scott_esposito

Not bad, although the figures at the right seem a little indistinct (blocking each other).

I think this could benefit from a little more contrast. The papers and such seem to all be stuck in a middle grey and I really think they need to be punched up a bit. Also, you seem to have lost a little detail on the top-center. Perhaps you can burn it in some?

 

The man is certainly the photo's centerpiece and I find his placement and his tonality satisfying. The shadowed head down is just right.

 

If I were framing it, I think I would have moved the camera just a tad to the right, as this picture has a vaguely off-center feel to me.

It appears that something in this photo is either sublimating or erputing, but it is very difficult to tell since there is no reference to scale here. For all I know this could range from the side of a mountain to a small clod of dirt. There is really no way to tell. This definitely seems to inhibit my ability to "see" this photo.

This picture appears to have a very short DOF. I think that in pictures such as this, DOF throughout is critical. Unless it is being used to a certain effect, it disracts my eye from what the buds, which you are presumably showcasing in this shot. Really, only the violet bud seems to be in focus, the rest of the photo is soft to one degree or another. Is there a reason this was shot with such short DOF?

It is difficult to tell what is going on. I think you should crop out the sides to emphasize the central figure. Make it more about the shadow figure because all the other stuff makes my mind want to place the shadow in a context, but there is not enough there, so it just ends up being confusing.

this is an interesting grouping, but i think the framing is a bit off. the window on the bottom feels a little too close to the edge. i would have liked a little more under it (just a tiny bit). also the green in the upper right looks out of place.

 

this is worth shooting again when half the composition isn't under shadow, and perhaps giving a little more room on the bottom and taking the green out of the corner.

the expression on the firl's face makes the picture for me. it's mirroring the sculputre, but the different placement of each's hand gives each face a different mood. the sculpture is wonder bordering on anguish, the girl's in intense interest.

 

it looks like you might burn the left edges down just a tad; otherwise i like the tonal values in this image

Nice photo. Two things strike me:

 

1) All the wires look as though they are on the same plane. I get the feel that I am looking at the street through a veneer of wires.

 

2) The street itself has some strong symmetry - road, cars, trees, poles.

 

What did you shoot/process this in? Looks like Tri-X/Rodinal to me.

Cafe Roma! What a delight to see a familiar "face". I'm there all the time.

 

As for the photo, this looks pretty thin on my monitor. I don't see any blacks. You might want to print it darker. Also, the grain looks pretty heavy.

Excellent job using a touch of color to spice up an otherwise monocrome image. The man is well placed and the composition seems good.

 

Other than that I don't feel there is much else to say.

An interesting composition, no doubt. The balloons are distributed well throughout the photo, and it feels well-framed.

 

I find the extreme size of the balloon on the left slightly disconcerting, and I think the photo would be stronger if the sky was printed a bit lighter so that the form of the balloons would be more sharply defined.

Freeway murals, always an interesting subject. You capture a triad well here with a well conceived composition. There is just enough of the freeway arcing gracefully through the top to add context. Well done.

 

Was the inclusion of the chain and posts intentional? It makes me wonder about the murals and their surroundings. I am not sure if you meant for the viewer to wonder about the chain and posts or if this shot was more about the murals. You might consider that vis a vis the framing of the photo.

You create a feeling by making your subject so dark. It is an interesting direction and is accented by the intensity of her expression.

 

My problem with the photo is that this dark motif is broken by the very bright arm of her shirt. I would knock it down a bit in the darkroom. Also, I do not see the need to color her hat. I prefer not to mix monochrome and color unless there is a compelling reason to.

Thoughts?

It looks a little crooked. If you want it to look more profesisonal, make sure the framing is dead on.

 

Also, you need to use a filter for these kind of shots. Because you're using articifial lighting, the colors on this shot are all off. 90A filters usually correct for general lighting, but if you're serious you should really look into it on your own.

Many of your photos are pretty, but this in one of the few ones that draws me in. It is subtly constructed and uses its elements not to tantalize my eyes, but to draw my curiosity. Well done.

Watching the people at Yellowstone proved to be almost as interesting

as the nature.

I enjoy night photos because of the potential presented by the many

varied light sources.

This was actually a photo of a chain link fence with wooden slats placed through the links. The sun was low in the sky and, penetrating the wood, illuminated the fence in a regular pattern.

Sucks you to the right, doesn't it?

This photo captures two different worlds and juxtaposes them. I do not think there is necessarily a link between the accordian man and the blurred woman.

 

Part of the magic of photography is that it can extract a moment in time from its surroundings and present it as something completely different. For example, photos of people laughing can, at times, look distressingly like photos of people crying. Likewise with this photo: we see a scene that is very different from what the actual, physical reality was like.

 

I do not see this photo in terms of a story; it looks more like a feeling. Its elements, the face of the man and woman, the blurring, the dark, dark sky, give it surrealistic feel. I appreciate it for that impact and do not believe it needs a narrative.

Thoughts?

I don't know if the overexposure is intentional here or not.

 

--If it is: I don't think it works. You can see the outlines of shapes in back and it makes the photo look unkempt.

 

--If it isn't: You have to be careful with exposures, especially in high contrast areas (which this one appears to be). Be sure that your background isn't so bright that it will be shot right off the film. The skintone on the girl looks pretty light for black skin, indicating that you probably could have closed the aperture down at least by 1 stop and not lost detain in her face. That would have helped to bring in the highlights in the background.

It erupts on schedule, but not THAT on schedule.

Old Faithful is fuming off in the distance. This crowd was patiently

waiting for it to go off. The eruption was quite spectacular, even

from this considerable distance. I imagine the people in the

bleachers right next to Old Faithful got quite a shower.