Constructive Criticism and Feedback / Critiques Please

[sandphotog]

I would love to get some critiques and constructive criticism on my work. This is a link to an album I put together so that you could see several diff shots.

[sandphotog]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=1

 

[fstopper89]

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope you are not charging yet. My first thought was a lot of technical issues as well as funky editing.

This is a little underexposed, and the white balance is way too cool. The tone of her skin makes her look dead. The pose is nice, but I think her smile was kind of caught in-between. There is a soft white vignette around the photo- never ever do that. It’s just tacky and fauxtographer-ish. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494625239280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

This one is really soft and looks like you over-sharpened it to make it look more in focus. There’s a weird glow around all the edges, and honestly those fake bokeh hearts… my phone has a silly photo app that will do just that. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494626094280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

This one has more potential. It seems in focus, and the composition and pose work for this. Her face is a bit underexposed on one side. With this lighting pattern it’s not necessarily bad, but I think the whole image could have benefited from slightly higher exposure. Now I’m not a fan of selective coloring in almost any case, but in a way how you used it for this particular image actually is not terrible. You didn’t leave her skin gray like so many fauxtogs do.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494627444280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Decent composition and pose, but there’s a harsh shadow line on her face and neck. When shooting, pay attention to where the light is falling and change position or move to an area that blocks the harsh light. A bit underexposed as well. And again with that white glow! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494628844280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Cute pose for the kids, sort of in focus but a little soft. Cropped in too close though. I’m not liking that sepia tone but I hope you also have a separate file with normal color. And lose that frame thing, my phone app also does that, lol. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494630309280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Way cute. White balance of her skin is too cool though. Editing could have fixed that and increased the exposure slightly. And I would have left more negative space on the right side, because she is facing that direction.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494632079280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

The idea was cute, but there were major technical falloffs you tried to save with editing. Parts are blown out white and other parts were very underexposed. There appears to be motion blur. Move to a shaded spot on a sunny day, make sure you ISO is higher and increase your shutter speed. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494636314280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Definite over-softening of the skin. I don’t mind dutch angles much but this one only is angled very slightly where it looks like a mistake. I think it would have looked better straightened out. And one thing I do with clients is consult on outfit choices before their session. Avoid patterns and graphics in clothing. It’s distracting. And I’ve already mentioned the white vignette thing. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494640734280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

This one’s pretty good. It shows emotion and it is exposed pretty well. Maybe a tad bit underexposed but easy to fix. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494642054280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Soft, underexposed, and words in the photo are a big n0-no! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494643769280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Beautiful pose and bokeh. Her skin looks too soft though, like a plastic doll. It’s best to remove blemishes but retain the natural texture of skin. The white of her dress appears blue (white balance is too cool). Her skin could have used better exposure, even just in editing. That white vignette though kind of ruins this. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494644769280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Shooting in a shaded area, or using a reflector, would have helped this a lot. You can even lean a large reflector against a tripod or prop if you don’t have an assistant. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151494648859280&set=a.10151494623189280.1073741834.525769279&type=3&theater

Some of the patterns I noticed were white balance problems, underexposed skin, over-softening of skin, and a few funky editing techniques. One had selective color of the eyes (yuck, makes people look like vampires). Weird frames and vignettes. What camera are you shooting with?

[sandphotog]

I shoot with a canon 7d. It is funny what you said about the frames, and words on the photos, I always thought that was a big no no, but I have sold the fire out of them. I did one just playing around and someone saw it and reposted and now people call me asking for it. I give the option of choice on the ones I do for them like that. I do the framed thing they wanted but I also show it to them in color. I agree with the underexposed skin and problems with the white balance in a couple of these. I do need to purchase a reflector, it would deff come in handy. I need to get my monitor calibrated also. I have to turn my brightness way down on my monitor or it gives me a migraine and I tend to forget that sometimes when editing and so on my monitor they are right but on someone elses they would be too bright.

 

[dont.care]

Interesting, you have a 7d and no reflector and your monitor isn’t even calibrated.. Yet you claim your shit sells like fire? People generally acquire reflectors and essential gear that is typically beyond basic kit and calibrate their equipment before they ever contemplate ‘selling’ gear..I’m assuming you probably (assuming, just a guess) that you either have no idea how to correct WB or shoot in Jpeg which can make WB a bitch to correct in some cases.. either way

What’s even more odd is, you’ve chummed the water asking for opinions and yank your content as soon as you don’t hear what you want? Very interesting.. I’d say you’re impious and capricious and essentially the type of person that makes this website tick..

I’m curious, what other gear do you have/have not?

P.S. your photos are exactly what BEG said, I’ll just be forthcoming with it by saying they’re shit.

 

[fstopper89]

I too find it a bit hard to believe you sell a lot of that… I guess the clients who like that stuff aren’t really the clients I’d want. So you do charge. I think you need more practice before charging. You recognize yourself that you have white balance and exposure issues, so unless you can master fixing that, it doesn’t seem right to charge. Your monitor brightness should closely match that of finished prints. That’s how I set mine. I’m working on a Macbook and I leave my monitor down three notches from the brightest because that most accurately reflects how bright my prints are. If you are working on a tube-style monitor that might give you a migraine… but really no one should even attempt editing photos on that old of a monitor in my opinion. They’re terrible and the colors burn out so quickly. LED is the best and LCD is ok but LED retains correct color calibration the best. My Macbook is LED and I think most newer computers are as well.

On deleting the photos, I’m only one person and I think you’d benefit from critiques from more people than just me.

[IHF]

:/

Once again I feel I need to link to this article

5 Things You Should Know About Receiving Photography Critique

Very disappointing reaction to such a very good and through critique 🙁

 

You know, what’s really strange to me with a lot of new photographers, is that so many are uncalibrated and/or haven’t figured out WB.  When I started shooting more seriously, and was learning how to use my dslr, after only taking just a few shots, my very next logical step was to make prints and turn them into photographs.  Of course I thought it would be easy peasy LMBO  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Learning how difficult it is to prepare files for print and all that is involved, was a very rude awakening.  I have friends that spent the first 3 months of dslr ownership making logos, facebook pages, websites, price lists, and having “specials”, while I was stuck in color managing hell my first 5 months of ownership.  but with perseverance and lot’s of googling, and work, I finally made a decent print, and also found a printing service that met my needs.  There’s no better feeling in the world, than to see your photograph in your hands, exactly how you imagined it would be.  I set out on this whole thing to make photographs, and I have a very hard time understanding why so many many MANY others don’t have this set as their goal as well.  So many that just make files… I dont get it, but yet, at times when I am feeling overwhelmed with it all, and not producing as well as I would like, I kinda wish I could be more like them, and not care so much about the end outcome. It only lasts for a short moment though 😉

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