February 24,2009
The big picture landscape is one of the most difficult images to pull off. When we see the panorama our mind has a tendency to take it in all at once and fill in the gaps of information with what we are feeling at the time. Because we see in stereoscopic vision the distances involved have depth. But the camera only has mono-vision and therefore unless there is something in the scene that anchors the uninvolved viewer the resulting photograph looks flat and uninteresting.
I like the way this photographer used the foreground trees to frame the distant snow covered hills. This technique often adds depth to a photograph by giving the viewer somewhere to reference distance. There are nice patterns in the precipitation laden clouds.
This shot was taken on an overcast day which causes the scenery to appear flat and two dimensional. Perhaps the image could be lightened up a little on the computer. I would suggest a stronger center of interest to attract the view to the illustration. Another thing to watch out for is the equal proportions of sky to mass. Perhaps moving the horizon up or down in the composition would be of value in this illustration.
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One of the most important tools a portrait photographer has is light. The quality of light can change the entire character of a subjects features. It can make a plane person look miseries and bring out the sprit of the subject we would otherwise not see as photogenic.
The illumination on this strong subject has an iridescence that appears to glow from within. The way the photographer has manipulated the image the light appears to recede as the viewer gets further into the composition which gives the features a distinct three dimensional effect. This subject’s weathered face and his rough wardrobe tells the story of an outdoor life of hard work.
A fine subject and quality lighting make this a composition that attracts my eye. The aura of light in the background works on one level but does seem a little contrived. I do not know if this was studio lighting or just natural environmental light that was enhanced on the computer but overall it’s a very satisfying portrait.
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Abstracts can be created using extreme detail. By getting in so close that the viewer is on unfamiliar territory the photo-artist can often create unexpected patterns and graphics. Even though we may be familiar with the subject the geometric shapes and colors created may evoke feelings that only an abstract can create.
This high speed image of a droplet of liquid striking the surface has the look of an undulating wave of liquefied plastic. The colors are sticking in their unexpected brilliance. Through the use of a shallow depth of field the foreground wave has the feeling of a flowing brush stroke on glass. The resulting image is a study of a split second frozen in time.
I like the composition though perhaps a little could be cropped off the top which will focus the viewer’s attention on the swelling and moving surface. Perhaps the unfocused highlights conflict with a little with the smoothness of the rest of the graphic.
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Many photography clubs have an assigned subject every month base on a theme, such as ‘Love in the Rain’. These assignments are fun and interesting in how creative people can be in coming up with twists to the assignment.
If the assigned subject were “And Life Goes On” this photograph would be an excellent candidate to fulfill the assigned subject. By placing the blooming flowers in the foreground and the old cemetery, out of focus, in the background the photo-artist has created a juxtaposition of life and death. The vertical format works well with the white crosses climbing up the hill side much like a climbing vine.
My only concern with this shot is the mid day lighting. I think the photograph would have much more drama if it could be shot later in the day with golden hour lighting.
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There are some caricatures at events that appear to be excellent subjects for photographers; the problem is separating them from the distraction of their surroundings. Often there are crowds of people in the background that take away from the interest we find in the unique individual we want to illustrate.
This photographer has isolated their subject through the use of a telephoto lens. The illumination appears to be theatrical lighting, rather harsh and directional, but it does bring out the brilliant colors of the makeup and costume. One of the things I like about this image is the gesture of the raised arms of the subject. He is apparently in the midst of making an announcement.
The close cropping gives just enough information to the viewer without distractions. This is aided by the stage lighting which allowed the background to go completely dark. Even with the black background there is good detail the clown’s hair.
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Extracting emotions from portrait subjects aids in the telling of a story. The viewer has the ability to take the expression and read into it any number of personal experiences. In our interpretation the story the viewer is able to imagin both before the taking of the picture and results after the image was captured.
This young man, with his down cast expression, and slight knowing smile is something we have all seen in other people attempting to manipulate their audience, not quite admitting guilt but looking for forgiveness. The costume the boy is warring appears to be pajamas and this gives one more clue to the viewer in their task to reach out to the subject.
