Critique Of My Work Please. . .

If you are brand new to photography, you would not understand what the critiques mean. Maybe you should just ask others if they think your photos will sell or how to sell here.

Just be aware, people will give very honest but blunt advice.

Hum why such small sizes?

Kristin,
Here's a tip:
Photographing your pets is a fun way to get to learn photography. If you are trying to get the whole animal make sure all of the animal is in the frame. You can always crop off but you can't add on. Look at the edges and the corners before you push the shutter button.

this is over exposed, crooked and kind of soft, far too small, too few words and no description. you have another like this that is too dark. i don't see where the beauty is in this shot, its not sarcasm (not totally), but the subject should be clear when i see it.


the pup is cute - your shooting far too small here. you want large sizes, just don't enlarge them. the background is very cluttered in this, try it outside with better light and get on his level. you really need better titles for these, descriptions and far more words or you'll never be seen.


don't apply instagram filters on things, it won't improve the shot. don't upload all the pictures of your dog. only you'll be interested, choose the best one. this isn't it, its not in focus and kind of blue looking and the top of his head is cut off.


the picture is vague as to whats going on in here. so much grass, and the dogs are kind of mangled together.


these two images are almost identical. however parts are cropped off, the one on the right is too small and a bit noisy. ideally you have to ask - would i hang any of these over my couch? because your selling to other people. things that a buyer can shoot, will, and won't get it from you. you have to think outside the box and shoot things that are interesting leaving the pets aside.


i don't know why you took a picture of this. its also leaning. a good picture tells a story. and a story is as simple as understanding what the image is about.

your galleries should have cover images and people should start there.

overall get pictures of other things other than your pets and right around your house. get better titles, descriptions, more words, and better clarity, many of those won't print due to softness and noise, many are too small to print.


---Mike Savad

Thank you for the critiques. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of traveling or an actual camera (I only have a phone). Personally I prefer the filters and slanting, I did these purposely. I guess photography isn't for me. Thank you though.

Kristin - " Down the road " & " Foggy bridge" caught my eye . I like those type of atmospheric shots, & could see many buyers who would enjoy that mood.

You need to address the size issue first - your images are coming in sized for greeting cards.

Janine- How do I deal with the sizing?

no one wants to buy a slanted image, it doesn't give you an edge. and insta filters won't improve an image. you don't have to go to an exotic location. i'm sure there are gardens near you, oh wait your in texas maybe not. though if you visit Abilene i heard you could maybe get sales from there...

the sizing you can't do anything about your phone may be limited to that size. i suggest you buy a small cheap camera. phones are good for a grab shot. but if you want to learn about photography and get serious and sell you need a better camera.

---Mike Savad

Kristin, with regards to photography this website is tailored more towards the advanced photographer. Selling photographic prints is the natural "last step" in the progression of ones career. The photographer who is ready to take that step forward (to sell) should have mastered their technique and have a thorough understanding of the "exposure triangle".

My reply is the extremely condensed version :)) and I'm not going to offer a critique on the snapshots you made with the cellphone. In your last reply you stated 'I guess photography isn't for me". This sound to me as though you are implying the art of photography was that simple and easy as ready, aim and fire. I teach photography, and run workshops whenever possible. Beginners to advanced. I've seen the look of disappointment from novices who just purchased their first SLR body and lens. That part is tough for me as well, folks pay me good money per hour to instruct and educate them, not console them :(

If your really interested in this as a hobby, or to eventually begin selling in earnest there are some incredible and wonderful books you can chose from at Barnes & Noble.

you'll also want a better bio than that.

---Mike Savad

you also shouldn't give up that easily. photography like any art takes years to master. if you want to sell you have to get better first. art is not as easy as it looks. many want to get into it. you need a thick skin and to constantly practice, get better and better. your competition here has many years of experience making and selling.

if your serious about learning i suggest to take classes first. then join a critique site and learn how to critique others so you can then self critique yourself. get a real camera (doesn't have to be an slr). something you can zoom and adjust settings. it takes time.

---Mike Savad

"Personally I prefer the filters and slanting, I did these purposely. I guess photography isn't for me."

