Salut everyone,
I'm a french portrait and fashion photographer based in Paris.
I submit to you one of my last portrait.
I would appreciate if you take a little of your time to give me some advice and by the way if you could visit my website to have a wilder look on my work and tell me what you think
Thank per advance
Michel
I think it is beautiful. The white in the background is a bit distractingbut that could be cropped out. I also feel it is a little flat perhaps because it was slightly under exposed. However it is still lovely. Well done.
Yes it's a very nice shot. I think you could crop in a little tighter. From the left, to remove the white spot and from the top to remove some empty space. Good job
This is something that makes me wonder. I've been guilty of missing a background element, especially when I have a beautiful subject. But how does that distraction go unnoticed when editing?
To be honest, I didn't paid attention to white spot. I will change the format 2x3 format to a 5x7, it will crop that spot. Thank to everyone. Do you have any advice on my work ? http://www.mhmphotographie.com
My advice is to continue. You are doing good work. And in Paris, you have such amazing potential, all the beautiful settings and beautiful people with beautiful clothes, you are blessed.
Lighting isn't bad, shot itself isn't to bad either, but I have some notes:
Her face is pretty awkward - Is she mid blinking or falling asleep? Where is she looking as well? Personally, Her eyes and expression needed a bit more direction. Her looking at the camera would have been big as well.
Her Posture - She is dipped over far to much, and her arm being cut off mid way doesn't really work here.
Her Outfit - Is this a workout shoot? A night time bed time shoot? I'm confused ny the outfit. I can't see it enough so it can't quite be fashion.
The Story - What exactly is going on her? What is this shot trying to be? It's to cluttered to be beauty, it's not giving enough info to be fashion, not enough of a story to be editorial, to much info to be a portrait, location to minimal to be lifestyle.
The color - Far to magenta, maybe that's personal, but it's just to much in my honest opinion.
I don't care too much that it does not sit in a comfortable commercial photography pigeon hole. It is a photograph, no more no less, and almost too lovely to look upon. A beautiful woman being interesting in a nice setting with a good colour palette, nice blues, North European location so exactly as one might expect and I am happy. Yes I think it underexposed, a little. Yes I am distracted by the white thing, easy to crop out. Still, I like it. I calibrated my screen 2 or 3 days ago and I don't see magenta, blue yes but not magenta. I like the blue and it sits right for the image, imo.
It has 0 to do with what I enjoy and simply stating things that should be considered. You had an intention and a theme here, thus you are building narrative. These shots fall into something and are meant too. If you are out just taking photos and have no intentions behind what you are shooting, then why are you shooting it to begin with? I would take some more time to consider that.
If your out to just photograph a pretty women, even this falls short and could stepped up to present it. I would also say your wasting your time asking for a critique since it doesn't seem like your to ampt to improve.
Im brutal (4 years of art school) so its not an attack on you personally.
If you recognise you're being brutal, why not choose to be kinder. Not dishonest, just present your thought in a more positive and encouraging way. CC involves finding fault but also identifying merit and highlighting them both so to help the author of the work under review to build on strength encouraged by the recognition of it and to progress avoiding the faults or weaknesses identified. Brutal is just either lazyness or arogance or unkindness and there is truly no need for it.
Michel does not have to agree with any of us but in fact has agreed about the arm, noting "it could have been better" and he will "pay more attention, next time."
I also did 4 years in art school, 1 year art foundation and then 3 years studying photogrpahy and have spent a lifetime working on camera. For all we know Michel may be better qualified than either of us, it matters not. He asked for CC, and we chose to offer it but have no right to be unkind/brutal and Michel is under no obligation to agree with any comments we make. Of course, where we see little merit, if we choose to criticise we need to be supportive and encouaging to ensure we don't cause someone to give up on photography when they presumably get something out of it and may very well become a superb photogapher because they stick at it, and perhaps in some part because of the guidance received from all sorts of people, including this group. I am not saying your points are either wrong or right, but suggesting a more measured approach to your CC and a recognition that our views are not a de facto correct position but rather one persons view, in an art, where right and wrong have little to do with anything and personal feeling and empathy are so important. This group exists, like so many other such support systems, because this stuff is not easy, it is very personal and involves much solitary work, with few opportunities for most to benefit from pier or public review. We need to stick together.
If you are assuming/applying a particular tone of voice to the words I am typing, that's on you. I'm actually being nice, it's just blunt. Blunt does not necessarily mean rude or crass. I'm digressing though.
Never said he had to agree or never said he had to like it. I'm not against him, or you, or anyone here. Everything I say is out of the concern for the photo taker in question. If I didn't give any care, I would say nothing. If you don't see being direct about things, for someone who is taking photography serious enough to want the critique, as being kind to them in the long run, then the meaning of critiques is lost and I need to bow out.
By being direct, I'm actually being more respectful by not wasting their time or mine, and pin seeking what I believe will help them improve, so in my honest opinion, I'm being far more nice than most by giving it to them so they actually have to think about it.
