Reply To: Want honest opinions

[reality check]

Manza
Good comp, other than the thing in the foreground.  The water looks fantastic, but the rock formation doesn’t have any umph or detail.  I think this could be improved by just shooting a different time of day.  The light is just too harsh.

Mantis
Light and shadows are too harsh, it just doesn’t work

Eye
The color and subject matter are really cool (never thought I’d say that about a photo of a dead fish). This is the image that pops out to me out of the bunch.  I think it would have worked even better if the eye wasn’t centered, and instead was crossing the bottom and left thirds.

Shisha
Black and white conversion is muddy and dark.  The subject just bleeds into the background, and my eye just goes “power lines” try tweaking it and really pay attention to your red, yellow, and blue this time.  I think with just the right balance it could be improved greatly.

Boat
It took me a minute to even realize there was a boat in the photo graph.  Straighten, and PP a little to make the silhouette stand out more.  (Maybe play with black point a bit, would do the trick). As is its just another sunset snap.

Beach 2
This I like.  Good balance, good light, good moment

Black and white portrait
Good conversion, I like the tight comp, but my eye is drawn to the light in the upper right, and not to the subject.  Watch your backgrounds

Color portrait
A touch too much head room, you cut off her hand, unflattering pose, and she looks a bit uncomfortable and stiff

Color portrait 2
Too much head room, awkward stiff pose, you cut her off at the ankles. This would have worked if you had moved in tighter, or moved back to get her completely in the frame.  When posing in a sitting position pay close attention to posture.  Shoulders back, OR more relaxed and leaning into the camera would have worked.  Also, having your sitting subjects only sit on the edge of their seat will be more flattering (or completely relaxed fully in a chair)  In this case though, being that its a backless seat, the edge would have worker better.  Watch the hands.  Instead of her hands placed neatly in her lap, I would have liked to see them dropped.  If leaning in towards the camera, have your subject relax their elbows and rest them above the knee, this will automatically make their hands drop and relax, and usually cross one another in a more pleasing way (having them wiggle and shake their arms and hands before hand helps get a more relaxed casual look). If shoulders back is more your preference, of course it would be achieved differently.  This has proved very difficult to explain in text.  Go ahead and look up directing tips for posing, and posing techniques  you’ll be amazed at the subtle changes you can make that can vastly improve your portraits.

Color portrait 3
I like this pose much better.  Her dropped arm looks a little stiff though, and I’d like to see her feet instead of all that head room.  Back off or move that camera down.

Color portrait 4
Nice angle, again too much head room, and her elbows are locked and stiff

Thank you for not being in business until you learn.  Admiral and right thing to do and very refreshing to see.  You are a photographer