*OFFICIAL* Critique Thread

[johnnymu]

Originally Posted by The1

please excuse noon hour lighting, i didn't have control over that sadly as this was my subjects only available time, i did try to use a flash to fill a little bit, but i could have filled some more.

Since you're shooting against the sunlight, If possible, try to use a gold reflector to add some light and skin tone.

[BillLee]

For ichiban: nice exposure and perspective, would try to work on composition though.

[Chewy734]

Is you car in a computer game Billy?

[dcstep]

I really like it Bill. The only thing I'd do different is put a little more space in front of the car than in back, or equalize space front and back. Great exposure values and processing.

Here's mine:


Streeetch... by dcstep, on Flickr

[BillLee]

Originally Posted by Chewy734

Is you car in a computer game Billy?

does the sky look fake? i took one shot of the sky and another of the car properly exposed then combined them.

[Chewy734]

Originally Posted by BillLee

does the sky look fake? i took one shot of the sky and another of the car properly exposed then combined them.

I personally thought the sky looked fake. That building behind your car also looks rendered, although I know that's probably not the case. I think it's because, from your perspective, it essentially looks 2D because it's so sharp and has no depth... maybe that's just me.

[Labrada_Exoticz]

Originally Posted by dcstep

I really like it Bill. The only thing I'd do different is put a little more space in front of the car than in back, or equalize space front and back. Great exposure values and processing.

Here's mine:


Streeetch... by dcstep, on Flickr

Nice shot. I stayed at that milford about 2 weeks ago

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by BillLee

does the sky look fake? i took one shot of the sky and another of the car properly exposed then combined them.

I thought that it looked HDR overdone, but didn't say anything against it because so many seem to like that.

[Schwaben]

I'll take any pointers anyone is willing to throw out on this one.

[- Paul -]

Background is distracting. I'd like to see more space around the car. Nice reflections on the paint and good colours.

[asian010]

would like to hear some comments on these pictures.

thanks =]

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by dcstep

I really like it Bill. The only thing I'd do different is put a little more space in front of the car than in back, or equalize space front and back. Great exposure values and processing.

Here's mine:


Streeetch... by dcstep, on Flickr

I really find it hard to critique night pics. But i love the composition and the capture of the vehicle. Some blown highlights but i really like the perspective lines that point to the center of the image.

Originally Posted by StuttgartM3

I'll take any pointers anyone is willing to throw out on this one.

tough to critique a snapshot. it looks like this was taken in a confined space like a showroom or something. Not the best environment for a photo. It's very easy to over saturate a red vehicle. This doesn't look super saturated but a tad over. Focus on the front end looks a little soft, like the focus point was the base of the windshield.

Originally Posted by MrTerryliu

would like to hear some comments on these pictures.

thanks =]

The one of the dog is cute, lighting is ok although nothing special, a little dark. The person in the back ground is a distraction. I would say that the the person detracts from the image. Looks a little noisy. If you were using auto ISO it could have compensated for the low light.

The car shot looks like it was an impulse shot as it was in a parking spot. car is under exposed and i personally don't like a half car photo. There is no real subject there. The frame is split between the car and the concrete structure. Not a great time to shoot, the harsh light creates half under exposed and half over exposed.






Ok, now that we're back on track....

[M_Six]

^^^^Just saw a clip about this bridge on Smithsonian's Aerial California.

Damn nice image.

[rodi]

thank you, Joe.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

...

Ok, now that we're back on track....
...

Yes indeed, we are back on track.

I can't find anything "wrong". You either got up early for dawn or stayed late for the sunset to capture wonderful natural saturation of this scene. The balance of the composition is perfect, with the coastline leading your eye out of the frame.

It would be even more stupendous IF mother nature had cooperated and thrown a few dramatic clouds into the sky. Still, this exemplary of nature, scenic and wildlife photography, you can plan, check the weather forecast, set up and wait, but we're not totally in control.

Well done.

I posted this earlier, but received no critique, so here goes again:



Denver International Airport Interior:


DIA's main lobby in morning light... by dcstep, on Flickr

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by M_Six

^^^^Just saw a clip about this bridge on Smithsonian's Aerial California.

Damn nice image.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by rodi

thank you, Joe.

My pleasure.

Originally Posted by dcstep

Yes indeed, we are back on track.

I can't find anything "wrong". You either got up early for dawn or stayed late for the sunset to capture wonderful natural saturation of this scene. The balance of the composition is perfect, with the coastline leading your eye out of the frame.

