Photos for Appraisal

[Dave Kendrick]

Hi All,
Please be gentle with me as this is the first time I've invited other than family members to critically appraise any of my pics for a very long time , having lost some of my passion from the early days.
The first picture was taken at the lakeside at Renishaw Hall, seat of the Sitwell family, perhaps more widely known in literary circles, Sir Osbert and Dame Edith etc..

[/IMG]

This next one was taken on around sunset in May about 3 or 4 years ago on the island of St. Martins in the Scilly Isles.

The next one was taken from a hotel balcony in Napoli looking towards Mt. Etna on a not very typical Italian sunny day. I would draw your attention to the large eyesore which is the Jolly Hotel (IIRC) in the right centre medium distance. I am led to believe that large sums of money (lira) changed hands to obtain planning permission for this blot on the landcape - we are talking about Napoli after all.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I have moved this to the critique and advice section

If I was being critical, I would first say watch those horizons, they are a touch on the wonk!
Otherwise, the fisrt one ... Without knowing what else was outside the frame, it's hard to say... But river banks can octet provide nice diagonals that can help draw the eye into the frame.... Sort of how you have in the bottom right, but I can't halo thinking if you turned slightly to the right, you would have had a better composition that would have drawn the eye down the river better.

The second one has a bit to much silhouette, perhaps cropping it slightly might help?

I like the third one, (apart from the wonky horizon) - although I might tweak it slightly to add to the mood of the image.

How's that for you?
Cheers for being the first person posting their images up for critical assessment

If you like I love to download then and tweak them to my eye?
Its somthing id like to encourage people to do, it's interesting to see other peoples perspective on images if that makes sence?

 

[Dave Kendrick]

If you like I love to download then and tweak them to my eye?
Its somthing id like to encourage people to do, it's interesting to see other peoples perspective on images if that makes sence?

Hi Hamish,
Feel free to do your best with them - I'd be very interested to see what can be done but don't spend a lot of time on them.
One point regarding the first pic: it's a lake, not a river, but I guess it don't make all that much difference
Just shows how people's opinions differ - I only threw the last one in as an after thought and you think it's the best one.
I ought to update you on the Industrial pic that we discussed renovating. It is believed to be so fragile, (having been allowed to get damp in the top LH corner for a long while, the thought is that it will not survive being taken out of the frame and I don't think posting the whole lot down to you is practical or even usable?
Cheers,
Dave

PS I've got some nice close ups - not macros - of some lovely coloured flowers of various species - I'll try to dig them out and get them posted just to display, rather than for critiquing, but I suspect they might draw some critical comment .

 

[Hamish Gill]

horizon leveled

...

horizon level, colour tweaked

 

[Dave Kendrick]

Hi Hamish,
Yep, I gotta admit that you've improved 2 out of the 3 but I'm less sure about the Sunset in the Scillies . It's virtually B&W now and the attraction for me was the coloured sky, which ain't there any more. I've nothing against B&W photography but more for dramatic mood shots, less so where the colour (in my view) is an essential part of the shot. No offence, like music, these things are subjective .
Just a little aside that I find interesting but maybe less so for you : I happened to be putting a new (S/H) PC together yesterday and one of the pics I was looking at was the Sunset in the Scillies. The graphics card on this new PC has a problem - no red output, just blue and green. I could not believe the detail that appeared in the silouette areas of the pic - crap overall picture but it released a lot of otherwise lost detail in the shadows - try itand let me know what you think. I guess the ideal pic (for me ) would be the original sky and all the red taken out of the silouette/shadow.
Thanks again for your input - don't waste any more time on them for my sake.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Cal Stanley]

I usually try to keep the horizon line away from the center of the image. To my eye it make for a more interesting scene.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Indeed, I hadn't thought of that in this instance because of daves capturing of reflections.
This is just the sort of thing I'd like to happen in this part of the forum, getting other peoples perspective on images is fasinating i think... They used to (and probably still do) do it in AP..

 

[Hamish Gill]

There is indeed a lot of detail in that shadow area dave, when I put it in lightroom and upped the exposure I could see some benches and things, but the jpeg conversion had ruined the detail! Do you have the original file?

 

[Dave Kendrick]

There is indeed a lot of detail in that shadow area dave, when I put it in lightroom and upped the exposure I could see some benches and things, but the jpeg conversion had ruined the detail! Do you have the original file?

Hi Hamish,
Yes indeed I do but it's in RAW format or 9 MP so it might be a problem getting it to you - any ideas? I haven't got access to the file at the moment but I'll take a peek when I can and advise more details.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Paul Lange]

Skype File transfer is probably the easiest way to send large files as Skype accounts are easy to set up.

I also 2nd Hamish on the B&W, the image has loads of texture which is enhanced by being B&W. I dont think that the colours in the sky make the image.

 

[Dave Kendrick]

Skype File transfer is probably the easiest way to send large files as Skype accounts are easy to set up.

I also 2nd Hamish on the B&W, the image has loads of texture which is enhanced by being B&W. I dont think that the colours in the sky make the image.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for your input - I'll have a look at a Skype account and see whether I can go with yet another internet account
Regarding the B&W vs colour debate, I'm currently outnumbered and this being a democracy (they tell me ) I'll concede up to a point but only until others come in with their opinion - c'mon guys (and gals) what is the concensus of opinion amongst those that care to express any opinion .
Dave.

 

[Hamish Gill]

9mb... Just email it, that will be no prob

 

[Dave Kendrick]

Hi Hamish,
Yes indeed I do but it's in RAW format or 9 MP so it might be a problem getting it to you - any ideas? I haven't got access to the file at the moment but I'll take a peek when I can and advise more details.
Cheers,
Dave.

Hi Hamish,
As you were!!! ****!!!! I now find that all I've got left is the jpeg image you have - duhhhhh!! Sorry.
Dave.

 

[Graeme Harvey]

I usually try to keep the horizon line away from the center of the image. To my eye it make for a more interesting scene.

Yes. They advise you to use the "Law of Thirds" which was explained to me like this. Imagine your photo has 3 lines, equally spaced vertically and horizontally, making a "noughts and crosses" block on the picture. Have the horizon on one of the horizontal lines; i.e. on third ground and two thirds sky or vice-versa. Similarly, have points of interest on the places where the lines cross. It's not something to stick with all the time, but can make for some good compositions!

 

[Hamish Gill]

golden ratio is the one to get your head reound

 

[Barry Keavney]

The Fibonacci sequence! I love it! 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 etc etc
I once tried to find an indirect link between Pi and the Fibonacci Sequence.
I nearly ended up with a nice new white jacket, that tied at the back!!!

 

[Hamish Gill]

ha.... have you seen the film "pi"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/
you would love it im sure...

 

[Barry Keavney]

Holy God, thats great!!!!!!
Im not the only LUNATIC with delusions of grandeur... obviously

 

[Graeme Harvey]

ha.... have you seen the film "pi"

Just over 3 times......



(I'll get me coat)

 

[Barry Keavney]

(I'll get me coat)

I'll help you put it on...