phil r calgary ab canada

Qualifications to critique or rate photos... pthhh... well as a human being, having emotions, feelings and reactions to art; doesn't this totally qualify me and a four year both wandering by to enjoy art and state an opinion of like or dislike, which is after all the point of art. Why does art have to get a rating anyway? I love to just share my artwork.

 

Totally good thing if the person can support his opinion of WHY he does or doesn't like it. You don't have to have a huge amount of training to see that wow she's attractive. Or that model looks completely ackward in that pose and lighting makes her look way too pale. Or that the mess in the background is distracting.

 

Better yet, if a person can give a constructive suggestion. This would be a constructive critique. Yes she's attractive but you cropped out her elbows and the highlight on her hair could be better. Or that model would look more natural if she had put her hand down on the ground to steady herself. That in photoshop, the histogram levels could filter out some of the highlights and some dodging wouldn't hurt either.

 

For next time, light reading would be easier with gray scale card and/or adjusting angle of photoflood lights or diffusers. Throwing on a neutral desensity/polarized filter, maybe use a slower speed film. Maybe just slow down on composing the picture, it's only a cute model:) Oh and clean up that clutter; if it ain't tied down, move it!

 

 

That's what I thought critiquing was all about and I'm merely qualifying my idea on the matter. maybe if for your over-ego'd thou art lesser then I "friend." If you are suggesting anything technical or aesthetics or even just emotional reaction... KEEP DOING IT. Shed the jealously like water off a duck.

 

It isn't too hard to stop to think how would I shoot that shot and correct that mistake. Or maybe it's not a mistake and I didn't know that and I'll learn as I go. But I think it's sorta callous to accuse anyone of being unqualified to share their opinion. Not too friendly whole community-minded.

 

I learned more by keeping quiet and listening to others, rather then trying to blast someone's opinion to cover my own lack of knowledge and protect my precious ego. Not that I had much ego to begin with, asides maybe a liking for a few too many words to make my point. But cohesively put I hope.

 

Now that I've learned some about photography, and a lot at this site by reading the CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, I'll be returning the favour and pass on knowledge and encouragement as well. Keep it real when checking out the art. Gooday

just noticed as i read through again, yankees i meant the baseball team, not to be racist or anything, wow how things have changed, crazy world we live in, goodnight

on that picture, stiff!! if it's formal, good, don't know what mood you are going for, affects type of pose you pick, for a portrait you have the lighting balanced and a decent pose

 

maybe shoulder is bit high stretched up, find small foot stool? like how hand drops though, cropping, be picky with small details that could clutter, literally pull them out of the shot, if you have time and if they aren't tied down, but that comes with practice

 

only the edge of the black thing and label of the painting sticks out at me, i would have asked him to step over two steps so head would be in front of label, cure black thing too, but nicely shot, captures a calm confident gaze

 

 

as for skills, maybe this is the wrong thread, but seems like i'm reviewing my own knowledge in my head and publishing it in forum to see if anyone agrees, so mind the length, hopefully it all applies, street practice approach and natural poses are great

 

i do street photography and volunteer for the college newspaper, occasionally paid gigs too, i wanted to learn how to shoot better with the one and only skill builder, practice, the more you stick out your neck, the more shots you'll get in the street, only... that's an expensive camera to take on the street:)

 

learned with a spotmatic, a couple rolls of ilford and a 55mm lens, more expensive then digital, but makes you limit your shots and learn to "see" an image, i'm glad i learned that way; i can be creative with a digital camera from being able to see what i want to shoot and to understand the magic of light being processed,

 

a beatup leather case blends in more so i don't worry so much about it out, if you were thinking street photography? it's awesome practice, have portfolio and model release handy if questioned if you are legit as a practicing photographer, got me to be less shy too

 

"hi, excuse me, sir/dude (depends:) do you have a minute? i'm phil, a photographer looking for art and portfolio images, do you mind posing? i really liked (insert noun) that caught my eye, you look (insert adjective)"

 

THANKS! (insert gratitude or insult) joking, never!! polite respect is great, just a thanks anyway, don't take personally if they say no or rare nasty, but will get a lot more models with honesty, politeness diffuses nastiness well

 

 

more natural the person feels in the shot, more they'll loosen up, more emotion the shot will have, ask them to strike whatever pose fancies them and they'll do the most natural thing, just say stop where you are, that works, gets exciting to develop the roll and go cool! or download and blow up on monitor

 

talk while you shoot, tell them what you are doing, focusing composing whatever, and how the yankees are doing unless they don't like the yankees, topicwise, stay neutral or get them talking about themself, whatever works, be open-minded, also gets you an idea of what kind of person they are and what pose or mood you'd want to capture them in

 

calm, quick and quiet shoots turn out gold, err silver, mind the pun, whatever works to get the connection with your subject, it'll distract the focus from the fact that they are looking into a camera len's frozen stare when you aren't using a tripod, if tripod, for sure have the cable release tripping, can have face-to-face repretoire going,

 

i'm no pro yet...! but i just love shooting portraits and talking to people, and my street photog has been dormant from too much school, no complaint though, i'm going to find a roll to shoot after writing this... only when it's not 2 a.m. hope this helps, i learned from this community and now it's sorta cool to pass on what i've learned, pardon the length:) enjoy and keep shooting

 

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all of them quite amusing:) but i've always wondered if it's fair to the subject, not like you can ask a model release or take advantage of the lack of having to ask, is this legit if it's in public?

good call, same question on my mind, as a college photography student, single but not looking for anyone makes it a more interesting question, so i'll be thinking on it from now on, i have few clues about being married and am still developing my style of portrait photography

 

other people on a shoot eases situation, to be a witness if unfortunately necessary, but always seems to make it easier to establish that bit about shooting and trust

 

a proper model release eases worries from your mind about a shoot, gives the whole affair a more formal mood, there's a release for nudity as well

 

awesome idea to invite your wife/girlfriend to a photoshoot and show her it's not what she imagined. Never thought about jealously with my girl over any portrait shoots, maybe should have taken her to a shoot anyways to help her understand. It's not an easy emotion to describe photography. Was ok with her when she saw the images.

 

tend to tell her everything about my shoots; mostly because they are amusing stuff, just understanding her view and telling her about how much you love to shoot and that's all objective, just lighting and flattering poses

 

on reflection, i've had smoother intimate relationships going with other photographers and artists, understanding my art, if trust is there, keep shooting if not work it out with patience, thanks for the topic to pose to married photographers, to add to it:

 

how do you keep that distance to be getting a seductive look or even a simple smile without a kind word, flirtation or joke to get a tense or shy model loosened up and not give the wrong impression

 

it's such a hard balance, i've gotten lots of signals -- even phone numbers offered -- from models and besides the flattery and ego what do you do?

 

gooday

 

phil