nothing about labour. I would be thinking of refining your intention with a series like this. I like the posture of working people, not just builders, and if you want to keep the strong contrasty silhouette, I would be looking for more characteristic single figure poses, or collections of men. A group having tea standing, one man trying to understand the instructions of another are all silhouettes which would be comprehensible and characteristic.

As I was reading your intro on your web site I was asking myself where you would leave the camera while working. The iPhone, of course.

 

[gsgary]

Nice set, but 2 is great it looks like the worker on the left has had a really hard day, i know how he feels i'm in construction

 

[Damaso]

The images are very well composed. I would say the series lacks depth though. On a purely visual level it certainly works.

 

[daveleo]

You have a wonderful sense of geometry and it holds your pictures together very well.

I especially love the (un-geometric) street scene with the girl and the balloon because the light and dark areas play with each other very well . . . the balloon intruding into the dark space there is (I overuse this word, but . . . ) artistic.

The B&W's work better for me . . . colors can easy upset the work of structural geometry.

 

[jbot]

I like the formalist composition, the perfect arrangement of forms and shapes in the picture plane. My only criticism is that the photos appear to have been made from underexposed negatives, as the dark tones are flat grays without either detail or a deep black tone. The technical stuff is easy to improve, you have the aesthetic part perfect.

The extreme contrast is caused more by the setting in which I took the photos than the exposure choices. A lot of this was photographed in an unlit basement looking out through windows or holes into mid day sun. Everything around me was either very dark or very bright, and that's kind of what first inspired me to start photographing the moments. I'm certain that a medium format negative might have captured this a little better, but then, working with the limitations of an iPhone I'm not sure I could have photographed it differently if I wanted to. The only other choice was exposing the darks and loosing the highlights, which IMO, wouldn't look nearly as nice.

I like the images in many ways of course, but not necessarily as a depiction of work or labour.

Any suggestions on how I might work to achieve this? Or maybe suggestions for a better title?

The images are very well composed. I would say the series lacks depth though. On a purely visual level it certainly works.

Could you explain this further? What type of depth does it lack? Cheers.

 

[olakiril]

Very interesting point of view.

But I would agree with Damaso on the depth. It is the third dimension that is missing probably because of the lack of details in the shadows. I feel that detail will be necessary in order to engage the viewer even more. If it is a technical issue, then I would try another camera 😉.

Another point is Labour as many have pointed out. It is something that involves human effort and somehow it is not depicted very well or even it is not the subject in many of the photographs. I would include more facial expressions. It could have worked with figure outlines if there were many more in each photo so to illustrate the global effort. But just 1 or 2 does not amplify this.

Cheers,
M.

 

[farlymac]

Don't pay any attention to these folks who've never lifted a hammer or shovel in their life. They are looking for an interpretive, somewhat artistic view of labor, and what you are showing is a factual view. To be able to take any time of sorts to make an exposure while on the job is not an easy thing to do. Just keep on doing what you are, as it's your work, not theirs. Scheese, everybody wants to be an artistic director.

PF

 

[Richard G]

Don't pay any attention to these folks who've never lifted a hammer or shovel in their life. They are looking for an interpretive, somewhat artistic view of labor, and what you are showing is a factual view. To be able to take any time of sorts to make an exposure while on the job is not an easy thing to do. Just keep on doing what you are, as it's your work, not theirs. Scheese, everybody wants to be an artistic director.

PF

I think these shots are too artistic. The OP legitimately wants to make a photo essay on labour. I don't think many of the suggestions represent illusions about work. I personally don't equate great physical effort with labour necessarily, even, or especially on a building site. Damaso, who has a lot of experience with these sorts of projects, is right on the money. The OP wanted suggestions to improve the series. He got them.