I like the cropping of the subject and the relatively high angle of view that gives the feeling of the child being submissive and imploring our sympathy. The background is muted into geometric shapes that give the impression of furniture in a room without being immediately identifiable.
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The creator of quality black and white prints should generally strive to capture the full range of the gray scale from rich blacks to pure whites with detail across the 255 tones of output levels. A good way to check the quality of high and low tones on the computer is to open Photoshop and go to tools and select Layers then open Levels. This will display a graph of the output levels. If there is missing tones at either end you can slide the pointers toward the center to adjust to your preference.
The child in this photograph has a natural photogenic quality. He must be a pleasure to work with. He has wonderfully expressive eyes. In this portrait the viewer sees curiosity and wonder in the child’s expression. The photographer has done a wonderful job of cropping that shows just enough information to capture the interest of the audience.
Perhaps the photo-artist would consider working a little with the levels curve to bring in some more dark and light tones. This should brighten up the image and give it more depth.
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Capturing the emotions of subjects on film is a magic moment. It’s hard for the average person to fake their feelings, to feel something that is not there. When the photo-artist works with a willing subject they need to let the person being photographed relax and let their emotional guard down to express what is within.
This portrait expresses the love a mother for her unborn child. It is well crafted, and has an idyllic feeling and at the same time it is natural. The lighting on the subject gives the composition a painterly feeling. The background is soft and dream like adding to the mood of the illustration.
The style and color of the dress has an Elizabethan quality. It reminds me of a hand colored print from a book of sonnets, timeless in emotion. My only critical comment concerns the rose used as a prop. It seems a little forced to me. I feel the composition and story would have worked just as well without it, but the artist placed it with care and intended it to contribute to the mood.
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There are certain gestures that may be universal in the world of primates; the smile, the open arms, a yawn, etc. In photography these symbols of communications can be used very effectively to tell a story or silliest an emotion from the viewer. You will see these quite frequently in advertising.
The photograph we have been offered here depicts one of those gestures that we all know and respond to, the pointing finger. We all want to be thought of as individuals but we do not wish to be isolated from others, put on the spot, by the dreaded pointing finger. This dark illustration with the soft focus face in the background and the extended finger in the viewer’s direction has the feel of an intimidating gesture.
If you look at the graph of contrast levels in this photograph you will find there are little or no whites along the curve. Assuming the photographer wanted a dark mood to this composition I would not recommend shifting the gray scale but rather modifying the channel curve to add contrast and more definition to the illustration. But that is the photo-artist’s call.
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Action photography requires that the viewer be focused on the event. The photographer must find a way of capturing the excitement of the moment so we feel the power and excitment. One of the best ways to do this is to isolate the subject by eliminating all extraneous distractions from the composition.
Through the use of a fast shutter speed this photographer was able to supply the viewer with the thrill of the moment as the surfer cuts his way across the crest of a late afternoon wave. This low horizon illumination has supplied a strong rim light that adds texture to the water and highlights the edge of the surfboard as well as the face of the surfer.
The composition has placed the moving subject to the right of the frame giving room to the left for the action and movement to continue. By cropping in tight, eliminating all unnecessary information, the viewer is free to wonder at the frozen action of the rider and the water.
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There is an age when children are their most delightful. I feel that age, in most cases, is between three and five. Everything is a wonder to them, they are seeing the world through new eyes, and as such we as adults are able to shear this learning experience. Their every word, their every discovery can bring joy to our hearts.
This seraph has the expression of a cherub with the eyes of innocence and hope. Who could not fall in love with this face? I like the way the photographer has filled the frame with the subject, making the child the whole world, all there is in the frame. The tuffs of hair across the child’s forehead help to add a natural border to the composition.
I would like to recommend a little work on the computer to bring up the whites in the levels curve. At this time they are nonexistent leaving the illustration a little muddy. The photo-artist may also want to play around with the curves graph to get a little more contrast.
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Where does imagination come from? Do you wake up one morning with an idea for a photograph that you didn’t have the day before? Or does it happen on the spot when you see the elements you have to work with? All I know is that the more you practice the luckier you get.
