Divine Origins wrote:
please have a look

I dig the tonality and ambiance offered in your studio images sporting the dark background. However your white background images are not so strong.

If you scroll up you will see that both Dae and I disapprove of posting variant images as spelled out in Rule [1]. As an example, you ought to remove the following  image


Ditto for this image. Not only it is a variant, her expression is weak.


As mentioned I do like the tonality here, the llamas attitude and beauty


And this handsome couple image I find rather captivating. I especially like the way their heads gracefully blend.

winking_wonder wrote:
Mine?

I have already posted a review on page 9. Have you seen it? I am copying it here for you:

Unlike your other images, this one has the feel of a snapshot with no unique attributes. I think this image seriously drags your port down



Great light here with a super alluring pose and come-and-get-me attitude

Elena Antonia Pappas wrote:

I'm not sure if this is for me.. it has my avatar but the photos arefrom someone else :-)

James Geiger wrote:
I'd like feedback

Hello James! This is a little more difficult as you seem to be just starting out, and at the moment taking a lot of "real life" snapshots. Which is fine if thats your passion! Tough to critique as far as portfolio work as you're building and learning. Real life shots don't require sets or even lighting so what you see is kind of what you get so to speak!

with that being said...

I would remove this shot... its confusing. whats the fuzzy white thing (is what people wonder)? and you already have a better shot of him.



while this shot is pretty, it does not belong on modelmayhem. its perfect for landscape websites!



Those are really the only ones that need to go at the moment until you start to build your port more, and experiment with models, as you said you'd like to do on your profile.

This is a nice shot... the lighting and composition is good!



you're on the right track here as well... accept notice the focus is not on her, its on the water behind her, but these are things you'll become an expert at with passion and practice!



on a personal note... I appreciate the fact that you have a condition and are still working on your passion! I myself have a chronic debiliating disorder, and it can put me out of work for extended periods. I try not to let it get the better of me! likewise, if you look in my port the first photo, and the collage with the garter are both taken by a photographer with great medical ailments. He does ALL of his photography from a rolling office chair, as he cannot stand. Obviously you'd never know that, he does such beautiful work! He also never uses professional lighting. He only works with natural light. So there you have it! Keep up the good work, and all the best to you!!

~Dae~

Dae Daniels wrote:

Hello James! This is a little more difficult as you seem to be just starting out, and at the moment taking a lot of "real life" snapshots. Which is fine if thats your passion! Tough to critique as far as portfolio work as you're building and learning. Real life shots don't require sets or even lighting so what you see is kind of what you get so to speak!

with that being said...

I would remove this shot... its confusing. whats the fuzzy white thing (is what people wonder)? and you already have a better shot of him.



while this shot is pretty, it does not belong on modelmayhem. its perfect for landscape websites!



Those are really the only ones that need to go at the moment until you start to build your port more, and experiment with models, as you said you'd like to do on your profile.

This is a nice shot... the lighting and composition is good!



you're on the right track here as well... accept notice the focus is not on her, its on the water behind her, but these are things you'll become an expert at with passion and practice!



on a personal note... I appreciate the fact that you have a condition and are still working on your passion! I myself have a chronic debiliating disorder, and it can put me out of work for extended periods. I try not to let it get the better of me! likewise, if you look in my port the first photo, and the collage with the garter are both taken by a photographer with great medical ailments. He does ALL of his photography from a rolling office chair, as he cannot stand. Obviously you'd never know that, he does such beautiful work! He also never uses professional lighting. He only works with natural light. So there you have it! Keep up the good work, and all the best to you!!

~Dae~

Thank you so much!  I don't have the money for equipment, so I work with what i got

Ocidem Graphics wrote:
I'm not sure if this is for me.. it has my avatar but the photos arefrom someone else :-)

This might be some odd bug in the MM forum system. Sorry.

We have provided review though for both Ocidem Graphics and Elena Antonia Pappas. Upon rechecking, the images seem to match with the right avatars

PapaMidnight wrote:
I submit to your opinion once again, I would like to know

You've got some cool, "photographic quality"  images posted, but unfortunately a good number of them drag your port down as I consider them just "snapshots". How does one distinguish between these two types? Some of this is subjective opinion but in my mind there are one or several indicators:

"snapshot"
photo that was spontaneously captured without much advance thought or preparation
the setting could be at a journalistic or a family event
there is no unique light or composition evident
there is no strong concept behind the image

"photographic quality"
photo where it is evident a lot of preparation went into it - could be makeup, special wardrobe
the setting is in a studio or a place you do not casually go to
there is unique composition and concept evident
the picture has "art" quality, albeit this is something that is hard to define

'nuff about definitions. Delete all photos in your first row as they have the feel of a snapshots. This includes the girl with her hair neatly blowing in the wind and her screaming


Delete the person drinking from a can


Your photos which I consider of "photographic quality" are:

Interesting POV


Unique bodypaint and concept. Not my style per se, but I must admit that it is a very captivating image


Beautiful bodypaint, light, and emotion


However I think you should delte (or hide) the B&W variant version - rule [1]. Now I know the B&W version got more comments but unfortunately it nullifies the effect of the bodypaint, and its presence confuses the audience making the color image significantly less effective.

