Okay here I go...First time

[MarkAnthonyPhotography]

Alright I'll stop looking at everyone else's photos and put some of my own on here. I created this sample album for my business and offered it to Dawn and Chad for almost cost. (Almost);) It's my first Album design and I think it's very...."safe". My vision is much more crazy, but I figured I better keep it simple for the first one. Enjoy and as always, C+C are welcome and encouraged!:)
http://www.photobiz.com/slideshowbiz/slideshow.cfm?slideshowID=4339&photographerID=1105

[Tshoe]

Looks great!!!!!!!!!! I would certainly like to see your future album designs.

Terry

[tim]

Slideshows are a terrible way to get C&C, the images go by so fast I can barely make notes. Here are my thoughts in order, if you post the album as images I might expand on them.


Title page very busy - I don't like it.
Film strip cliche + color is way out
Frames will go out of style really quickly.
Not liking the pages with 6 staggered images. I like alignment and symmetry.
Not liking the next page where the images get smaller as they go down.
Or the one where there staggered again
Busy busy pages
Images squished - you've manged to screw up the dimensions or you've stretched them.
Sepia page stretched, would be ok if that was fixed, but it's ruined by the little images all over it.
Ditto next page, color wrong, dress blue
The page with the glasses as the background - go for symmetry
I don't like tilted images, and some get lost in the center of the album
Fimages over cake - bad
Filmstrip again - same comment as above
Final page reduce brightness. Try a channel mixer B&W conversion with 20/40/40 RGB


Overall i'd say your album is anything but safe: it's confused, inconsistent, has a number of technical problems, and it's anything but elegant. I like symmetry, I like simplicity, and I like each opening to have a theme and tell its own story. I don't like frames and I don't like tilted images, they'll look cool to you now, but in 6 months when you have more experience you'll think "why the h*** did I do that". The couple will think the same thing either sooner or later. Also like I mentioned above you've stretched some of the images and they look really weird.

My suggestion is to throw it out and start again, going for simplicity, symmetry, consistency, and trying to tell a story on each opening. That might sound a bit extreme, but I think it's worth it. Remember it's my $0.02, written in a bit of a hurry because I have 3 albums to design today. Here's a few smileys if it makes you feel better ;) :p :) :D

this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=173375) will show you some great albums, especially the xsight.com.au ones which are stunning.

[LeesaB]

I watched your slideshow as I read Tim's comments...

Listen, it's like this...Tim KNOWS what he is talking about...take this all as constructive and grow from it.

Your images are good, just the way they are set up on the pages...maybe to "artsy?"

One comment, the "blue" dress..I beleive that is an action and and I kinda like it...but that is my personal, have not done as many weddings as Tim, opinion....

so go for it...it does get easier..and really, your eye will change. how you see things...mine has..I think, I hope...

[italianfemmy]

Hey Tim,
Why did I have to email you and beg for your critique? I thought you weren't critiquing anymore? I don't love you any more Tim. :-P :-( :-)

[tim]

Hey Tim,
Why did I have to email you and beg for your critique? I thought you weren't critiquing anymore? I don't love you any more Tim. :-P :-( :-)

You didn't really need the help as your shots were fine and you had plenty of comments. Mark needs more help and after the "looks great" comment he might've gone ahead with the album as is, which as you can see above isn't a good idea IMHO.

[italianfemmy]

Yeah yeah yeah.. sleep on the sofa! lol

[lil_miss]

I tend to agree with Tim here - i dont like the stretched images and some of the tilted ones look a little odd.... nice start though

[Wedding Shooter]

I am sorry Mark - it really needs a major rework. I agree with all of Tim's comments. The major problem is all those tiny images. There also appears to no real consistant theme throughout.

Hope you can take these comments in the right spirit.

Cheers,

Chris

[howzitboy]

the slides went by kinda fast but yeah, i saw some squished images and some stretched ones. and a lot of the pages looked too busy. and i really didnt care for the black/white borders on every shot.
id rather have a page with a great shot big then a great shot with 6 little great shots covering it.
i say let the images speak for themselves! they are not ugly so shouldnt have to hide.

ps. nice photos too!! great exposures and lighting too.

[MarkAnthonyPhotography]

Slideshows are a terrible way to get C&C, the images go by so fast I can barely make notes. Here are my thoughts in order, if you post the album as images I might expand on them.

Title page very busy - I don't like it.
Film strip cliche + color is way out
Frames will go out of style really quickly.
Not liking the pages with 6 staggered images. I like alignment and symmetry.
Not liking the next page where the images get smaller as they go down.
Or the one where there staggered again
Busy busy pages
Images squished - you've manged to screw up the dimensions or you've stretched them.
Sepia page stretched, would be ok if that was fixed, but it's ruined by the little images all over it.
Ditto next page, color wrong, dress blue
The page with the glasses as the background - go for symmetry
I don't like tilted images, and some get lost in the center of the album
Fimages over cake - bad
Filmstrip again - same comment as above
Final page reduce brightness. Try a channel mixer B&W conversion with 20/40/40 RGB
Overall i'd say your album is anything but safe: it's confused, inconsistent, has a number of technical problems, and it's anything but elegant. I like symmetry, I like simplicity, and I like each opening to have a theme and tell its own story. I don't like frames and I don't like tilted images, they'll look cool to you now, but in 6 months when you have more experience you'll think "why the h*** did I do that". The couple will think the same thing either sooner or later. Also like I mentioned above you've stretched some of the images and they look really weird.

