I could use some critique

I could use some critique · 03:13 PM

I am considering entering this photo in a contest sponsered by the AKC. THe theme is "Their Favorite Things". What do you all think?
Thanks

Pentax *ist DS ,Pentax smc P-FA 35mm f/2 AL 1/50s f/8.0 at 35.0mm iso200

roentarre · 11-25-2006, 03:25 PM

Sharp. Innocent and cute expression there. The polarised colour enhance the subject isolation pretty well. I wonder the toy could have its face turning to the camera or something

fantastic shot

roscot · 11-25-2006, 03:38 PM

Thanks for the comments. As to the toy... well as the theme says, it's his favorite thing. I'm afraid there's not much of a face left. It looks much better from this angle.

roentarre · 11-25-2006, 03:44 PM

Originally posted by roscot

Thanks for the comments. As to the toy... well as the theme says, it's his favorite thing. I'm afraid there's not much of a face left. It looks much better from this angle.

Mmmmm I fully understood the situation now. Lucky I did not get to see the face at all. Sure the dog looks so placid that proves one thing: Never judge the person by the appearance

carpents · 11-25-2006, 03:51 PM

Well, as far as an 'artistic' photo, it is a bit monochrome and I'm somewhat distracted by the bed frame.
However, I know some 'dog people', and judging by their behavior the only important piece to this photograph would be the canine himself. Bed frame? What bed frame?

Kitanis · 11-25-2006, 03:54 PM

With the tittle.. I would run the photo as is.

I can just see you trying to take the toy away.. it would be a bit of a fight I am sure.

roscot · 11-25-2006, 04:02 PM

Hi Sean,
Yeah, one of these days I'm going to have to actually create a real studio.
Hmmm , maybe when I retire...

Thanks for your comments
Cheers
-Alan

roscot · 11-25-2006, 04:04 PM

Thanks. Actually I could take it away easily enough, but he would become so distracted I would not be able to photograph him.

Thanks for looking
-Alan

roentarre · 11-25-2006, 04:09 PM

Originally posted by carpents

Well, as far as an 'artistic' photo, it is a bit monochrome and I'm somewhat distracted by the bed frame.
Bed frame? What bed frame?

Hi Sean. I did not mind the bed frame too much - maybe it did suggest the location of this dog providing some "framing" in the pic. I guess if the magazine editor saw this shot, bedframe would be high on the list to be removed. So how about crop the shots all the way to just the dog and the toy?

slip · 11-25-2006, 04:25 PM

its a cute picture!
are you allowed to edit the photo in any way?
If you can I would photoshop out the bedrail and put a bit more "negative space" above his head.
a "catch eye" would help a bit, possibly (photoshoped)
otherwise it works for me

BTW, what is the prize?

cheers

Ole · 11-25-2006, 04:26 PM

Nice expression. I would brighten the right eye just a bit. As is it looks like a one-eyed dog!

As for the bed frame, I don't mind it; obviously your dog also took possesion of that!

photo_mom · 11-25-2006, 04:42 PM

Hi Alan!

I would leave this one as you've posted it and get ready to collect your prize. It's great. I like the bed rail in the photo as it does express that the dog has taken his favorite place with his favorite thing. The color in just the toy does emphasize that it's his favorite thing as well.

Good Luck with it!

roy · 11-25-2006, 04:51 PM

do you have off camera flash available?? you can get some pretty dramatic results with it. our dogs always tend to be dark haired too. i had just gotten the fittings i needed and was playing around shooting them on a dark background. i didn't expect the results i got. the off camera connections are $$ but i think it's the best $$ i've spent.

clarenceclose · 11-25-2006, 04:52 PM

Personally I like the contrast of the bed frame, hard texture, with the obvious soft texture of the dog's silken petable (is that a word?) and the somewhat more ruffled texture of the toy. Nice use of selective color, putting emphasis on the 'favorite thing' toy.

roy · 11-25-2006, 04:54 PM

forgot to say how much i like your image but the back ground (to me) is distracting..IDEA? how about a vignette????