If it offends the photo taker, then they should consider not taking it so personally, and learn that critiques are not meant to always be "feel good moments of AHA". Best lessons are learned come from breaking points, pain and disappointment. I speak my words to get a reaction. Reaction means thinking. Thinking = good. if I get one, then my critique has succeeded.
If that makes me an asshole here...**shrugs**...Oh well, not my intention.
Ok no need to fight here. I can support a critic, even yours Travis. If I couldn't, wouldn't post my photo here and nowhere else.
I'm a self taught photographer and when I was starting in photography, 3 years ago now, someone have made a really bad critique on my photo. I was completely ruined. But you are rigth,Travy : It was rude, just like you were but it was usefull. After that, I always tried to do better.
I believe that if my photo was dramaticly bad, Travis wouldn't have to his time to post such a critic. Maybe it's because you see in me a possibility of improvement
Calling me Travy to get at me is rude, which doesn't affect me though.
My critique? If you see it as rude, I will ask that if you are going to ask for professional critiques, I will ask you in the future learn not to take words that can help so seriously and continue to develop a thicker skin. Your hurt feelings show in your response, and your ego shows even more. Be mindful good sir, you sound chalked up on your own supply after this comment. ;)
Personally, I know I have a lot of improvements to make in my own work, and honestly, if you have given me the same critique on my photo as I did for yours, I would have loved it because I would have known:
1. You were honest
2. You didn't waste my time and respected my process
3. You would probably be right.
I always take every critique everyone gives me personally, and see it as a chance to be better tomorrow. I am always growing and have a much thicker skin than most, something you should consider developing after your glorious sarcastic comments above.
My critique stands, the shot is not impressive, is boring and generic, it makes no sense, and needs another push in all aspects. You don't like hearing that, not my problem. I'm not like everyone else, and I'm not going to kiss your ass or cover you in compliments on work that is a cookie cutter of what I see on her regularly. :)
Best of luck to you sir.
Travis, là je vais écrire en français pour plus d'aisance, vous ferez l'effort de traduire comme je le fais avec vos nombreux et longs messages qui sont totalement dénués d'intérêt.
Sans doute que mon anglais n'est pas suffisamment clair pour que vous puissiez comprendre ma démarche. J'ai posté cette image pour obtenir des critiques dans le but de m'améliorer. Oui, je sais prendre la critique mais avec les formes. Je ne vois absolument pas l'intérêt de faire du rentre dedans, cela n'apporte rien, excepté de soulager vos propres névroses.
Malgré cela j'ai écouté ce que vous aviez à me dire et j'ai digéré vos critiques. Quand, je me range de votre côté en disant qu'en effet les critiques servent même quand elle sont abruptes, vous pensez que je suis en mouton qui suit le troupeau. Quand je m'exprime mon désaccord avec vous, visiblement j'ai pas le droit, alors qui êtes vous Travis : Dieu ? Plutôt un pauvre cinglé, à l'âme aussi noir que ses photos.
Vous vouliez de l'honnêteté, non ? J'ai été voir votre travail : Franchement, ça casse pas trois pates à un canard !
Vous croyez raconter des histoires dans vos photos, moi ne voit rien et très franchement, je pense pas être le seul. Sur le plan technique et émotionnelle, il n'y a rien à retenir.
Alors vous voyez : moi aussi je suce pas des bites ! Vous n'êtes pas le seul avoir cette qualité même si vous pensez ne pas être comme les autres sur le forum.
Vous être comme bien d'autres sauf que vous êtes plus névrosé. Alors s'il vous plaît n'inversez pas les rôles : moi, je ne suis pas imbus de ma personne, je n'ai pas l'égo démesuré, par contre, vous l'êtes !
Je vous souhaite aussi une bonne route. Mais prenez un chemin différent du mien, s'il vous plaît.
Malheresement, je ne parle pas telement bien en Fraincais, donc, pour moi c' ete tres difficile a lire tous que vous avez ecrire et je n'ai pas comprendre le tous. J'espere Travis compredre les points que vous avez fait, beaucoup mieller que moi, et donc pense plus.
C'est domage que nous somme plus content sans Travis, qui J'espere aussi, prendre un chemin different.
Hi Travis,
Of course, I can't agree your point of view. Maybe it's simply not your kind of photography. As you say, this photo doesn't fit the portrait photography, I think it is between fashion and lifestyle even if you can see enough clothes here and location as well (see the attached photo).
Concerning her attitude, she is definitively not sleeping and it's a charming attitude, maybe it's to much for you. She could have been charming in a different posture but I assume this "too much" attitude.
For the arm, I'll pay more attention, next time, I agree it could have been better.
The point of this photography is not to tell a story, so just an attractive woman, that's all
For the color grading, it is mostly blue and a tiny bit of red in the shadow. But as you said, it's a matter of test.
Love this image, perfect amount of highlight and shadow on the model!
Here is the cropped version
I prefer the new version, the cropped one
don't like her expression, only thing i don't like
I like very much the toning: the blue and gold/yellow on the background fit perfectly
Beautiful!