This is an unexpected composition. Using two diametrically opposed materials to create a homogenous photo-graphic. The viewer will naturally think of rose petals as soft and delicate and marbles as hard and geometric. What makes this photograph work is the helix pattern within the clear surfaces of the spheres. This design element bridges the gap between the concepts of hard and soft.
The studio lighting is a little blown out in some of the petal areas but adds to the surreal mood of the illustration. The marbles have the feeling of words floating in an ether of astral clouds. The more I look at this image the more I relate to it.
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Sometimes we find strong photographic scenes such as sunsets or landmarks that look wonderful at the time but when we see the final photograph there is something missing. Generally it needs a strong point of interest or something to tell a story against the backdrop of the inspiring scene.
In this photograph the photographer was able to find, or place two lovers in the foreground to tell a story against the seascape of islands and ocean. The leading line of the isles makes a chain taking the viewer deeper into the composition. The photo-artist has added a filter to the sky for drama, or perhaps to represent how the lovers see the world at this moment. The saturation appears to have been increased to enhance the richness of the water hues.
I would like to reconsider the manipulation of the sky color and the sea hue saturation. As a viewer they look a little too forced and exaggerated. Perhaps the photographer would consider taking the subject off the center line of the layout by cropping the right side.
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Sometimes when we see a work of art we do not know if it was created by a genius or a madman. One of my favorite authors, Kafka, is like that. He breaks many of the rules of storytelling . When you have completed one of his short stories you are unsure if you have read about someone’s nightmare or the ravings of a mandman.
This composition has the feeling of a 1960’s Si-Fi movie thriller . There is something menacing about this harmless looking flower. Perhaps it’s the jarring colors used, or the softness of the subject combined with the unusual brightness of the center of the pentagram. There is an aura around this disembodied flower where the petals meet the orange background making it almost mesmerizing.
This illustration breaks all the rules, in fact it brakes so many rules that it appears to be intentionally composed to bewilder the viewer. A work of genius? - that is for others to decide on their own.
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The human imagination has the ability to complete images and extrapolate what is seen into areas outside the frame. Often it is better to let the viewer use this ability to fill in missing information on their own.
This photographer photographed the familiar flamingo in an unusual way. By only showing a portion of the tail feathers a graphic was created bordering on an abstract of color. The lighting is unique coming from a relatively low angle. It has the appearance of a studio setup. This illumination gives good texturing and layering of subtle color changes.
The selection of a uniform gray background does allow the detail of the subject to stand out but it is a rather homogenous and boring tone. The photo-artist might want to consider a little subtle texture in this area or graduated lighting. The leading line of the extended feathers has a tendency to take the eye to the lower right hand corner and out of the frame. Perhaps cropping a small portion off the tip will help to contain the graphics.
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Title: Mellisa
Photographer: Jared Moseley
Date Submitted: January 25, 2009
Rating:
Three Runners Up Images:
Cat: Jan 22nd
John Ferritto: 
Emily: Jan 28nd
Al Unger: 
Hawaii: Jan 12th
Al Unger: 
Creativity, where does it come from? Is it inherent or can it be taught, the old question of nature or nurture? Most all of us can improve our skills through education but some people have a natural spring of originality. And some have it hidden away not to be seen until the right opportunity becomes available.
This creative eye realized a composition that most of us would have passed by. The angle of the shot is unique and captures a personal view of the life of a dancer. There is an introspective feeling to this photograph of a young dancer almost as if the viewer can read her dreams as she goes through the workout. Her expression is of deep in concentration but with a dreamy faraway mood.
I particularly find the way her leg bisects the composition interesting; hiding a portion of her face just enough to force the viewer to complete her expression in their imagination. The slight tilt of the exercise bars adds movement to the layout while she is perfectly at rest. The only distraction I find is the contrast between her leg and the rest of her skin tones.
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Illustration photography is a style that was quite popular a few years ago. It was used in advertising to show complex humorous scenes. The rich detail of the props all contributed to the story being told. These were the type of images you could look at over and over again to find interesting tidbits. They were very much in the tradition of Norman Rockwell.
This image is a good example of illustration photography with each prop adding to the humor of the scene. Finding a dog in the seat of the executive is the punch line of this joke. The lighting on the subject is even without becoming flat while there is a nice pattern of illumination on the backdrop. As we can see there was a great deal of planning that went into this composition.
