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Archive 2011 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

akul
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p.3 #1 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Carsten - Great idea. I was checking out the critique forum looking for your beach shot, and realized that was posted here. A bit slow in catching up. Here is my attempt.

FlyPen- What I really got my attention with the shot was the paint texture, and the paint covered fingers. It gives me strong emotional response. Sort of like 'yeykes, I can smell the paint fume'. What confuses me may be the political message part. As a message driven pic, there may be a different way to approach this. Hands, and spray cans are almost getting in the way. On the other hand, that was not what I liked about the picture. I'd rather see the paint texture, and hand being more foreground, and the message to be secondary. As it is not staged, it may not be possible.

Carsten- As I am not a big fan of cropping, my first tendency usually does not go towards that direction. As the composition is very strongly placed, I did not think of the sand to be too much. What I like about the shot is the atmosphere of 'off season tourist spot' which says a lot to me. Solitude, seasonal economy, people's tendency to crowd and follow the trend, etc. One thing that I wish to see was the ladder. The bottom of ladder is disappearing into the edge of sand and grass area. If it was all inside grass area, or extended more into the sand area it would have made it different. My preference may be that slightly lower point of view would make the structure to be more isloated. Again that would enhance the sense of 'solitude'. The solitude of the scene, solitude of the structure that is only used during the season.

Frank - I love the tonality of this picture, and the tower on the right side with deep saturated color and texture behind the roofing really stands out. Uneasiness comes in, however, with the bottom of the left tower as it is slighly cut off. To me, it would have been stronger either that you don't see the bottom of the tower at all, or include the bottom to ground the tower in the scene.

Jason - The pier photo. Great exposure, I like the contrast of two different tones, the orange sky and bluish foreground. Very well done. what I am curious, ( I can't believe I am saying this as I am contradicting myself within a single post ) is if it is cropped a little bit to make more horizontal to enhance the expanse.
Portrait - Somehow, the tree trunk gets a little too much attention on this shot. It is either make the tree more prominent, or pull back a little to find different balance?

Luka

Nov 29, 2011 at 07:46 AM

akul
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p.3 #2 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

It won't be fair if I do not put my photo out here, so here goes. This is a cross post from other thread.

It was shot at the Boat Basin in Palisade Park, NJ. I don't quite know what this structure is used for. As is often the case with metropolitan area in NE US, industrial stuffs are quite rugged looking. They have the look of 'built a while ago, and nobody takes care of them any more'. Sodium ( or natrium) lamps adds more desolate feeling. I was drawn to the contrast of cliff on the right side, sky and the industrial structure; fence, the light, debris on the ground, and the pipe chair. It made me think of some sort of strange crime scene. One gripe is that there is a streak from an airplane, which did not quite add to this scene for me, but I did not alter it.

ZF.2 21, f16, 10 seconds, D700

http://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/1070/U1070I1322452580.SEQ.0.jpg

Nov 29, 2011 at 09:10 AM

philber
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p.3 #3 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Luka, a very intesresting submission. I am a bit bothered by the strong illumination on the right hand side, on the chair back and structure, as well as the foreground. It takes away from a clear path for the eye into the picture IMHO.
And, though you don't like cropping, I don't think that the foreground contributes that much. I tried these tow mods, and like the result better, but that's just me.

Nov 29, 2011 at 05:23 PM

akul
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p.3 #4 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Philippe

Thank you so much for your comment. This is very helpful. I think the problem is probably that what interested me is not distilled enough and transferred to be a decent 'photograph' yet. Scene itself is really interesting to me, dirt, light, pipe chair, chain link fence deep colored sky etc. On the other hand, it is trying to be one too many thing. Then, there was a nerdy interest of getting the star-shape glare from the f16 form lamp posts ( I am admitting ), on top of the desire to capture the 'crime scene' ( which was the real interest). Plus the wanting to have formality of having lamp posts lined up in a one point perspective. They were just one or two too many 'desires'.

