Brutal Friday Critique - are you ready? Well punk are you?

Perfectly Frank wrote in post #18630346
Ken Rockwell?

Ouch, that cuts deep.

stathunter wrote in post #18629738
Hello Everyone! I have been away a bit but had someone ask me the other day for a critique, reminded me of the POTN thread I started years ago. I have flex for a few hours today and thought I would open up the room to see if anyone wanted a critique. I am here, post them if you want feedback on your pics.
All the best!
Scott

It's so great to have you back, Scott!

I think about this thread often, and always hope that it will be revived. . Now that has finally happened!

Here's an image that I took it yesterday morning.

I actually took dozens and dozens of shots of this snake during the 2 or 3 minutes that it was in this position, and changed the background, changed the aperture, the focal length, my distance to the subject ...... basically shot it every way I possibly could during the relatively short time.

Everything I did involved some sort of compromise. . This image is the one I was most satisfied with, but I am by no means totally satisfied. Would be very interested in seeing what your thoughts are.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18630361
It's so great to have you back, Scott!

I think about this thread often, and always hope that it will be revived. . Now that has finally happened!

Here's an image that I took it yesterday morning.

I actually took dozens and dozens of shots of this snake during the 2 or 3 minutes that it was in this position, and changed the background, changed the aperture, the focal length, my distance to the subject ...... basically shot it every way I possibly could during the relatively short time.

Everything I did involved some sort of compromise. . This image is the one I was most satisfied with, but I am by no means totally satisfied. Would be very interested in seeing what your thoughts are.

Hosted photo: posted by Tom Reichner in
./showthread.php?p=186​30361&i=i205330995
forum: Critique Corner

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Move closer.............

photosbytw wrote in post #18630363
Move closer.............

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I did.
At times I was actually quite a bit closer.
It bit my boot once.
Luckily, it never tried for my fingers.

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stathunter wrote in post #18630322
LOL. I keep that on the down low, so client/employers/peopl​e can't track/stalk me.

Well, dude, that's no good! I am a self-appointed verifier - you can send me your credentials. Why? You will get verified by me. Because, you know, giving out critiques ain't the most difficult task

I must have a weird imagination, because it looks like the snake is giving you the middle finger.

olafs osh wrote in post #18630472
Well, dude, that's no good! I am a self-appointed verifier - you can send me your credentials. Why? You will get verified by me. Because, you know, giving out critiques ain't the most difficult task

Respectfully..........​...Olaf, I'm self appointed as well...............eit​her you accept their critiques or dismiss them. I haven't seen those who critique anything agree on what needs improvement. No need to badger anyone here who.........quite frankly politely refused your request.......

As much as I love black, now you color everything too dark for this particular situation. Since I am also on this forum, it's just ok, if I want to see anything from a guy, who offers critiques. The same I tend to do with doctors and don't ask for a cure to a neighbour, who just appears healthy.

Scott, I have no intention to offend you, man.

olafs osh wrote in post #18630523
Scott, I have no intention to offend you, man.

Olafs, I am glad that you meant no offense to Scott.

The way that you asked, "Who are you" could be misinterpreted. . It kinda seemed like what you were thinking is, "in order for you to issue critiques here you need to be somebody important - someone who is a successful photographer and whose success is documented and recognized".

To think this way would be wrong. . Scott is a longstanding member who I have respected for years and years, and his contributions here on POTN are all that I need to respect his critiquing abilities.

Anybody has a right to legitimately give critiques, and to be able to remain anonymous so that their clients can't find them here on POTN. Someone doesn't need to have achieved a certain amount of success in order to give critiques. . They just need to be willing to spend some time writing about an image.


.

Yeah. It sounded totally more friendly in my head than it does to others here - that's for sure!

I would def argue on other couple of your points, but let's keep those for some "drinking thread" in the future, as here this branch of discussion, as said Joey from Friends, has reached a Moo Point

If I am not too late to the party, I would like honest critique.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/FpAb​Dp

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18630361
It's so great to have you back, Scott!

