Challenge V : How to critique

[ricktas]

Lets step this up another level. Your choice of which one you critique, or if you have time to spare, do both.

[Wilky]

No.1
I like the feel of the pic. My eye is led into the scene from the rh corner up and to the left and then sweeps across back to the rh side.

I find it very easy to look at and spend time in it. The tonings are nice and subdued but still vibrant.

The hills on the lh side are maybe to dark, no definition but not quite silhouette but the eye doesn't linger on them, it almost shoots back across like a slippery slide towards the centre and the rhs.

The water looks really calm with just a gentle roll on the beach giving just enough definition in the ripple. I also like the inlet disappearing on the left.

DOF is really good,

All up I feel it is a well thought out pic with lots of interest in it, right down to the rocks under the sags

Dam I would like to be out there exploring it in my sea kayak.

[seastorm]

Here goes for No 2.

Interesting photo that one, but I'm not quite sure where to focus my eyes. On one hand the fence (and barbed wire) and grass in the foreground is trying to hold my attention, but the hills and boats in the background are screaming for me to look at it too. Not to mention the detail in the clouds. It doesn't seem to follow the rule of 3rds much, alas.

Love the colours, a nice mix of blues and yellows.

Maybe it's a personal thing, but the photo doesn't seem to work for me, unfortunately...

[jasevk]

Rick... I'm really enjoying having these challenges to practise critiquing... but I'm just wondering how the more experienced photographersnfeel about less experienced photographers giving CC in the 'non practice' area?!

Here goes for #2.

I will hazard a guess that the photographer's intent was to simply portray the beauty in what he or she saw in this scene, rather than to capture what he or she felt from the scene. I say this because as Seastorm mentioned, I'm not sure where to rest my eyes either. However the leading line from the fence just seems to draw me into the water.

I love the drama in the sky, there seems to be a couple of possibly over exposed patches in the clouds, but its not causing me any issues for my viewing, just an observation.

A lovely scene I must say

[Hamish McHaggis]

(#2) I have no problem finding something to focus on in this pic - my eyes are drawn right along that fence to the middle of the water. Along the way, I appreciate the sky colours...and basically I just want to get my fly rod out and catch some of the fat trout that I KNOW are lurking beneath the surface....
OK, more practical CC - I feel that the foreground is just a little dark, and a (tiny) bit of recovery of the detail here would really make this photo work for me IMHO,
Colin

[ricktas]

Good work guys. Like what you have done here. Looking at the photos and spending time to assess them on both an emotive and technical aspect. Well done

[Hamish McHaggis]

(#1) I actually really like this. Reminds me of Scotland - barren, desolate, a bit foreboding. Yes, the background hills are dark, but that adds to the appeal for me. The foreground is great. It's like: here we are now, and this is where we have to go, into the unknown...
Can't comment on the technical aspects I'm afraid....but I like the photo,
Colin

[Jesse24]

No. 2

I really like how you have used the fence as a path through the photo and then the cloud as another path again. It also seems like your taking a picture from the gloomy side looking towards the bright, sunny paradise across the lake. However the fence represents that it is a long and tough task to get there?

The picture seems a little too dark overall for me, mainly around the grass and there is a bit of a "shadow/glow" around the fence that I find a bit annoying. Maybe that is what suits this image however.

[warren]

I will aslo give it a go.
To me they are both technically wonderful captures of the scenes but suffer from the same problem. They look a little over processed, colour saturation and contrast pushed beyond a "natural scene". To my eye the over use of colour saturation is particularly evident in the second photo.
The first photo has a slightly unnatural light intensity progression from foreground to background. In this lighting I would expect the foreground to be darker, it is difficult for me to reconcile the foreground higlights.
On composure I like both, I love the way the fence in the second photo leads me off into the background. I also love the way the fence and the cloud formations roughly mirror form.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to see more of our landscape.

[ricktas]

Good to see so many of you giving this a try and I hope this challenge has given you a bit more of an insight into critiquing other members photographs. Well thought out responses.

[PH005]

Here we go. I have not read any of the other CC's so that I am not influenced.

The front dog should be the one that is focused on and not the rear one. T composition could be better if the dogs were seperate in the shot. A lower POV may be better. I think a zoom lens has been used making the outside foliage under exposed. Cropping could fix some of this.All in all not a very interesting or technically good shot.

[ricktas]

Here we go. I have not read any of the other CC's so that I am not influenced.

The front dog should be the one that is focused on and not the rear one. T composition could be better if the dogs were seperate in the shot. A lower POV may be better. I think a zoom lens has been used making the outside foliage under exposed. Cropping could fix some of this.All in all not a very interesting or technically good shot.

Good work, have a go at some of the other photos in this thread, to really get you working on critiquing

[digitwized]

I think the dog photo works well as a snapshot of your dogs on a walk. As a photograph to hang on the wall however, it doesn't make it. I think it would have worked better if the leading dog was more in focus than the other and if the tail wasn't obscuring the face. Also perhaps a vertical crop would suit better. A lower angle would improve it also.
Thats my 20cents worth!

