Paul Tirado Photography wrote:
Take a look and let me know. Thank you for your time and opinion.

Paul!  You and Nadirah, I wonder if you two didn't drop by just to see if I was an idiot that didn't recognize pro photography when I saw it...

What's there to criticize, man? You do what you do, and you execute it flawlessly.

Favorite



There's an irresistibly playful air to this picture that I just love.

Least Favorite



Not your fault, really.  I hate her expression.  Her look says "OK, can I get paid now and get the f*** out of here?"

Would I shoot with you?

I'd pay for a half day with you in a minute.  Were I a bit younger, I'd take a hopeful shot at a casting call first...

Jonexpo wrote:
Sure why not..

Johnny!  Let me first say that you have a keen eye for interaction.  "Lifestyle", yes, that's your niche, and you wear it well.  You also have a knack for getting expression out of your subjects, which is a great credit to you. 

However, we must talk about your B&W work.  Saturation is a bit like ground chiles - even a dessert plate can be enhanced with it.  Too much and it overwhelms any dish, and becomes the focal point.  Many of your B&W shots suffer from this distraction, where the light source has become the focal point of the image because of the over-exposure.

Favorite

 

Yeah, duh, it's everyone's favorite, right?  The million-dollar smile, tousled look, just a perfect action shot.  And the contrasting was still subtle here, so she is still the focal point.

Least favorite



I keep wanting to look at those mysterious eyes, but the glare just takes over the shot.

I dunno, this could be all me being hypersensitive to high contrast.  That's the great thing about opinions - you can pretty much take them with a grain of salt (or a chile thread, if you prefer )

Would I shoot with you

Yes, I would take a risk on a TF with you, despite the lack of males in your port.  If I'm ever in Sydney, I'll have to look you up.

steelprism wrote:
I'm game if you're still playing.

Mike

Mike - I definitely get your profile statement from your pics - your port says "the model is an accessory to, not the focal point of, the shot."  The only downside of this is that there are shots in there where the rest of the scene isn't as interesting as the model, and the whole shot seems to fall flat because of it.

Favorite



Brilliant concept, flawlessly executed.  It's great to see a location and be able to immediately visualize the perfect pose for it, isn't it?  Especially when the finished product is just as perfect as you saw it in your mind....

Least Favorite



Concept is great, but her awkward expression is a huge distraction from the shot.

Would I shoot with you?

I would send rates, although they'd be discounted.  Participating in shots like these are enjoyable, but my port has to be about me, not the location, so something like what you do wouldn't be an enhancement.

Mazetis Photography wrote:
Mine must be really bad or boring since it was passed over.

No, if you look at the chronology of my reviews, you'll see that there are 8 others in front of you that haven't gotten theirs yet either.  You guys can post "I'm in" a lot faster than I can post a 200+ word critique of your port.

As of this moment:

ludovic deforseau
Gerrit du Toit
Elle B
Ernesto Casillas
Ren
JMCA
S de Varax
RP
FaithEnFire
Mazetis
Richard Cockburn
XSilkX
Erlinda
and Zhiffy are in the queue (although I have to do some of my real job work right now, so it'll be later today)

I'm not forgetting anyone, I promise.

Scott.... wrote:
I'm not forgetting anyone, I promise.

and now there is a nifty list, even better
have fun working

Scott.... wrote:
Qualifier:  I actually used to be on that side of the lens, and had a reputation for a good eye, but struggled with hand tremors, so I eventually gave it up.

I'm going to do two things here:  A best/worst critique, and then an "under what circumstances" game, would I pay you to shoot me, would I TF with you, or would I send rates, along with a quick explanation why - I'm not typically a "YOU SUCK!" type of person.

If you'd like, you can reciprocate with a casting - what sort of shoot you'd like to do with me.

Who wants to go first?

This is of great interest to me..have a go!

mooncalled photography wrote:
DON'T look at my port!  I'm just starting out and haven't found my groove yet.  Still working on trying to take good pictures, no direction yet.

But, I just want to say that I'm learning a lot from this thread.

Just popping in right quick to say this:

I hope you're learning more from the ports I've discussed so far than from me, to be quite honest.  My opinion won't teach you nearly as much as taking a good long look at (particularly) Paul and Nadirah's portfolios (and Nadirah's website) and see what it is I'm going on about, how they use color, and form, and light, and texture to accomplish their goals.

ludovic deforseau wrote:
me please

Boy, you do love the collages, don't you?  The only thing I'm really not in love with is that many of your works have at least one real dud in them that kinda drags the whole thing down.  Any advice I'd offer would be centered around picking the single strongest shots from some of them and letting them stand on their own.

