Spanish Courtyardby
hopefulcrafty1Comment by docpjv: GOOD DAY FROM YOUR DPCHALLENGE CRITIQUE CLUB!
Dear Angela, ,
Thanks for allowing us to have a closer look at your photograph. It is a fact that the average person look and evaluate an image presented to them in 5 seconds. When we get the opportunity to really look and interpret the picture, that is when we appreciate people like you. We all learn by this.
The process I deploy is first of all to look at your previous work and then look at the comments made. I want to have a 'feel' for the person who entrusted me with this responsibility. Only then do I spend time with the image for critique.
The critique can be both Applied (To the image self) and Theoretical (Attempt to philosophy and theorise about the work). It is important for me to be able to describe, to interpret, to evaluate and even to theorize about it. If I can encourage discourse about your work I will be happy.
In the final analysis, I want you to learn something from it, take something of it and improve both your skill and self confidence.
So, your image.
On first impression I feel it scored unrealistically low. Yet, that being said there are quite a number of learning points from this photograph.
Note that it is not an exciting art photograph, it is more a memory shot, something you take to remember your vacation. This is supported by some of the feedback where the the words "..reminds me of.." and '..wish for a holiday.." is commented. The not so subtle feedback of "rather boring" is actually harsh. I see the hanging clothes on the porch, the out of place chair, the gorgeous garden lit by night, the tree that frames the picture at the right, keeping the eye in the photograph. Boring, it surely is not. Key issue here, an image should rather be interesting than perfect. An amazing truth, yours is 'perfect' but not that interesting.
There are another two basic issues. One, the image is skew, not vertical, just look at the pillars. The most distractive part on this point is the skew door, left top. Two, the crop could have excluded the light on the top left. What I see is my eye always going back up, that is not what you want.
The last issue, what is your point of interest? what do you want me to REALLY see? Surely not the whole image. Remember that is why there are composition rules, although we are not slaves of rules, it does guide our eye to the point of interest.
I want to compliment you on your lighting and the detail you got. Never easy, not even with a tripod.
I hope you found this worth doing and learned something from it.
Kind regards,
docpjv
Photographer found comment helpful.