Regarding the reason why I say I don't like cropping, is that I feel, if I did not do decent job at the time shooting, then I should just go back and reshoot until I get better shot. It was not like I was shooting from hip on a fast moving car or anything. I actually set up tripod and stood there for a while to do this. So, I would like to be able to make a lemonade out of this scene. That is just my little thing I tend to think.
(On the other hand, if I like everything but notice that horizon is a bit crooked, I somehow don't have too much trouble adjusting it in pp. I guess the statment " I don't like cropping", is not quite accurate. )

If you have a crop you would like to share, please, share your thought here. I can learn much more from seeing what you mean.

Thanks

Luka

Nov 29, 2011 at 07:29 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #5 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Luka, I like the shot, but I think that many of your recent images are stronger than this one. The uniform lighting/colour, the multiple centres of focus, the flares competing for attention... I think a tighter focus would help, but ultimately, I am not sure if the basic composition has enough strength.

Nov 29, 2011 at 07:40 PM

akul
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p.3 #6 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Carsten,

Thanks for the input. I agree. And, that is also the reason why I posted it, I think. I like the scene, but I don't know what to do with it. One thing I feel is that this may be a better scene for a long duration video, if at the end of 5 minutes, someone walk across with a dead body or something ..... could be interesting.

Nov 29, 2011 at 07:49 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #7 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Maybe someone could just walk through. Without a dead body

Nov 29, 2011 at 07:53 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #8 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Okay, this is perhaps my favorite shot from the recent FM Berlin Beelitz trip, so I am taking the risk and putting it up here. What could be better?

http://throughthelensdarkly.com/forums/CW_20111126_NikonD3_04690.jpg

Dec 01, 2011 at 07:02 PM

corposant
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p.3 #9 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Carsten - I love decrepitude, but I feel like this could use a caption to provide some context (since the image doesn't provide any on its own).

Dec 02, 2011 at 01:37 PM

philber
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p.3 #10 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Very nice shot, Carsten! So take my comment in this context. There is something that doesn't quite "do it" for me, it is the intensity of the light on the door. It highlights the door as the main area of attention, instead of it being a passage. Try toning it down quite a bit?

Dec 02, 2011 at 01:56 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #11 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Philippe, I could not agree more. I have been looking at that since I processed it, wondering if it was blown out, but I think it isn't. It is just too close to full white. I will tone it down somewhat.

Corposant, erm: "Door and Sink"? "Sinking Door"? "Door, Sink, Solitude"? "Door with peeling paint, Beelitz-Heilst�tten, Beelitz, Brandenburg, Germany"?

Dec 02, 2011 at 01:59 PM

corposant
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p.3 #12 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

carstenw wrote:
Corposant, erm: "Door and Sink"? "Sinking Door"? "Door, Sink, Solitude"? "Door with peeling paint, Beelitz-Heilst�tten, Beelitz, Brandenburg, Germany"?

Those are titles, not captions. I was thinking more along the lines of giving us a hint as to where you are and why this _____ (hospital/old house/hotel/etc) is so run down.

There are instances where this is easier to convey - like showing an poverty-stricken alley in a city in India in the shadow of a gleaming new residential construction project. There's a clear social context there too, so that's a different story as well.

In this situation, is it a hospital? Throw an old stethoscope or some vials on the ground on the ground to allow the viewer to construct a little backstory in his head. As a viewer, I need more.

Dec 02, 2011 at 02:07 PM

Jacob D
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p.3 #13 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

corposant wrote:
In this situation, is it a hospital? Throw an old stethoscope or some vials on the ground on the ground to allow the viewer to construct a little backstory in his head. As a viewer, I need more.

I agree that it would be nice to have some visual clues as to what this is/was, but I think the idea of adding, or removing objects from a scene is a subject to discuss unto itself.

I like the image; the tones and textures are interesting and it makes me wonder what's in the other room. I admit to wanting to know a little more about where/what it is, although I'm not sure if that's a critique

Dec 02, 2011 at 02:44 PM

wfrank
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p.3 #14 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

carstenw wrote:
What could be better?

How about fixing the cranes and some paintjob?

Seriously, it's nice well balanced capture with nice blue tones (albeit perhaps a bit bright on the door). I've seen sharper work from you though. And although I know where the shot is taken (and therefor have some context) I dont think the image speaks for itself. I dont see that PP could improve that. I row of doors might, a strong shadow from something somewhere might do it but not a isolated tightly cropped door. If a deserted shoe or teddybear was seen in the room, or some feet... or even just some footprints.

