Honest Opinions

[Silver]

Hello, my name is Brandi and I have been practicing my photography techniques since September.  I DO NOT CHARGE.  These pictures were for fun and friends, so I could practice with a real person.  Never taken a class, although I would love to and am looking into it.  I also would like to apprentice under someone eventually.  No plans to charge in the near future, but have plans to go to school.   I would never dream of charging anybody until I am satisfied with my work and its consistency.  My background is really in painting and drawing, but photography, in my opinion,  is so much more technically and artistically challenging.  Please critique my photos.  I have been through many art critiques so I understand constructive critism and welcome it.  Its the only way I can learn.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandiclaire/8158802006/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandiclaire/8161511101/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandiclaire/7980911652/

Thanks very much!!!!

 

[YeahRight]

I’m gonna ‘pick on’ the second one since it struck me the most.

I wish you had gotten down to eye level with your model. I would have also had her left knee bent and foot flat on the floor with her left arm draped over the knee.I would have pulled her a little further from the corner so the sunlight could work it’s magic. Turn her chin ever so slightly towards the camera too. Any time you’re working with a model (or any human), have her pull her shoulders back.

If you were going for the ‘looking out the window’ look, you missed it. By a long shot. We can only see about an inch of the window…

The most distracting part of it all? The electrical outlet. Also, any time a model’s shoe’s bottom is showing edit the dirty off it. Very distracting as well. My biggest pet peeve is the tiny stuff outside the actual subject. Trees growing out of heads, power lines, plugs & cords, cars, buildings, people. If you cannot remove the distraction all together, try moving yourself around the shot. Save yourself some editing time.

 

I hope this was helpful and not just me ripping your work apart. Try it again with the advice given. I’m sure you will notice the difference.

[Silver]

I didn’t see my last post so:   Thank you for your help!!!   This is the advice I truly need.

[ArizonaGuy]

Agreed with YeahRight. The outlet is indeed distracting. Keep an eye out for those things. Honestly, it would take but a few seconds to clone it out in post if you really felt compelled to shoot there. Keep shooting!

[Silver]

I will be definately be shooting there again, its in my apartment.  🙂   I have this huge window .  I’ll definately be watching for distractions in my next shoot.  Thanks guys.

[SEC]

I just want you to understand WHY the outlet is so distracting. Why do you think it is?

Here is what my older –and probably– more experienced eye sees pertaining to the composition.

I see a line down the models back that leads directly to the outlet. Because the model’s black is in such contrast with the wall, the line is very evident. In addition, I recommend you also note other elements — intentional or not — which subconsciously lead us to the outlet.

Take a moment to consider ALL the arrows/angles pointing toward the left. WOW. If you were trying to use this as a repeating element, you definitely succeeded. First there is the window frame that points to the left. Then there is the corner of the room, the converging lines of the wall — where the wall meets the corner. Thirdly, there is the arrow the model herself makes, both in her position AND her elbow — also a contrasting arrow pointing left. In addition, the negative space in her high heel makes an arrow pointing left. I seriously think there are even more, even the texture of the carpet.

Was this something you planned?

Just wondering.

[MBChamberlain]

Brandi,

The simple fact that you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship is encouraging. In my experience, it is the best way to learn because it combines the theoretical with the practical. A class-based education is theory heavy and self-teaching is practice heavy, but to be a good photographer you need a good basis in both and the apprenticeship is the best way to go.

One piece of advice moving forward. Photography is a wide and varied field and one can spend a lifetime devoting themselves to one aspect of it and never learn all there is to know, so as you move forward and get ready to progress to the next phase of learning, experiment with different types of photography and decide what you most want to pursue. This will help you find the mentor that will help you most.

[Silver]

SEC – no i did not plan for the outlet to be such a big distraction.   I noticed it afterward while in post processing and try to remove it, but I have very basic knowledge and everything I did made it seem worse.   But i think I have to train myself to check the negitive space around the subject, so i won’t have to fight with it in post.   my lovely model in the corner was intentional.  I thought the base boards and wall corner would help lead the eye to her.   The grain/noise of the photo was intentional and done in camera.   I loved the dramatic lighting on her face.  But next time I will take my time and look for distractions, I will pull her forward.  But I am having trouble with posing.  My model is not a professional, she is just one of my great friends.  Now the window was not intentional,  maybe if I pulled back and showed more window, and positioned her closer to the window, got down on her level and filled the photo with her and the window it would be a better shot?   Although I did show more of the room  to make it feel empty and to make her look small.  These were my thoughts.  this is why I need some advice, I am really unsure of myself.

 

MBC – Thank you.  One of the reasons I posted on here was because for the past 3 months I have been trying to read everything on photography I could find.  Last week I felt really overwhelmed,  this photo was only my 5th for fun photo shoot and I don’t feel as if I have grown at all.  I was sure all of my photos sucked and I felt really horrible that I made my friends sit through them.  So  I thought I could use a critique.    Thank you for your advice.

[Author]

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