What do you think?

Naffa

Naffa

Naffa

Soldato
Joined
4 Sep 2005
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Bristol
I'm only just getting into photography but I'm really REALLY enjoying it. Just the college coursework I'm doing at the moment is letting me down a bit. :(

This is a shot I took in an attempt to capture the decisive moment. It was shot using 35mm B&W FujiFilm 400 ISO. Camera was a Pentax but no idea of lens and I can't remember the aperture or the shutter speed.

emmacharlottecz0.jpg


Constructive critique welcomed as always.

Just another thing, I'm really struggling with my coursework at the moment. I have to design a dust jacket for a book entitled 'Fragments In Time' and I've decided to base it on the decisive moment. But I really finding it hard to use that image as the cover and I'd really like to as it's my favorite shot I've taken so far.

If anyone could knock something up for me to try and get some ideas from I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks for your help,
Naffa
 
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Okay, I'll bite. I'm sorry, I don't think it's very good for several reasons which I'll now go through in detail.

1. The whole thing looks slightly soft. I think the blonde is supposed to be in focus but she just isn't sharp. I suspect it's camera movement as canteen lighting is usually too low for good photography, even with 400ISO film. Depth of field also looks quite shallow as the brunette's hair has no detail at all. Knowing what shutter speed and aperture you were using would have been helpful here.

2. The exposure seems to be off as the highlights are completely burnt out - look at the brunette's right hand, her sleeves and the bag on the table behind. How did you get from negative to screen? Was the neg scanned or via a print that was scanned? Who processed the film (and print, if used)? It may be that the neg is okay and things have gone wrong later in the process but it's hard to tell without knowing a bit more.

3. You've cut all the heads in half! Tight framing is usually good but this is too tight. For some reason I'm more bothered by the two people either side of the blonde than the blonde herself.

4. What makes this picture a 'decisive moment'? I can't see anything that says that to me but I'm not you so please tell me what you see here.

I apologise if this sounds like I'm trying to put you off. I'm not but I think you should have honest criticism. You've captured the blonde very well - you might be able to crop the frame into a portrait that she'd be pleased with. Keep trying, take lots more photographs and put some more up here for criticism - it's the only way to learn.

You're welcome to have a wander round my web site to see if anything inspires you (unlikely but you're still welcome).

Jonathan
 
Thanks for the input. This photo isn't actually cropped at all. I didn't think it captured the decisive moment that well but I think there is definitely something there.

As for development and printing etc, I shot, developed and made prints from the film myself. This is a third generation image as I developed and printed it in college and brought the print home and scanned it in.

Thanks again for the input, you're right, it's the only way I'll learn.
 
One thing I'd just like to say though. I do get annoyed with the amount of people that I hear saying about how this photo is bad because it doesn't comply to this rule. Yeah the photo maybe slightly over exposed but who's to say that's wrong?

You just can't tell someone to like a picture, it's entirely subjective. I know there are things like being in focus (and sometimes that doesn't even apply) that you should get right. But saying a photo is wrong because it doesn't conform to a certain set of rules is a wrong statement in itself in my opinion.
 
the only i would dare to even question with the small amount of knowledge that i have is the framing. the empty stool on the left keeps on drawing my eye away from what i assume is your subjects. hope you don't mind but i cropped it to what i think makes the framing better

jennynickem2.jpg


i leave it up to others to comment on the actual technicallities of taken photo.
 
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Thanks for your input. I agree with the empty stool to the right as well. But as I said, I am new to this.
 
naffa said:
One thing I'd just like to say though. I do get annoyed with the amount of people that I hear saying about how this photo is bad because it doesn't comply to this rule. Yeah the photo maybe slightly over exposed but who's to say that's wrong?

You just can't tell someone to like a picture, it's entirely subjective. I know there are things like being in focus (and sometimes that doesn't even apply) that you should get right. But saying a photo is wrong because it doesn't conform to a certain set of rules is a wrong statement in itself in my opinion.
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Dont let it get to you mate. There are ways of improving your pictures, im sure you know you can always do better. Or you should always try, (i do, im the most critical person of my own wrok, i never like it) but tbh half of the people on this forum wouldnt know artistic photography if it bite them on the arse, there more concerned with rules of this and composition of that, its only natural if you learn photography from a digital magazine. IM not saying theres anything wrong with it, but it does make people very critical of different styles.
It doesnt like you say have to apply, but you do need to follow it up with some meaning, or representation of a subject.

I liked where you were going with the kissing, i see the decisive moment, but i think you need to develop it more.
I had a though, if you have a willing friend that maybe you could capture someone falling over, or off a chair as its balanced. Maybe as there about to hit something, a ball and bat or football volley?
Find a location you can get some good contrast.

By the way i like the empty stool, leave it in.

