Please post no more than five images a day and respond to as many images as you post. Critics, please be constructive, specific, and nice! Moderated by gahspidy and mtbbrian.
By posting on the Photo Critique forum you agree to post only your own photos, be respectful, and give back as much as you receive. This is a moderated forum and anything abusive or
off-topic will be removed.
Interesting lighting and angle but too little detail to give any meaning to the purpose for taking the photo. The child may or may not have arms, for example, and neither assumption is obvious from the lack of detail in the photo.
Whatever you were trying to communicate to the viewer is unclear from this photo.
Hi Tuna...very nice shot...I really like the angles in this, I think they work very well for a silhouette. I do agree with Ronnoco that the child is a bit soft and could benefit from some sharper detail. I've seen my grandchildren in similar lighting and so this kind of hit home with me. Good work.
Ken
I saw this shot earlier today at work...I wish I could of placed bets on how many people were going to say that it was too dark and there was no detail on the kid.
For me this works because it is bold and has great composition which leads me into the photo. It stands out from other photos and to me that is a good thing. I guess the purpose of a picture can just be composition and boldness...that is what came thru to me on this photo. It has a kinda creepy feel (Chucky)...and I like it.
I don't think this is one of your stronger photos, but I do appreciate it, and it is a departure from your style. It looks to be from your "earlier" days? ;)
Cheers.
I'm always mentally photographing everything as practice.
Minor White
This must have been a bit of a challenging environment for photographer and child who appears to be where he should not be and seems lost. The long lines of shadows on the tiled floor look as if they become steps just inside the door. Perhaps the child is intrigued by all the lines (which may have attracted him in) also and his own shadow. It has loads of tension and It's open to lots of interpretations and I like that.
Personally I would like to see just a little more detail (but not too much) in all the dark areas and especially the child.
Not a cliche in sight.
Tom
I have a total lack of respect for anything connected with society, except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer. Brendan Behan
I think this is a good photo that could have been great. I hate to say that I agree with the other comments, but I do. The blurryness of the child just contrasts too much with the sharpness of the things around him. For me, if he's surrounded by darkness and the only thing you CAN see is the outline, I kind of want to see one that's sharp. If the room was easier to see and he was blurry, I don't think it would even be an issue. Anyway, I do think the composition itself is pretty damn cool.
Tuna, am I seeing little remnants of colour here? To the right of the pathway created by the light; perhaps a little reflection of the door entrance.
Tom
I have a total lack of respect for anything connected with society, except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer. Brendan Behan
Thanks to all for your comments and critique on this change-of-pace-shot (at least for me...).
Some explanation in the technical aspects that might (or might not...) provide additional info to help answer some comments/interpretation. Shot handheld at 1/15 shutter though exposed for the sunshine - so as to provide a large DOF (unrecorded f/stop - probably around 11 or 16) and an expected blur due to the movement of the child - in fact, I was dissapointed that the neither of the three shots I managed to squeeze off before he left didn't provide MORE blur in the child...which, for me, may the failing of the image.
PlantedTao, shot a few weeks ago...and, yes, a departure from the current style I have been leaning toward - but still an attempt at "capture the moment" street shot.
Tom, I see the color as well. ??? This was shot on B&W film, scanned in as RGB - then converted in Channel Mixer with Monochrome checked...so, not sure what happened but it's kind of cool.
I saw this shot earlier today at work...I wish I could of placed bets on how many people were going to say that it was too dark and there was no detail on the kid.
For me this works because it is bold and has great composition which leads me into the photo. It stands out from other photos and to me that is a good thing. I guess the purpose of a picture can just be composition and boldness...that is what came thru to me on this photo. It has a kinda creepy feel (Chucky)...and I like it.
.
Ah what? How is it bold? What do you mean specifically by great composition? What elements of design does it follow? Don't throw these terms around unless you can demonstrate that you know specifically what they mean.
Ah what? How is it bold? What do you mean specifically by great composition? What elements of design does it follow? Don't throw these terms around unless you can demonstrate that you know specifically what they mean.
Ronnoco
I can understand that you disagree with his opinion and you have already indicated that you are not fond of this image but why this unwarranted attack on the comments of another? Couldn't you simply have re-stated your comments disagreeing with what PlantedTao said in a more reserved and polite manner? Possibly pointing out, in your opinion, the specific deficiencies of composition, why/how the image doesn't display any form of boldness...etc.?
Who are you and what do you want? Is this normally how you converse on this forum?
BOLD: striking.
It seems to me this is a very graphic photo due to the harsh tones.
BOLDNESS: taking a risk
It seems to me this is a departure from a previous style and not the norm of most photography.
COMPOSITION:the artistic arrangement of the parts of a photo
It seems to me that the arrangement of the child and diagonals draws me into the photo and captures my interest.
Sorry for not explaining myself in full. ;)
I'm always mentally photographing everything as practice.
Minor White
BOLD: striking.
It seems to me this is a very graphic photo due to the harsh tones.
BOLDNESS: taking a risk
It seems to me this is a departure from a previous style and not the norm of most photography.
COMPOSITION:the artistic arrangement of the parts of a photo
It seems to me that the arrangement of the child and diagonals draws me into the photo and captures my interest.
Sorry for not explaining myself in full. ;)
Phew...thanks for explaining those fancy photography terms.
Tuna...this definitely is different. What I like in this photo is the patterns of the tiles and the light streaming in from the door. The diagonal slices of light work for me, and I like that the child is caught in the middle of it, with his/her shadow continuing the diagonal look.
The parts that don't work as well for me are the spots in the photo, like on the floor where it seems to be a reflection of something, or the place on the lefthand side that seems to be something on the wall...my own personal preference is to clone that sort of thing out, but you may have reason for leaving it there.
One last thing...because of the tilt of the shot, the child seems to be leaning unnaturally...not just in the normal toddler lurch ()...but maybe that adds to the spooky feel that PlantedTao was talking about.
I have waited before commenting and been back to this a few times.
I find this photo surreal (in the angles of the light and the juxtaposition of the contrast of the lighting levels, ethereal in that the child seems demonic from the stance looking at that "broken diamond" as if looking into the underworld and trying to decide whether to jumb or stay in the world of light. Or it could be the passing from one world to the next.
My only critique is the trolley, wheelchair, table against the wall on the left of the picture, I would have liked to see just a tad more detail to goround the photo in the real world, or as Emily said complete removal. My preference would be a tad more detail depending on what it is (wheelchair!).
The angles of the light and the child stance works for me in complementing the above thoughts. I also like the amount of blur in the child's movement, if you had more it would imply to me that he took the underworld leap and less would mean that its too static to convey the above.
All in all I like this photo and the above critique is very minor.
Roger
"I hope we will never see the day when photo shops sell little schema grills to clamp onto our viewfinders; and the Golden Rule will never be found etched on our ground glass."from The mind's eye by Henri Cartier-Bresson
My Web Site: www.readingr.com DSLR
Canon 5D; EF100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM; EF24-70 F2.8L USM 50mm F1.8 II; EF 100 F2.8 Macro Digital
Canon Powershot Pro 1; Canon Ixus 100
Ah what? How is it bold? What do you mean specifically by great composition? What elements of design does it follow? Don't throw these terms around unless you can demonstrate that you know specifically what they mean.
Ronnoco
Jeez ... What forum am I on or what is Ronnoco on?
On your profile you characterize yourself as expert.
Posting the above (not the first of it's kind from you) has clearly highlighted your area of expertise.
I have a total lack of respect for anything connected with society, except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer. Brendan Behan
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by PlantedTao
)...but maybe that adds to the spooky feel that PlantedTao was talking about.
