APS-Chicago wrote:
My portfolio in general

For the most part, your portfolio is solid and technically sound.  I'm just not finding anything that really jumps out at me.

I don't dig your head shots.  Again, they're sound, but they're lacking something.

I think I probably like this best:

My only complaint would be that it appears as the you focused on the model's eye furthest from the camera as oppossed to closest to the camera.

I think the reason for my ambivalence has less to do with your skill set and more to do with your subject.  I've seen countless portfolios like yours and after a while, they start to melt together.  I'd suggest you take some risks, experiment a little, do things you haven't tried or wouldn't normally do in order to set yourself apart from the pack.

L Raye wrote:
This one please:

18+

https://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/1 … 88b0dd.jpg

Ok, doing this one and then my grumpy ass is taking a break.  If I don't return tonight, I'll be back tomorrow.

I think this is a perfectly fine art nude shot.  While I'm not a personal fan of the armpit hair, I wouldn't have an issue with say, displaying this in my study (if I had one).  I like the cast shadows of the leaves across her torso.  Nothing wrong with having this little gem in your portfolio.

L Raye wrote:
This one please:

18+

https://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/1 … 88b0dd.jpg

Bek Ruszin wrote:
Ok, doing this one and then my grumpy ass is taking a break.  If I don't return tonight, I'll be back tomorrow.

I think this is a perfectly fine art nude shot.  While I'm not a personal fan of the armpit hair, I wouldn't have an issue with say, displaying this in my study (if I had one).  I like the cast shadows of the leaves across her torso.  Nothing wrong with having this little gem in your portfolio.

Well - your grumpy ass made my day.  I'm going to have a small glass of good port now.

Bek Ruszin wrote:
Oh sweet baby jeebus.

You've been a photographer for 15 years and this is what you have to show for it?  You absolutely no right to claim you are experienced.  You might want to change your profile and tell people you're just starting out, because you're not going to attract any serious models of good caliber to your port if that's what you've accomplished in 15 years. 

So what's wrong, you ask?  Where do I start?  Ok, here's the rundown:
-Gaussian blur.  No, no, no, no, NO!!!!
-More gaussian blur.
-Gaussian blur on the hair.  Again.  My god.  How the hell do you people think that looks GOOD?!?!
..

My profile reads as " have worked as photographer 15 years ago, but gave a quite long break", so I do not claiming doing photography for 15 years. I think the harshness is "the halo effect", which coming from this misunderstanding.

I never apply gaussian blur to any model, just sometimes I smooth the background using blur. You may need to re-check where you have seen gaussian blur.

Images are processed in full resolution, and resized for here. This may cause some detail loss in hairs which in contrasty situation can be seen as blur, but you should know it already.

Anyways, thanks for the time you have spared, and some of your comments may lead me to ditch some images for good.

Cheers

Billh wrote:

I've worked with Spiro and I personally think it's impossible to take a bad picture of her.  Unless you leave your lens cover on.  Or your blind.  Even then it'd probably still take a lot of work to get a bad shot.

I like the image.  If anything, I personally, wouldn't have shot her quite so centered, but that's about it.

Julia Koch wrote:
My profile reads as " have worked as photographer 15 years ago, but gave a quite long break", so I do not claiming doing photography for 15 years. I think the harshness is "the halo effect", which coming from this misunderstanding.

I never apply gaussian blur to any model, just sometimes I smooth the background using blur. You may need to re-check where you have seen gaussian blur.

Images are processed in full resolution, and resized for here. This may cause some detail loss in hairs which in contrasty situation can be seen as blur, but you should know it already.

Anyways, thanks for the time you have spared, and some of your comments may lead me to ditch some images for good.

Cheers

I think someone's feelings got hurt, that's what I think. 

Tough titties.

You still claim 15 years experience.  You can't claim to be experienced and then turn around and say, "well, I've been on a long break so I'm rusty".  That's like saying, "I've been a photographer for 20 years, but my camera has sat on a shelf for 19 of those years."  You're the one who chose to list yourself as "experienced" under your avatar.  No misunderstanding.  I'm saying I don't see "experienced".

Gaussian blur, motion blur, any blur.  It's fucking blur.  You blurred skin and hair and it looks flat out terrible.

