BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Criticism

I've submitted 4 for the contest and one 1 got 1 comment.

I love comments the good, the bad, and the ugly ones too.

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February 16, 2006

I won't comment on all of them but I will make a comment in general. You place too many of your images in the middle of the frame. Need to get out of that. Sure, some, like the flowers, benefit by such a placement.

Lone Tree is one that does not. I would have liked it better if you had not zoomed in. I would have placed it off to the left with the Canyon in the background on the right (the shape of the tree would have led your eye in to the right). I would also have set a small aperature and used hyperfocal focusing to get more of the background into focus.

Sanibel Sunset - very dramatic. Good placement of the heron. I like the sun off to the right with the bird leading into the photo. The only change I would have made would be to have either shot it as I said above on Lone Tree or focused on the background. The bird is in silhouette so it doesn't need the focus as much. Really like this one though.

Jupiter Sunrise Fishing - All I can say about this one is that I like it. I like the pier to the left and the sun right in the middle. You have set the horizon in the lower part of the frame, as it should be. The horizon is just slightly tilted but not enough that it affects the picture. Good shot!

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February 16, 2006

Sign in to BP completely (email + password) and go view the picture that you hope to have critiqued. Click the "Discuss This Photo" link below the picture, to begin a new thread on it---saying in your message something like "Please give me your honest feedback on this shot." (It always helps if you can include any camera data in the text box for the picture--ISO, f-stop, shutter, filters, etc.)

Because you are the first person to start the thread on your image, YOU control the category of the thread, and can choose "Constructive Critique" in the little drop-down box. (The drop-down box choices only appear for the first user who starts the thread on a picture.)

By you choosing, that means the thread and picture will be visible under the "Forums" link, and listed specifically as a Constructive Critique message thread... there are members here who regularly watch & participate in that Forum, and will chime in with critique for you (as they see fit.) That would probably increase the chances of getting a response on your image, rather than relying only on Contest Entries, or just your Gallery, for the random viewer to stop by and leave remarks.

ALL of this advice assumes that you too, should and will participate in BP.com, as much as possible, by viewing many other members' photos, asking questions, answering questions, posting comments (even if you are just saying "Great shot!" on a pic you love---although, it is always good form when leaving a compliment, to indicate WHY you think it is a great image. Likewise, saying WHY you think it missed the mark, whenever you leave a critique... Just like Kerry did right here!)

Anyway... hope I was clear, on how you can start a Contructive Critique thread on your own pictures... I would avoid putting every picture you shoot, into the Constructive Critique Forum... limit it to images you really feel NEED feedback/critique.

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February 16, 2006