I invite you all to select and critique which (in your opinion) are my best and my worst image, and kindly say why.

PLEASE NOTE:

My models, like myself, are not hardened professionals. We are small country town amateurs who enjoy experiencing the fun and excitement of what it might be like to be ‘real' photographers and models. For many of the models featured in my portfolio it is a first time, one time experience.

So please don't rain on our parade by delivering overly harsh and/or non-constructive criticisms. Keep these comments for those who wish to become consummate professionals.

That was once a pipe dream of mine, but like the Kodachrome in my freezer it is well past its use-by date.

This is your best image.  The lighting, compostion, colors and use of depth of field all work for me.  The subject matter is charming. Well done!




This is your worst image. The model's expression is stiff. The models hands are cut off. The top of the hat and the horizontal rigging across the vertical center of the image are both very bright and dstracting. The model's pupils are on the edge of the eyes. You have and will do better!!!

Funny... Shadow Dancer's least favorite image is my favorite by a good margin. No accounting for tastes, eh?



Love, love, LOVE this model, chopped hand and ship's rigging notwithstanding. I'm a sucker for short hair and especially hair tucked under a hat. Not sure which is the case for her, but it works like a charm to me. Also a sucker for women in uniform. And this model's pixyish face doesn't seem strained to me. I could study it all day. Eyes/gaze are fine. This model is gorgeous. Who is she?!? If you're still in contact with her, tell her she's now got a fan club on the Kitsap peninsula of western Washington, USA.

The image is well-lighted. Did you use a sunswatter on her?

Most of the rest of your images are fine, but that one stands out of the pack to me.

Worst? Besides the dog (good shot, just seems like unnecessary filler).. The swimsuit models on the brochures aren't particularly great pics, but they're tearsheets.

The image that bugs me to no end is:


Spears, boomerang, shell necklace. Okay she's copping an aboriginal look, and not too badly, but.... high-heels? Lose the high-heels and this image is a keeper. Those heels are just a poke in the eyes.

Orca Bay Images - Thank you for your constructive critique.

The good news ... I lost the high-heels and kept the model.
The bad news ... my model read your critique and I'm in the dog house with the unnecessary filler.

Shadow Dancer - Thank you for your constructive critique.

This is a street style snapshot taken in Hyde Park, London. The lighting in England isn’t as harsh as it is here in Australia.  The day I took this photograph I was having a field day walking around London finding lots of wonderful photo opportunities.

I was aware I was making conventional compositional errors like those you point out. To take a wider shot only meant the introduction of other more distracting elements.  There aren't many local photo opportunities for doing better. They're like my models ... few and far between.

Several of your models are drop dead beautiful.   I wish you would have done more with them though.   Its not that any of your images are bad.   They're standard glamour shots.   The puppy needs to go and I love dogs.   Going forward try and think about what might make your images more interesting.   https://purple11.com/photography/shoot-through-ideas/   Strong compositions are what take average images of attractive people to the next level.   This is a cool image:   https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/45681664   I wish you would have moved her a bit so the mast would not look like its part of her body and the cropping is odd.   Still well done.

On composition.   https://petapixel.com/2015/03/16/9-phot … e-mccurry/

Tony Lawrence - Thanks for your constructive critique and the helpful links.

Standard (amateur) glamour shots of attractive (local) people is a pretty accurate description of my photography.  For a small country town we have our share of 'drop-dead' gorgeous people and if they aren't looking beautiful in my images ... then blame this on the level of my photography.

The dog has been put to bed and I've also attempted to clone the mast out of my sailor girl's body. I've posted the result.

To make things more interesting (to me) I provide all my female models with hairstyling, makeup, wardrobe, accessories and props for my shoot ideas. The only exceptions are lingerie and the palm frond shots! I am always open to my models suggestions and in some cases I/we have done more adventurous concepts, but I have not yet reached the next level of photography for these images to be posted on the internet.

Cheers All!