Kristin, if you enjoy taking pictures, then OF COURSE photography is for you. IGNORE people who tell you not to use filters or slant the picture. That's some nerve, huh??

It's your picture, your vision, shoot what you want. And do a lot of it. Set your phone to it's largest jpg setting. At this point don't concern yourself with selling or technical detail. Shoot lots and lots of photos, of anything and everything that interests you. Be a nuisance; get in people's face, their yard, their streets, fields and driveways. Borrow their pets. Collect objects, set 'em on a table and shoot 'em! It doesn't matter what objects they are, make a nice picture.

Then, LOOK at your photos. For every 50 images, pick FIVE of your best ones and set those aside. Not 10, not 20, only FIVE. That will get you thinking about editing and making choices.

Keep shooting! Good luck.



Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

Kristin I know people think that photography and art is just common sense and that passion for it is enough. In my eyes its much much more and a formal education may be quicker and easier than just puttin your stuff out there and then asking the public to educate you. I still have alot to learn. After years of hard work I still find this a hard step and I have a very nice camera that I had to save up for.

No classes near me :( too rural. Gardens around here or really any good foliage are only alive for a couple months in early spring. And lol Abilene is nine hours away. I just like taking pictures as a hobby. I thought they were good pictures, obviously not. My mom convinced me to join this site and I only wanted a small hobby to generate side income (I do have a good 9-5). I'm not giving up on the hobby, but y'all have made me realize this isn't the place for me. I don't have years of experience and don't have the finances for a camera. It was a fun hobby but I can't expect income and I will just have to find a different hobby.

I was curious and checked a photo that I captured of my cat awhile back on my phone and the size is 3552 × 2000. I am wondering what is your phone and how do you have it set at for the capturing of photos.

I like Dan's answer best.

To be blunt, you may not be ready to sell yet. That is a LOT of hard work but keep shooting. If a cell phone is all you have, use it.

Enjoy the craft. You will learn as you go.

Kristin, if this guy (on the right) was standing in front of you, could you take his photo? Of course you could. You have those skills right now.



Could you then cut out shapes and objects from magazines and paste it on your picture (see guy on the left). Of course you could. That's ART.

Without going into detail, the picture on the left was in a series of seven others which collectively sold for $10.8 million.

And if you're wondering "Can I really do that?" Yes you can. Getting $10.8 million will take awhile, you have to build up your name and reputation, but YES you can create images which are not technically sound and which DO qualify as art and which WILL sell.

Keep shooting. Shoot Shoot Shoot!



Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

420 x 340

420 x 340

What is your phone?

Dan does have a very good answer. Don't give up kristin on something you enjoy as a hobby. Enjoy it. I used my cell phone camera for awhile for practice. Some phones are high tech. It just strikes a nerve when someone thinks they can just pick up a camera snap shots and sell tons right now. I got put thru the hazing process that was passed off to be just a joke so brutal critiques are not fun......

that image of the guitar guy -- he was sued, and lost btw.

as far as slant goes -- how many images sell that are slanted?

looking down on something is fine, it's when everything in the image leans quite a bit.


anyway selling is never the first step. parents will always say nice things, if they offer to buy some, take advantage. no family member to date has offered to pay for my things yet. you can learn a lot by watching you tube, abiliene is now a FAA meme, JC can fill you in... :P

the main question you always have to ask is - why do i like this? is it because you like the content? your dog or cat? is it because it was a nice day when you shot it? if you can disconnect those memories and emotions from the shots it will be easier to look at something objectively. the next question would be - if i saw that at a show, would i buy it myself? if the answer is no, figure out why its no and try to fix that issue.

---Mike Savad

Here is another vote for Dan's advice. Don't give up on photography...use what you have for now. Just have fun with it and get used to looking at photos and picking your best shots. This is a site for selling photos so when you ask for a critique, it can get brutal and you may get discouraged. The bottom line is, as you said, you have a day job. You don't need to sell to take advantage of this site. There is free membership that gives you a access to the forums where you can learn from others and viewing the groups and contests here will teach you about photography while you enjoy looking at some fantastic images. Enjoy yourself at what ever level you happen to be at and welcome.

