BRAINSTORMING: What could I have done differently?

04/23/2012 09:40:37 AM · #1

So since for some DPC is a place to learn, I thought we could have a thread where we could put our near misses and total losses before our friends for constructive criticism. Many don't want to post negative comments or low scores, but when the challenge is over and the dust has settled, we know our photo just didn't work.

This, with the community's acceptance, can be a place where a photographer can choose to request advice on what might have made an image stronger.

Some simple rules (guidelines really).

1. Only comment on works requested by the photographer.
2. Never post publicly an edited copy of another person's photo without permission. Send privately to them.
3. To keep this thread small, post a comment on the photo or send a PM with your suggestions. Using the comment section is more helpful because the comments stay with the image and others can see them and learn from them.
4. If you request assistance, have a thick skin. We all have our babies and our "darlings" but the votes are the votes. So if you choose to put something here for general feedback, prepare to have the one thing you thought worked best be identified as the thing that broke your image.

I can update this first message with other guidelines as suggested.

Let's see how this works...

Message edited by author 2012-04-23 09:45:17.

04/23/2012 09:42:41 AM · #2

So I'll start... be as honest as you care to.

Money III, Advanced Processing

I thought this had all the elements... bright background, humorous expression, fit challenge... It scored decently, but not so high as I expected (figured a 6.2 for sure).

What could I have done differently?

Remember, it's best to post comments/suggestions on the photo.

Got images you want to find out what went wrong? Share them here.

Message edited by author 2012-04-23 09:45:39.

04/23/2012 10:13:38 AM · #3

I have started the ball rolling. Note though I am no expert and don't comment a lot due to this very reason so take this just as my personal view on the image:)

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D PC

04/23/2012 10:20:17 AM · #4

Originally posted by paulsteven:

I have started the ball rolling. Note though I am no expert and don't comment a lot due to this very reason so take this just as my personal view on the image:)

Thanks! A great start!

chazoe

Nikon Z7 FX

04/23/2012 10:30:34 AM · #5

Left a comment on your piggybank shot.

Here's a recent one of mine that I thought would do a little better.

Venser

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

04/23/2012 10:35:50 AM · #6

Great idea for a thread.

I have one question which is somewhat unrelated but can/will help with giving feedback. Is there a way to get your voting average for a challenge after it's closed without doing it the long manual way?

CS

RyanW

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

04/23/2012 10:56:05 AM · #7

I'll throw something up here that I thought should've done better.
I'll also add my $0.02 for whatever it's worth to some others - I find that I also learn a lot about improving my own photos by offering what I like or don't like about some others - that way in future shots i know what i'd like to try or to stay away from.

I figured this would've been a 6+, but it barely broke 5.

04/23/2012 11:25:19 AM · #8

Originally posted by cosmicassassin:

Great question... and sadly I don't see where it can be done. Bummer.

Canon EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 II USM (Black)

04/27/2012 12:24:05 AM · #9

Any from the Emergency! Challenge you want to share?

Sebi

Google Pixel

05/11/2012 01:11:01 AM · #10

I honestly thought this photo was going to pull in at least a 6.

The comments are positive for the most part, I was just wondering what I could have done to improve this photo:

chazoe

Nikon Z7 FX

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D PC

05/11/2012 01:17:43 AM · #11

I thought this would do a little better

I probably should have heeded my wife's advice and entered this one

chazoe

Nikon Z7 FX

Nikon MF Micro-Nikkor 85mm f/2.8D PC

05/11/2012 01:21:17 AM · #12

I also thought this would do better

Was it over processed?

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

05/11/2012 01:38:40 AM · #13

Originally posted by cosmicassassin:

This is sort of a thread hijack, but it would seem to me that if you divide the number of images in a challenge by 2 then look at the images that placed at the half way mark, you would in a way, have the average score for the overall challenge. I'm sure that there is a better way, but if there is no need to nit pick over a tenth of a point or so it would probably work good enough.

05/14/2012 12:06:37 AM · #14

This finished slightly above "meh" for the Empty challenge... I thought it conveyed emptiness and was a clear, appealing photo. Figured a 6.2 at least...

What did I do wrong?

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

05/14/2012 12:29:26 AM · #15

Originally posted by klkitchens:

This finished slightly above "meh" for the Empty challenge... I thought it conveyed emptiness and was a clear, appealing photo. Figured a 6.2 at least...

What did I do wrong?

what makes it appealing? I don't see anything.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

05/14/2012 12:31:10 AM · #16

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by klkitchens:

This finished slightly above "meh" for the Empty challenge... I thought it conveyed emptiness and was a clear, appealing photo. Figured a 6.2 at least...

What did I do wrong?
what makes it appealing? I don't see anything.

Stinging, albeit valid, comment.

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

05/14/2012 12:43:56 AM · #17

Originally posted by klkitchens:

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by klkitchens:

This finished slightly above "meh" for the Empty challenge... I thought it conveyed emptiness and was a clear, appealing photo. Figured a 6.2 at least...

What did I do wrong?
what makes it appealing? I don't see anything.

Stinging, albeit valid, comment.

don't be stung. They're just balloons.

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/14/2012 05:32:04 AM · #18

Originally posted by posthumous:

Truth be told, I have been known to disagree with my friend

Posthumous on matters relating to the "appeal" of images, but he is dead on on this one.

The subject is most certainly not captivating, the image is mediocre and the background is rather bland. I seem to recall making a comment on this image to the effect that it was an OK image, but not earth shattering and I still believe that.

I will let other, more knowledgeable people proffer an informed opinion.

Ray

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

05/14/2012 05:48:50 AM · #19

Would appreciate a bit of feedback why this one did so average. I was really pleased with the look of the photo and being a load of "empty" bottles I thought the subject was spot on. Appreciate you can see my reflection in the bottles and also that some of the bottles were a bit grubby - this photo was taken of a neighbours recycling bin so there was no preparation involved. Perhaps like the balloon photo, it was just not very interesting.

Perhaps garbage just doesn't do well on here as my previous garbage photo didn't do amazing either:)

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/14/2012 07:03:07 AM · #20

plus its overcooked.

05/14/2012 07:53:54 AM · #21

Originally posted by mike_311:

plus its overcooked.

Are both overcooked in your opinion? I realised after the event the peelings one was overcooked - what a difference it makes looking on different monitors. I didn't think the bottles one was too bad but perhaps it was and that was one of its downfalls:)