John G.

It's hard to get the exposure correct for posts on this site. It seems to run it through it's own process. They are not consistant. Some are dark, some are light. When I repost an adjusted image, it seems to take a day to replace the post. O well.

Nice shot, and "accomplished" as someone said.

 

I could add this:

 

I wonder how it would look flopped, because, while the photo does have SOME flow (if you know what I mean, the lower, darker side of the flowers leading to the lighter, higher side), the viewer's eyes tend to go from left to right, and consequently, my eye tends to rest on the darker side and stop. I feel that a complete compostion should lead the viewer's eyes around the shot and into the details.

 

The lighting atmoshere is nice and the fallen flowers give the shot a 'twist' and some interest.

Thornless Honey Locust

Hi Chris,

 

The quality of light is nice, the effect on the background is cool. I like to see depth and shape of the nose, etc. The only thing that I would suggest (on a purely subjective level) is that the the top of the head is lit brighter the chin. This is fine for this shot (nice balance to the hair light, and it makes 'the hair' the subject), but I adjust for it in many of my own portraits. It leads to a harder, lower, feathered lighting.

 

Also, there is just something holding me back from making a connection with the model. I think it's the low camera perspective.

This was a test for a client. I shot this with the Fuji S1 digital camera. I was not happy with it, you can see how it didn't handle the yellow flower highlights very well. I had to paint back in the color. I also didn't think it was well resolved. I would like to try the Fuji S2.

I think that Tobias gave a very good and accurate analysis.

 

I don't see why this image can't be compared to classical work and I've always thought that Spielberg almost single handly ruined American narrative cinema.

 

Too much eye candy, we have so far to go, we'd better get moving.

 

Regarding this image, I (as always) appreciate the thought and effort that went into it. I can't be critical of it because there are no obvious flaws, it is either the full completion of the artist's intent or a stepping stone along the way, either way, accolades.

 

I like the use of the light painting to define shape, I see so often here the under utilization of the technique.

 

Congrats, I'll rate it when I figure it all out.

Leslie- this makes you the photographer's photographer! That's what Harriman looks like? I remember my brothers and I putting on our ice skates, opening our jackets wide, and being blown across the lake! .....when we were kids.......

I think that you have to give it a little more creativity than you did. A set and composition? A little better lighting also. If you're using tungsten there is a lot more you can do with lighting, you can throw shadowing and shapes onto the background, and you can certainly improve the lighting on the glass. The light could come higher on the glass, and you can light the scrim so it gets darker towards the sides, adds more depth to the light. I also would have prefered a full, unopened bottle, I don't like the color shift through the glass and the partly emptied bottle bothers me. A ginger ale might have picked up a better color in the glass.

 

Sorry to be critical, can see that you are just starting so you'll appreciate what is only----my opinion.

 

Good luck. (also, too much head, it's champagne, not beer)

 

But it's a good start!

I guess it depends on how you define 'amateur' and in what field of photography we're talking about.

 

Substitute the term 'amateur' with 'fine art', and think of Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, and Robert Mappelthorp, and I've almost made my point.

 

But, on the other hand, think of Richard Avedon, Mary Ellen Mark, Annie Leibowitz, and even Aaron Jones and the the arguement could go the other way.

 

Take for example the image you posted of a watch showing 'a second'. You sought to emphasis the passing of a second as a theme, an idea, and as the end unto itself. There is very little chance that that concept would be saleable as a commercial photograph. The point of focus would invariably be pushed back to the watch's logo and the concept of the passing of a second would still be there, but it would be shared by the client's identity.

 

Which is 'more creative'? I don't know, but I do know that your concept of 'a second' began with a musing about the passing of time, and the idea with the clients logo began with a marketing executive calling some creatives and asking, "What can you do for me?"

Ha Ha, but not quite.

Sorry, no pun intended. Not Pop Brillo boxes but real fuzz boxes. These are sound distorting foot pedals for electric guitars.

 

I do commercial work, but I don't usually post my commercial work here because this is a mostly amateur site. I posted this because it is almost creative enough for the high amateur standards set here.

 

By the way, I like your work. Thanks for your response!

Your sentiments are in the right place, but I think you have to beware of ascribing God's presence in a reflection of water. I believe that it tends to moderates His omnipresence.

 

But it would make a nice poster, if you like.

Nice, a little more subject or detail would be nice. I don't like the border, I think it distracts too much.

I could see a slightly different crop.

this looks a little dark and muted on my monitor. I would favor a lighter exposure.

A nice feeling of light, but I like photos with more of a subject.

Steve, that's so unpleasant. But then - that's what makes the Inferno so much fun! They don't call it The Divine Comedy for nothing!