Blah, blah, blah...plenty of photographers have contrasty images and obviously resize them without the loss of detail you're claiming.  You blurred, it looks terrible, case closed.  Stop making excuses and go back to practicing.

Scotty2191 wrote:
Ok so read through most of this and I'm quite scared now. But anyway, here it goes;
I'm usually on the other side of the camera, but find shooting guys to be very difficult. Somebody suggested I try modelling myself, so I've experimented with self portraits (all photos in my portfolio are taken and edited by me), in the hope of maybe getting a shoot with someone else and finding techniques for shooting guys.
Which photo do you think I should use as my avatar, and how could I improve on the look of my portfolio?
Thanks

You've got nothing to fear if you're being honest with yourself and are willing to take steps and improve and listen to what others have to say and occassionally take said information into consideration.

Now, are you ready for me to rip your still-beating heart out of your chest?

You're throwing an awfully lot of information out there.  I asked for one thing and one thing only - not a story, not an explanation.  Careful reading of the original post would have let you on to that fact.  So my first bit of advice to you?  Pay better attention.

For not following the rules, you get skipped.

Wayne M Photography wrote:
Please take a moment to critique my port, that is if you are up to it. I understand brutal honesty is the norm and I stand ready .
Hoping you are feeling better.

Thank you,

Wayne

I don't think brutal honesty is the norm here, Wayne.  There are a lot of people here who will blow smoke up your ass with a smile.  There are a lot of people here who will rip you to shreds because they're just plain mean.  Me?  I'm usually much more tactful in the way I speak with people, but like the thread says...I'm grumpy right now.  That results in my blunt opinion. 

I gotta say, Wayne.  I'm not impressed.  You have to work on some things and I'm going to rattle them off.

Not in sharp focus:


Not exposed/lit properly...loss of detail in the shadows:


What's this?  A prom date?  Someone you know?  It's cheesy and says "snapshot".  Plus your flash threw an unattractive shadow on the fence.  It's small, but I don't like it.


Armpit to the camera.  Should you do it?  No.  Can it be done successfully?  Yes.  Did YOU do it successfully?  No.


Many of your models look bored or seem to be scowling.  Work on eliciting something out of them.  The biggest area you need to work on, in my opinion?  Lighting.  You've got lots of harsh lighting and bad shadows going on.  Take some time, grab a friend, go practice shooting outdoors.  No pressure, no expectations, just practice.

This is probably your best, but I loathe that graininess:

Maria Susanti wrote:
overall please

Well aren't you just the cutest little thing with your big doe eyes.  You've got cute pictures of you wearing a cute little hat, cute pictures of you in gowns, cute pictures of you in cute little fuzzy shrugs.  So much cute I think I'm going to barf.

Seriously.

Don't get me wrong, your port is good.  Your images are good.  Your posing is good.  It just all...so...so...CUTE.

Do me a favor?  Go try something edgier.  Do some beauty shots with crazy conceptual make-up.  Work those gorgeous eyes of yours...show me sultry, show me sexy, show me intense.  Just don't show me any more cute...you've got plenty of that.

Mercy Clark wrote:
Overall port.

Mercy, you've got a good commercial look, so I'm confused as to why you'd be interested in erotic, glamour and lingerie work.  I just don't see it.

With a fresh face and beaming smile, I can easily picture you in advertisements.  Particularly those aimed at teenage girls.  You could sell them anything from toothpaste to tampons and they'd buy it because you have that fresh-faced girl next door look, that wholesome, big-sister thing.  This is a perfect example of that:

The only problem is that I think the teeth were whitened in post a bit too much, but that's nothing you can help.

Get rid of this stuff:

Snap shotty


You're lost in the moss.  This iamge does absolutely nothing for you.


This just really doesn't seem suited to you.


I just don't find this one flattering

Go with the commercial thing.  I think it's your strong point.  Plus, you'll probably make more many than the rest of us starving artists.  Now get out there and sell some sneakers or something!

T__ wrote:
overall i suppose?

Please change "**select tf- i get busy fast!" to something like "***select TF - my schedule books quickly."  'Cause you know what?  "Gettin' busy fast" has a WHOLE other connotation to some of us.

