Score 4.5-5.99 and need a critique?

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

03/19/2007 12:05:51 PM · #1

I will critique the first 10 images posted here.

Mine is just one person's opinion and, as such, should be taken with a grain of salt. Good photographers can separate the wheat from the chaff. ;)

freakin_hilarious

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

03/19/2007 12:08:25 PM · #2

I'll take you up on the offer, Steve. My Circles II entry, 5.9167. I was quite amazed that an abstract scored that high!

BAMartin

Apple iPhone 5

03/19/2007 12:10:41 PM · #3

Sure, why not? Thanks Steve.

Message edited by author 2007-03-19 12:11:31.

03/19/2007 12:34:00 PM · #4

Originally posted by freakin_hilarious:

... I was quite amazed that an abstract scored that high!

A good photograph in any genre will score well in the right challenge.

Positives:
Overall general quality is good and the blue as a duotone works well. The viewer may not be able to figure out what it is, but it looks interesting and that is all that matters. It has a 'spacey' feeling to it.

Technicals:
As was said, quality and blue tones work well. Composition generally OK. Lighting and exposure are good. Nothing really bad here.

The challenge:
It fits the challenge and meets it in an unexpected way and probably contributed to the higher than expected score. And, of course, anything done well SHOULD get a good score even though they often don't. In your case you were not punished for DNMC and that is why you got a better than average score.

Suggestions:
You might consider cropping smaller to get rid of the lower right corner. That would add to it's overall 'spacey' feeling. Apply spot sharpening to the lower bubbles... they are on the soft side and incompatible with the rest of the image.

Bebe

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/19/2007 12:49:25 PM · #5

Can I reserve a spot for after the color portrait finishes? :)

freakin_hilarious

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

03/19/2007 01:00:26 PM · #6

Thanks!

mia67

Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX Macro for Canon

03/19/2007 01:02:53 PM · #7

Thanks in advance!!

Citadel

Nikon D7500

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/19/2007 01:04:08 PM · #8

Thanks Steve!

03/19/2007 01:06:15 PM · #9

Originally posted by BAMartin:

Barbara... You are most certainly welcome!

Positives:
Technicals generally are good. Appriopriate subject and very well framed. This is nice image. Lots to like about it. It is better than it's score.

Technicals:
Color, composition, overall exposure, brightness and framing are all excellent. Your unique application of the rule of thirds in this composition is superb. Really, really nice texture. You paid close attention to the framing and it shows up nicely.

You have some digital "jaggies" on the angle lines of the 'explosives' sign that holds this image back, otherwise the sharpness is great.

The challenge:
Meets the challenge in a very creative and direct way both in color and content. Unfortunately, it looks like the concept of danger as red was above the heads of voters and you suffered because there was less 'red' in it than they expected.

Suggestions:
This is an excellent image. It's sharpess is fine except for the digital 'jaggies' that hurt this image more technically than anything else. I would recommend this sharpening strategy...

At the end, duplicate your flattened unsharpened layer and apply exactly the same sharpening to that layer that you did before. Then add a layer mask to that layer and brush with a feathered black brush on the mask to reduce sharpening on the 'jaggie' edges to mitigate their digital effect. An alternative might be to use the blur tool to soften the edge slightly PRIOR to sharpening and/or a combination of both.

03/19/2007 01:09:27 PM · #10

Originally posted by Bebe:

Can I reserve a spot for after the color portrait finishes? :)

Sorry, no. These forum topics are on a first come first served basis. That is to be fair to those who ask first. But if you REALLY need a critique I'm sure an 11th can be added.

AdiGri

03/19/2007 01:22:47 PM · #11

Originally posted by stdavidson:

Originally posted by BAMartin:

...
The challenge:
Meets the challenge in a very creative and direct way both in color and content. Unfortunately, it looks like the concept of danger as red was above the heads of voters and you suffered because there was less 'red' in it than they expected.
...

One other reason for the low score (well, low for you Barbara, it is better than my best score) might be the fact that it is a photo of a written sign. If you go through these comments - //www.sportsshooter.com/special_feature/student_contest-06/recap.html - from judges of a photo contest you will see at one of the portfolios they encounter a picture of a sign and their comments were negative, something like "Duh, photos of signs, if I wanted to read I would've used a book, I don't need a photo."

Adrian

BAMartin

Apple iPhone 5

03/19/2007 01:32:09 PM · #12

Thanks Steve, as always your comments are right on the money. Are you going to the 2nd annual Red Rocks GTG in April?

oscarmeyer

Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/19/2007 01:41:15 PM · #13

Message edited by author 2007-03-19 13:47:04.

bassbone

Nikon Z8

03/19/2007 01:46:43 PM · #14

Steve - I would sure be interested in your comments on my circle challenge. I guess I am not too surprised by the score considering some of the really nice images....

03/19/2007 01:48:39 PM · #15

Originally posted by mia67:

Positives:
Beautiful macro with good color and softness that highlights the butterfly well. Nicely captured profile view. Good attempt at DOF such that the butterfly is sharply focused and everything else is not.

Technicals:
You chose to make the head and thorax sharpest and that is the correct decision. The impact of this image is absolutely dependent on perfect technicals. Though good, there are some things that are slightly off. The wing is little soft. In this particular instance the viewer will subconciously want the wing as sharp as the rest of the image and it is not.

There is a lot of extra space both above and below the butterfly that add very little to the composition. The space above the butterfly particularly has some sharpness aspects that actually act as a viewer distraction.

The challenge:
In a free study the technicals of a photograph affect it more than anything else since there is not such thing as DNMC. Technicals held this back more than anything else.