"My mom convinced me to join this site"

Family and friends will always tell you how wonderful everything you do is. Ignore them-you have to develop a sense of objectivity with what you do. They mean well but they are not being helpful. Even as a hobby, there is a lot to learn. There are forums that give out a lot of good technical advice that you can visit but you have to have a thick skin if you truly want critiques that will help you progress.

We all started out being not so good at it-it's the perseverance and absorption of all you read and hear that will get you as far as you want to go.

I will say this: Before you add slants and filters, learn to frame and compose a shot. Heads and feet cut off don't *ahem* cut it. Don't use your phone-you can get a nice point and shoot that has settings to help you learn that cost very little.

http://tinyurl.com/lx5ngl4

Kristin,

You are getting good advise from LC, Dan and Mike. Their advise is simplified into
a few sentences on a message board.

Start towards the beginning with Ansel Adams and study the history of photography.

You do not need college classes, you have a computer. You have access to YouTube, use it.

As you study photography a lot of different free resources will be there for the taking. Take them.

In less than a year you will make huge strides.

BTW people do take slanted shots. But when you take a 'slanted' shot you want it to be
an all or nothing. What I mean by that is symmetrical v asymmetrical. Either go with symmetrical or
really go asymmetrical. Anything that is kind of in between is distracting or unsettling to the viewer. Asymmetrical
images are extremely interesting. Possibly more interesting than symmetrical images.

And cropping is also either a large off the screen I wonder how the whole thing would look, or
give us the whole subject in the frame.

Learn the simple design elements in images, Learn what you need to know about perspective. Learn
what you need to know about Bokeh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

Make a lot of use of Google searches and wiki searches. Always define your terms. Create
frameworks in your mind of how these things work together.

And as I said the materials will go well beyond Google searches, those materials are often there
for the taking for free.

Free is good.

Dave

Nicely stated Melissa! And right on the money.

I guess no one wants to play "which one is the cell phone" with me. lol

well Dan you are right there are many paths. I state my opinion and I respect what I respect. I don't have to respect the path that someone takes though its there choice. I know what I appreciate and thats my choice just as it is a buyers choice to buy what they want. I do believe in human rights, civil rights etc.....to me people skills are not about shmoozing charm and killing people with oozing compliments. But yes seriously some people just don't care about you at all

Floyd Either of those could be a cell or camera jpg shots - but the yellow car is cropped so small and noisy. The 2 car one's sky is blown, noisy and kinda crunchy like its compressed. More power to you if they've sold. If they were mine they'd be in the bin!

Cell phone cameras have their limitations but can produce decent work but then, it also depends on the cell phone.



It is not about the equipment but about the art. It is also about learning the craft and getting good at it.

I shot 60 thousand clicks with my first point and shoot the first year and another 50K the first year I had the Canon. It takes practice.

Keep practicing and don't just quit because of something someone here told you.

My biggest seller is a mobile phone photo with computer generated image. It is NOT the tool. We sell hundreds of mobile phone taken photos. It is learning to frame, use the tools and just like all cameras, learn its limitations.

Get all of the subject in frame, good focus, straight perspectives..... Don't use the filters unless they actually are enhancing.

Get advice, like here. Ignore what you don't like and go with the actually helpful.

Good luck :)

My biggest seller is the product of a $40 point & shoot.... though I do wish it had been taken with my DSLR so it could be printed bigger!
Just an excuse to return to amsterdam one day and reshoot...

Lol who needs an excuse :)

Someone please make a note of this. I completely agree with Dan Turner's first comment!

Very well articulated, Dan. I could not have said it better myself!

Kristin, please remember that Vincent Van Gogh sold not a single painting while he was alive but is now considered a genius and his work sells for a fortune!

As well, Jack London quite college for the simple reason (or at least one of them) that he did not want to become just like all the other writers that the “schools” produce.

Certainly continue to learn the basics but also rely on your own instincts as well.

I wish you the best of luck, Kristin, and welcome aboard!