 

Thanks for your remarks, I'm glad you appreciate it.

I wanted to photograph this interesting young lady, but because she was still a minor, I thought it would be best if she came to my house for dinner first to get acquainted. After dinner, as was the norm in my family at that time, we passed around and read aloud from Dante's Inferno. After a while, she exlained that she herself was a poet, and would we like to hear some of her poetry? Surely we would and did hear her recite some wonderful, heartfelt poetry. She expressed that she has been writing for years but has NEVER shared her poetry with ANYONE. I wish I could tell you more of her life experiances and situation, but as you will find out, I don't have a model release from her and I do not want to reveal any information that she might believe to be priviliged.

 

The following week, my wife and I took her into the studio and did a small series of shots, of which this is one. She was a most uncooperative model actually, and this shoot taught me that when a subject won't cooperate (she declined to look in the camera), go with what they want to do, so we photographed her mostly turned away from the lens.

 

The following weekend we proposed that we take her to a poetry reading so that she could read some of her poems. She was delighted and excited. The poetry reading was packed, mostly with elder and 'baby-boomer' types. She was the youngest and the onliest there. When they called her name she blushed and ran up there, a small murmer of anticipation rippled though out the crowd. She read a little fast and loud with the poems she had chosen, more 'rap' than traditional, and the audience was delighted. The little flush of youth was good. The two grey biddies in front of me, turned to each other upon her conclusion and gushed, "oh-she's quite good!" And so she was. She was so excited after she read that she rushed to the phone to call her mother and tell her of her personal triumph.

 

There is a lot of joy and reward to be had in enpowering youth. Photography is a good way to do it. So, the pictures sat for a long next to the lightbox, I had given her some, hung some up, and about a year later I came across them again. I had some good scans made and did some correction through Photoshop. I remembered that she had never signed a model release because she had been a minor and so I tried to find her again. No luck. She had reached her majority and flown. I'm sure she's around, perhaps you've seen her. Let's keep our eyes open, perhaps at a poetry reading.

What you have here is a fairly unique photo. You won't be able to hang your hat on it because of two things: It's mostly monochromatic, and it is a copy of someones else's art work. You'll have to move much further if you want to master the craft. But photography is mostly practice and plagerism so it is appropriate to record and catalog things that work and combine and repeat them later. I stopped on this shot because I was hoping that it was a real models face that had been well altered digitally. I don't know what you mean by "more than a hobby" but I should note that as a hobby is where you can make the most progress artisticly. My opinion anyway. So, if I was able to change this into a better shot, I would give it: adjusted lighting (to draw light across the chin and seperate the subject from the background), more of your personality (although the lips have plenty of their own, for a piece of antique art), more colors (my preference for color harmonies and a full tonal range), and a more compelling composition which might reveal itself through a meaningfull crop.

 

Good luck-

You did fine with the lighting, you pulled out the shape of the tank and cowl, used a somewhat hard light to an appropriate contrast, and filled in the front enough to read the decals.

 

There is a slight anomaly here though. Normally, for commercial work your type of lighting would be fine. The subject is well lit, it stands out from the background, and shows shape and detail. This shot is good enough to be used in a model catalog. Congrats.

 

But assuming, and I haven't looked at your portfolios, that you are interested in fine art, the approach would be different. Fine art usually encompasses a more dynamic and dramatic interpretation.

 

With both intentions in mind, I could suggest several things overall to you. For table top still life- you should have at your disposal- silver cards, both purely mirrored and 'florentine', small diffusers such as frosted acetate that can be suspended on a small boom arm to control the light, and also consider 'light painting' with a flash light.

 

Your photo demonstrates how easy still life really is, but for fine art, and for good ratings from people who (unlike me) aren't facinated by straight forward still life, you'll need to come up with some tricks.

 

Good luck!

Put a border around it and it'll look a lot better, it is also too large.

Again, lacks a little of the spectacular-ity usually requested for climbing shots, but it gives me chills (I think I've taken a few too many 'screamers'! :>)

 

You exhibit a certain style between the two climbing shots I've seen from you, and I support the views. They are not especially viable, as say, stock shots, but I think that they have great value to the local scene, and I trust to you personally.

 

Congrats!

Hair city, gives me chills thinking about it. Good climbing 'snap'. Not what most people would call spectacular, no long lead out against the sky, but to a climber, I can see the long lead out, and to a local, fine for it's obvious landmarks. I B&W afficianato might complain about the darkened rocks and wish for slightly better seperation of the subject from the background, but I think it's fine. I'd hang it on my wall in a flash!

Clifford in his latest incarnation was martyred at the Internet and last seen walking in the desert with a porcupine-like suit of many arrows.

How would you describe a dyslexic agnostic with insomnia?