Love her wardrobe and beauty

Serendipitous Studios wrote:
Please help me out.

While I am not a fan of collages, interestingly some of yours are quite captivating.

I dont perceive a value in this image and even the caption in my mind did not save it.
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/29909116

This one should also go as I dont get the concept. If she is supposed to be an executive lady tied up, place her on top of a mahagony executive desk and put some emotion in her face. The image also has snapshot quality - more about snapshots in my previous review


I like the light, shadows, lines and composition here


Your lady of the lake image is one of my favorites for location, composition and captivating tonality


Cheers

EmilyDoll wrote:
Curious 0_o

Marlena, welcome! You have some strong work in your port, and seem to have some talent, however it is being overshadowed by the breaking of some cardinal portfolio rules (please see the first page that contains important rules to follow).

You have a photo in your port that is particularly guilty of the variant images rule.  You have 7 of these in your port, plus one of you wearing the same outfit by a wall. Get rid of ALL of them accept for one! You could potentially keep the wall shot if you keep it away from the other one in your port. Having lots of variant images like this weakens your port. it makes you look less versatile. Less photos is ALWAYS better than more photos with variant images. I would personally keep this one:



likewise, you have multiple images of several shots that need to go. If you're having a hard time deciding, pick the vertical image. it makes a bigger impact. get rid of all but one of the brown skirt image. you have 4 of them. delete these:





this one in the red is not as strong as the others like it, needs to go:



you already have this shot, and this is the weaker of the two:



this one might be difficult to let go of, i bet you've had it for a while, but its a weak shot, and your work has moved beyond this. I know the feeling! I've had to let go of some old photos too that I liked!:



again, you have 3 of these... pick one, delete the other two!



you have two of these... pick one:



last but not least, this one needs to go. its not strong enough for your port anymore:



on the flip side:

this one is great! moody, artistc, and interesting. good vibe here:



great commercial shot!



this is interesting, and lovely



i quite like this one... very angelic



You of course have other good ones as you can tell from the comments! You really only need to get rid of the repeat images, and some old ones that their time has passed and your portfolio will sing! the great images will only shine better with the clutter gone! Take a peak at my port to see what kind of difference it can make to have no repeat images . It really is true what they say. Quality not quantity. You are a beautiful, photogenic girl, and are doing well in modeling, let it show!

~Dae~

Colleen- wrote:
I'll play, I need to cut down.

Hello Colleen!!
Variant images seems to be the rule people like to break the most! you have several shots that you have variant images of in your port which is a big no no. naughty! lol. You only need ONE photo of a particular set/wardrobe/etc... less is always more! so lets get started! i'll start at the top!

this isnt one of my favs, not very strong... but what bothers me the most is that you have it sitting next to a shot where you're dong the EXACT same pose. looks very odd. so move it to a different spot at the very least!



Julius would tell you to get rid of this because cliche shots drive him nuts, haha. there are other photos in your port that bother me more... but look out for themes that are overdone



this shot if not deleted now, should be soon as your work grows. its quite amateur compared to say your first row of photos.



I dont mind these leather jacket shots, but they need to be seperated!



this definitely needs to go. the lighting, composition, etc are bad. This does not show you as the beauty you are. you have much better headshots. does not do you justice!



you have 6 like this! keep this one, and the pink one where you're standing up, and get rid of the rest!



you have 5 of these as well! keep these two and delete the others!





this can go... you have two others very similar, you can keep the other two if you seperate them!



this is a really odd image, and can be deleted if not now, but as you do better work



the other one is better



this is very confusing to me. the set doesnt match the outfit. not incredibly pleasing to look at



you dont need this up. YOUR individual shot right next to it is enough, and much more important. you make a bigger impact without this.



There are others that are not as strong as well, but this is a good start, and as you build, you can continue to delete the weaker photos. But getting rid of the clutter, and excess will greatly help the strength of your port. you're a beautiful woman, let it shine!!

lovely commercial headshot!



strong glamour shot!



and your current avatar is a wonderful photo! hope this helped!

~Dae~

ElevatedImages wrote:
I could use some truth!