roscot
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11-25-2006, 03:44 PM	#4
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	LOL Originally posted by roscot Thanks for the comments. As to the toy... well as the theme says, it's his favorite thing. I'm afraid there's not much of a face left. It looks much better from this angle. Mmmmm I fully understood the situation now. Lucky I did not get to see the face at all. Sure the dog looks so placid that proves one thing: Never judge the person by the appearance

11-25-2006, 04:25 PM	#10
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	its a cute picture! are you allowed to edit the photo in any way? If you can I would photoshop out the bedrail and put a bit more "negative space" above his head. a "catch eye" would help a bit, possibly (photoshoped) otherwise it works for me BTW, what is the prize? cheers Last edited by slip; 11-25-2006 at 04:26 PM. Reason: spelling errors, of course :)

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11-25-2006, 03:25 PM	#2
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Sharp. Innocent and cute expression there. The polarised colour enhance the subject isolation pretty well. I wonder the toy could have its face turning to the camera or something fantastic shot

11-25-2006, 03:38 PM	#3
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363 Original Poster	Thanks for the comments. As to the toy... well as the theme says, it's his favorite thing. I'm afraid there's not much of a face left. It looks much better from this angle.

11-25-2006, 03:51 PM	#5
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	Well, as far as an 'artistic' photo, it is a bit monochrome and I'm somewhat distracted by the bed frame. However, I know some 'dog people', and judging by their behavior the only important piece to this photograph would be the canine himself. Bed frame? What bed frame?

11-25-2006, 03:54 PM	#6
Kitanis Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rapid City, SD Photos: Gallery Posts: 138	With the tittle.. I would run the photo as is. I can just see you trying to take the toy away.. it would be a bit of a fight I am sure.

11-25-2006, 04:02 PM	#7
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363 Original Poster	Hi Sean, Yeah, one of these days I'm going to have to actually create a real studio. Hmmm , maybe when I retire... Thanks for your comments Cheers -Alan

11-25-2006, 04:04 PM	#8
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363 Original Poster	Thanks. Actually I could take it away easily enough, but he would become so distracted I would not be able to photograph him. Thanks for looking -Alan

11-25-2006, 04:09 PM	#9
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Originally posted by carpents Well, as far as an 'artistic' photo, it is a bit monochrome and I'm somewhat distracted by the bed frame. Bed frame? What bed frame? Hi Sean. I did not mind the bed frame too much - maybe it did suggest the location of this dog providing some "framing" in the pic. I guess if the magazine editor saw this shot, bedframe would be high on the list to be removed. So how about crop the shots all the way to just the dog and the toy?

11-25-2006, 04:26 PM	#11
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,408	Nice expression. I would brighten the right eye just a bit. As is it looks like a one-eyed dog! As for the bed frame, I don't mind it; obviously your dog also took possesion of that!

11-25-2006, 04:42 PM	#12
photo_mom Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 545	Hi Alan! I would leave this one as you've posted it and get ready to collect your prize. It's great. I like the bed rail in the photo as it does express that the dog has taken his favorite place with his favorite thing. The color in just the toy does emphasize that it's his favorite thing as well. Good Luck with it!

11-25-2006, 04:51 PM	#13
roy Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: D/FW area, Tx. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,710	do you have off camera flash available?? you can get some pretty dramatic results with it. our dogs always tend to be dark haired too. i had just gotten the fittings i needed and was playing around shooting them on a dark background. i didn't expect the results i got. the off camera connections are $$ but i think it's the best $$ i've spent.

11-25-2006, 04:52 PM	#14
clarenceclose Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pocatello, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,506	Personally I like the contrast of the bed frame, hard texture, with the obvious soft texture of the dog's silken petable (is that a word?) and the somewhat more ruffled texture of the toy. Nice use of selective color, putting emphasis on the 'favorite thing' toy.

11-25-2006, 04:54 PM	#15
roy Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: D/FW area, Tx. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,710	forgot to say how much i like your image but the back ground (to me) is distracting..IDEA? how about a vignette????