a photo

[LunaLee_16]

Hello!
I was wondering what people thought of this particular picture. I had to do a self-portrait assignment for photography class, so I set up my tripod and ran around the yard snapping pics

Anyway, this is how the original looks. My profile pic's the same one, just antiqued on the computer.
I'd like to know what people really think, as in comp./ values/textures/etc.
I might add more pics later.

(btw this was taken with a Cannon Rebel SLR, and processed by me in ye olde darkroom )

Thanks!




~luna

 

[sunshiinedays]

Hi LunaLee, I really like the faded/aged quality of the photo. My concern is that there's more flowers than you in the picture. A portrait is usually a photo, often a bust shot of a person to show what they look like and often times says something about their personality. I think you should do a photo that says something more about you.

 

[Piano Player]

Hello!
I was wondering what people thought of this particular picture. I had to do a self-portrait assignment for photography class, so I set up my tripod and ran around the yard snapping pics

Anyway, this is how the original looks. My profile pic's the same one, just antiqued on the computer.
I'd like to know what people really think, as in comp./ values/textures/etc.
I might add more pics later.

(btw this was taken with a Cannon Rebel SLR, and processed by me in ye olde darkroom )

Thanks!




~luna

Crop out the out-of-focus flower stems on the left. If you crop that, and a little off the bottom, you can have a better composed square format picture with your hand and face forming a strong diagonal compostion in the frame.

 

[LunaLee_16]

Thanks so much for the replies!

Hi LunaLee, I really like the faded/aged quality of the photo. My concern is that there's more flowers than you in the picture. A portrait is usually a photo, often a bust shot of a person to show what they look like and often times says something about their personality. I think you should do a photo that says something more about you.

lol, I hate getting my pic. taken, so I guess I was trying to find a way to be in the picture, but not IN the picture. The aged quality is in part due to a very dust enlarger but I think it worked out better than if it were totally clean.

Crop out the out-of-focus flower stems on the left. If you crop that, and a little off the bottom, you can have a better composed square format picture with your hand and face forming a strong diagonal compostion in the frame.

I agree, it needs to be cropped quite a bit.
Very good suggestions, thanks so much!

 

[aaron]

a

 

[LunaLee_16]

Niow I see what the picture was missing: eyes. hmmm...I can't fix it though, because that's the very egde of the picture. But yes, eyes would've improved the pic by a lot.


Here's a few more photos, also 35mm and unenhanced.

 

[LunaLee_16]

Here's a few more Opinions (honest ones!) please!

 

[sunshiinedays]

The flower pics are beautiful, especially the pink flower. There are some very faint crisscross lines on them, did you scan those? I think the yellow flowers would look better with a contrast boost. Overall they are excellent, and so well composed!!

In the sunset photo the horizon line is a little askew, But if you fix it you'll lose the cute little seagull sitting atop that pole. You could also enhance the saturation.

I love the reflection in the water in the birdbath(?) photo. Also very well composed. If it were my photo I would clone out the bright branches on the left.

I like the barn pic and I think it would have turned out better had you taken the photo over the fence. My eye is drawn to the fence, when the barn should be the focal point.

You have a good eye LunaLee. I wish I had gotten into photography at your age

 

[aaron]

a

 

[LunaLee_16]

The flower pics are beautiful, especially the pink flower. There are some very faint crisscross lines on them, did you scan those? I think the yellow flowers would look better with a contrast boost. Overall they are excellent, and so well composed!!

Thanks! Yeah, those were scanned, and I don't know how to remove those lines. I think they're in every picture, actually I agree, the yellow flowers do look a bit dull. I'll see if I can tweak it a bit.

In the sunset photo the horizon line is a little askew, But if you fix it you'll lose the cute little seagull sitting atop that pole. You could also enhance the saturation.

*gasp* Oh my gosh I never even noticed that bird up at the top! O.O LOL wow, don't I feel silly now. I noticed that about the horizon, too, and once again, I don't really know how to fix it perfectly. Can you tell I'm not a digital user? lol

I love the reflection in the water in the birdbath(?) photo. Also very well composed. If it were my photo I would clone out the bright branches on the left.