There may be some points that the photo-artist could consider. The clock directly over the head of the subject is quite strong graphically, it almost comes across as a thought bubble in a cartoon, if this was the intent OK. There is something about the three items on the back wall that makes them appear to have been dropped in on the computer; perhaps the lighting is a little different than the light on the backdrop.
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There is nothing like working with a model who knows how to work the camera. With some subjects you may have to work for hours to loosen them up to get a glimpse of personality, but with a professional model the session comes alive with excitement and photograph opportunity.
This is one of the most exciting glamour shots I have seen in sometime. The movement of her hair brings the composition alive. With only one eye visible there is a sensual quality that is timeless. The hue of her eye is magnified by the background selection while the key light placed high and to the right creates shadows to add shape to her shoulder and face.
This is a WOW! shot.
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Every city has some landmark that sets it apart for all the others. Perhaps it is not as well known a structure as the Sidney Opera House but to the well traveled each city has that skyline that names the place instantly. Many of these have been photographer so many times everyone is familiar with them but others are unknown treasures.
The most recognizable landmark in Auckland is the Sky Tower rising 328 meters above the city. But our photographer chose to capture the old 1912 Edwardian style Ferry Terminal. The image records this old Baroque building being crowded in by the modern structures of the city. This image has a very congested feeling with the tight cropping, even the overcast sky adds to the oppressive mood of the composition.
This is a high contrast exposure with little detail in the shadows. But I feel this adds to the disparity of the photograph’s mood. My only wish is that the Ferry Building could have stood out more as the center of attention. With the white buildings in the background much of the structure blends into the other structures.
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The amateur photographer is my hero. They use their camera for the love of it. Their creative talents are free to make art their own way without the restraints or desires of others. Once you shoot for money or to win that contest you are bending your will to someone else’s needs. The point of amateur photography is not to please others but to have fun and set your imagination free.
If nothing else this is an imaginative illustration, a creative work based on extravagant colors. The photographer found is painted man of steel and made him their own through interpretation. By tilting the subject the photo-artist stepped over the line taking the subject out of the record shot classification. By dropping in an extravagant colored background he accentuated the garishness of the subject.
This photo is creative, perhaps not one I would hang on my living room wall, but creative none the same. You have taken what could have been a snap shot and taken it to the next level.
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Sports photography requires quick reflexes, preparation and the right moment if you are going to capture the performer at the zenith of their action. In this fraction of a second just as the ball is caught, the runner crosses the line or the jumper goes over the bar the action is captured. This is the excitement point.
This photographer was prepared to be in the right place at the right time. Their shutter speed was set high so the action could be frozen forever. The way the photo-artist cropped the composition has added to the telling of the story. From the small amount of information at the base of the frame we know this was taken at an outdoor motor-cross, probably in the desert. The small strip of soil across the bottom is an anchor to the rest of the image. I like the selection of the tall vertical format. This accentuates the height of the rider from terra firma.
This image appears to have been taken in the shade for there does not appear to be any direct light on the subject. This has reduced the brilliance of the rider’s costume. I would like the photo-artist to consider increasing the saturation on the computer as much as possible.
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Architecture is art cast in stone. Most of it is functional and mundane but a few structures are inspiring, uplifting and eternal. The photographer, if photographing others artwork, needs to capture their own impression and not just make a record of what they see before them, without finding an interpretive way of capturing the subject we just have a record shot.
Cathedrals are among some of the most amazing structures ever created by the hand of man. They are meant to inspire the sprit and humble the sole. This composition records that feeling of overwhelming power. The tilt of the frame throws the viewer off balance while the height says that this structure is bigger than and more powerful than any man.
I like the layering effect through the passages. The viewer is looking through the foreground arch which frames the rest of the scene adding additional depth. The lighting creates drama as it gradates up and around the columns. I particularly like the lavender cast of light in the upper right hand corner which ties into the upper window.
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Travel photography gives us the opportunity to share our experience with other, images of exotic places and exciting adventures. Many of the photographs that result from travel are not particularly strong images on their own but work well in sequential slide shows that tell of the adventures we encountered.
