Critique Thread

[f6fhellcat13]

Maybe crop the picture of the phantom a little so it's less busy.

[f6fhellcat13]

Maybe crop the picture of the phantom a little so it's less busy.

Here's what I meant.
(levels also adjusted and I got rid of the helicopter flying to the right of the cockpit)
EDIT: Sorry it ins't particularly high quality. I wasn't sure how large it would be and i had to keep it under a meg.

[johnnynumfiv]

Looks like the deck of the USS Intrepid to me.
I did some messing around w/ photoshop on the on inside the ship. It seems like the plane has an aura around it, while everyone else is just silhouettes. Very cool.

[NSXType-R]

Thanks for the response guys!

The Aston Martin I did see at the last moment, I had no time except to just press the shutter release.

Hmm, I'm not sure how to say it, but I do understand what you're trying to say. But I'm also not sure how to improve.

No, it's not an airshow, it was at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum.

[John Thawley]

Thanks for the response guys!

The Aston Martin I did see at the last moment, I had no time except to just press the shutter release.

Hmm, I'm not sure how to say it, but I do understand what you're trying to say. But I'm also not sure how to improve.

No, it's not an airshow, it was at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum.

Well... think of it in a baseball analogy. It starts with shot selection.... your first few are simply swinging at a bad pitch.

NOW... I'm not saying don't take the picture. If you want a keepsake for yourself... enjoy. Take the picture.

But when we begin "critiquing" photos, we're not talking about "TAKING" pictures... we're talking about "MAKING" pictures. There's a difference.

Lots of people own bicycles. That does not make them cyclists. At least not in the Tour d' France sense. A lot of people paint their living rooms... doesn't make them painters. A LOT of people have cameras. That doesn't make them photographers.

SO... we're left to ask ourselves... what level to we want to shoot at?

That said, it's always good to get "good" at something. It becomes more enjoyable. When I shot as a hobby, I devoured it. I would always tell myself that even if I gave up the hobby, my vaction photos and family type snapshots would always be above average from what I learned while perusing the hobby.

But, to your point... shot selection is the first step in making a good photography. After that, you want to walk around the subject and select a point of view that tells the story with the most thought and impact.

JT

[scottie300z]

This is what I'd do with the Aston pic. Too bad that minivan is there.

[John Thawley]

This is what I'd do with the Aston pic. Too bad that minivan is there.

And then what would you do with it?

a.) the mini van IS there
b.) it's out of focus
c.) 3/4 or the frame is empty.

I don't want to beat up on NSXType-R, but the purpose of this thread is to improve how we see photos and how to improve your skills... how to make a good photo better... saving a bad photo will ultimately prove futile. UNLESS, you're a photojournalist and capture a once in a lifetime "moment" that can't be replicated. Then content overrides a multitude of sins. If the Aston were a "SPY" shot... MAYBE it would have some merit...

Coming back to reality and the point of this discussion... NSXType-R posted:

how would you guys edit these photos, if you were to edit them?

And, just so we can keep terminology straight... "editing" is the process of selecting and (more likely) deleting of images from a shoot. The act of cropping, contrast, sharpening, etc. is referred to as post processing or adjusting your images.

JT

[scottie300z]

And then what would you do with it?

a.) the mini van IS there
b.) it's out of focus
c.) 3/4 or the frame is empty.

I don't want to beat up on NSXType-R, but the purpose of this thread is to improve how we see photos and how to improve your skills... how to make a good photo better... saving a bad photo will ultimately prove futile. UNLESS, you're a photojournalist and capture a once in a lifetime "moment" that can't be replicated. Then content overrides a multitude of sins. If the Aston were a "SPY" shot... MAYBE it would have some merit...

Coming back to reality and the point of this discussion... NSXType-R posted:



And, just so we can keep terminology straight... "editing" is the process of selecting and (more likely) deleting of images from a shoot. The act of cropping, contrast, sharpening, etc. is referred to as post processing or adjusting your images.

JT

On a side note I like 3/4 of it being empty and the subject, especially since it's a car, being set to the far side.

What I didn't like was so much road under the car and how square the photo was. The road really isn't that much of a bother to me compared to the squareness, but still. Instead of just saying it I displayed it and he can take that info to improve by thinking about where he sets the car in the frame before hitting the shutter button next time and then also that pictures don't have to always be in the same mold. I didn't ever say save a bad photo that does nothing for anyone.

I'm not going to argue with how I used photo editing software to edit a photo. Oh wait , I guess I just did...