Suggestions:
You might consider cropping out some of the the top and bottom parts of the image to reduce \'wasted\' space. If you want to include the top part then you might want to use the blur tool to reduce it\'s distracting aspects. The wing is very close to the border and that is a slight distraction so moving it to the right would help.

You might consider bagging the white border all together. I\'m biased about that, though. I think borders are a waste of space, especially when limited to 640 pixels and would likely be removed for prints anyway. I don\'t vote down for them, but others could.

It would be nice to have the antennae in focus but that is tough.

The original was taken at f/2.8 and 1/125th second. Butterfly\'s generally have to be taken hand held and that affects what you can do. When the subject is still like this one is taking at a slower shutter speed for a slightly larger f/stop and therefore a little greater depth of field would be recommended.

Btw... I like butterfly imagery and taken a few myself:
//www.pbase.com/azleader/butterfly

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

03/19/2007 01:54:37 PM · #16

Originally posted by BAMartin:

Thanks Steve, as always your comments are right on the money. Are you going to the 2nd annual Red Rocks GTG in April?

I would love to but, sadly, I will not. :( Missed it last year to.

jonfrommk

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

03/19/2007 02:05:20 PM · #17

I would be grateful for any thoughts or comments

This scored 5.451 in Red 2

Many thanks

Jon

Message edited by author 2007-03-19 14:07:32.

mia67

Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX Macro for Canon

03/19/2007 02:05:38 PM · #18

Thank you very much for detailed and helpful comment.

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

03/19/2007 02:17:39 PM · #19

Originally posted by Citadel:

Positives:
Unique twist on the challenge theme. Interesting concept and generally pulled off well. Good combination of warm and cool colors.

Technicals:
Overal good. Exposure and lighting generally good. Sharpness and DOF is fine though some of the bubbles look a little soft despite taken at f/22. That might have been caused by motion.

Looks to be slightly oversharpened. There are a few digital effects that show up as a result.

The challenge:
Your unique approach helps it fit the challenge in ways acceptible to DPC voters.

Suggestions:
By far, the thing that most affects this image reducing its score, inmho, is the crop. Looks like you were careful to include all the drops you worked so hard to create. You don't need to. In fact, it will make a better composition if you do not. You might consider cropping closer to remove any signs of the rounded edges of the bowl. Though, yes, it adds more 'roundness' to the composition for the challenge, removing it would make a much better overall composition. Try it to see for yourself.

mamba

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

03/19/2007 02:20:52 PM · #20

worst scoring image to date. would be good to hear why it tanked so much.

03/19/2007 02:32:52 PM · #21

Originally posted by oscarmeyer:

Positives:
Composition strong. B&W works. Nice easy curves. It's simplicity is a strength.

Technicals:
Lighting and range of black to white is fine. Focus is soft on the brightest areas and the DOF may be misplaced.

The challenge:
Meets the Patterns challenge topic well. The technicals are what holds this image back more than anything else, particularly the choice of focal point, and explains why it has a less than average DPC score.

Suggestions:
To this viewer the choice of focal point for a shallow DOF is it's biggest fault. Normally, I would want the closest object to the camera to be in sharpest focus, but not in this case. Consider a reshoot with the focus centered on the most distant bright areas in sharpest focus and the grey closer circles in softer focus (or sharp themselves). You might like the result better.

03/19/2007 02:55:26 PM · #22

Originally posted by pccjrose:

Positives:
Color, general sharpness and content are good. It is a study of circles for this challenge and works well for that purpose.

Technicals:
Texture is well achieved and necessary for this image. Though the sharpeness is generally good it might be slightly oversharpened. There is just a hint of 'jaggies ' in some of the lines and an annoyong white halo over the bottom log at top the of the central opening. Ironically, yours is better focused than my entry in this challenge. :)

In photography there is a lot of discussion about the need for a central focal point in every image. Most suggest there should be. Your image really doesn't have one despite the central oppening and that might hurt it in some people's view.

The challenge:
Meets the challenge in a very direct and unmistakable way. It may be a bit stereotypical for some voters and they might vote you down for it.

Some voters might just plain think this image is boring.

Suggestions:
I'd recommend working the sharpness a bit more. Not a lot, but a bit. Any hint at digital effects should be reduced to nothing in every submission.

In the area of a central focal point you might consider a re-shoot where you find a particualarly interesting log end and try composing it at one of the rule of thirds intersection points.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-135mm f/3.5-4.5

03/19/2007 03:18:50 PM · #23

Originally posted by jonfrommk:

This is an aside, but I did not think you could submit an image without specifying the shutter speed, ISO and f/stop.
Positives:
Generally well done technicals and meets the challenge topic.

Technicals:
Sharpness generally good. Decent perspective and nothing bad about the composition.

The challenge:
No question this meets the challenge in an unmistakable way. It is a bit on the 'cliche'ish side for some voters and might lack a lot of punch and pizzaz that voters are always look for. :)

Suggestions:
There really is a not a lot wrong with this image but not a lot to attract viewer interest either so my suggestions might not have much effect on its score. The center of focus is the center of the image. You might have chosen to focus closer to the foreground than the center but allowed the center to still be within its DOF. Generally speaking, it is better to have the foregound sharply focused and the background softer focused then the other way around like this image.

I normally don't use or recommend borders, but this image might benefit from a modest black border.

C_Steve_G

Apple iPhone 12

03/19/2007 03:32:39 PM · #24

I'm curious how I may have improved this image given the subject.
Thanks in advance!

Message edited by author 2007-03-19 15:34:52.