Rusheen Thompson wrote:
I would like your judgement..... open to anyone. I wont have any hard feeling.

Your profile description has you asking to shoot with photographers, and you do need some professional shoots under your belt.  You currently don't have a single shot that looks professional.  You're doing a great job getting images up there any way you can, but the professional shots will help you look your absolute best.  Good luck!

Zorya Madelena wrote:
Your input/critique would be greatly appreciated

Hey Zorya, since I grew up in Tracy way way back in the day when the Heinz plant and the glass factory were the main employers, back when you took Hwy 50 to the Bay Area, back when the farms were just past Tracy Blvd -- geesh, I'm old, huh?  Back in the early 70s, just 14,000 lived there.

You have some very nice shots in your port -- the American flag shot, the nude shot to its left, 2nd row 2nd shot studio shot, and the Zombie shots, the makeup was quite good.

But I still think you need more professional location and studio shots, but you definitely have potential.  Definitely would like to see more work from you.  while your height might get in the way of your doing runways, there's still lots of work out there.  Someone has to stand next to the 5'6" Tom Cruise and make him look tall!   :-)

Marie Raynor wrote:
Me please:) I'm new so I don't have a ton, but would appreciate some feedback to start learning:)

Marie, I think it's great that you have a friend who has taken some pictures of you.  However, it's impossible to assess your potential until you have some professional shots in your port.  Even your head shot is out of focus.

Brittany Waldron wrote:
Would greatly appreciate your opinion.

Hi Brittany,

Like a lot of models relatively new to this, the photography of you has not been that strong.  The picture of you that you're using for your avi is really nice.  I like the other cropped, tight shot 3rd row 2nd shot.  I also really like the first shot in the 2nd row.  I think you have a pretty incredible tattoo on your back, but the shot of it is like from a point and shoot camera. 

So now you need to find some strong pro photographers to do some shoots with.  You have a very nice girl-next-door look to you, and I think there's a place out there for you. Get busy and build up that port.  Good luck!

Ron McKinney wrote:

Hey Zorya, since I grew up in Tracy way way back in the day when the Heinz plant and the glass factory were the main employers, back when you took Hwy 50 to the Bay Area, back when the farms were just past Tracy Blvd -- geesh, I'm old, huh?  Back in the early 70s, just 14,000 lived there.

You have some very nice shots in your port -- the American flag shot, the nude shot to its left, 2nd row 2nd shot studio shot, and the Zombie shots, the makeup was quite good.

But I still think you need more professional location and studio shots, but you definitely have potential.  Definitely would like to see more work from you.  while your height might get in the way of your doing runways, there's still lots of work out there.  Someone has to stand next to the 5'6" Tom Cruise and make him look tall!   :-)

What a coincidence you lived in Tracy lol most people on here haven't even heard of it. I realized many years ago I could never be a runway model lol. I have been the same height since I was 10...I wonder what happened hahaha.

You bring up a good point though, there are a lot of short celebrities Thank you for your honest opinion and since I've now taken my networking up a notch, hopefully I can add some higher quality photos to my port. Thank you again Ron and have a great week!

StanovaA wrote:
Go hard

You're brave asking me to "go hard".   :-)

You've been an MM member since 2011, but your portfolio has pics all uploaded in Jan 2014.  Did you completely re-do your portfolio with newer images?

Just look at your port holistically, the first thing that strikes me is that they are all studio shots.  Nothing wrong with that, just something I noticed.

Most of your shots show an adequate use of lighting, but some are off the mark.  3rd shot in the first row, the light is just plain flat.  It looks like you just used ambient lighting here.  I really like your lighting on all four images in the second row.

First picture, third row, girl in yellow dress.  Love the shot, hate the lighting.  Totally flat again, and again looks like ambient lighting.  I like the lighting on the 2nd and 3rd shots in that 3rd row, but the fourth shot needs a kicker light to separate her dark headdress from the black background.   I don't like the texture overlay in the 3rd pic.  Just doesn't work for me.  1st pic in 4th row, dig the lighting on the model, but the white chain or whatever that is is blown out completely to the point that I don't even know what it is. 

I don't get the 2nd pic in the first row.  I don't know if that's an overlay, or what it is. 

My main suggestion for you is to really experiment with multiple lights and really create interesting lighting environments.  If you're content with being a studio photographer who just shoots against a background, then you're well on your way.  But I'd like to see you diversify.  Take your studio lighting and shoot in places that are interesting, not just a studio with a background roll.  Good luck, and have fun!

Paul Ruckdeschel wrote:
Hi would you have some time to look at mine?  Thanks

Paul, you're 17 years old and you have promise. 

