Large Difussion panel – as in huge… 4x6ft with two strobes into it…
Nikon D100
70/200 afsG
Nikon D100
70/200 afsG
Critiques Welcome – They do not need to be positive – if you hate it let me know why… if you like it the same… thanks
I hate for my first comment on one of your posts to be negative, but since you invite the critique, I feel like something about the colors, outfit, and/or pose makes the model's figure appear less flattering than it actually is. I won't pretend to be a photography expert — just what I see.
Beautiful model, strong pose. Not sure I like the colors or the lines that cut across her forehead. Otherwise, fantastic.
Keep them coming….. I have my own issues with the shot… I am trying to see if others hit on what I think or if I need to add other things to my negative list…. also there are not enough pointed critiques here… we learn from real first reactions… and need to be open to hearing positive and negative….
I'm also not a fan of the colour/tone. I love the shot though! Just not sure about the processing and crop. Maybe it's the yellow tone of everything (even her eyes)… I think this would be gorgeous in a more natural look. Real looking colours and maybe less contrast overall…
just my first thoughts… Still a +1!
I don't mind the tones too much; perhaps a nudge towards the more red end of the temperature scale would increase the heat and remove some of the more sickly hue. My main criticism would be the angle: everything is just tilted to the right slightly; you can see this in the lines in the panels behind her and in the table top. The problem is correcting it might put her in a more unnatural-looking pose as she is so I think her head needs to be less inclined forward. Model's expression is nice and stern, adds to the sultry atmosphere; styling is lovely; not sure that's the right drink for the moment though.
i like the shot. especially like the cropping. you got the end of the feet right to the top of her head. the only thing i find distracting is the edge of what i think is a table on the left jutting in. beautiful model 🙂
I agree that's there's not enough constructive criticism going around, we need the critiques more than we need the praise. Kudos for having the thick skin to ask for it! Feel free to tear apart my photos, I need someone to tell me what works and what doesn't.
Here are my thoughts on this image.
The composition is interesting, there's some potential with the way her body forms a stairstep through the frame. I'd like a little more space above her head though, it feels a little right.
I think you've gone too far with tone curve, or some similar process. At least on my monitor there's almost no shadow detail, for example the dress is lost against whatever she's sitting on, and her shoe is lost against the background. Also highlights are blown, especially on her knee, forehead, and cheek. The skin smoothing, or overall softening seems too much.
This is just my personal opinion, but in the age of Lightroom and PS where is't sooo easy to go too far in post pro, I'm beginning to yearn for more realistic images. Probably spending too much time on the internet and seeing too much over-cooked HDR has left me hungry for a little realism.
+Jason Weddington realism and post processing would be a very interesting discussion…. I know I have my personal opinions…. thanks for the comments….
I have no issues chucking my work be it bad or good out for critiques.. I want to understand why people like or dislike things.. and why I also do the same with friends and networks of friends that are not photographers because i have found those opinions are much different… neither being fully right or fully wrong in most cases..
My 2 bits, I love the look on her face and her pose. I don't like the dress, the curved red piece isn't flattering. The funny thing is I had it up on my cell phone and just before the screen times out, it drops in brightness. I loved it then, the mood matched the look on her face much better.
+Brent Burzycki Good points. I've found that I'm very very bad at judging what other people will like. Quite often I get an overwhelming positive response to a photo that I thought was decidedly mediocre and other times shots that I "just know" are special are ignored.
I like it! even the dress, (sorry elizabeth, lol)! The padded wall adds an interesting feel to it, i do however wonder where her napkin is.. I expect one on the table, but that is just one of those things that pops in my head.. don't like the dramatic cheeks she has, doesn't look right on her face, or i should say, i don't think it flatters her face. the red curve on her dress is like an extension of her hair which is my focal point in this as an audience..
+Jason Weddington I can totally relate…… that and the insane differences between what crowd you expose to the image also… so many different opinions… and photographers are not always the best critiques….
+elizabeth hahn interesting.. It would not be the first time my stuff has been judged better looking at dimmer settings…
+Brent Burzycki As photographers, I think we tend to critique the photograph itself. Regular viewers respond to the way the photo makes them feel. That's probably an important difference.
+Landon Dacus lol no problem, it's all subjective. And in that case, I was speaking as a female, we generally don't want something that gives the impression our tummy is sticking out – I'm sure she has an amazing figure. I think I would like the dress better if she was standing up and facing the camera 🙂
+Brent Burzycki hmmm I don't really mind the brightness of it, maybe my brain was expecting something dimmer – she's wearing a cocktail dress, has the glass of wine – I guess something dimmer would seem more natural. Again, that's subjective too – and dependent of what your goal of the shot was. If it is for an advertisement, I like this better, I think it would grab my attention far better from a distance than a dimmer shot would.
