edgorm wrote:
Fred Ann, let me begin by saying that it is my belief that the host of a challenge like this has the responsibility of being a teacher and a critic. To fulfill these roles in such a way so as not to be condescending and offensive is a challenge in itself. The whole point of this forum, I believe, is to give and get instruction to and from other members. If you want a popularity contest, go to 500x. I've seen too many instances where people just hand out atta boy's to photos that are truly bad, just because they don't want to take the chance of offending someone. I've been sitting here, drinking too much coffee, deliberating what to say about your shots.
They both have a lot of potential. I don't recall what camera you use or what format you shoot, jpeg or raw, but these two look to me like raw images that have not been worked on. Saying that these are right out of the camera puts me in mind of a baker taking a cake out of the oven and presenting it to a customer without icing or decoration. No digital camera, no matter how expensive, is capable of producing a satisfactory finished product. That is why all of these post production programs exist. We are cheating ourselves if we don't use them.
Rant over. Shakey's picture looks to me to be a little washed out. Try cutting back on the exposure 1/2 to 3/4 of a stop. Add a little contrast and see if you can tone down the really bright areas of the quilt that are competing with your subject. The composition is wonderful. I like the curve of the cat's body leading to the half opened eye and I like the colorful quilt keeping the eye confined to the cat. Like I said, the bright areas in the lower left and lower right corners compete with the subject and distract the eye.
The geranium also has good potential. I like the choice of backlighting the flower. Again, the print is a little overexposed and flat. Try to add some contrast and see if you can brighten the outer petals without losing detail and bring a little more detail out in the center of the bloom.
Fred Ann, let me begin by saying that it is my bel... (
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Thank you Ed, Your points are well taken. As a retired teacher , I understand that learning takes place only if the student is receptive. I accept and appreciate your advice.