Overall you've got a decent portfolio, but personally, you've got some shots that stand out WAY more than others...and in a good way.

This kind of work makes me think you either have been or are on your way to being published:




Some of the others (your avatar, for instance) should probably be culled to bring the strength of your portfolio up.

I'd ditch this while you're at it:

Like the post work, like the emoting, but it's not doing it for me - I think it's the texture of her skin and the red area around her nose.

Miroslava Svoboda wrote:
I'll take an overall portfolio critique  please. I also hope you get better soon, grumpy is my middle name when I'm not feeling good and that's the thing I hate most about it.

Are you Czech?  Russian?  Just curious.

Anyway, this image on your profile page immediately caught my eye and I thought, "Ooooh, fashion model":

Then I saw your stats.  Your face has the bone structure, if only you'd been granted a few more inches.  Ah, well!

Solid port, but I have to tell you, I'd ditch this:

The way your arm is up (elbow toward camera), what you're wearing and the way you're standing almost dead-on front to camera makes you look...well...a little thicker than you really are.

This is beautiful and really stands out in your port:


You're another one that I wish had some more avante garde beauty/make up shots.

Jorge Kreimer wrote:
Sure!
Take a look and grump away!

Well, there's certainly no dount that you have your own voice, your own style (even if you think you don't).  Your portfolio is solid and cohesive.

But a couple of things...

Why are you posting a photo of yourself on your profile along with the words "This is me: Old, fat, and bald."  I get self-depricating humor, believe me I do...but that's not even close.  Maybe it'd be funnier if you work wasn't so good or if the photo was you sitting on a couch with a can of beer, wearing a wife-beater and scratching your balls. 

Any chance of culling?  125 images is quite a bit to wade through.  Especially for those of us who are grumpy and don't foc...hey...there's that lipstick I was looking for!

Speaking of 125 images.  Why do you have so many from this set?
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/31003881
I'd be inclined to whittle that down to your favorite 2.

Paula   K wrote:
overall port please

You have no information listed in your "About Me".  Already I'm aggravated.  Why do I have to conatct you?  Maybe it's not worth my time.  Maybe a few brief sentences would be all I needed to know about the possibility of us working together or not.  Maybe, as a photographer, I'd pass right on by because you're not giving me anything to go on.  Maybe forcing me to contact you is an ego boost because you want to feel like you have photographers groveling at your feet.  Whatever the case it, I see it as a big fail on your part.  You should at least post what you're currently available to shoot or your general availability.

This is horrendous...especially as an avatar:

Even by the thumbnail I can tell it's been blurred too much.  You've also got your chin down which is creating a heaviness at the bottom of your face.  Terrible.

This is equally as hideous:

The way you're posed makes you look twice as heavy in the torso.  Scrap it.

This is lovely and what you SHOULD be using as your avatar:


You've got some ok shots, but nothing that I'm turning cartwheels over and that's a shame, because I think you are capable of so much better.

Images by MR wrote:
Thoughts on this...

Bek Ruszin wrote:
Honestly not sure how I feel about it.  I know I don't love it, but I don't hate it, either.  It seems a bit different from what's in your portfolio.

I don't know, I get the feeling that something is off.  I think it has something to do with the lighting and the overall dark colors in the photo.  Whatever it is, something's not quite working, but, if this is your attempt at trying something different, consider it a stepping stone.  In other words, I think it warrants attempting again.

Thanks for the feedback ~ MR

Bek Ruszin wrote:

Hmmm...you've got some interesting things going on in your portfolio.  You also have a couple of bland images that read as "commercial" that take away some of the sparkle from your portfolio and don't do anything for you as an aspiring fashion photographer:

Dress a brunette model in brown and stick her in a brown environment and guess what you get?  BROWN.  Ditch it.  It's dull.


This isn't working either.  It's a tad TOO contrasty.  It's boring.  She looks bored, too.  She's propped up against your wall counting specks on the floor.  Trash it.

This is pretty good:


This is not:

Is the mid-air split amazing?  You betcha.  But that's about all that's amazing with this photo.  She seems to be getting ready to either pummel her vagina or flip the photographer off.  Too much black on black.  Can it be done?  Yep, but it doesn't work here.