+Landon Dacus the girls has some striking facial features.. that said I did make them even more striking with the pose and the post processing…
Where as this image gives a totally different fell to the exact same model:
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ali1.jpg
+elizabeth hahn So just as why is a hot model in lingerie lying in bed with high heels on?
It just does not make sense…..
definitely more flattering to her in that softer one, but that is just about her looks to me, as an "actress" i think it definitely says "drama"!!
and elizabeth, it is funny you see that as tummy out, i see it as back arched!! lol
+Brent Burzycki you lost me here… do you mean the subjectiveness of art? Hmm is subjectiveness a word? spell checker doesn't like it 🙂
Ok, here it goes: The table is tilted off the horizontal, which makes the entire image seem a little unsettled. The model's pose is tense and rigid and her expression almost scornful. The deep shadow between her lower back and arm makes her seem ambiguously thick–which isn't particularly flattering. Also, her left leg disappears completely into shadow. The tone is fine, but tone of the model's face seems a bit too close to the tone of the wall. If this were my shot, I would experiment with a low contrast version and maybe a different crop. Alright, now what do I win? 😉
+Landon Dacus 🙂
+Jonathan Liles Man its about damn time…… now thats a critique…. more than man it sucks and less than I love it…..
Excuse me I am going to go cry now……
No not really – but that is the intensity of a critique that will help all of us move to the next level with our photography…or simply get us to break out of what we are used to hearing and doing and try new things….
Why did I know you would be around to crush my image….
Now I want a critique on these images in this post:
https://plus.google.com/108542426628002931624/posts/jiY4wZNAyqJ
the word is actually "subjectaveniss" your spellcheck is wrong.. lol
yeah, jonathan is right, seems like she is holding the glass because it could slide off the unleveled table, I liked the shadow on her leg, but the position of her arm makes me feel like she isn't very comfortable…
+elizabeth hahn mental confusion.. girl in shower in clothes… heels in bed…. naked girl in a supermarket with nothing but heels on…
Is it artistic creativity or just not the right mental picture to try to paint…..?
So yes – subjectiveness…. and yes it is actually a word…
+Jonathan Liles PS: I got more photos for critiques is that prize enough?
Free membership invites to G+?
+Brent Burzycki ok now I have the video to Jane's Addiction's Been Caught Stealing in my head… not sure where that came from – maybe the supermarket reference? 😛 Art/Creativity is always subjective. If there was a formula for it, it would be called Math. I guess the best art should create either an emotional resonance or make a person think. Those are very different than is a piece of art technically good.
this might be fun, what about a picture where the feel is the club is closing and the harsh lights are on, with ruined makeup and heavier hair.. always was a weird scene for me and has a definite feeling to it.. (i know you weren't asking for requests, but just saying, sounds cool!)
+Landon Dacus Heck maybe I was drunk when i took it and could not stand up straight so she really looked like the world was falling over…. actually I do not drink but maybe I should start….. things would be WAY more artistic 🙂
My 2 cents, the table doesn't bother me nor the shadowed leg. I do think the way she's sitting with the shadows behind her does unflatter her body. I like the dress and the tone and even the harsh stare. It kind of looks like someone who's been caught somewhere they didn't want to be caught. The image has a definite mood to it. But yeah, the only thing that doesn't sit well with me is the shadows behind her. But it's all personal preference anyway, I like moody photos LOL
+Beverly Cash I too have always loved mood in photos and hopefully in my own photos… I wonder if sometimes mood created with post processing actually helps in some cases and hurts in many others….
There is more to the photo – a back story – one that people should make up in their head but I would be lying if I did not also say there might be no story at all when I shot the image….
I guess in the end if I can get someone to stop on an image for more than a second to look twice at it and go Hmmm? I have done my job better than if they just flip past it wherever it might be shown or possibly published.
try a cooler WB it's to warm. (that's how I see it).
+Santiago Billy well that is truly all dependent on how the image was captured.. I gave no details thus i can see the confusion.. I always shoot WB set to Flash based on studio lighting like this was.. so warmth etc is all done in post vs. the camera … as you might imagine this is not out of the camera…
This is a better way of showing how this image was made……
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/wf1ali.jpg
Post processing is like Masturbation – Many say they never do it but we all know they are lying… its more about how much you do it…
I have no issues with it to achieve my goal…. I try to not allow it to be a crutch but in many cases it is because either I blew it or I just have not mastered the photo skills but can fix it in post…
But that is another huge discussion topic for another thread….