I believe Van Gogh studied his craft, worked at it every day, studied his contemporaries work, faced rejection and still pursued his passion. You don't become a genius just because you don't sell your work.

there are 2 kinds of good critiques:

1. the type that gets to the point and tells you what's wrong.
2. the type that tells you whats right.

many go for 1 if they can't go for 2. there are so many back seat critiquers, mostly in this thread that will pad the answer and tell you to ignore anything negative. and while i know it's a shock that the images you made aren't as good as others told you they were. you shouldn't ignore the negative because that's where the growth comes from. now if the people this thread that are saying "positive things" can come step up and show us a critique that outlines what they LIKE about the image, i think that would be far more educational.

people tend to compliment others to look good. to be popular. i don't compliment unless its deserved. friends aren't a priority, educating is. simple as that.

can you shoot great things with a phone? yes, it depends on the phone. large images sell better than small. in any case you have to learn how to utilize the tools you have. and phones have a tendency to create soft images depending how you use it. like you have to know to focus on the subject first and then click the button without jabbing at the screen or it will shake or lose focus. the lens on the front is always dirty because your hands are always touching it, so you'll lose contrast. you have no real zoom with it either. outside light works best, inside, they don't do that well.

also there is no such thing as a "professional critique" if you were to get one made by a blow hard that you pay for - you'll never know if the image was good or bad because all they do is describe the image again in a long winded fashion. it looks fancy, but it doesn't make you grow. self evaluation is a tough thing to do, you have to tell yourself - does this look good or not? its not different than tasting a soup and adding salt or some spice. you evaluated it and it didn't taste right so you added something to make it better. i've erased countless things because i decided it wasn't coming out right.

the advantage to digital is that you can do it over and over again until it does look good. find something you like online and see if you can mimic it. in any case if you want to be successful at something it takes a lot of practice.

---Mike Savad

You are correct, Edward. Yet Van Gogh rejected the work of his contemporaries and forged ahead with his own brilliance.

"Floyd Either of those could be a cell or camera jpg shots - but the yellow car is cropped so small and noisy. The 2 car one's sky is blown, noisy and kinda crunchy like its compressed. More power to you if they've sold. If they were mine they'd be in the bin!"


hehehe

Both have sold and both are cell phones. Thai is why I put them out there.

To prove what a critique and opinions of what will sell and what will not sell is worth in here: ZERO!

You can sell cell phone art. And they do not have to be perfect and they do not have to meet anyone's else's standards. With the exception of the printer of course.

Mike you amaze me!!

So now you are the world expert on critiquing and the people that have studied art, taught art, have years of experience with masters and doctorate degrees in both art and teaching, are not only not professionals but they are all blow-hards!!??

I think it is obvious who the blow-hard is here! lol

Mike and Floyd. Both of you need to stop this bickering in each and every feedback thread.

One of you open a new thread to continue this. If neither of you do then I will assume you have agreed to disagree and stop it in any other thread!

Kristin, everyone here has different ideas for you, and bits and pieces of everyone's suggestions might be good for you, and maybe not. I for one am very passionate about what I do, and work very hard at this because its all I want to do. My input is not for selling at all like many on this thread are, mine is more about passion of art. When I see you wrote about just wanting a hobby to make money, and if this doesn't work you will try something else, it doesn't make me want to help you. Its not meant to be a mean thing, its just how I feel about your statements.

If you came in here and said, you love taking pictures, and its something you really want to do and are becoming passionate about, I would do whatever I could to help with suggestions. I don't care if you use a cell phone, or a Ninja Turtle Instamatic. Sending you somewhere else to sell isn't going to teach you anything, or make you love photography.

Maybe you just didn't word some of your posts the way you wanted, but that is what I took from reading them.

I'm sure Van Gogh also burned or painted over work that he realized was subpar. Part of being a fine artist is recognizing the stuff that should be tossed in the recycling bin.

abbie i'm the only one adding the feedback, i don't bicker and wasn't referencing anyone.

---Mike Savad

Not sure if you will return to this and read all the messages. I am still curious as to what phone you have so perhaps someone can be of assistance in knowing the highest quality your phone will allow photo wise in the settings.

Yes Jeffery, the voice of reason. Simple question - what can be done here to assist her .

Instead of all the ridiculous accusations that are going on here.

once composition is set, you can run these through a painter program and make it any size you want, without worry about clarity and such.

---Mike Savad

That's true Mike. Love mine so much - as you had recommended to me.

Not sure that she is ready to afford that yet.