I think about this thread often, and always hope that it will be revived. . Now that has finally happened!

Here's an image that I took it yesterday morning.

I actually took dozens and dozens of shots of this snake during the 2 or 3 minutes that it was in this position, and changed the background, changed the aperture, the focal length, my distance to the subject ...... basically shot it every way I possibly could during the relatively short time.

Everything I did involved some sort of compromise. . This image is the one I was most satisfied with, but I am by no means totally satisfied. Would be very interested in seeing what your thoughts are.

Hosted photo: posted by Tom Reichner in
./showthread.php?p=186​30361&i=i205330995
forum: Critique Corner

.

Thanks Tom! Appreciate your kind words.

Sorry for the delay, I decided at the last minute to take a quick trip to West Michigan for a few days of camping and my campsite unexpectedly ended up being totally off the grid.

Your work is always good. I am not a big snake or even worse spider fan......if any spider pics come up......I absolutely refuse to even look at them.. seriously.

With your snake pic, I was reading the description and then scrolled down to the pic and it was NOT what I expected. I really was expecting a typical pic (think Raiders of the Lost Ark) where the snake is face level staring at you with the tail in the rear. Your pic was cool but not something I would want personally on my wall. Question for you, can you tell the age of the snake based on the layers of rattles? (I may be thinking rings of the tree here and probably way off).

Hey Olafs - no offense taken my friend. You are free to ask, I am not much with sharing. Critique is actually a small part of my photo business service (yes, I give more detail, time, depth and technical info).

In todays world taking a photo is easy, being a "photographer" is easy.......but capturing a real stunning photo takes an eye, skill, experience and tons of practice.

I was walking around the park the other day and happened to run across a "professional photographer" (she has professional gear and I stopped to talk to her), she was taking headshots of a few people. I noticed she was doing a horrible job, she was taking them in direct sun and using all of the wrong angles, poses etc. Since she was with "paying clients" I did not stop to correct her but was sad. I was sad that someone with an expensive camera was charging people for photos. She had no idea what she was doing and probably thought that because her camera was "X" $ that she was then good. Truth is she should have started with a VERY limited camera and learn how to take photos. I tell my clients that cameras a simple tools and the least important in taking a photo. I personally have won more awards with photos from my cell phone than my regular "professional" cameras. Photography is an art which takes skill but like anything else tons of practice. That girl reminded me that people need guidance and help from others to improve, learn and see things differently.

Here it is more about fun and learning. It started and will continue to be about just my simple opinion, nothing more and worth the price you have paid. I reserve the right to be direct. Again, this is really just my opinion here, nothing more.

Hey Tim!
Great work! I really like this, live the background and the lighting is great. Here are a few minor things: The little girl is in more of an adult pose. The left hand is a little awkward, the fact I can only see one foot bothers me a tad. I personally may have had her show both feet, with her hands around her knees, this way it is a bit more age appropriate and has more of a youth pose. This pose may have worked for me if she could cross feet over her ankles (showing both).
Also this may be a cropped version, if not I would give yourself a lot of space below. (reason for this, I am always thinking gallery wrap and you need a lot of extra space to fold around the wrap. I tend to think $ and could sell a big (expensive) gallery wrap to a client. I don't want to limit my selling/printing options.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18630361
It's so great to have you back, Scott!

I think about this thread often, and always hope that it will be revived. . Now that has finally happened!

Here's an image that I took it yesterday morning.

I actually took dozens and dozens of shots of this snake during the 2 or 3 minutes that it was in this position, and changed the background, changed the aperture, the focal length, my distance to the subject ...... basically shot it every way I possibly could during the relatively short time.

Everything I did involved some sort of compromise. . This image is the one I was most satisfied with, but I am by no means totally satisfied. Would be very interested in seeing what your thoughts are.

Hosted photo: posted by Tom Reichner in
./showthread.php?p=186​30361&i=i205330995
forum: Critique Corner

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Looks like it is giving you the finger