First row, fourth pic (shirtless) -- get rid of it.  Get rid of it now.  Compare that shot with you straight on at the camera to the next shot on the second row, where you're turned and the lighting has become interesting.  Huge difference.  Get rid of that fourth pic on the first row, or I'll never talk to you again.  :-)

Okay, I'm kidding about never talking to you again, but get rid of it.

Your other shots are pretty much all okay.  You need wider environmental shots, and you need to be with other models, esp girls, to show your ability to connect with your other model.  So my advice is:  1, wider shots.  2, shots with other models, like editorial portraits.  Good luck, and have fun!  Remember, you've got promise, but only you can make it happen.  Oh, one more thing, if you want to go the shirtless route, do some sit-ups and build up a six-pack.  You'd be surprised how quickly those things will build up for you, and the difference it will make.

Serifus wrote:
I wouldn't mind a 2nd opinion.

I don't know, man.  When I do these things, the first thing I do is look at the profile.  I read the crap you wrote about yourself, and I wouldn't even go luck at your pictures.  You come across as a punk rogue, someone who likes being difficult.  That's my impression, take it for what it's worth.  Your "No Avatar" goes along with that. 

Okay, so now I'm thinking you're a punk.  I can forgive that if you have mad skills and your port makes me drool.  But I go to your port and I see flat lighting and uninteresting concepts.  Shit coming out of people's back, but I don't understand it.  The concept is not clear to me. 

In your entire port, only one shot looks interesting to me: third shot in the first row, girl in bikini.  I click on the pic and -- wow! -- her facial complexion is ruddy, nasty, and it's all very noisy in a dirty way.  Her armpit is nasty.  And that's it, I'm done.  I tell it like I see it.  And it's not always pretty.  Good luck!

Don Marciano wrote:
I'll go.

Hi Don,

Interesting.  You've been an MM member since 2010, but all the pics in your port were uploaded this month.  That's the second port I've seen with all new pics.

I'm not always helpful to photographers.  I have to be able to understand their vision, to get some sense of their brand.  Your photography is consistent and it's clear that you have a vision in your mind, and I think you're delivering on it.  There's only 7 pics in your port (9 counting the two double images), so there's not a lot for me to see holistically. 

You have a darker, edgier approach to your photography.  The second shot in the first row is just too dark for me.  The shots of the girl in the second row seem to be nicely done within the scope of what you're doing.  You have to consider my opinion with a grain of salt, however, as I am more about light and when I see your portfolio, I think of it as being about dark.    Good luck!

JIOPIX wrote:
i'm interested...

Why?  You seriously have to ask yourself why you would care about some online schmuck's opinion of your portfolio.  You have all those awards on your profile page, isn't that all the feedback that you need?  This isn't a rhetorical question, I'm really curious as to why you would want someone's opinion.  If it were purely about your dance photos, I'd get it.  That's my forte.  But dance is a small part of what you do/show on MM.

As for your port, a lot of your studio lighting is exquisite.  I just love it.  Then... on some shots, they just go south.  Out of control lighting in terms of direction and power:  https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/30395475

Or just flat lighting:  https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/29880841

But while I point out a couple shots that the lighting could be improved, most of your studio shots kick ass with the lighting.  Just go right down your list.

Posing, composition and concepts are all huge strengths of yours.  I do think you need to work on your outdoor shots, both with the lighting on your subject as well as doing a better job of managing your background.  For example, the background in this shot just ruins it for me, and shouldn't be in your port: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/29887375

Look how distracting this background is:  https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/30640430

In that last example, a B&W shot, the subject doesn't pop out in the shot at all, due to the background. 

Okay, that should do it for now.  You clearly know what you're doing in the studio and I love your concepts, your art, and you have mad skills.  I hope I was helpful in some small way.

Johnny Kay wrote:
If you have time and aren't swamped let me know Thank you!

Johnny, you have some really nice shots in your port, and I think you have a great and unique look. 

I don't know if I'd keep the picture of you laughing: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/28713325

It just doesn't work for me.  It looks like a candid shot. 

The puppet shot, love the concept there.  Love the head shot  as well.  The two B&W shirtless shots, I like what you've got going there but the lighting is bad and the b&w conversion is really atrocious.  Reshoot that, but get rid of those. 

Basically, I think you need some environmental portraits of you, and I'd incorporate another model in some shots so we can see how you interact with other model.   You've got a good thing going.  Keep it up!  Good luck!

Ron McKinney wrote:

Why?  You seriously have to ask yourself why you would care about some online schmuck's opinion of your portfolio.

The why is simple? 

I'm not so full of myself that I don't appreciate hearing different points of view.   I don't always agree with some of the comments I get, but I'm often really surprised when someone sees something  in a photo that I've created that I didn't intend, or see myself.    I find that fascinating and eye-opening, and it's even given me some new ideas for future shoots.

