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09-17-2016, 12:47 AM - 1 Like   #1
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Lara in Botanical Garden
Lens: SMC Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited Camera: Pentax K-3 II Photo Location: Copenhagen ISO: 100 Shutter Speed: 1/640s Aperture: F2.5 

I haven't really tried this "photo critique" section before, usually posting in "share your photos". Constructive critique is always welcome on my images, but I thought posting in this section this time.

What I try looking for myself when taking images like this is colors that makes sense together (complimentary, contrast), depth in the images with a foreground and background giving it a sense of depth, and catching some nice light. The light here was a bit challenging, since it was in the middle of a sunny day, but that was the time we had available that worked for both of us. I generally tend to go for back-lit and then you can raise the exposure easily on the model and make the shadow side a but warmer, and adding some contrast with D&B. What I often come back to reviewing my own images are composition/framing. Viewing on larges screens you get into the details of the images, but on mobile devices you tend to see the general composition a bit more. Particularly in the closer shot here I feel that it might be a bit too much air to the top and/or left, but the tighter crop didn't really feel right either. Like to hear your thoughts

Pentax K-3 II, SMC Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited, 1/400 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100


Pentax K-3 II, SMC Pentax-FA 77mm F1.8 Limited, 1/640 sec at f/2.5, ISO 100


More images with Lara can be seen on my flickr

09-17-2016, 03:42 AM   #2
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I alway like your color pallets and lighting. I also feel what you mean with the space. With the second one if you crop the left and her looking left feels cramped. And on the right you lose the middle flowers creating two islands. You could change the aspect. I am not a fan of squares but i like the comp better square with the top cropped just below that dark spot above her head and just under the lowest flowers. The elements seem more cohesive that way. I am on a phone.
09-17-2016, 06:32 AM   #3
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What a concept....
09-17-2016, 09:56 AM   #4
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The top one is fine.
The bottom one feels too busy.

Your colors are on the money!

09-17-2016, 04:42 PM   #5
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I think the OOF leaves in the foreground of the first picture are distracting, mostly becasue they take away from the symmetry of an otherwise very nice idea, and well executed idea, for the picture, great colors!
The OOF leaves work better in the second picture.
09-17-2016, 05:57 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by DonThomaso Quote
Lara in Botanical Garden
Hi Thomas. I think your 1st image is very good. I would not change much at all for me. Perhaps a little less dark on the left of the image to balance it. The 2nd image I feel is a little too busy and distracting with the OOF leaves in the corners. Please take no offence as none is intended, but I changed the crop a little on your image to show what I mean rather than trying to explain it. Critiquing photographs is very subjective, and what I find pleasing someone else may find not so good. Please forgive my changing your image without your consent.
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09-18-2016, 12:22 AM - 1 Like   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by swanlefitte Quote
I alway like your color pallets and lighting. I also feel what you mean with the space. With the second one if you crop the left and her looking left feels cramped. And on the right you lose the middle flowers creating two islands. You could change the aspect. I am not a fan of squares but i like the comp better square with the top cropped just below that dark spot above her head and just under the lowest flowers. The elements seem more cohesive that way. I am on a phone.
Thank you all for your input! It feels like the main points are regarding the framing and the foreground leaves. In the second picture, I tried a tighter crop in line with pjv, which also works good but I think I liked the foreground leaves to give some depth in the frame. Of course it could have been shot otherwise, but sometimes it is difficult to visualize the foreground blur in the viewfinder, and for a session like this I would take around 100 shots over 10-15 minutes so you can't check every frame.
I appreciate the feedback for the foreground leaves. To summarize your views it seems that you generally like it, but it might be a bit too distracting sometimes. I think this is the pros/cons with that type of elements, they could add to the framing and depth in the images, but might be distracting if it is too little or too much.

09-18-2016, 01:13 AM   #8
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I like how the oof leaves pull me in. I looked on a large screen and it does change the viewing feeling. I have had photos i've cropped every way around and i always lose something to gain another. Its nice when you just know you have the best frame and its over. I shot some food last week and i only had one crop that i didnt hate. That was better than choosing a give and take choice. My brain can give it a rest then at least.

Last edited by swanlefitte; 09-18-2016 at 01:21 AM.
09-18-2016, 08:38 AM   #9
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Unless you're shooting for publication, you're shooting way too wide. There's a ton of stuff that could be cropped out.
09-18-2016, 01:20 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by TaoMaas Quote
Unless you're shooting for publication, you're shooting way too wide. There's a ton of stuff that could be cropped out.
I think Don's point is that the area of red flowers is being compared to the area of red in the dress.

You could argue in the first pic it needs to be *wider* - landscape orientation, in fact, with some separation between the two. :-)
09-19-2016, 08:15 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by TaoMaas Quote
Unless you're shooting for publication, you're shooting way too wide. There's a ton of stuff that could be cropped out.
Thank you for your opinion

---------- Post added 09-19-16 at 05:21 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
I think Don's point is that the area of red flowers is being compared to the area of red in the dress.

You could argue in the first pic it needs to be *wider* - landscape orientation, in fact, with some separation between the two. :-)
There are endless possibilities! My main concern is that the viewing experience might be very different on smaller screens (phones) vs large screens. I edit and view on large screens, but most visitors to my Instagram or Facebook page will visit from mobile.
09-19-2016, 01:46 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by DonThomaso Quote
! My main concern is that the viewing experience might be very different on smaller screens (phones) vs large screens. I edit and view on large screens, but most visitors to my Instagram or Facebook page will visit from mobile.
Sure. That's who you've got to compose for, then.



09-22-2016, 05:44 AM   #13
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I'm coming back to this thread again and again. Love the first image, especially the color combination.
Since it's critique section , I would say to remove "scratch" marks on her stockings.
09-22-2016, 08:22 AM   #14
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You have to determine whether or not the greens in the foreground adds anything to the shot or framing. If they don't, I wouldn't use them in the composition. In situations where I have something like this in the foreground, I always make it a point to take one with and one without, just in case I don't like it later and don't want to spend time fixing it in post processing. Also, it allows you to compare the two afterward, to determine which version looks best.

In the first shot, I would watch the model's pose, especially her feet. The position they are in and with that line of light going across her left foot, it looks a bit awkward.
09-23-2016, 09:48 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by K-9 Quote
You have to determine whether or not the greens in the foreground adds anything to the shot or framing. If they don't, I wouldn't use them in the composition. In situations where I have something like this in the foreground, I always make it a point to take one with and one without, just in case I don't like it later and don't want to spend time fixing it in post processing. Also, it allows you to compare the two afterward, to determine which version looks best.

In the first shot, I would watch the model's pose, especially her feet. The position they are in and with that line of light going across her left foot, it looks a bit awkward.
I do like them myself, so that's why they are there I move around during the shoot, so there are shots without them as well (that I choose not to work further with). For the feel I understand what you are saying, but I tend not to work every frame that much, but rather get a flow going and then unfortunately there are sometimes not that 100% perfect shot, but instead a lot of 98% shots to choose from
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