Let's talk about this:

Great colors, great capture, great movement.  THIS catches my eye and holds my attention for longer than 10 seconds.  I would have recommended this as your avatar had it been not been taken in landscape.

This could have been better:

Awkward crop not digging the way the seat cuts into the picture.  Take the same model on a white backdrop and capture her from top to toe and you'd have a winner.

Again, watch your crop:

You've cut off part of one of her fingers and cropped her bottom half somewhat awkwardly while leaving her plenty of headroom.  I don't understand why you did that.

You just need a little bit of polish and I'm quite certain you realize that.  Biggest thing for you:  Watch your crop...that in and of itself will make a difference in yur port.

Thank you for the insightful critique. Some of those I was aware of, some - not so much. Will know what to ditch next time I add new stuff.

Bek Ruszin wrote:

I don't think brutal honesty is the norm here, Wayne.  There are a lot of people here who will blow smoke up your ass with a smile.  There are a lot of people here who will rip you to shreds because they're just plain mean.  Me?  I'm usually much more tactful in the way I speak with people, but like the thread says...I'm grumpy right now.  That results in my blunt opinion. 

I gotta say, Wayne.  I'm not impressed.  You have to work on some things and I'm going to rattle them off.

Not in sharp focus:


Not exposed/lit properly...loss of detail in the shadows:


What's this?  A prom date?  Someone you know?  It's cheesy and says "snapshot".  Plus your flash threw an unattractive shadow on the fence.  It's small, but I don't like it.


Armpit to the camera.  Should you do it?  No.  Can it be done successfully?  Yes.  Did YOU do it successfully?  No.


Many of your models look bored or seem to be scowling.  Work on eliciting something out of them.  The biggest area you need to work on, in my opinion?  Lighting.  You've got lots of harsh lighting and bad shadows going on.  Take some time, grab a friend, go practice shooting outdoors.  No pressure, no expectations, just practice.

This is probably your best, but I loathe that graininess:

I would like to thank you for your honesty, though it was not as brutal as anticipated. I agree that some people can/are mean and others will blow smoke. I prefer the mean ones because I'm tired of pulling those little straws out of my ass. I have taken note of your suggestions and thankfully I am working on some scheduling to get out and take some more pictures. This will allow me to work on the areas you mentioned, Focus and lighting. I'm not shooting film so the graininess should not be an issue that I need to focus on right now.
Again, thank you for taking the time to critique my portfolio, I also hope that you are finally feeling better. Please note, I will be hunting you down in the future for more critiques. That is after I have worked on the areas you mentione.

Bek Ruszin wrote:

Well, there's certainly no dount that you have your own voice, your own style (even if you think you don't).  Your portfolio is solid and cohesive.

But a couple of things...

Why are you posting a photo of yourself on your profile along with the words "This is me: Old, fat, and bald."  I get self-depricating humor, believe me I do...but that's not even close.  Maybe it'd be funnier if you work wasn't so good or if the photo was you sitting on a couch with a can of beer, wearing a wife-beater and scratching your balls. 

Any chance of culling?  125 images is quite a bit to wade through.  Especially for those of us who are grumpy and don't foc...hey...there's that lipstick I was looking for!

Speaking of 125 images.  Why do you have so many from this set?
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/31003881
I'd be inclined to whittle that down to your favorite 2.

LOL, thank you for your kind words, I glad you found your lipstick.

Bek Ruszin wrote:

Well aren't you just the cutest little thing with your big doe eyes.  You've got cute pictures of you wearing a cute little hat, cute pictures of you in gowns, cute pictures of you in cute little fuzzy shrugs.  So much cute I think I'm going to barf.

Seriously.

Don't get me wrong, your port is good.  Your images are good.  Your posing is good.  It just all...so...so...CUTE.

Do me a favor?  Go try something edgier.  Do some beauty shots with crazy conceptual make-up.  Work those gorgeous eyes of yours...show me sultry, show me sexy, show me intense.  Just don't show me any more cute...you've got plenty of that.

Thankyou for your input! I agree with you, I also think my port is boring and all looks the same. I'll try to find more photographers to work together with more concepts

Axioma wrote:
an overall portfolio one please, if you and your grumpiness feel like it !

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh LOVE THIS CAT !!!!!