BTW... you're certainly no schmuck

I appreciate the time you took to look at my port and to write a literate and fairly long opinion of my work.   Thanks.

Richard McLain wrote:
Some great attention to detail responses thus far. Let me know what you think my portfolio, potential. Thanks!

Hi Richard,

I grew in Tracy and Manteca, not far from Modesto, so we're homies.   :-)

You're loaded with potential but your port is filled with amateur photos.  No matter how good you look in real life, you're going to have a hard time getting the attention of art directors when your portfolio looks so amateurish.

Look at this shot for example: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/34547140.   You're shirtless and you've got a serious 6-pack but you can't see it here.  Why?  The freakin' photog front-lit you, which essentially eliminates the shadows that show off the 6-pack.  Ugh.  Dump it, but replace it with a similar shot that's well done.  This is much closer to how it should look, but the lighting is still off.  Look at your nose in this shot.  The light on the nose brings attention to it.  https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/34953711

I like the idea of those first three shots in the first row, apparently your most recent shoot -- but the focus is soft and it's like you're in the picture but you don't have a purpose.  You look lost in these shots.  Go to any fashion mag or catalog, and see what the guys are doing.  The poses are close to what you're doing, but there's a sense of purpose -- or confidence -- in those shots that you're lacking.  You have it, you just aren't showing it.  That comes with direction and experience.

These shots should get you an underwear commercial: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/34547120.  There's purpose and confidence in these shots, and great abs!

A really good GQ look here: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/34504308

Love the look and concept here, but your hands are hanging.  I'd like to see a sense of you doing something.  https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/34031356.  And tell the photographer to stop putting his watermark across your chest.  How are you expected to use these with that distracting crap there?

So you really need to amp up your game and find yourself some kickass photographers.  Don't limit yourself to Modesto.  Go to the Bay Area if you need to, but you need to get some shoots in with some photographers who are going to help you get to the next level of modelling.   Good luck!

Ron McKinney wrote:

Johnny, you have some really nice shots in your port, and I think you have a great and unique look. 

I don't know if I'd keep the picture of you laughing: https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/28713325

It just doesn't work for me.  It looks like a candid shot. 

The puppet shot, love the concept there.  Love the head shot  as well.  The two B&W shirtless shots, I like what you've got going there but the lighting is bad and the b&w conversion is really atrocious.  Reshoot that, but get rid of those. 

Basically, I think you need some environmental portraits of you, and I'd incorporate another model in some shots so we can see how you interact with other model.   You've got a good thing going.  Keep it up!  Good luck!

I agree completely! hahah I just don't have anything else at the moment! Thanks so much for taking your time and reassuring my thoughts exactly! Take care!

Ron McKinney wrote:

Hi Don,

Interesting.  You've been an MM member since 2010, but all the pics in your port were uploaded this month.  That's the second port I've seen with all new pics.

I'm not always helpful to photographers.  I have to be able to understand their vision, to get some sense of their brand.  Your photography is consistent and it's clear that you have a vision in your mind, and I think you're delivering on it.  There's only 7 pics in your port (9 counting the two double images), so there's not a lot for me to see holistically. 

You have a darker, edgier approach to your photography.  The second shot in the first row is just too dark for me.  The shots of the girl in the second row seem to be nicely done within the scope of what you're doing.  You have to consider my opinion with a grain of salt, however, as I am more about light and when I see your portfolio, I think of it as being about dark.    Good luck!

Good analysis, and you are correct. I lean more towards darker and edgier stuff but i don't want that look to take over my port. Thanks for your thoughts.

Earth Bound Art wrote:
Sure

It must be the New Year thing, so many ports completely redone in January.  Anyway, it's good that these ports are being updated with fresh material.

So... it seems pretty obvious that you have this niche thing going on -- and it's a great way of branding yourself.  But it's also very limiting.  So I'm kinda curious how this works, not being familiar with your work.  Is this all that you do, are these strips?  Or do you do regular single image portraits as well?  And if so, on the latter, why not include some of those?  But again, like I said, this is a great branding concept.

Your lighting is very subdued, a touch on the low key side, and yet very clearly intentional and in most cases, just superb.  It's kinda funny cuz you do this low key stuff so magnificently, and then -- pow! -- hit us up with the white background, full lighting, some illustration, and it looks just as good.

Your posing throughout your port is extremely strong as well. 

The only strips that bother me are these -- https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/35067305 and https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/35067298.  She's wet or oiled up, and you know how reflective that stuff can be when using lights.  The blown highlights from that combo ruin it for me.  You may want to consider cloning out the highlights or reworking your lighting ratios/direction for shots of models who are wet.  Just my opinion.

Great stuff!