please critique my photoblog

[Xax]

hi

i have been using flickr for a long time now, and what always bothered me was that the pictures were small and on a white background by default... and also as i work as a director of photography as well (cinematographer), i love framing in 1:2.35 ratio and thus created a blog where i reframe a few of my pictures in scope from time to time

the url is http://www.stilfabrik.cn, any comments are welcome!

thanks in advance!

 

[wontonny]

Clean up the dust in your scans

 

[Xax]

thanks but i somehow like it 🙂

it feels like it's part of the picture somehow, so random and chaotic

 

[pesphoto]

i like it!!

 

[parameters]

yeah... there's bit of minor dust here and there, can be easily clone out...

i really like the images, cinematic and full of atmosphere

 

[Xax]

thanks a lot for the positive comments!

i hate retouching pictures, so if there's dust, i wouldn't use photoshop to remove it.

 

[mknawabi]

don't photoshop your pictures, but dont be afraid to use curves adjustment to get the photo to the most realistic replication. also, you might want to get sleeves to place your negs and be careful when you are drying.

i know what you mean, dust is not a big deal, but good technique will save your butt if you ever decide to print or what not

 

[jbf]

Personally there is nothing wrong with the dust at all. In many regards it is a part of the film process or can be viewed that way. It does not detract away from the quality of these images or the cinematic experience, which as we may know is too a part of the film experience.

 

[williams473]

Xax,

You have some very beautiful images there, particularly the color images. The grain and color all work together. I like that you are not afraid to shoot in available light without flash - blurriness, flare - it's strong. But I vote AGAINST the dust, not that my vote matters. I think it does just look like poor craftsmenship and trying to justify it as part of your style isn't believeable to me - it just comes off as lazy. Believe me, I understand though - spotting is a B*TCH.

But, if you show, you ought to put your best foot forward. If you are going to make the case that dust is something that helps the image, you ought to go all in and ADD dust to the images - leave your negs out on a bookshelf for a few days and experiment with dust - why not? Then it truly would be intentional and a visual element, but as it is, with some of your images showing a lot of dust and others very little, it just seems sloppy. I was able put that aside however, and as I said, enjoyed looking at your work.

 

[Xax]

hey matt, thanks a lot for your positive response! really appreciate the praise.

regarding the dust, i guess you're right, although i don't try to force dust onto the scanning process, i recently started to pay a bit more attention and now and then, if i see some hairs, take the negative out again and brush over it with a brush or cotton gloves, but somehow, when i scan a picture and the there are just a few freckles, i just let them be and don't "waste" the time to spot them.

as you say it's very time consuming, and i guess i'm just too lazy to do that for internet presentation, as probably only a handful are going to see that picture in a big size anyways. if i would have a show, i would probably rescan the chosen pictures, could even give them the drum-wet-scan treatment at a shop i guess.

i somehow feel that for internet presentation, it's just not necessary as the pictures are quite small and people click through them quite fast i think?

thanks for your commentary!!

ps: i really like your work from russia! very striking and close to the people

 

[gdi]

I actually wondered if you meant to retain the dust - that makes it legitimate and ok to keep. 🙂