It would be even more stupendous IF mother nature had cooperated and thrown a few dramatic clouds into the sky. Still, this exemplary of nature, scenic and wildlife photography, you can plan, check the weather forecast, set up and wait, but we're not totally in control.

Well done.

Thanks for the kind words. I was really lucky.... well, yeah pretty lucky. I woke up that morning in San Diego with a plan to drive up the coast to Bixby Bridge specifically for pics, then head back to Big Sur for sunset dinner. Traveling with my wife meant i departed late by 2 hours had to high tail it to the bridge to make it there by sunset. That was the one thing i had planned for the coastal road trip and a sunrise pic would do me no good. So i was putting our G37X rental through it's paces trying to get there in time. All the images i got of that bridge came within 6 minutes of getting out of the car! Mother nature cooperated as well as i could ask giveing the situation! The sun was below the horizon about 7 minutes after taking the pics.

I didn't have time of course, but i wonder how this would have looked if i just took a single image with my 16-35 rather than three with the 24-70. At the time i felt like the 16-35 would make the subject appear further away.

Sorry for the extra post, but i love hearing the stories about how or why the image was captured. Figured i'd share mine

Hopefully someone will jump in and critique your Denver Airport shot; cause i don't have a bad thing to say about it. Technically speaking it seems to be great. Composition is super interesting. I love how the perspective lines cross. How the posts go from left to lower right and the arches draw your eyes from right to lower left. Very interesting image, something i can imagine seeing on the wall in a nice restaurant or home.

I'll let someone else take a crack at it and post their image.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by MP0WER

...

Hopefully someone will jump in and critique your Denver Airport shot; cause i don't have a bad thing to say about it. Technically speaking it seems to be great. Composition is super interesting. I love how the perspective lines cross. How the posts go from left to lower right and the arches draw your eyes from right to lower left. Very interesting image, something i can imagine seeing on the wall in a nice restaurant or home.

I'll let someone else take a crack at it and post their image.

Enjoyed your how-I-did-it image story and thanks for commenting on mine.

Since you started it, I'm often out at DIA waiting to pick up a daughter or granddaughter with a little time on my hands, so I'll take the 5D MkII with the 24-105mm lens and look for a shot. There are lots of interesting shapes there, but most of my prior shots were duds, so I was determined to get something worth keeping. The sun was still relatively low in the East (left) of this image, so the shadows added extra dramatic elements to the image. When I got home and started process, it still seemed flat as I looked at it in color and pumped the contrast up and down, when it hit me to use B&W to gain more freedom with Contrast. The resulting B&W image pleased me much more, seeming appropriate for the white roof and dark, strong shadows.

Dave

[The1]

you never worry about taking pictures in an airport?

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by The1

you never worry about taking pictures in an airport?

No, I enjoy talking with the TSA...

[rodi]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Denver International Airport Interior:


DIA's main lobby in morning light... by dcstep, on Flickr

I'm really enjoying the tones in the "trusses" although I think it could have been a little darker to really make it even smoother. at this point the people would be lost, unless you waited for the exact moment when they passed towards the right of the image into the bright area. Were you able to wait at all or was this a fleeting shot as you were running to your flight? (or waiting on your daughter?). But that's my main thing - it could definitely benefit from more underexposure, but then I'm partial to a wide range of midtones in greyscale that would have normally been highlights. It's not something the human eye sees.
Composition is good (except for that black slit on the upper right of the frame, but whatever.
Great shot.


The Salk:

[dcstep]

Oh man, thanks Rodi. I totally missed that black slit in the upper right and it'll be an easy fix.

I was going for mid-greys, but I like your suggestions about exposure. (I did pump things up and down and landed on this look on purpose). I DID have time to shoot more around the people. I actually had one without them. There's an escalator that the one faced toward our right went down, but, yes, I should have invested more time to add clarity there.

I like your Salk a ton, but that black shape floating toward the right side of infinity is bothering me. I can't figure what it is and it's calling attention to itself because it's totally black. The rich colors and perspective are wonderful as is the balance in the composition.

Hopefully someone else will comment further on your image since I came back to answer your questions mainly.

Dave

[rodi]

Originally Posted by dcstep

I like your Salk a ton, but that black shape floating toward the right side of infinity is bothering me. I can't figure what it is and it's calling attention to itself because it's totally black. The rich colors and perspective are wonderful as is the balance in the composition.

Hopefully someone else will comment further on your image since I came back to answer your questions mainly.

Dave

you mean the crow?? there's two crows (or black birds?) in the frame, along with a woman in the distance at the end of the waterstream. which one are you referring to?
i should have posted the larger version? the photo is over 3 years old, i should probably process it with my new ways. but thanks!