From the Boston area

[chris.dzengelewski]

These were taken all around the boston back bay area, I think it was with my 50D and 50 F1.8 just walking around!

I have a whole bunch more, but I thought I'd just select these ones to get viewed for now!

Hope they aren't tooooo horrible!! :mad2:

[jetrim]

A lot of shots for a critique post, but in my opinion the second is the clear standout here.

[chris.dzengelewski]

I know! I'm looking for more overall critique though, what's wrong overall

[draymorton]

Lots of familiar sights! (Used to live right next to the Pru - saw many a rollerblader fall on his/her ass... one actually head first into the fake lake).

Thoughts:

I like the first.

Love the second, but something bothers me about the crop on the right.

Nice color in the fourth - what a neat building! - but not sure about the tilt.

The crop is too tight on top in the fifth.

[jetrim]

I know! I'm looking for more overall critique though, what's wrong overall

OK, to give it an "overall" review... a bunch of near misses and a hit.

Seriously, taking them one at a time,
First one appears oversharpened from where I'm sitting. It's busy with all the geometric shapes but not overly so, and without a wider shot for context, can't really make any suggestions about composition.

Second, I like this "as is" though others may feel differently. If I had to nit-pick, maybe pinch the bottom slightly to remove the perspective distortion and get the vertical wall on the lower left straight.

Third one, I would probably mirror this shot so the plane was heading left to right (the direction most view a photo, as it's the direction they read)

Forth one, the need to have the vertical lines of the building straight, overrides the desire for a level horizon line. It's obviously on a hill, so that should show. Also, not always, but usually, a subject should be entering the frame rather than exiting; and speaking of subjects, it's very hard to effectively pull off a photo with two subjects - choose the girl or the flag, but don't try to make both the subject in the same photo.

Fifth one, I would reshoot this one with a perspective more up and maybe just slightly to the right, removing the distraction in the lower right corner and focusing on the building, leaving some breathing room above the top of the tower. This shot is the architectural equivalent of "cutting someone's head off" in portraiture.

Now that you are probably bummed by what I've written, let me say that these are not particularly bad shots, but with a little tweeking, each of them has the potential to become a *great* shot. Your subject matter is interesting, just need to tweek your composition.