Favorite



Not surprisingly, the one picture you actually stuck with is the one piece that has the greatest impact.  Less is more?

Least Favorite



I honestly just do not get this one.  Two pairs of image that seem to have nothing whatsoever to connect them.

Would I shoot with you?

I'd definitely TF with you - as long as you promise not to make a collage out of me!

Scott.... wrote:
I hope you're learning more from the ports I've discussed so far than from me, to be quite honest.  My opinion won't teach you nearly as much as taking a good long look at (particularly) Paul and Nadirah's portfolios (and Nadirah's website) and see what it is I'm going on about, how they use color, and form, and light, and texture to accomplish their goals.

Critiques that include pictures that work and don't work from the same port are very useful.  Visual aids are my friend, LOL
 
Paul and Nadirah's stuff is too good, I don't even know where to start.  Models with more experience.  Me with more experience.  A bunch more equipment.  Seeing things that aren't great, with a clear reason why, help me more than seeing fabulous.

Gerrit du Toit wrote:
If you are still going I am in

What a playful port.  Some of these costumes must have been a blast to shoot (though I doubt they were much fun getting into and out of! )

Favorite



Everything comes together beautifully here.  Such a lively shot!

Least favorite



Is the sun the star of this picture?  If so, why bother having the model in the shot?   If not, why shoot straight at it like that?

Would I shoot with you?

Probably not.  Not that you aren't good at what you do, but more because I'd be utterly and completely incongruous to what you do best.

Elle B Photography wrote:
Fun! I'll play.

I see two kinds of shots in your port - one kind is you trying things that you see other photographers do (collage, shower shot w/mascara, fashion slideshow, nude w/guitar), and the other kind looks like you're just letting the model do whatever, with no real focus or guidance.  Like I told someone else earlier - the best photographers already know what they want to see before they look through that lens.  You can't wait for the right shot to come to you, you have to create it - and if you're going to try something you've seen elsewhere, you've got to reinvent it, to make it yours, otherwise it's just another (insert photo cliche here).

By the way - the softening tool is another seasoning.  Be delicate with it.

Favorite

Well, my actual favorite is the middle picture in the "Texas Calendar Girl" - I'd ditch the two side panels and put that up on its own.  Outside of that...



Clean, understated, simple, and strong.

Least Favorite



There is not a single shot in this set of five that stands on its own.  Her expressions and poses are awkward and distracting, as is the greenery.

Would I shoot with you?

I would send rates, because I get the feeling the burden would be wholly on me to create the shot.

Scott.... wrote:
I see two kinds of shots in your port - one kind is you trying things that you see other photographers do (collage, shower shot w/mascara, fashion slideshow, nude w/guitar), and the other kind looks like you're just letting the model do whatever, with no real focus or guidance.  Like I told someone else earlier - the best photographers already know what they want to see before they look through that lens.  You can't wait for the right shot to come to you, you have to create it - and if you're going to try something you've seen elsewhere, you've got to reinvent it, to make it yours, otherwise it's just another (insert photo cliche here).

By the way - the softening tool is another seasoning.  Be delicate with it.

Favorite

Well, my actual favorite is the middle picture in the "Texas Calendar Girl" - I'd ditch the two side panels and put that up on its own.  Outside of that...



Clean, understated, simple, and strong.

Least Favorite



There is not a single shot in this set of five that stands on its own.  Her expressions and poses are awkward and distracting, as is the greenery.

Would I shoot with you?

I would send rates, because I get the feeling the burden would be wholly on me to create the shot.

THANK YOU for taking the time to look. I am newbie. You are COMPLETELY right in what you said. I have  several pictures was trying to "recreate" b/c I simply loved them. I know, shame on me. I switched out a few

Ernesto Casillas wrote:
me?

Yes, this is definitely a student portfolio.  No slam on you, you're executing the forms well, but they are definitely forms you are learning from, as opposed to forms you are creating.  It's OK.  When I first started seriously writing poetry, back in the mid-90's, a lot of my work was an exercise in imitation of Cummings, Eliot, Poe, etc.  It's a stage you need to go through to find your own voice.

Favorite



Again, simplicity and just the right expression can make all the difference.

Least Favorite



The hand, because of that glove, serves as a distraction from the subject.

Would I shoot with you?

