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Critique this please...


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For me, it's an effective photo of the subject that - even though it's from 2017 - could perhaps be improved with a little PP. I don't know the circumstances, but I like the man's expression and hands. The B/W contrasts on his face and hands come out well. The background looks blown out, unfortunately, and there are what look like scanner marks at the top and top-right.

 

For some reason, I'm a bit distracted by the 'catchlights' in the man's eyes. They are relatively large and look to be reflections (in perspective) of a market or store where two people are visible. So my two suggestions for improvement (in PP) would be: a) consider adding a fine (almost invisible) 'structure' to the background just to break up the 'white'' a bit and b) consider editing the reflections in the man's eyes so that these are smaller and less prominent.

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Photo was taken in a remote village near the Bhuj Desert in India. The subject is an elderly master weaver with alzheimers who had been banished from his village because he could no longer contribute. He was taken in by a neighbouring village, given odd jobs in exchange for care and feeding. The subject stood in a window of an indigo dyeing shed, a white building behind him, and various dyers tending vats in front of him. I was told his story by a translator, and asked him how he felt about his new village...that was his response.
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Doug, although the image mostly stands on its own merit, your narrative helped me to see the emotion in this man's eyes, expression, and hands. My only suggestion is to lessen the stark contrast by means of some dodging on his ears, face, neck, and hands.

Thanks Michael...I have done something like that to his hands, and neck...to my taste the result was "lizardy", much like parched ground.

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I really like this for its detail and emotion, and I really like that the background is almost blown completely out- while he and everything about him remains intact. The photo becomes about him and only about him, there is nothing else to draw from or to distract. Impactful. Lovely.
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I really like this for its detail and emotion, and I really like that the background is almost blown completely out- while he and everything about him remains intact. The photo becomes about him and only about him, there is nothing else to draw from or to distract. Impactful. Lovely.

Thank you so much. I feel blinded by his story, and can't tell if my photo conveys the emotion I felt upon hearing it.

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I like both the image and the story! I would try to clean up the catch lights in both eyes. The only other, minor, flaw is that the blown background prevents separation around the top of his head. It's tough when both the background and hair blow out.
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I like both the image and the story! I would try to clean up the catch lights in both eyes. The only other, minor, flaw is that the blown background prevents separation around the top of his head. It's tough when both the background and hair blow out.

Silhouetted with a grossly overexposed exterior, a white house in direct sun as the background, subject with white hair and dark skin in shadow...I think I did pretty well. Personally, the emotion that comes through for me in the shot far outweigh it's technical deficiencies. Thanks for looking.

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Personally, the emotion that comes through for me in the shot far outweigh it's technical deficiencies.

Yes, but in asking for critique, especially without giving specific info on what you’re looking for in those critiques, you’re often going to hear what the critic gives weight to.

"You talkin' to me?"

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Yes, but in asking for critique, especially without giving specific info on what you’re looking for in those critiques, you’re often going to hear what the critic gives weight to.

Camera's sensors haven't reached the point where they can span 8 stops...backlit white on white just isn't going to happen. The whole idea of a critique IMHO, is whether the image moves you. If it doesn't, that's fine...my sensibilities are my own. Thinking that a sensor can span 8 stops, and expecting that in a photo, isn't realistic. Does the fact that you can't distinguish his white hair against the white backdrop become so off-putting that his emotional gesture, his eyes, his hands go unnoticed? Forrest for the trees comes to mind.

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. "I feel blinded by his story, and can't tell if my photo conveys the emotion I felt upon hearing it."

That would be a good lead if that is what you want to hear.

 

The subject expresses deep emotion. the obstacles you faced and the subsequent handling dilute the impact and draw attention to the limitations. Without further post processing for me it is a miss. but I would try to salvage it in your way.

Edited by inoneeye
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n e y e

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This falls a bit into the personal 'thing' I have with extreme contrast. To me it's akin to shouting, or all capitals, and places the emphasis on drama and technique _ "see what I can do", at the expense of the subject, which becomes reduced to somewhat of a caricature, with less looking back thru the lens at the emotional connection with the subject. Which can, I suppose be good thing if the subject really is the fall of the light, or the abstract shapes of light/shadow, etc.
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Here is where the "If Only" comes into play..."If Only" Robert Capa had gotten him in focus! Yes, critiquing is difficult because everything is after the fact. All I had to do to get his white hair to stand out against the background would have been to move him to a different lighting situation, and possibly never get that expression back as genuinely as I did. As photograhers, we work within the constraints of the medium...woulda, shoulda, coulda...all that is rendered meaningless when you lose the decisive moment. I came to this forum because I believe critique is personal opinion, not any rules written down for artists to go by.
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I believe critique is personal opinion,