The rich greens of this tropic seascape tell of a trip to the islands. Our travelers have had the adventure of participating in activities they could not imagine in their everyday lives back home. You can almost hear the gentle roll of the waves on the sand as the Panga is pushed out to sea.
I would like the photographer to consider a little cropping of this image. In the foreground on the beach there is some jetsam that detracts from the pristine beauty of the rest of the image. This will also lower the horizon and take it off the center line.
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I find street scene photography one of the hardest subjects to comment on. The photographer is working with a subject that they can not only see but hear and smell. They were there and know what was important to them and why the object of their interest was important. Unless the unaware viewer captures some of that feeling and interest the image comes off as a random snap shot.
This scene does have some interesting elements that come across as a story which the observer can relate to. There is a feeling of life on the street in this photograph with some drama. I like the open space the photo-artist allowed for the background street scene, it adds depth to the composition.
I am bothered by the placement of the man in the white shirt. The arm of the primary subject is cutting across his face which causes me to be distracted from the man caring the weight in the foreground. Street photography is extremely difficult to pull off.
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Over and over I have said when photographing flowers to try to photograph them in such a way that the resulting image is unique, unexpected, and interpretive. We have all seen pretty pictures of flowers so often that the viewer needs to see compositions that are out of the ordinary if they are to be appreciated.
This image brakes that rule, the photographer has taken a fairly straight shot of a flower without much in the way of apparent interpretation. However the lighting in combination with the perfection of this plant has resulted in an outstanding image. The transition of light to shadow within each peddle as resulted in nuance shading of the cluster which gives the illustration a three dimensional quality.
The black background has just enough texture to keep it from becoming boring. Compositionally the heart of the subject is off the center line of the frame to keep it from becoming too stagnant. In conclusion this could have been a very ordinary “flower shot” but the quality of lighting makes it work.
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There are many exciting images to be found in industrial products, when most people look at a machine they fail to see the hidden graphics within the beams and pipes, hoses and gears. It can be like shooting architectural detail.
This graphic is about lines and colors. The photo-artist has taken this piece of equipment down to one small detail area and used the curves of the black hoses against the diagonal lines of the orange steel structure. For the most part this piece of industrial equipment is clean and sharp. The low sunlight enhances the crisp color of the painted surfaces.
I have found over the years that any blemish, any dirt in a shot like this will stand out and distract the viewer. I would like to suggest to the photographer that they consider cloning out some of the marks and ink lines on the silver hose couplings.
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High-key lighting was originally used in television to reduce the amount of shadows on a scene. By removing any shadows many scenes could be shot without new lighting setups. In photography high-key is associated with white subjects on white backgrounds such as portraits with the subjects in white on a white seamless, by lighting the scene so there are no dark shadows the photograph results in a very homogeneous scene.
Our cat lover has used high-key lighting to create this strong image. The outline of the subject is blurred with the backdrop giving just that much more emphases to the facial features of the animal. The eyes grab the viewer instantly.
The only suggestion I would like to make to the photo-artist concerns the light reflections in the eyes. We can see the lighting set up reflected in these large black orbs which results in a number of highlights across their surfaces. I would like the photographer to consider reducing these down to one highlight per eye.
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Light meters in cameras have come a long way in the last few years but they still read 18% gray. That is to say that when the meter sees a picture no matter how light or dark the scene is that it is metering it will set the exposure (the amount of light reaching the film plane) to an average exposure. This results in over exposed dark scenes, because the camera treys to let more light than necessary in, or under exposed bright scenes, because the camera treys to reduce the amount of light.
This photograph is a good example of the photographer using this phenomenon to their advantage. You will note how dark the sky looks, almost blue black. This was caused by the meter stopping down the lens trying to compensate for the hot spot of the sun in the center of the composition. With the sun behind the flag the over compensation of the light meter has resulted in nice rich hues of blue and gold. Also be aware of the illumination of sun light around the center flag.
The colors blue and gold are complementary colors, direct opposites on the standard color wheel, which have a natural tenancy to go together. This is a simple image with a great deal of technical skill.
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