My suggestion is to throw it out and start again, going for simplicity, symmetry, consistency, and trying to tell a story on each opening. That might sound a bit extreme, but I think it's worth it. Remember it's my $0.02, written in a bit of a hurry because I have 3 albums to design today. Here's a few smileys if it makes you feel better ;) :p :) :D

this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=173375) will show you some great albums, especially the xsight.com.au ones which are stunning.


You guys suck!! I'm never posting here again!!:evil: .............not really:lol: This is why I joined this forum. Many of my Professional friends referred me here to get tips and comments from others in my feild. I appreicate all that is said and any tips to make me a better photographer. Now that i stand back and look at it many of the things you state are very true. I was just on the high from finally completing the album that "everything" looked great. I will definitly go back and change somethings. try to make it not so "busy" or "artsy" lol. Though I pride myself on being "artsy fartsy". Thanks for being "Mr. Blunt" Tim. If I wanted smoke blown up my bum I would just show my friends and family my work. Everything I do, to them is "Awesome".

Thanks everyone for your critiques!! And how can I post the album here instead of a slideshow link?

[Geo]

Hey, cold men, I don't understand why people want critique and comment about some picture, idea, or wherever and then when the critique come in don't like the critique. I agree 100% with Tim, I learned a lot with his comment and Critique. I think also that he is a professional in this field with a lot of experience. so be patient with c\c, learn about is a good idea.

[Scott_Quier]

From a oomposition, content, and story-telling perspective I think you did a killer job with this. Some very nice ideas. Execution could be inproved:


Many photos have been distorted
You have what may turn out to be seam issues - where an image spans the seam and the seam runs through the head/face of someone. It can be alright to have the seam run through an image, but through someone's head - not good.


There are a number of images that I do like. The hands on the tree is just one of them.

As a first attempt it's OK, but I'm hoping it's not yet gone to the publisher.

[SuzyView]

When Tim reviews, I take a deep breath and take the comments in stride because I know he took the time to go through the whole thing and wants to be constructive.

I find albums with music and pictures going by quickly sometimes a little annoying, as a photographer because I like to take my time. The images are good, although having too many of the same happening can be tedious, even if all are good. Get the best ones and show them off one at a time or two at the most. I couldn't keep up.

Recently I've been working on albums with only 20 8x10's and no more for weddings. People love those. They get 20 of the best shots and then put the album down. For those who really want to see all the pictures, go ahead and make a DVD with 200 and they will stick around to see them all because they were there and knew everyone. Otherwise, I find albums with a lot of pictures making me feel like Aunt Wanda and her vacation slides again. :);)

[tim]

Just reduce the pages to 800 pixels across or less, put them on a web server, and link to them in your post. Or use something like www.jalbum.net to create a gallery.

My first album sucked, it was really, really bad. I have a copy here in my office, and I don't show it to anyone, period. I look it occasionally when I want to feel like i've improved! I don't know how many albums i've done now, 2-3 dozen, it gets quicker, easier, and you get better at it. People just want to see their photos, well exposed, nicely presented, as memories of their wedding day. Keep it clean, simple, and elegant. Don't add all sorts of fancy cr**, simple and clean is good. Think about what you'd want yourself, and aim to exceed their expectations.

No smoke here go find an apiary if you want the smoke you know where ;) People here will tell you "nice pictures" or "nice album" without really taking the time to really look, to work out what the images are for, or to consider the people to whom this is one of the most important days of their lives. If me spending 5 minutes giving a little honest critique will help their memories it's well worth it.

[Tshoe]

You didn't really need the help as your shots were fine and you had plenty of comments. Mark needs more help and after the "looks great" comment he might've gone ahead with the album as is, which as you can see above isn't a good idea IMHO.



Tim, I don't know what your qualifications are but I doubt if you have enough to tear someone apart on his FIRST try at designing one the way you did. You could at least give some constructive opinions in a nice way and help him to work on improving his style not duplicate yours.

I said it looked great which meant my opinion on his first try. I am sure there are a lot of brides that would appreciate an album like that one. And as I said "I would like to see his future work".

Terry

[SuzyView]

Tim's qualified, in my book, so are about 10 other shooters here. I respect their comments. And yes, Tim is "Mr. Blunt" for a reason.

Starting out, the album is really well put together, if that is your style. I don't know how many galleries or albums you've seen before, but being here for almost 2 years now, I've seen quite a few websites and albums. Not all of us comment on every thread. Not just defending Tim, but several of the members do amazing albums, very well thought out and professional. I trust their comments. And "Great Job" is sometimes not too helpful.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Geo and Terry,. why are you upset when the OP has thanked tim for his candor and has in fact explained that he was looking exactly for that?

Just seems odd to stir things up for no reason when the water is otherwise smooth sailing?

[howzitboy]

i think Tim gave perfect "review" of the album. Everything he said helped the OP to improve it. I hope when I post up an album, Tim gives his "Mr. blunt" opinion!