[John Thawley]

On a side note I like 3/4 of it being empty and the subject, especially since it's a car, being set to the far side.

What I didn't like was so much road under the car and how square the photo was. The road really isn't that much of a bother to me compared to the squareness, but still. Instead of just saying it I displayed it and he can take that info to improve by thinking about where he sets the car in the frame before hitting the shutter button next time and then also that pictures don't have to always be in the same mold. I didn't ever say save a bad photo that does nothing for anyone.

I'm not going to argue with how I used photo editing software to edit a photo. Oh wait , I guess I just did...

FIrst, I don't adjust other people's photos without asking. Second, with all due respect, your post processing changes nothing, in my opinion.

For me, it's a miss. Crop it, saturate it, sharpen it... doesn't matter. It's a miss. And, it's not my style to mislead people or betray my personal philosophies.


JT

[scottie300z]

FIrst, I don't adjust other people's photos without asking. Second, with all due respect, your post processing changes nothing, in my opinion.

For me, it's a miss. Crop it, saturate it, sharpen it... doesn't matter. It's a miss. And, it's not my style to mislead people or betray my personal philosophies.


JT

For your first point I apologize to NSX if I stepped on his grounds. Posting them here and asking for comments kinda implies an openness but implication is not really enough, so sorry.

As far as your second, you must have glazed over what I said.

[Rockefella]

FIrst, I don't adjust other people's photos without asking. Second, with all due respect, your post processing changes nothing, in my opinion.

For me, it's a miss. Crop it, saturate it, sharpen it... doesn't matter. It's a miss. And, it's not my style to mislead people or betray my personal philosophies.


JT

I think with A LOT of post processing that photo could turn out quite good. It has the elements of what I think could compose a great pan shot of a (super)car, but just lacked in execution; most likely from a quick grab of the camera and a P&S with time being of the essence.

[NSXType-R]

And then what would you do with it?

a.) the mini van IS there
b.) it's out of focus
c.) 3/4 or the frame is empty.

I don't want to beat up on NSXType-R, but the purpose of this thread is to improve how we see photos and how to improve your skills... how to make a good photo better... saving a bad photo will ultimately prove futile. UNLESS, you're a photojournalist and capture a once in a lifetime "moment" that can't be replicated. Then content overrides a multitude of sins. If the Aston were a "SPY" shot... MAYBE it would have some merit...

Coming back to reality and the point of this discussion... NSXType-R posted:



And, just so we can keep terminology straight... "editing" is the process of selecting and (more likely) deleting of images from a shoot. The act of cropping, contrast, sharpening, etc. is referred to as post processing or adjusting your images.

JT

Sorry for getting back to you late, but I didn't really know how to answer to your comments.

I don't know if it's right for asking, but what would you have done in the condition? How would you approach photographing a stationary plane?

Basically, what would you have done differently?

Just want your opinion on that stuff.

[John Thawley]

Sorry for getting back to you late, but I didn't really know how to answer to your comments.

I don't know if it's right for asking, but what would you have done in the condition? How would you approach photographing a stationary plane?

Basically, what would you have done differently?

Just want your opinion on that stuff.

Typically, when thrown into these situations, I look for things that indicate the scope of things. See if you can find elements that when shown next to each other bring relevance to the scale. Come in on the details. Try to take the viewer where he typically can't see or go.

Honestly, there are some things I go to and might decide in advance what camera to take... just because I know what's possible and what isn't. I won't drag my pro-gear to an event that is just going to frustrate me. Maybe I'll take a point n' shoot... like my little Leica that shoots in 16x9 format and take in a lot wide shots that put the event in to perspective.

Some situations just aren't going to provide "art. "

JT

[johnnynumfiv]

Here's another one of mine.

[John Thawley]

Here's another one of mine.

Nice pan shot... is this Lime Rock? Looks like the old section going uphill before the chicane.

Anyway... this is a good shot. It could be made better... and it's never going to be GREAT. Simply because it's just a nice side pan... not a lot going on.

That said, to make it stronger, I'd shoot a little looser... and set the car to one side of the frame a bit.. depending on if it's coming or going. I like that it's low in the frame... cars should typically be kept low... if it's not an uphill section, I'd say straighten the horizon... but it's hard to tell. Again, if it were looser we'd have a better feel for the car's surroundings. It's just a little tight for my taste.

This is the location I was thinking of... might not be the same, and mine is slightly going away... hence the reason I'm letting it run out of the frame. But, should give you and idea of what I mean by looser.

JT