The only thing i will be slightly critical of to help you is the black and white.
It looks like you've desaturated it (not sure if you have straight scanned it, or if your printing on photopaper or digital) If you have photoshop, go to the action menu, and in sample actions use, convert custom rgb to greyscale.
The adjust so you get a nicer grade of black and white, equivalent to about 3.5 or 4.
Something a little more like this.

jennynickem2_filtered.jpg


Notice the difference?
P.s. if you need any help developing or understanding exposure then drop me a line, always there to help a fellow photography student.
 
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naffa said:
Thanks for your input. I agree with the empty stool to the right as well. But as I said, I am new to this.
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Be new to something isn't an excuse, only j/k we all have to start somewhere. keep on practising and you'll get better. Photography is not something that you can learn quickly either, you'll take thousands of shots just to get a fairly decent understanding of a small amount of the aspects that make a good photograph.

The one thing i always try to do is to somehow make the shot unusual, think outside the box.

With you using film makes things with taking loads of shots troublesome due to the cost of the film+developing not to mention your time. Myself i use digital and can instantly see if i'm getting the kind of shots i'm after. I've still got a very long way to go before i'm gonna feel happy with 99% of the shots i take.

Keep it up though and remember just because someone else doesn't like a shot doesn't mean its a bad shot.
 
Interesting shots and interesting replies. I know what ChroniC is saying but if it's for college coursework then it's probably better to stay somewhere near the traditional rules and I think Snapshot's critique was about right. I would add to that the bright white table behind the main subject draws my eye away from the girls.

In the the 2nd one I think the empty stool adds something but I'm not quite sure what. It seem to be just there rather than actually making a point. Perhaps with the two people kissing in the foreground have someone sat by themselves as a contrast. Maybe that's too cheesy a scenario. The bloke coming through the door but looking back adds nothing IMO. Maybe use a bit of PS trickery to finish the photo off. You may not like what I've done here (and I think I've gone a bit too far) but a bit of fake vignetting and burning out the people in the doorway brings the focus back onto the main subject...

kiss.jpg
 
The empty stool doesn't bother me, but the picture seems kindy... grainy. The edit by Chronic was an improvement on this.
In your first picture I am struggling to find anything on a decisive moment theme. Two people having lunch isn't particularly decisive.
Unless I've misunderstood the theme.
The second is better. I cant think of any better ideas though!
 
Thanks for all your input guys, I really do appreciate it. :)

When I said that I didn't mean I was annoyed at me being told me photo was bad, I was annoyed at being told it was bad because it didn't conform to whatever rules. But you're right, the only way I'll learn is to receive critical analysis. And for that, I thank you. :)

I do have a copy of Photoshop and am experimenting with levels and what have you. Burning out unwanted detail is still something I'm getting to grips with so thanks for the image ranarama.

Again, thanks for your input. :)
 
Helium_Junkie said:
The empty stool doesn't bother me, but the picture seems kindy... grainy. The edit by Chronic was an improvement on this.
In your first picture I am struggling to find anything on a decisive moment theme. Two people having lunch isn't particularly decisive.
Unless I've misunderstood the theme.
The second is better. I cant think of any better ideas though!
Click to expand...

I think that is because he used 400iso film in a very light situation.
I personally would have gone with Ilford FP4 125, it gives you a much better black and white with less grain.
The i would have go some ilford gloss paper, and printed it at about grade 4, (presuming your learning printing?) because i really prefer higher contrast black and whites.

However if you want to make this a decent project, then you should maybe do some research on image semiotics, and conotations.
I know its very hard to include things in photos, and basically having a set up, but if you can try.
A refreshing change to see some work with progression, i would like to see your final prints too.
 
I think you have the right ideas, you know when to shoot but your compositions is letting you down. Technically, exposure wise they are OK. Could be a touch sharper and the use of DoF could be better but you need to get the composition right first.
 
I don't tend to follow rules of composition if I can avoid it. If I see a potential photo, I shoot it.

I am learning printing and contrast grades etc. I also prefer higher contrast prints but this is a photo that I took and printed without really thinking about how to print it. I did a test strip and exposed the paper for as long as it needed.

I am a bit poor at all this, but I am learning and thanks to you lot, at an accelerated rate. :)
 
naffa said:
I don't tend to follow rules of composition if I can avoid it. If I see a potential photo, I shoot it.
Click to expand...

It's not rules as such, I know exactly what you mean by seeing a shot and then taking it, but it could be Sooooooooooooo much more. Capturing the moment is one thing, sure it beats not taken it at all but its no good not taking full advantage of the shot by moving a few feet. It'll turn what is ordinary to something much better.
 
Yeah I see exactly what you mean. And I'd move into a position that makes the shot look best. But only because it would look better, not because it would cause the shot to conform to the rule of thirds or something similar. Ifw you get what I mean..
 
Its not the kind of rule you're thinking of, its more a technique. You're applying a technique to your composition, just like changing DoF is a kind of technique.

Don't think of it as a rule, or in terms of conformity.
 
Lol, I don't feel bad about it. I really appreciate the fact that people have taken the time to critically analyze my work. It's just the reasoning sometimes doesn't justify it for me.
 
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