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How about a Critique thread


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Nice thought but the advice will only be as good as the person giving it, subject to the person receiving it agreeing and not getting offended. A peer review panel might be an option but then you enter into the realms of a photo club rather than a business venture.

Love the fish in your avatar - bet it was delicious.

 

dov

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I think Dov has hit the nail on the head with that one. I jumped in and had a wee look when you posted it, then my immediate reaction was that some on the first few pages were a wee bit dark, however, could be my screen and that's really only my own unqualified opinion coming from someone that really doesn't sell much so do I have a say? Does it help? Probably not, but I feel its a difficult road to go down in stock, continually taking shots and not knowing if you're going down the right road. 

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Agree with dov.  Forum members are always happy to try to help in the case of specific images or problems with images when posted on the forum. I think a critique forum or panel is a step too far.

 

Allan

 

PS; did have a look at your images this time and, on my monitor, generally look OK technically but I would not comment on the content.

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People ask for a critique of their work from time to time and, in my experience, members try to give an honest and constructive appraisal. There is an unwritten rule that you don't comment on others' work without being asked. I don't see the need for a devoted thread.

 

For what it's worth, I also think that some of your images are too dark. Indeed whenever anyone has asked and I have responded, it's usually to say they appear dark on my various monitors. Probably going blind.....

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Check your histogram, as someone else said even if your monitor isn't calibrated the histogram will tell you what is going on.  Try this link.  I have one calibrated monitor and the other is monitor/TV and could never be used for judging exposure or color. 

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Not that many of your images are too dark (too not to). Here's a couple of tips, rather than a critique. 

 

If you finish your edit in PhotoShop click Auto Contrast under the Image menu. If you don't like what happens just click it off again. And if you're in Lightroom open the image up using the Shadow slider. You'll also have to add Contrast to make things look natural.  

 

Bryan has it right regarding the problems of a critique area. 

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Not that many of your images are too dark (too not to). Here's a couple of tips, rather than a critique. 

 

If you finish your edit in PhotoShop click Auto Contrast under the Image menu. If you don't like what happens just click it off again. And if you're in Lightroom open the image up using the Shadow slider. You'll also have to add Contrast to make things look natural.  

 

Bryan has it right regarding the problems of a critique area. 

 

Clicking "auto contrast" is usually the first thing I do when processing. If the results are too aggressive (or not aggressive enough), I use "levels" instead to set the white and black points. I fiddle with the shadow/highlight sliders a lot too, being careful not to unearth shadow noise. I've landed in the sin bin a couple of times for opening up shadows too much.

 

I agree, having a dedicated critique thread, while a good suggestion, is probably unnecessary for reasons already stated above.

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Not that many of your images are too dark (too not to). Here's a couple of tips, rather than a critique. 

 

If you finish your edit in PhotoShop click Auto Contrast under the Image menu. If you don't like what happens just click it off again. And if you're in Lightroom open the image up using the Shadow slider. You'll also have to add Contrast to make things look natural.  

 

Bryan has it right regarding the problems of a critique area. 

 

Clicking "auto contrast" is usually the first thing I do when processing. If the results are too aggressive (or not aggressive enough), I use "levels" instead to set the white and black points. I fiddle with the shadow/highlight sliders a lot too, being careful not to unearth shadow noise. I've landed in the sin bin a couple of times for opening up shadows too much.

 

I agree, having a dedicated critique thread, while a good suggestion, is probably unnecessary for reasons already stated above.

 

 

Your'e right about avoiding shadow noise, John. But the LR Shadow slider is really for bringing up details in middle tones. If we use it very dark areas the noise can be

 

unfixable (Is that a word?).

 

Hey, what about that free software you and some others downloaded last week? Is that working out? I mean is there a reason to switch from LR? Mostly I move from LR>PS, and sometimes LR>NE2>PS.  

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Not that many of your images are too dark (too not to). Here's a couple of tips, rather than a critique. 

 

If you finish your edit in PhotoShop click Auto Contrast under the Image menu. If you don't like what happens just click it off again. And if you're in Lightroom open the image up using the Shadow slider. You'll also have to add Contrast to make things look natural.  

 

Bryan has it right regarding the problems of a critique area. 

 

Clicking "auto contrast" is usually the first thing I do when processing. If the results are too aggressive (or not aggressive enough), I use "levels" instead to set the white and black points. I fiddle with the shadow/highlight sliders a lot too, being careful not to unearth shadow noise. I've landed in the sin bin a couple of times for opening up shadows too much.

 

I agree, having a dedicated critique thread, while a good suggestion, is probably unnecessary for reasons already stated above.

 

 

Your'e right about avoiding shadow noise, John. But the LR Shadow slider is really for bringing up details in middle tones. If we use it very dark areas the noise can be

 

unfixable (Is that a word?).

 

Hey, what about that free software you and some others downloaded last week? Is that working out? I mean is there a reason to switch from LR? Mostly I move from LR>PS, and sometimes LR>NE2>PS.  

 

 

Turns out the free software (Capture 1) is a sixty-day trial version. I've downloaded it but have yet to install. Actually, the JPEGs from the NEX-6 are so good that I shoot mainly in JPEG fine mode these days and tweak my images in PS Elements, which also has shadow and highlight sliders plus a mid tones contrast slider. I've learned the hard way about not opening up shadows too much. Avoiding deep shadows as much as possible when shooting is of course the best solution.

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