St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

JSB PHOTOGRAPHS has graciously volunteered the WPC 1347 - Shadows entry for critique and analysis to find out what they could have done to make it better. Be nice, but be honest as this will help everyone with their craft. Thank you JSB PHOTOGRAPHS and thank you everyone!

from WPC 1347 - Shadows RESULTS http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/photo_contest_ratings.jsp?pcnum=90

Woody is thinking, where is buzz lightyear? Nikon D1H Nikkor 50mm f/1.4

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

think its a little too bright - facial details barely distinguishable. Shirt's brightness draws the eye to it, takes effort to look at anything else. .

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

That long shadow is distracting. It keeps drawing my eye away from the subject. The very shallow depth of field also is distracting. This is a photo I'm happy that I didn't take.

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

The shadow is too dark and its edges are too sharp.
Reduce the opacity and feather the edges of it, so it isn't the dominant feature of the image.
Adjusting the lighting position to reduce the length of the shadow would also help.

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

I don't mind the shadow, that's what it is about but the DOP is poor and distracting.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

If viscountdriver means depth of field, I agree with him. The shallow DOF is very amateurish. I think macro shots with everything in focus can be stunning.

The other thing about this photo is that as it stands by itself, it simply is not interesting. It is just a kid's toy. I do not want a back story explaining why a picture should be interesting unless it is about history or journalism.

DrAnderson

I like the long, tall, Texan look and I think the shadow enhances that effect. Perhaps there could be something in front of the cowboy that he is studying so hard on. Nice.

JSB PHOTOGRAPHS Loc: Willamette valley, Oregon

Thank you every one for your input. I think it fits the theme "Shadows" and the title gives it a story "Woody is thinking, where is buzz lightyear?" So what is it lacking?

It is the background, it is not telling a story, if woody was on a hard wood floor with light coming in on him to create a shadow in a living room, this could be the background... [ Scenario not available in my case] but would work. Then to give the background scenario a story, have buzz lightyear hiding with his friends with woody asking where is buzz lightyear? This could of made this photo more interesting. Only one scenario that could work.

Also I thought I could of did a macro of woody up close and used the shadow of his hat on his face to fit the theme, with the title "Woody is thinking, where is buzz lightyear?"
[ Second scenario ] Just my thoughts as the photographer of this image.

Thank you so much every one for your input.

John

Example close up

macsmom Loc: S Carolina

John, before sharing my thoughts you should know I am an amateur hobbyist and may not know what I am talking about. (So here goes...) I thought long shadows were typical of late-in-the-day photography. If that's the case, the light on Woody seems way too bright. Did you light it artificially? I think I would also try to get the camera lower so the hat shadow doesn't cut diagonally across his face. Does any of this sound reasonable? I struggle with lighting every time I shoot. I love the long shadow.

Charlie

JSB PHOTOGRAPHS Loc: Willamette valley, Oregon

This shot was done early in the morning, it was 20 degrees outside. The big problem was I had to lay down on the sidewalk, and laying down in the wet and half frozen lawn was not an option. So the answer would be yes, long shadows are typical of late-in-the-day & early morning. The problom with getting a lower angle was not possible, woody is only 3 inches tall and the bottom of the lens is 3 inches from the ground. Did I use artificially lighting? No.

Thanks Charlie for your comment hope this answers the question.

John

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I think it's a great job. It's a long, sharp, harsh shadow and it fits with the "woody" cowboy theme. It's also cropped effectively.

I guess the questions is: what effect were they going for? If "end of day" and "harsh" was the intended effect....then they did great..if "soft shadows" was the intended effect then they failed.