February 2009 photo comp - chatter

[stigmundfreud]

Well really wasn't prepared to be starting a thread this month so ideas are thin on the ground. So this one is going to be seemingly boring but should be something everyone can attempt: People portraiture.

Get your thinking caps on oh and a pet hate of mine is people that post huge images that are way beyond the size of the recommended posting size and for that I will deduct points (thats for anything where the longest side is more than 1024 pixels)

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miniman said:

stigmundfreud said:

Get your thinking caps on oh and a pet hate of mine is people that post huge images that are way beyond the size of the recommended posting size and for that I will deduct points (thats for anything where the longest side is more than 1024 pixels)

Actually anything wider than 750px will get squished by PH so that is the max ideal size to avoid quality reduction.

Yep I know but most resizing packages on the web do it to 1024. REcently people have been entering photos almost the size of the moon which will get an instant ignore from me as this months judge.

As I'm judging this month not sure I can comment on the entry ideas in this thread or not but 1 is a throw away

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both nice shots Bernie, very nice colour in them

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makes no difference, spur or posed so long as its portraiture

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I wondered when you were going to show up

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unfortunately I can;t enter but...
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and a nod to DB

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M005 said:

miniman said:

I am way out of my depth this month

+1

Certainly more aimed at the Pro's than the rest of us which is a shame.

sorry but thats a defeatest attitude. It is in no way aimed at the pros any more than any other months comp could see the "pros" having an advantage.

As a judge this month you can rest assured that I will look at all entries based on merrit, effort, imagination first and execution second.

What with the outbursts over my non-photo winning this month and the feeling of it being aimed at pros this month I have to say give me the judge a bit more credit.

I chose portraits because its something that anyone should be able to make a good stab at. I'm not looking at just the best technical shot I'm looking at imagination/creativity or that little something.

this is not a rant aimed at you m005 its just a general reminder that this is open for anyone.

The last time I set a topic it caused issues as it excluded expensive cameras so I bowed to pressure and set it to a more general theme. This time the theme is set with Portraits and anyone that enters has an equal chance of winning.

As someone that takes portraits it might make it harder for the "pros" to actually win as I'll be judging them a bit more closely on technical stuff, also its more than likely i'll see something fresh from some one else than the usual suspects (though taht should not put usual suspects from entering)

Now back to the matter to hand, everyone should enter

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miniman said:

I am way out of my depth this month

Cheeky Jim said:

Me too...

Maybe we should limit the pro's to taking a shot with their eyes closed and no post image processing!!

Give us lesser mortals a chance!!

In the words of my Mr T key ring "Don't make me mad, grrr"

Shut it, enter, enjoy!

[stigmundfreud]

miniman said:

stigmundfreud said:

What with the outbursts over my non-photo winning this month and the feeling of it being aimed at pros this month I have to say give me the judge a bit more credit.

To be fair, the "outbursts" were bks

top of the class, you sire should enter for just a special mention at the very least

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Mrs BlueCerbera said:

Do I need to resize these ? - I thought size was ok according to photobucket but they look big on here

Edited by Mrs BlueCerbera on Tuesday 3rd February 14:44

no they are quite ok

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you must send me staceys contact details I'll even pay for a (cheap) flight for her!!

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AH nutz

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ignore that you took it and someone else posted it, what might you say in a critique?

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Don said:

stigmundfreud said:

ignore that you took it and someone else posted it, what might you say in a critique?

I do find that very hard to do.

I like that shot. It's sharp. The background is thrown out of focus. I didn't catch the chap's best expression, despite taking many, many shots. As a portrait the shot is about the chap not the bird - maybe I'm not making enough of that.

It's not as exciting as it could be.

I still like it, of course, else I wouldn't have posted it.

Go on - any pointers?

Well when it comes to any form of photography we all have what we do and do not like so any pointers that I give will have a slight bias towards what I personally like no matter what I say. So...

Technically you've done right, the subject is nicely seperated from the background so on that score all is well. But what is important with portraits is to make you want to look more, some kind of hook. With portraits usually the only people involved in the shot are interested in them. Remember this is not to say you shouldnt like the shot but when entering a shot to a comp it has to have more than a personal interest.

It isnt always a requirement to have eye contact with the camera but thats to say there is some connection to draw the viewer in. Your shot, to me, is lacking in this respect. To me your entry would be much better placed in an environmental catagory as it tells a much better story of a falconer (whatever they are called) than a portrait. In this subject I'd have liked to have the man looking with the head as is but with good eye contact with the camera, I think that would have told a better story.

All sounding bks isnt it?! Likewise shots with girls putting the tits forward etc dont tend to work for me unless its in a very interestingly set up shot. There are some good examples in this thread of what stands as a good portrait, something that grabs your attention. Yellabellies shot of his wife, nick_bbb's shot (look at the use of composition to transform what would be a boring shot into something else). A simple use of angle adds a lot of drama to the shot, nick used 2 planes of view in twising the horizon both horizontally and then on the vertical by angling upwards both of which intersect at the girl.

I'm not going to simply discount the shots that are not taken with the same experience as some of the entrants but this comp should be a good lesson in what makes the difference between a shot and a portrait for others to enjoy. Its easy to over use angles too but looking at nicks and yells's shots show different use of view point to change how the result comes out.

I quite like your crop/view, I like the slight off center it balances quite nice I just would like to have seen something to grab my eye. In this I feel the importance would have been on his face.

/waffle

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Mrs Fish said:

I love the first one and the fourth one

I only have candid ones but I really like them. Anyone have a preference?

Taken Last week
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

OK you did ask

1,3,4,5 are throwers. I actually like the childs eyes but its a snap. You can have candid portraits or candid snaps. Thats a snap. The ones of the girls on the booze again snaps or at a push a Wanderesque attempt on documentary (I'm still sore from your outbust on the P&P the other month ) so that leaves 2 and 6

Personally I really hate child photos,they are only of any interest to the parent or relative or at a push a subordinate at work thats wanting to get in the bosses good books but good children shots do exist.

Typically child shots will be candid or some twee studio shot, there is only one child shot that from memory I like and that was taken by EmmaP, in fact I liked it so much its inspired 2 sets am working on at the minute. Now your number 2 picture is lovely and sharp, captures the child well in its (not sure on gender and once said a baby girl looked like a boy) element. But compare that to say this:

something comical which removes the element of relationship from the shot


or this with a great capture of the eyes with nice catchlights which just drag you in


If you remove your emotional tie from the shot you have to ask beyond why you like it what does it do?

6 is a nice use of black and white


BTW to anyone that actually reads me dont let anything I say in these 2 critiques disuade you from placing your entry (if already done so) or from placing an entry. Also if others have enterd child pics dont worry I'm not about to discount them because I am a heartless child hating oaf.

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Bernie-the-bolt said:

stigmundfreud said:

BTW to anyone that actually reads me dont let anything I say in these 2 critiques disuade you from placing your entry (if already done so) or from placing an entry. Also if others have enterd child pics dont worry I'm not about to discount them because I am a heartless child hating oaf.

And here was I thinking you were just a miserable old bugger!

Let me just make a quick note of which is your shot

Mrs F much better and as for the PandP I think it was something about my ladyboy loving or some such

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Ah it was Mrs Trackside which would also account for the blank response to that comment I made to her now!

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Dogsey I've saved a special place for you in the comisserations thread

in other words if you want me to I will do but via pm now

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some profanity filter blocked it

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whats to rip, the first one is lovely