When you are new ( to any endeavor ) it is so overwhelming to learn - all that you don't know.

People we wonderful & encouraging to me when I came here (flaws & all ) & with my 12 mp Point & Shoot I was able to work a few pretty nice pieces up - eventually. Lol

Mike,

People have different sensibilities. You can scream obscenities at my art and I will probably get a kick out of it.

But I am not everyone else.

There are also cultural differences in how help is perceived. What might be allowed as confrontational in
one culture is an extreme insult in another.

Again you can confront someone as thick as I am day and night and I might enjoy it, but others who
are perfectly nice people might not be happy.

Just some food for thought. We are not all the same.

Dave

thing is. this is the real world. its sort of the shock a valedictorian or honor student may have when their popularity in school doesn't carry over to a job. if you first learn something you wouldn't get a job at a news paper, and you wouldn't be shooting for magazines so the same thought should be for here as well. many people do think art is easy and all you have to do is shoot some pictures and it will sell. but in reality not only is it hard, but there is a lot of competition as well. its hard to stand out.

the only thing i can do when i critique is to point out what i see. i don't pad things. it's not sugar coated. i'm not here to teach or to encourage. to the outsiders what i write may seem harsh. some people actually read things based on how my avatar looks. and yes i have done studies on that, your perceived by how you look. i look different each month... in any case, the content is there. if i see something that works i say it. if not i say it. it doesn't help anyone to not say anything. and it doesn't help anyone to simply give compliments but not tell them what they are good at.

giving critiques is harder than it looks, but people often find it easy to critique the critique, which is bothersome. it would be nice if more could give them.


anyway as to what to shoot:

she has puppies. get a basket, put them in the basket. get a neutral background, open a window for light, get on their level or put it on a table. and take a picture. dogs do sell, but its the presentation, animal photgraphy is pretty hard because not only does it have to look good - the fidget.

the yard is empty and blank (i was born in texas and this was kind of how it was described to me), is there an autumn in texas? shoot that. if the landscape isn't interesting shoot macro. shoot still life. go to a zoo and find angles that don't make it look like a zoo. shoot textures, get stuff at night. shoot the local town, city, army bases etc. there should be something interesting in the area.

---Mike Savad

Ok I am going to ask this to stop now please.

Everyone giving personal 'advice' on the work.....

We have shown a lot of patience and respect for peoples opinions over the past. Technically some of you (like Mike) know more than some of the others here, not all of them but some, especially new people to the site. Artistically HOWEVER, I have asked again and again in threads to not say what will or will not sell, or to show negativity to peoples work and yet it is still going on. I have been guilty of hoping it would stop and not actually stepping in

Unfortunately, some blunt and honest 'help' is coming across as actually brutal comments and I know several new members who have left because of it. This is totally NOT on. This is a business site and this will not be allowed to continue.

Telling someone the sky is blocky or blurry is technical. Telling them it needs cropping. ... technical.

Telling someone nobody will buy it, telling someone the work is amateur and should not be on the site...in fact, telling someone they should not upload their work for ANY reason, is just not on at all. Nobody but FAA and their legal team may tell people who should load things or who should not.

You need people skills to critique an image.

Some people here do not have people skills

We do not want to stop people giving help, or asking for critiques but, at present, with the fact members are leaving because of the 'help' they get, we may have to consider it. Remember YOU too were new once. You too had no real idea what you were doing and many people ask here because they think they will get help technically, not because they think they will get slated for their art.

This IS a warning. This is a business, first and foremost. Sugar coating is acceptable. Brutal honesty such as seen in this thread and others is not.

If you like giving honest, blunt help, go to a critique site.

Enough is enough. Not up for negotiation

I think the problem with some people that ask for critiques is some are asking as a hobbyist, maybe looking to make a little extra money. Some are thinking it can be a career.

If you are in the first group, critiques aren't even needed. Who cares how good your images are.

If you are in the second you do need honest critiques because it is a tough business.

If I decided I want to play baseball for fun, I don't need a "critique" on my skills. If I decide I want to try out for the majors someone needs to tell me I am too old, too slow and can't hit. It may crush my dreams of playing pro ball but it is all 100% true.