So even though it's a nice capture, well handled and so on - for me it's a bit voiceless.

Dec 02, 2011 at 02:54 PM

akul
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p.3 #15 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Carsten - I really love the tonality of the light blue wall and the sink on the right. Lighting on that side is also very interesting and suggestive of space we don't see. Blown out ( not technically, but perceptively ) door does kill the mood a little to me. My first impression was that the door got too much attention, while what is interesting to me is where that light come from, what kind of space is behind that door. I personally would rather not see too much more. There is a thing about less is more to me. However, what frustrates me a bit is how close this shot is. It is so tight to be bullet proof perfect, that it does not leave me any more room for 'wondering'. I am not sure I am right, though I wish to see a little less tightly framed composition to give all a little more 'air' around. well, did I say I love this shot ?

Dec 02, 2011 at 09:47 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #16 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Wow, this is great feedback, thanks guys.

First of all, here is a version with a toned down door. I didn't want to take it down too much, because I felt the light would be flat.

http://throughthelensdarkly.com/forums/CW_20111126_NikonD3_04690-1.jpg

Title: Decaying Door and Sink, Beelitz-Heilst�tten, Beelitz, Germany

Caption: Originally a sanatorium for recuperating Berlin workers with non-communicable ailings, the Heilst�tte's success caused a rapid expansion, until its final size of about 60 buildings. At the start of World War I, it was repurposed as a military hospital, where among other WWI soldiers from the Battle of Somme, Adolf Hitler recuperated with a leg wound. In World War II, it was again used for military purposes. After the war, up to about 1998, it was used as a sanatorium for victims of tuberculosis and other lung diseases.

Some parts of the complex are still in use today, but much of it has been left to nature. The original beauty and luxury of the complex are still apparent, but the condition is steadily deteriorating, and in recent years, graffiti has made inroads. It is one of the most popular destinations of European and international urban explorers. It is at this point possible to take a photographic tour of some of the buildings.

There are no known teddy bears in the complex.

---

I couldn't really back up any further, taking the shot from a room across the narrow hallway, and didn't have a lens wider than the 21mm, so the framing is about as generous as possible under the given circumstances. Having said that, even if I could have, I don't think I would have moved much back or used a much wider lens. I like the tight framing, and I like that it makes you curious, but doesn't reveal much. It makes the imagination wander.

As a sidenote, if I had included more, you would have seen more floor, more ceiling, more wall on the left, and a messy closet on the right, which distracted more than it added. I deliberately framed to leave that out.

As a note of interest, inside the little room, which is all that it is, there is a hole in the ceiling directly above the door, and in this hole hangs a very large roof tile precariously balanced on two opposing corners. This is an accident waiting to happen. These urbex locations are often really not safe.

Edited on Dec 03, 2011 at 05:25 AM · View previous versions

Dec 03, 2011 at 04:54 AM

philber
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p.3 #17 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Your shot works significantly better for me now, Carsten! Well done!

Dec 03, 2011 at 05:22 AM

AhamB
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p.3 #18 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Interesting shot, Carsten, but the white border is competing too much with the highlights in the shot itself for me. I've always had mixed feelings about white borders, also on prints. It adds something but it also takes something away.

The toned down version is easier to look at for me.

Dec 03, 2011 at 08:45 AM

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p.3 #19 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

philber wrote:
Your shot works significantly better for me now, Carsten! Well done!

+1, teddy or not

Dec 03, 2011 at 02:43 PM

carstenw
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p.3 #20 · The Alt Image Critique Thread

Thanks Philippe and William!

Benjamin, you could be right. I have been looking at Luka's (akul) black borders for some time now, wondering if I should use them for some of my shots. I definitely feel that some sort of border is necessary to separate the photo from its background, especially in a place as visually noisy as this forum, and colour is too dominant. Grey might be possible, but I find that pure black or white separates best. Here it is with a black border.

http://throughthelensdarkly.com/forums/CW_20111126_NikonD3_04690-2.jpg

Dec 03, 2011 at 03:10 PM

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