I like the barn pic and I think it would have turned out better had you taken the photo over the fence. My eye is drawn to the fence, when the barn should be the focal point.

You have a good eye LunaLee. I wish I had gotten into photography at your age

Yep, that's a birdbath, good observation. Thanks!

I have to agree w/ the fence drawing the attention away from anything else. If you want the fence in there still you could just blur it out w/ your focal point being on the barn so that way your eye isn't drawn to the fence but the barn moreso. I think that would help the picture out a bit

I wanted to get the fence in the pic as the leading line, and make your eye follow it out of the photo. Plus it wasn't my property, and I'm at a lack of zoom so I was kinda working with what I had. But yes, the fence is overbearing. Big and thick, and shoving the house into the backround.

Thank you so much guys for the awesome feedback, I really appreciate it

 

[Piano Player]

One of the main things for me is that there are no eyes in the picture. Eyes say so much it's sad to have a portrait w/o them. I think if the picture was to include your eyes you would notice a great improvement on the reception of the photo.

I must disagree. Indeed, conventional wisdom dictates that the subject's eyes be the focal point of every portrait. However, this portrait works on an entirely different level. So much of photography is about "seeing." When was the last time you saw a well composed photograph about the sense of smell? When you pause in life to "smell the roses" as it were--you do so with your eyes closed. In this particular portrait, more of the head and eyes would detract from the true subject of the photograph.

I like a lot of things in this picture. The lack of color and contrast fit perfectly with the theme. Again, the sense of smell is not about color or even exposure contrast. The dream-like quality of this pictue emphasizes the smelling experience with your eyes almost closed. Also note, how some of the other senses are brought into the picture. The gentle caress of the flower stalk with the hand implies the sense of touch. The partially open mouth implies the sense of taste. (Taste and smell are actually interrelated as anyone who had a bad cold and couldn't taste their food can tell you) The youthful innocence and beauty of the subject gives emphasis to the thrill of (scent) discovery. The off-center composition also adds strength to the picture. Or, if you prefer in this theme, the actual center of the picture is the implied scent of the flower traveling to the nose.

This is by far the best picture in the thread.

In a previous post I suggested that she crop the bottom just below the hand, and everything to the left of the in-focus flower stalk. This will cut out distracting elements of the photograph, and strengthen the composition

 

[missygirlc]

The picture of you smelling the flower is okay. Obviously, much of photography is clearly opinion and preference. The main thing that I noticed about it is that it needs to be exposed longer. Your blacks need to be black, and your whites need to be white. That picture has a greenish color. Try exposing the negative again for 1.8 seconds...and of course crop away.

Barn Picture- the fence is distracting. In the future, if you want to include the fence, get right down beside one of the posts. Shoot down the fence. This will make it seem as if the fence posts are coming out of or toward the camera. It will give great composition and you can still include the barn. Make either the barn or the fence your main focal point.

You've got a good eye. I just took a photography class last semester. I love photography!!!

 

[Billnew]

If it was digital you could crop it easier, and just reset the picture and adjust it.(for the eyes.)

I like the picture(original), its unbalanced(crop the out of focus flowers,) so the flower and you are more central.

 

[LunaLee_16]

Okay, on your wonderful suggestions, here's a cropped and edited one.
I cropped it quite a bit (as Piano Player and some others said) and adjusted the contrast and brightness.
I just have to say, though, that I don't really like messing with photos on the computer, just because the original will show the photographer's skill with a camera and composing (aperture, f-stop, zoom, angle, etc.) Just how I was taught.
But, I think that cropped, the pic is stronger and more effective. Also the b/w adjusts are and improvement. I suppose.

Indeed, conventional wisdom dictates that the subject's eyes be the focal point of every portrait. However, this portrait works on an entirely different level. So much of photography is about "seeing." When was the last time you saw a well composed photograph about the sense of smell? When you pause in life to "smell the roses" as it were--you do so with your eyes closed. In this particular portrait, more of the head and eyes would detract from the true subject of the photograph.