+Brent Burzycki This has been very interesting to read. The comments/critique have been all over the board, raising just as many varied possibilities for more discussion (objective and subjective). I'm not sure what to say myself since I have a fairly open mind. A lot of what I think about a given shot depends quite a bit on what the photographer was thinking/seeing. This can answer a lot of other questions, IMO. This way, what may be a bad point could actually have been good point… I can it more that way 🙂
If it's possible for your next post, can you specifically state what you envisioned, and then the good and bad points of the shot?
This might make for a more educational experiment (for me) and also might guide the comments (depending on what you say). But I could be way off 🙂
To add another twist to this, I think it is a simple case of the sitting models posture, a simple change will enhance her posture. 😉
+Len Loving Great point and honestly I do not know why I did not do just that….. I have actually said what you just said to others not knowing what I am trying to critique is difficult….. I totally agree that should be part of the initial description..
+Robert Dyet Honest answer is when I shot this I was not thinking about the model during the shoot.. I was simply too worried about taking the photos.. this shot was a few years back and I was so worried about exposure and camera settings I think I missed out on a lot of great shots…..
+Brent Burzycki Thanks. Upon seeing the equipment, I began to understand the "controllable" side of your work, but then the "uncontrollable" factors such as artistic vision, or feeling, or even a momentary change in the model's mood/posture/etc. are all open. It's a fascinating exercise, and highly educational for me to see what you can do with it all.
Cheers.
+Len Loving I think in general thats the hardest part of photography – not the taking the photo – but the 1000 little things that you need to plan, line up, manipulate and in the end make turn into a great photo….
So many potential little failures… in my case its can be down to a hair in the eye I forget to look for …. and sadly see in post…
+Brent Burzycki I'll preface this with a) I don't do glamour shots b) I'm early to photography. However, when I look at the shot in-total, what I see is a beautiful woman who looks like she's hanging on for dear life to the chair and the drink as she slides down with life-that's about the angle. I do love the way her left leg gets swallowed up by the rich black shadow, and the mood that it conveys along with her face and the lighting. What did not work for me was the way her dress fell, or didn't. The wrinkling of the curve spoils the smoothness of her skin and lines of her legs, it makes the rest of her body look 'crumpled'. Personally, and that's what all of it is :), I think I would have preferred her skin tones to not have blended in with the wall, but had more of the original color in the background to show off the beautiful ivory skin tones.
I love that you are doing this and giving all of us a chance to learn. Thanks so much! Oh, and thanks for the workflow link. That helped a lot!
+Cynthia Pyun So does leveling the image like this make a huge difference:
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Ali-Bar037a_iPad.jpg
Or these other versions?
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Ali-Bar037ab_iPad.jpg
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Ali-Bar037abc_iPad.jpg
http://blackdiamondproductions.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Ali-Bar037abcd_iPad.jpg
+Ed Buziak See I would just toss a hot model on the combine and make a calender for the farming community….
+Ed Buziak I mean look at the butt on that thing.. 🙂 – http://pictures.tractorfan.nl/groot/c/claas/228577-lexion-540-claas.jpg
+Ed Buziak I love equipment like that – its the engineer in me……
+Brent Burzycki I've not had a look yet and reckon easier to ask you, have you seen the group set up for photo critiques??
http://www.group.as/behind+the+lens+-+photo+critiquing+circle/200/
I agree with +Jonathan Liles . Also I am not sure why you went with such harsh shadows especially given the diffusion panels. Drop the power a bit and maybe throw a reflector to fill in some of the shadows. The tone is a matter of taste… but I think if the other distracting elements were changed it would work well. It makes her look a tad "bad girlish", especially with a classic martini glass. Almost like she is waiting for Dean Martin to arrive.
God I am old.
+Ian Eisenberg old.. not so much….. don;t agree with +Jonathan Liles that will make him continue to give good critiques…..
Just a side note.. the harshness was done in post only… the original image is not harsh – so I can only blame me for that…
+Brent Burzycki yes on he change. While I missed the top of her head :), I still could see the nice visual of the lines in the padded wall. I'm seeing here that I'll have to decide to learn Photoshop in the future, and get better at Lightroom!
+Cynthia Pyun Yes on photoshop and or lightroom… I think personally me taking a class in either of them would benefit my photography more right now than actually improving my photo skills….
Out of camera quality is very important but so is impact… so if you have to spend your money, thou its a tough call I personally would grab the photoshop class first….
I think it is her eye. You see to much white on one side and that makes it creepy. You may not see it but it plays with the mind. the strong shadow behind her. There is little separation from her and the shadow.
Chris
hi friend