It has been brought to my attention that perhaps part of the reason why many of you aren’t critiquing any photos is that although I wrote an article on the critiquing process, I didn’t walk through examples with you. So, that’s what this meeting will be about.
I know I’m pushing the critiquing process over at our Eden Photographers tumblr site, but understanding the process is useful when looking at any photo, whether it be your own or someone else’s. I know this is the umpteenth time I’ve remarked about this, but it’s very true.
So, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to show you a series of my photos. And I want each of you to list off at least one thing you like about it and one thing you think could be improved. When each of you is done, I’ll give you my full critique of each photo so you can see. Sound good?
It has been brought to my attention that perhaps part of the reason why many of you aren’t critiquing any photos is that although I wrote an article on the critiquing process, I didn’t walk through examples with you. So, that’s what this meeting
...
more
It has been brought to my attention that perhaps part of the reason why many of you aren’t critiquing any photos is that although I wrote an article on the critiquing process, I didn’t walk through examples with you. So, that’s what this meeting will be about.
I know I’m pushing the critiquing process over at our Eden Photographers tumblr site, but understanding the process is useful when looking at any photo, whether it be your own or someone else’s. I know this is the umpteenth time I’ve remarked about this, but it’s very true.
So, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to show you a series of my photos. And I want each of you to list off at least one thing you like about it and one thing you think could be improved. When each of you is done, I’ll give you my full critique of each photo so you can see. Sound good?
less
Just thought I'd drop by to check things out. I have a little interest in photography.
Welcome! I hope you enjoy the meeting enough to want to come back.
And I hope (and this is for any of you) that I don't scare anyone off with the things I talk about. I am happy to answer any question you have, no matter how basic or advanced it is. My goal is to help all of you get more out of your photos and to have fun with photography.
Pretty well. It's the first 80 degree day of the year, it was my son's last day of school (and we found out he gets to split between the 4th and 5th grade next year), and I'm drinking a great beer. So it
...
more
Congratulations! Or not.
Pretty well. It's the first 80 degree day of the year, it was my son's last day of school (and we found out he gets to split between the 4th and 5th grade next year), and I'm drinking a great beer. So it could be worse.
less
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th sec., ISO 400, Color Temperature 7150, Sigma 12-24 lens at 24 mm on Canon 10D camera body, from tripod under partly cloudy skies, converted using Miranda HDR Photoshop plug-in and optimized sharpness, color, and contrast using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Just ignore the fact that I used HDR software (which allows multiple exposures to be layered together) to create the image and just focus on compositional elements and anything else that attracts or detracts from the quality of the image. Again, just post at least one positive and one negative about the image. And…..go!
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th
...
more
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th sec., ISO 400, Color Temperature 7150, Sigma 12-24 lens at 24 mm on Canon 10D camera body, from tripod under partly cloudy skies, converted using Miranda HDR Photoshop plug-in and optimized sharpness, color, and contrast using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Just ignore the fact that I used HDR software (which allows multiple exposures to be layered together) to create the image and just focus on compositional elements and anything else that attracts or detracts from the quality of the image. Again, just post at least one positive and one negative about the image. And…..go!
less
Everything seems to flow together pretty well, but the mountains in the background don't feel like they really belong.
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th
...
more
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th sec., ISO 400, Color Temperature 7150, Sigma 12-24 lens at 24 mm on Canon 10D camera body, from tripod under partly cloudy skies, converted using Miranda HDR Photoshop plug-in and optimized sharpness, color, and contrast using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Just ignore the fact that I used HDR software (which allows multiple exposures to be layered together) to create the image and just focus on compositional elements and anything else that attracts or detracts from the quality of the image. Again, just post at least one positive and one negative about the image. And…..go!
less
I love the way that the flowers take center stage and are so clear and bright.
The negative? This looks like a composite picture. It has an unreal quality and there is no clear focal point. My eyes just wander aimlessly over the picture unsure of what to focus on.