Absolutely I would TF with you.  You have a good grip of the fundamentals, and I believe I could coax you into something daring that would be good for both our ports.

Ren Photography wrote:
Well, I'm a student/newbie, so I could use some good feedback...and I'd love to know if you would shoot with me!

I like how you separated (most of) your school work from your personal work.  You picked a challenging motif, though, in pinup.  Not an easy thing to execute.  That said, many of your shots are almost there.  Great example: The Navy girl - lose the flag and that shot is stellar - her form is great, the expression is there, but the flag on her back serves as a distraction from the shot, instead of an enhancement.

Favorite



Nailed the concept, and did it with a big girl, which isn't easy.

Least Favorite



This was a good idea on paper that just didn't quite come together on film.

Would I shoot with you?

I'd definitely TF with you.  You have ambition, and with a little patience, I think we could find a winning concept for both of us.

JCMA Photography wrote:
Me?  I'm a beginner.

For a beginner, you're off to a pretty good start in portrait work.  You were fortunate, in that several of these ladies really, really know how to pose (particularly mohawk girl) - but you're doing a great job with your lighting, particularly the soft-light - something that takes a very delicate hand to succeed.

Favorite



This was tough, because her profile shot with the fetish outfit was just as potent.  I think this was your best overall capture of a form.

Least Favorite



Nothing working here - her pose is meh, her expression is meh, half her face is obscured by shadow - it's a bit of a train-wreck.

Would I shoot with you?

I would send rates.  I get the feeling you're still very dependent on the model knowing what to do on her own to be successful.

S de Varax wrote:
me?

You definitely have the Euro thing going on.  Some really interesting motifs, angles, and contrasts in this collection. 

Favorite



The motif is a well-worn path, but you executed it flawlessly. 

Least Favorite

Hard choice here, there's nothing in your port that stands out as an "oh I hate that" shot.  However...



Seen too many of them.  The squid is not long to be joining caution tape and nudes with guitars in the "Oh God, not that again" club.

Would I shoot with you?

Absolutely, I'd TF with you.  You'd be a dramatically different eye on me, and I'd be a dramatically different subject for you.  I think it could work brilliantly.

Faith EnFire wrote:
I'd like to go, but I need to think about what I'd do with you
I'm in the middle of a conversation right now but here's my photographers profile
https://www.modelmayhem.com/1684919

edit:
ok, I see that you've done some fantasy/anachronistic stuff but I'd like to build on that. maybe something western, or LOTR.
essentially, I want to see you with a horse

Ah, so the centaur thing didn't work so well?

As I look at your photography port (and recall your modeling port), I'm a bit stunned.  For someone who has such a reputation for taking risks and being creative when in front of the camera, I'm surprised that your 'tog port is so "safe" - low lights, standard poses, nothing really just jumps out. 

I get the impression you're trying to build a foundation here, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but even in the process of building that foundation of technique, I'd like to see you trying different things, different light values, different motifs - EXPERIMENT!

I'm going to pass on the favorite/least favorite portion of this discussion and go straight to...

Would I shoot with you?

I'd definitely TF - but only if we weren't in a studio setting.  I'd want to make you step outside of that safe zone.

Scott.... wrote:

Ah, so the centaur thing didn't work so well?

As I look at your photography port (and recall your modeling port), I'm a bit stunned.  For someone who has such a reputation for taking risks and being creative when in front of the camera, I'm surprised that your 'tog port is so "safe" - low lights, standard poses, nothing really just jumps out. 

I get the impression you're trying to build a foundation here, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but even in the process of building that foundation of technique, I'd like to see you trying different things, different light values, different motifs - EXPERIMENT!

I'm going to pass on the favorite/least favorite portion of this discussion and go straight to...

Would I shoot with you?

I'd definitely TF - but only if we weren't in a studio setting.  I'd want to make you step outside of that safe zone.

thanks-got it, work on decreasing boring factor
I get into things slowly. familial nickname are the Turtles. I'll get there

absolutely not a studio setting. I wouldn't want to see you in a studio-specially not with a horse. centuar works but not for what I'd want.

thank you again

RP Creative wrote:
Me Please?

You're working that urban thing, for sure - but at the same time it feels like that's something you do because of your client list - and you want to do more than that.

Favorite



The striped negative values on an already visually stimulating shot just knock it straight out of the park.  Well done!

Least Favorite



This really could have worked if you hadn't blurred the backgrounds.

Would I shoot with you?

I'd definitely TF.  You have a flair, and I'd like to see how you'd represent me from your perspective.