Hello there Brian!!
Soooo... the only variant images you have are in your first row! lol. which makes me think you're doing it on purpose to see which one gets the most comments before you delete the rest? Well i'll tell you which one is the strongest!

keep this one, delete the others!:


this one needs to go. she just looks like a creepy blue girl. lol


theres nothing real impressive or special about this shot. you have better stuff. its just kind of an average commercial photo


this photo makes me uncomfortable because HE looks uncomfortable


cute girl, but nothing overly impressive again.


you have better motorcycle shots


because this photo is so small in your port, the bin behind her makes it look incredibly cluttered. besides that she's not doing anything really.. just kinda standing there. again, you have much more interesting work!


as you put more photos up, this one can go eventually... her pose looks awkward and not entirely appealing


last but not least, this, and your other collage should not have been collages. she is doing almost the same pose in all shots. in order to pull off a collage well you need to have incredible variation while still possesing a variable that pulls all the shots together. this would have been much stronger had you just posted ONE image.


you have some great work as well! this one is awesome! just beautiful kind of an action image. very sexy!
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/25189104

your new ones are beautiful too! the first one i posted i love! great composition, model, etc.
All you need is a small clean up, to refresh your portfolio, and let your best work shine!

~Dae~

Dae Daniels wrote:
Anybody else!!!? That can't be it!?

You missed me, but that has actually made me scared...

Foto BCN wrote:

You missed me, but that has actually made me scared...

You have not been missed! I promise! lol. Julius said he was gonna do yours, and told me to continue on with the next three. We try to split the critiques evenly.
I'm sure he'll get to it sometime tonight, if he doesnt have time i'll take charge!!
Smooch!

~Dae~

Foto BCN wrote:
I´m game, if you are still playing

Sorry pal, but we definitely did not plan to bypass you. As a matter of fact I asked Dae to move on to the next in line as I wanted to review your port which I find to be unique here on MM as you seem to focus on men's portraits and your work is quite good.

I totally agree with your philosophy of shooting a small number of images which are more carefully thought out, as I do the same. However I would never revert back to film

I propose deleting the following image for two reasons 1. contrived pose 2. you posted another image in the same setting that is more captivating.


The next image that ought to go is this one as it gives me the feel of a snapshot (see my definition of snapshot a bit up on this page). The image does not seem sharp either, which is forgivable if there is a strong concept behind, but I dont feel it is the case here.


I dont know quite why, but I find this portrait rather captivating. Perhaps its his black circles, messy hair around his eyes, and  his goofy expression - something unexpected to find in a man in uniform.


And this portrait is my favorite for the strong character shown through expression, details of his facial features and use of great light.

ikonas wrote:

While I am not a fan of collages, interestingly some of yours are quite captivating.

I dont perceive a value in this image and even the caption in my mind did not save it.
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/29909116

This one should also go as I dont get the concept. If she is supposed to be an executive lady tied up, place her on top of a mahagony executive desk and put some emotion in her face. The image also has snapshot quality - more about snapshots in my previous review


I like the light, shadows, lines and composition here


Your lady of the lake image is one of my favorites for location, composition and captivating tonality


Cheers

Thank you for your honest and insightful feed back.  I agree and will remove those photos. 

I also like your helpful suggestion section.  Good information and I agree with all of it in general. 

On a side note, the business lady tied up was sort of a tribute to a photographer that I met.  He came upon a fetish type of photography that isn't covered too much.  I call it the realistic damsel in distress. 

Thank you again.  Have a wonderful evening.
Shane

Serendipitous Studios wrote:
Thank you for your honest and insightful feed back.  I agree and will remove those photos. 

I also like your helpful suggestion section.  Good information and I agree with all of it in general. 

On a side note, the business lady tied up was sort of a tribute to a photographer that I met.  He came upon a fetish type of photography that isn't covered too much.  I call it the realistic damsel in distress. 

Thank you again.  Have a wonderful evening.
Shane

Glad to be of help and I truly appreciate your feedback. We encourage this forum to be a two way engagement. It is always good to hear the artist's thought process articulated, post review.

Cheers!

Cailey Shain wrote:
Sure I'd like to know.

Cailey, thanks for visiting!

This is the first shot that should come down. It would be considered a snapshot, and doesnt belong in a professional portfolio. It's also not in focus.


this one should come down. you have one just like it, and the other is much stronger!


now, you don't have a lot of photos in your port, so as you build to your body of work this one needs to come down as it does not do you justice. you are a much prettier girl than this. and its just not an impressive shot.


this one would need to come down too. Its quite cheesy and cliche' i'm afraid. weakens your port.


on the flip side you have a few beautiful and promising images! this one is heading in the right direction! good composition, and interesting to look at.


this one is nice. good pose, wardrobe, etc. be careful with your facial expressions not to look vacant. modeling is like anything else, with practice you'll improve! practice your facial expressions in the mirror, helps alot! i used to practice in the mirror for hours when i first started


pretty cool shot. the facial expression fits the mood and genre of the photo!


you're on the right track! getting rid of some clutter and the weaker images, makes your better images even stronger! Then as you build your portfolio you can get rid of more, always making way for the new I just did a revamp of my port as well, and deleted around 12 photos! Really helped! take care, and good luck! hope this helped!