[ricktas]

I think the dog photo works well as a snapshot of your dogs on a walk. As a photograph to hang on the wall however, it doesn't make it. I think it would have worked better if the leading dog was more in focus than the other and if the tail wasn't obscuring the face. Also perhaps a vertical crop would suit better. A lower angle would improve it also.
Thats my 20cents worth!

Good reply, now try some of the other photos in this thread, cause we started with one that had obvious issues, and progressed to photos that would be harder to critique

[martz8]

Loving the Idea of this thread. Well pretty much all of the "New to Photography" idea
Here is my 2c worth of CC

Dogs in the Forest..
Being a dog lover & Forest lover (Not a tree Hugger) I found the front dog was not in focus but the second was. The colors I found were excellent.
The surrounds look very calming in this shot also
Maybe by taking the shot from a little lower would have put the dogs into a more promenent position in the frame.
DOF was great for the main subject.

POTW 140

The background for me is a little bright If a little darker the branch behind the subject would fade away into the background.
The lighting on the subject is excellent also
The detail is fantastic on the feathers & Sharp.

Grass Shot.
Doesnt quite do it for me.
Too much focus on the Grass.Very shallow DOF
The colors are great though.
If the subject is the Grass possibly crop half of the top of the frame out
Maybe a little too much sky.

Lake Shot No2
I really like this shot .
The fence in the foreground take me on a ride up the photo to the rest of the lake.
Im not sure what you call the effect but it doesnt seem to be very sharp though.
I think the lighting & frame are great but maybe a little less sky.

Thats my Opinion for these shots..

Marty

[toast]

Heh, the dog at the rear has a funny look on his face and it might almost fit the line "aww Gawd, I need a change of view."

My eyes were first drawn to the rear dog. He is in-focus, more so than the front dog and his position within the frame drew my attention. The front dog is definitely too much out-of-focus and, as others have said, is noticeably suffering from motion blur. To me this detracts from the shot and makes it look sloppy. Actually, I think the entire photo could be both sharper and more blurred. It doesn't have any significant definition, which kinda nags on my eyes. The lighting and colour seem a bit flat and it may be that a sharper rendition might mitigate that problem.

It seems feasible to have had either dog as the subject. Even with the fact that the front dog's tail is in the front of the rear dog's face. I would like to have seen much more sharpness on the subject of choice (whether front or rear dog) and a greater pull by using more out-of-focus for the surroundings. That said, perhaps everything could be sharp, with no noticeable DOF and simply using the contrast and colour to define the subjects. Though that might prove to make the photo too busy and thus even less defined.

I guess this is where the quality of the lens comes into play. A faster lens with great sharpness and luminosity would give one the control to capture what I am articulating in this post. I also wonder about the benefit of using a manual focus and being able to use Depth of Field (DOF) preview, at least until one is able to intuitively know the end result. It seems to me that a manual focus lens can provide more control for DOF shots. Perhaps a camera with Bracketing might also make this kind of shot easier in regards to exposure/colour/light/shadow.

Perhaps the camera could have been turned on its side and the dogs captured in a portrait orientation. Nice subject and situation though.

The landscape shot in post 49 is another great situation but I think the focus should have been where the sky meets the land. So, the opposite of what it is. Actually, I think having a small DOF would not suit this shot and the whole image would be fantastic if everything was very sharp and well defined. Certainly the subtleties in the clouds need to be captured. The same goes for the subsequent landscape shots, I think.

[ricktas]

Well done guys. Now go across to the member photo forums and use what you learnt and applied here, to some of the photos recently uploaded by members for critique.

[AndreaB]

#2 - I love how the fence draws you deep into the lake. The golden colors make the mood peaceful. I looks like a place where you would love to be camping or staying in a cabin. So calm and beautiful. Wonderful photograph.

[HansPeter]

I cant fiend any thing to disapprove of, the dof is excellent and its sharp and crisp. Is there something I mist? Please help.
Bay the way I voted for this Photograph.

[Jeanette]

ok late post but here is my go..
Rick..

Photo... you see the main subjects straight away enjoying the walk however slightly out of focus. the focus part being the plant to the right.
Emotional connection due to loving labradors very much and am and have been a proud owner myself...
FOre Middle Background is contained there but the focus throws my eyes around looking for that focal point to lead your eyes around.
Would love to see the actions of the dogs walking with them in focus more and maybe some movement in the background although that is harder to get with the subject moving towards you.
Still love the forrest and the colours it looks most relaxing

Kym .. wow this is a great photo and love it... because the subject is very crisp and clear.. the focus takes you straight to the eyes and leads you over the very detail of the bird.
you have the complete subject in there ( no loss of tail feathers etc)
The bird is almost pedestooled on the branch which is stunning but not enough to take away from the subject.
the background is soft and subtle which allows that stunning bird to take centre stage as it deserves