Then it’s important to listen to the personal opinions of others. I think we all understand how hard it is to get everything to work together. When I look at a photo, I critique based on what I see. Sometimes, I see the difficulty of having taken the shot and that will inform my response. In the case of your photo, it doesn’t change what anyone has offered to you by way of their opinions. I still find it too sharp and, regarding the technical aspects mentioned, they’re still part of the photo, no matter how much you want to try to explain them away. Artistic or aesthetic considerations include technical ones. Each person may give them different weights in different situations. No matter the shooting circumstances, in a closeup portrait like this, technical elements help tell the story and convey a narrative (one of your stated concerns). They are not distinct from it. Photographs express emotions not only through the face and pose and gestures but through light and texture and perspective and composition. It’s a complete visual package.

"You talkin' to me?"

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By the way, sometimes critiques won’t necessarily be able to be applied to the current photo. It’s ok to love a photo while having something you missed gnaw at you a little. Weston has the experience with one of his famous and well-loved photos. That gnawing can be used as inspiration for the future just as critiques you may not be able or are not inclined to apply to the current photo can affect future shooting and processing.

"You talkin' to me?"

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Then it’s important to listen to the personal opinions of others. I think we all understand how hard it is to get everything to work together..

Of course I agree....BUT! If the critique of the Robert Capa image is that it should have been in focus, then it must be Ray Charles offering the critique. In the split second of critical moment, compromises are made. I can find inadequacies in all photos...visual, or technical things that are real or imagined...the "If Only" factor. Yes, you view the whole image, and you see too much contrast or too "sharp"...another person finds it not contrasty enough, or too soft...what then? The emotion of the image seems to be ignored. A man lost his life in that Capa moment...if he had had burst mode, it would have been much better, and in focus! Or would it?

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By the way, sometimes critiques won’t necessarily be able to be applied to the current photo. It’s ok to love a photo while having something you missed gnaw at you a little. Weston has the experience with one of his famous and well-loved photos. That gnawing can be used as inspiration for the future just as critiques you may not be able or are not inclined to apply to the current photo can affect future shooting and processing.

I value this discussion...thank you for taking the time for this!

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Critique is a requested opinion. And it can be more. It can work with the photographer to brainstorm and offer suggestions to support the photographers vision, if stated. "Yes, critiquing is difficult because everything is after the fact." Once the exposure is locked in you are restricted to pp and presentation adjustments. If you see no pp options available then you are left with viewers and your own assessment, a critique of a locked finished piece. When you present a finished photo for critique brace yourself for differing opinions.

"I came to this forum because I believe critique is personal opinion, not any rules written down for artists to go by." ?

 

Setting the staging controversy aside, The Capa photo is an example of no comparison to your spontaneous portrait issues. I do not see focus, movement as detrimental to Capa's spectacular photo... it supports and enhances the spontaneity imo.

n e y e

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"The Capa photo is an example of no comparison to your spontaneous portrait issues."...are the issues that you can't see his white hair against the white background, or that the image is too contrasty, or that the reflection in his eyes is distracting? Would changing any, or all of that make it better....or worse? "I do not see focus, movement as detrimental to Capa's spectacular photo"...how can you know that it wouldn't be improved by focus, by timing, or by different lighting? We get to see the photographers choices, not the critics. Art is evolving because artists confuse critics. I offer up my images to critique to expose the futility of the process, not to learn to see differently.
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you see too much contrast or too "sharp"...another person finds it not contrasty enough, or too soft...what then?

Then you listen to my reason for thinking it's too sharp, as I gave in my original critique. And you listen to the other person's reasons for finding it too soft. And you see if either insight offers you a way of seeing your photo that you hadn't before. If neither gives you pause, you say "thank you" and move on. Now, if you're absolutely sure that no one's insights are going to make a bit of difference to you because you're completely confident that you've achieved the best photo you could have given the circumstances and final result, don't ask for critique.

I offer up my images to critique to expose the futility of the process, not to learn to see differently.

I wish you would have said that from the beginning instead of wasting my time.

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"You talkin' to me?"

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Then you listen to my reason for thinking it's too sharp, as I gave in my original critique. And you listen to the other person's reasons for finding it too soft. And you see if either insight offers you a way of seeing your photo that you hadn't before. If neither gives you pause, you say "thank you" and move on. Now, if you're absolutely sure that no one's insights are going to make a bit of difference to you because you're completely confident that you've achieved the best photo you could have given the circumstances and final result, don't ask for critique.

 

I wish you would have said that from the beginning instead of wasting my time.

Thanks for taking the time Sam...I do appreciate it.

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