~Dae~

Rebecca U wrote:
I'm just starting out as a model, please help me out with your constructive criticism.
Thanks~

Rebecca, hi there! welcome to the wide world of modeling! lol.

Well, first I must say That you have the potential to do well, if given lots of practice and compassion. You are a beautiful girl, and the camera seems to like you! I would not however delete photos from your portfolio at the moment as you only have 8 up. And none of your photos are screaming "i'm horrible! delete me!!" haha!

SO! at the moment, just leave it alone. When you begin to build to it, come back and ask me again!

I WILL say that the first one to go should be this bench shot. The pose is not captivating or interesting, and the shot just doesnt grab the eye or make any sort of statement. but again... wait till you put more photos up to delete it.


your avatar is beautiful, and you're on the right track! Now, this forum is only a "which photos should you get rid of" forum. However if you have any other questions, or need any sort of advice about the art of modeling itself, or the business, please feel welcome to send me a message! I would be happy to help! I've been at this MANY years, teach workshops, mentor photogs and models alike, and have a wealth of knowledge if you are so inclined!

good luck to you in your adventure!

~Dae~

ikonas wrote:

Thanks for the introduction
You have some superb photgraphy in your port although a bit crowded at 130+ images. Interestingly you have organized it placing the heavy hitters in a seperate folder. I would propise adding say 10-20 of YOUR favorites to your star folder and hide the rest.

If I were to delete any images then I would follow my rule [1]  AVOID VARIANT IMAGES. This would include, but not limited to the following:








I recall commenting or listing in the past several of the following photos.

Super captivating beauty, great expression, pose and tonality


dress pattern accentuates her curves

Thanks a bunch ... Adjustments in process ... I've reduced port size by 30 images following the rules and recommendations now just gotta pick which albums to hide.

Be easy,

Alvin

Atelier57  wrote:
Thanks a bunch ... Adjustments in process ... I've reduced port size by 30 images following the rules and recommendations now just gotta pick which albums to hide.

Be easy,

Alvin

With the 30 image reduction, I see your port is much stronger. Now is the time to reduce it by 30 more. You know what needs to be done

Corey OP wrote:
Thank you for a great thread to read through, with lots of good examples. I'd love to hear from you about mine.

Corey,

   this is a bit difficult because you're just starting out, and your portfolio isnt very big. Also, the majority of your port are variant shots which is generally a no no, but in your case if you got rid of all your variant images you would have 3 photos left!!

You have to start somewhere I realize, everyone does! You should see some of my first shoots! haha. bleck! But even if you're having a friend take some shots in your backyard, you can still do things like change your outfit, and stand in different areas with different setting, lighting, etc. This helps for now. Also, don't go crazy with the smoking images! This used to be ok, but people get a lot of flack for that nowadays since its not considered "cool" anymore to be a smoker. and i've seen people bash beautiful artistic images for having a cigarette in the shot.

I digress... I will tell you what images you should get rid of right now, and then as you build you can continue to delete weaker shots.

this needs to go. you have much better shots in the same outfit, the cigarette, the lighting, and the shot is fuzzy.


same reasons pretty much.


I'm not gonna tell you to delete anymore right now. After you work more, and put new photos up you may come and ask me again!
And you know what your best photo is... you have it up as your avatar. Good lighting, composition, interesting angle and natural relaxed pose. You are on the right track here!

Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you in the future, and seeing how you're coming along!

~Dae~

Jennifer Gsell-Daniels wrote:
Could you do mine please?

Welcome to MM Jennifer. Like most rookie models and photographers here, you have posted images that are from the same scene. It is understandable because you worked with just one or two photogs to get started and you end up filling the 15 available slots with variant images from the same couple of shoots.

In your case I see five or six images featuring the same blue wall and flowered bed cover.
The best one is this one for you to keep:

Delete the rest of them either now, or as you get more new work available to replace them. Remember it is better for a port to feature just 4 great images rather than 4 great ones plus 10 mediocre or variants.

The next scene is outdoors with red and white dress. Best one to keep is this as I like the composition, and your positive expression.


Your best image you correctly chose as your AVI as it has cool wardrobe and good professional lighting. The image is however too small. You should post a larger version.

Best of luck and have fun!

Foto BCN wrote:
Thank you for your critique. I found it really helpful, and I agree with your comments.
I shall remove the ones you suggeste.

You don´t have to fear film... It´s fun, it´s like cooking

Maybe you are a good cook but I suck at it. That could explain the reason why I always got the chemicals all wrong in the darkroom lol