Another New Members Samples

Hi all, another new member here to dip my toe in the pool. I'm a very occasional amateur who gets lucky every now and then. At least I think I do.

Here is some of my better shots (apart from the selected coloring shot which is just a personal fav right now, I know most dont like them), feel free to tell me what I'm bad at and how to improve, and don't spare the obvious stuff as it may not be all that obvious to me. Nice to meet you all.

IMAGE LINK: http://flic.kr/p/j59wS​U

IMAGE LINK: http://flic.kr/p/j492h​A

IMAGE LINK: http://flic.kr/p/j4b33​P

IMAGE LINK: http://flic.kr/p/em11T​T

i think too much fan and the background in 3 looks sloppy but i like the pose and light

These are good, you are controlling the light well. There is nothing wrong with shooting a few hundred images and processing one or two favorites. The key then is to analyze why they are your favorites and then recreate them as you shoot next time.

Pixil Studio wrote in post #16596752
i think too much fan and the background in 3 looks sloppy but i like the pose and light

I'm really into my fans lol. I guess its a really lazy way to put life and motion into the shot, and I overdo it constantly because I dont really know any other way to achieve the same... 'dynamic feel?' If that makes sense. But yes its pretty much laziness lol. Quite a bit of flywaway hair was shopped out of 3 already on the right hand side of her.

ChunkyDA wrote in post #16599457
These are good, you are controlling the light well. There is nothing wrong with shooting a few hundred images and processing one or two favorites. The key then is to analyze why they are your favorites and then recreate them as you shoot next time.

I usually click away about 100-150 per session that ive set up. There usually is only two or three shots that I'm actually thinking about and actively seeking to get, and the rest is a kind of an evolution of in-between. In the set of which the first three shots belong No3 was a before-the-shoot planned shot, although nowhere near as edited as it became. (I have a much more toned down version which was the original target). No1 was a good idea at the time while fighting Mrs model since she dosen't like the one eye look, at all. Finally, No2 was just one of those shots I remember taking and thinking "oh that one might be nice" but didn't think about again until I saw it on computer. It was the best shot of the set.

As far as analyzing my favorites, I have a fair bit of difficulty with that, because my taste is so fundamentally bland and unimaginative at times, that on a forum like this I feel like a weekend painter and decorator standing next to chapel ceiling artists. My idea of a good shot, and also my pre-planned ideas for shots, are basic to say the least.

And there you have it, way more info than was asked or cared for, but I figure since this is my 'hello' thread I might as well explain a bit about how I do things. It also warns you that if I make a comment on your work like "maybe a little bit of straightening on that horizon," it's equivalent to a McDonalds employee following Gordon Ramsay around a kitchen with a salt shaker saying "seriously dude, this'll really bring out the flavor".

Welcome to the forums. Here are my comments for whatever they are worth......
Overall I think these look very good, you should be happy with them. Tip: It helps to number your images making it easier to receive critiques. And larger versions would also help.

#1 Strong shot. Not a big fan of the high camera angle. Also, I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the moment when you've got a beautiful girl in front of you worrying about exposure, posing, etc. But don't forget to notice the smaller details which can make or break your image. Unfortunately her messy hair detracts from the potential awesomeness of this one. And be careful of earrings, either showing them or not at all.

#2 Nice lighting. Fan is too strong. Pose too static and the hand makes it appear that she's keeping her hair from blowing away rather than posing. Interesting detail on the dress but too competing with your intended subject.

#3 The processing, background, and blowing hair keep me from liking this one.

#4 This one looks like you were going for a natural light feel but the main is too hot and too much light on the hands. Including hands in your images can be a tricky thing. In this shot the bent fingers look like stubs and their position becomes a distraction instead of an enhancement.

These are just my personal opinions and of course your mileage may vary.

It's so much fun to provide requested feedback only to get zero acknowledgement in return