Your photos (132)


Hints and tips
by Philip Grosset



If you'd like to submit photos for criticism,
click here.
with comments from Philip Grosset




"I am a big fan of your site and your work. These pictures were taken while wandering around Downtown Los Angeles with my digital Fugi Film s1 pro. I use a tamron 28-200 zoom lens. I am a screenwriter by profession but looking to get serious about photography and would love any advice, tips, or criticism you could offer based on these samples. Thanks!" (Jason Ward)
Fruit stall
Fire man
Blue wall
I think these photos very well communicate your personal impressions of the place. The composition of each is unusual but effective. I like the way you've balanced the man on the left of the fruit stall with the scales hanging on the right of the stall, and, similarly, how the two figures in the photo on the bottom right are balanced by the object in the right foreground. I'm not so sure about your photo on the left, as it's not at all obvious what's happening here. Was the fire added afterwards? Some explanation is needed. In all three photos, you've shown people looking right at the camera rather than busy about their business (not usually a good idea), but the very way they react to you tells us something about them, and, together, they make a memorable group of pictures.




"Last year I bought a Canon EOS 300 and have been trying out a lot of things. 'beatrixpark' (the 1st picture) is a photo that I took in the winter late during daytime. The sun was already going under and I liked the color that it gave to the trees. I've made a series of these but I liked this one the most. 'dresden' (the 2nd one) is a photo of a statue of a devil. I made a close up of the face. Nature (the 3rd one) is a photo made in Sweden. VNiels (the 4th one) is the singer of the band Malochia. He has a smokemachine on his back for this song. I liked the blue smoke effect which has taken over his head.
I'm making a lot of nature photos and photos from bands which is difficult sometimes. I'm looking for a flash for my camera but I don't know which one is better. I had the advice for a canon one or the one from Metz 40 AFc. That one is a lot cheaper than the canon one. Do you have some good advice on this matter for me? thanks a lot for your help." (Manon Vd Hidde, Netherlands)
Beatrix park Landscape with changed sky
The muted coloring of your photo on the left is indeed attractive, and I like the total effect, although, ideally, perhaps there could have been a bit more color in the sky, as I've tried to suggest in my experiment on the right. Although there doesn't really seem to be one main point of interest, it's a very pleasant scene.
Statue This statue in Dresden is a highly effective bold close-up that works very well.
VNiels
Twig
The twigs on the left stand out well from the pleasantly colored and deliberately out-of-focus background, but it might have been just that much more satisfying if the end of the twig on the bottom left had been included, It's always a bit awkward when part of an object is lopped off for no apparent reason.
On the right, your photo of the singer looks a very professional job (you've caught the smoke very well), and it ends off a really impressive group of photos.
I'm afraid I can't help with your choice of flash gun, beyond making the obvious suggestion that you have a careful look at both of them, compare their features, and then hopefully you'll be able to decide which is the one most likely to meet your particular needs.

Reply from Manon Vd Hidde: "Sorry that it took me some time to answer your mail. Thank you for you comment on my photo's. Your 'remake' of the first one is more like the original photo is. The scan took away a bit of the color. Thank you for taking the time."




"I took this picture in Edinburgh on a clear day last Dec 2001. I used a Tamron 28-200 XR lens on Canon EOS 500N. I forgot to note down the particular distance I took it from." (Joseph Suico, Oxford)
Tower Tower straightened
Your photo on the left has a leaning tower which I'm sure you didn't intend, so on the right I've straightened it out. It might have been more interesting if we could have seen a bit more of its setting. Perhaps a more distant view with the tower moved to the right (instead of being plumb in the centre) of the picture, and with some of the ground below it visible on the left, might have added to the effect - unless, of course, you had some special reason for wanting this closer shot of it. But it's a fine clear picture, and the dramatic blue sky certainly shows it off well.




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