Color contrast in the picture is fantastic (I love lots of colors) and maybe it could be focused higher up cutting out some of the grass and adding more of the sky.
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th
...
more
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th sec., ISO 400, Color Temperature 7150, Sigma 12-24 lens at 24 mm on Canon 10D camera body, from tripod under partly cloudy skies, converted using Miranda HDR Photoshop plug-in and optimized sharpness, color, and contrast using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Just ignore the fact that I used HDR software (which allows multiple exposures to be layered together) to create the image and just focus on compositional elements and anything else that attracts or detracts from the quality of the image. Again, just post at least one positive and one negative about the image. And…..go!
less
I like the depth of field (everything is in focus from the foreground to the clouds in the distance).
I don't like that there is an absence of black/darks.
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th
...
more
OK, let’s get started with this photo: Tatoosh Range from Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Vaccinium. High Dynamic Range image made from two photos f/22 1/15th sec. and f/22 1/60th sec., ISO 400, Color Temperature 7150, Sigma 12-24 lens at 24 mm on Canon 10D camera body, from tripod under partly cloudy skies, converted using Miranda HDR Photoshop plug-in and optimized sharpness, color, and contrast using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Just ignore the fact that I used HDR software (which allows multiple exposures to be layered together) to create the image and just focus on compositional elements and anything else that attracts or detracts from the quality of the image. Again, just post at least one positive and one negative about the image. And…..go!
less
I love the lighting and perspective in the shot, the way the tree layers against the mountains and the clouds look perfect.
a negative.... this is hard, the only thing I can think of is the foreground brush is a little to messy and busy for my liking
Well for starters I'm going to guess that the mountains were the second photo you layered in. But aside from that, they have a different coloring that doesn't feel accounted for with just shadows going by.
All of you have found some great things about the photo. In fact, there are some things that some of you have mentioned that Aren't even in my critique.
Well for starters I'm going to guess that the mountains were the second photo you layered in. But aside from that, they have a different coloring that doesn't feel accounted for with just shadows going by.
It's the same framing, but with different exposures (one exposed for the darker foreground, and one for the lighter sky. I then combined them together. That said, that doesn't detract from your point about how the mountains look. In fact, it strengthens it, as it can be an artifact of the HDR process.
OK, good. You did a good job finding positives and negatives. I’m a very harsh critic of my own work, and although I found this photo to be good, there are a few problems with it that have driven me nuts ever since I finished with it in Photoshop several years ago. It should be noted that although I found things in this photo that some of you didn’t (and vice versa), that doesn’t make one critique better than another. We all have different points of view on what makes a photo good or bad…and that’s a good thing.
So, here’s my critique:
Compositionally, this image has some very nice features. The mountain range occupying the upper third of the photo, and the avalanche lilies occupying the bottom right of the photo anchor the image and draw the eyes all over the photo. Helping in that are several other features, such as the pink heather flowers, the snow patch, the rocky outcrop on the left, the tree on the right, and the clouds. Despite all these objects, the photo isn’t cluttered with them. Rather, they are complimentary. Depth of field it also very good, as everything from the foreground to the background is in acceptable focus. Colors are also acceptably vibrant.
However, the blown out areas on the clouds are distracting and continually attract my attention, even when looking at the remainder of the image. The image is also a bit flat inasmuch as it could use more contrast to define edges better and to show stronger shadows. Part of this is because of the time of day at which it was taken and the fact that much of the image is out of the sun. The sky is also an odd color, undoubtedly due to the merging the two images using the HDR software. The image also seems to be a bit too over-sharpened, as the foreground looks a bit “crunchy.”
I think that it's a little overly bright and the contrast could be toned down - it's a bit too unreal & technicolor-ish for my liking. On the other hand, I like the crisp sharpness. Gah, I'm not used to this.. haven't even barely picked up a camera in yrs,, how's that?