I like a lot of things in this picture. The lack of color and contrast fit perfectly with the theme. Again, the sense of smell is not about color or even exposure contrast. The dream-like quality of this pictue emphasizes the smelling experience with your eyes almost closed. Also note, how some of the other senses are brought into the picture. The gentle caress of the flower stalk with the hand implies the sense of touch. The partially open mouth implies the sense of taste. (Taste and smell are actually interrelated as anyone who had a bad cold and couldn't taste their food can tell you) The youthful innocence and beauty of the subject gives emphasis to the thrill of (scent) discovery. The off-center composition also adds strength to the picture. Or, if you prefer in this theme, the actual center of the picture is the implied scent of the flower traveling to the nose.

Very insightful, thank you! Wow, I'm at odds with myself....eyes, or no eyes? But that was a very helpful post. I often try to convey senses in my pics rather than perfect technical accuracy (don't always succeed, tho, on either ) Thank you!

The picture of you smelling the flower is okay. Obviously, much of photography is clearly opinion and preference. The main thing that I noticed about it is that it needs to be exposed longer. Your blacks need to be black, and your whites need to be white. That picture has a greenish color. Try exposing the negative again for 1.8 seconds...and of course crop away.

I've been waiting for someone to comment on the exposure (or lack thereof). Probably why I didn't turn this one in as a grade (that, and the dust )

Thanks again everyone for the honest, helpful critiquing!

 

[sfs]

I just have to say, though, that I don't really like messing with photos on the computer, just because the original will show the photographer's skill with a camera and composing (aperture, f-stop, zoom, angle, etc.) Just how I was taught.

"Bah" and "fiddlesticks" and "piffle" and comments like that.. Your camera is a tool you use to create the image you want, as is your enlarger. There's no reason a computer can't be another tool. (Can you tell I've completely embrtaced digital?)

I've been waiting for someone to comment on the exposure (or lack thereof). Probably why I didn't turn this one in as a grade (that, and the dust )

I disagree with the comment about the exposure -- I think the low contrast here works very well for this shot. I really like the mood it creates.
The dust and the color cast can be fixed easily enough. I've taken the liberty of removing the dust from the face, smoothing the whole thing out some, and shifting the color to a very light sepia.

 

[missygirlc]

I like the light sepia color.

 

[LunaLee_16]

"Bah" and "fiddlesticks" and "piffle" and comments like that.. Your camera is a tool you use to create the image you want, as is your enlarger. There's no reason a computer can't be another tool. (Can you tell I've completely embrtaced digital?)

I guess...
*folds arms indignantly* hmph.

I disagree with the comment about the exposure -- I think the low contrast here works very well for this shot. I really like the mood it creates.
The dust and the color cast can be fixed easily enough. I've taken the liberty of removing the dust from the face, smoothing the whole thing out some, and shifting the color to a very light sepia.

Wow, that looks really nice! That's amazing...I couldn't get that stupid dust off after 15 prints and multiple cleaning of the enlarger, darkroom, and negative
The color's good too. There's such a difference between the original and that one, makes me wonder if the chemicals were bad lol

 

[sfs]

Wow, that looks really nice! That's amazing...I couldn't get that stupid dust off after 15 prints and multiple cleaning of the enlarger, darkroom, and negative
The color's good too. There's such a difference between the original and that one, makes me wonder if the chemicals were bad lol

See? See what computers can do for you? Ten minutes with a computer and the dust was gone. Soon you too will come to embrace the digital dark side, er, darkroom -- I meant darkroom.

 

[Piano Player]

" I just have to say, though, that I don't really like messing with photos on the computer, just because the original will show the photographer's skill with a camera and composing (aperture, f-stop, zoom, angle, etc.) Just how I was taught."

I agree with the "bah and fiddlesticks" response to this. If Photography is art at all, it is because we use the tools at our disposal to create images that elicite a reaction or emotion from the viewer. Digital manipulation is as valid as darkroom manipulation. Certainly cropping was a frequent darkroom technique when we used nothing but film.

Speaking of cropping, try taking even more off the left. I like the picture best when cropped all the way to the edge of the hand. Then we would have a vertical composition with even less distracting elements.

I also agree that the exposure and lack of contrast add to the dream-like theme of this image. Exposure and contrast techniques are there to help you communicate your message--not goals in and of themselves.

 

[Faith In God]

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Wow. Those are really good!