Slide - Photography - [Updated Dec. 6]

-

December 6th Addition

IN every photograph there is a story and if not a complete story told in a single picture, let art be depicted in the combination of light and film. Let photos speak for themselves; do not preface them with the words of your own interpretation. - Anonymous

In this thread, I plan to post some of my better photography from later 2009. I'll place the links to updates here in the main post. Most of my photos have either watermarks, titles, or my name on them; I periodically share them with a company who requests my name on them, and I'm too lazy to correct that.

The most editing I usually do is a light contrasting for color and sharpness.

*

There, we laid the flowers for you.
Set: Memorials



*

Summer Poetry
Set: Summer 2009


*


The Final Harvests
Set: Fall 2009



*

Sunset Over Verrazano Bridge
Set: New York

Don't like the noise in this, but oh well.


*



Fountain




Harsh criticism needed and deeply appreciated!

© Juniper - 2009

June, these are actually quite amazing. However, I do have nitpicks on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th photos.

2nd
I don't really like the way you conveyed the pages blowing in the wind. It forms a semi-circle, which reminds me more of a fan or air conditioner then the peaceful breeze of nature. What your photo says completely contrasts with what you're trying to say. I'd suggest something a little more wild, and a little less planned.

3rd
I'm sorry, but I do not like the bee. He clashes with the rest of the photo, making it just seem weird. I know you were trying to convey a realistic tone of nature, but it would have been much better without the bee.

5th
Although I love the scenery and the actual the photo, I feel like I'm dizzy and about to topple over. Try to make your camera angels a little straighter next time.

TTFN Juni
Ells

Hey June!

I don't think I've ever verbalized that I think you're a fantastic photographer, and that I really enjoy your photos.

All of these are fantastic, but I think that two in particular aren't as fantastic as the rest. First of all "The Final Harvest" is kind of a boring picture. There's too much shadow, and I don't think the daisies are symmetrical or pretty enough to compliment the bee. Second was "Sunset Over Verrazano Bridge". At first, all I didn't like was your effects -- the text at the bottom and the black bordering: made the picture look like a postcard. On closer inspection, I also didn't like the angle of the bridge. You centered the tower well, but the shot just seems so unbalanced...

My favorite is probably "Summer Poetry" with "Memorials" as a close second.

Keep up the good work!

-Kylan

Here I am Juniper!

*rolls up sleeves*

*Note: this is review number 4 today. I'm totally going to beat this 100:15 thing*

Okay, firstly, I will start off saying you are a truly lovely photographer, I adore your photography.

Memorials

Now I like the lighting. It's great and hits the flower closest to us really well. One suggestion would be to get closer. I would of gotten a bit closer to the flower that is in focus. Also, I understand the whole copyright thing, but the writing makes them look like a postcard, as Kylan said.

Summer Poetry

Now this one is really lovely. Very well done Junebug. I feel the black rimmed effect you used doesn't work well, it ends the picture to abruptly. I think you should stay plain and simple.

Final Harvest

This one has a shadow over the daisies the does work, and the picture is too far out. I would of gotten closer to the bee, as possible without it buzzing away. And once again the black rim doesn't do anything for your picture.

Sunset Over Verrazano Bridge

Too postcard-ish for my taste. But it is a lovely picture. It's also a little blurry. But I don't like this one as much.

Fountain

I like the colours, but I would of played with the saturation of the picture. Make the brick a deeper red and with the brightness to see the reflection in the water a little better.

Otherwise, lovely job as usual.

Kamas

Junebuggles, how is it I always forget that you are just about the bestest photographer I may very well know. Ever.

The first one, with the flowers, has a wonderful effect and I actually really love how it’s a little unfocused in some places but it’s so sharp in other places. And the coloring and such are wonderful too.

Summer Poetry is probably my favorite. In fact, I made it my desktop background, I hope that’s okay. But I really like the way it actually does look set up and the effect that set up feeling has.

I’m not so fond of The Final Harvest as I believe many have mentioned. I think that had the flowers maybe been prettier or bigger, it would have looked so much nicer.

Sunset Over Verrazano Bridge has a wonderful effect, I think most due in part to the contrast of sky and ground. And the bridge almost feels like it’s about to fall over, an effect I really like. But the fuzzy quality is definitely noticeable and a little distracting.

Fountain is definitely a great setting but I think had it been pulled back just a little to get the whole fountain or zoomed in a little farther to get in less of the fountain and more detail in those wonderful bricks, then I think it would have been a billion times better than it already is.

Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! Mucho appreciated, and I will keep your points in mind next time. As for the Verazanno bridge, it is a postcard, haha, so not much that I can do about that look of it. Because it's been downsized and compressed it looks a bit fuzzy, but the processed version looks loads better.

Darn. I really liked that bee...

Those are amazing!! The bee isn't my favortie though sorry but the picture itself is still beautiful! I love the first and the second! Great job June!

-Irish

Hey June:

Daydreamer here!

First of all let me just say your work is stunningly beautiful. I may not have a professional eye for what's good or bad in photography but you make me want to quit taking pictures altogether!

That said, I will try to find something to criticize though it will be hard!

The first one is perfect, I don't see a single thing wrong with it.

The second, my only nitpick would be that maybe the picture might look better without the pen which kind of blends in with the notebook? Also I disagree with those who didn't like the paper blowing in the wind. I love how the light filters through the curled pages. It gives it a very nice effect.

The third one, again I disagree with those who didn't like the bee. Without the bee, it would have been simply another picture of a bunch of flowers. Anyone can do that. I like the bee very much.

The fourth I don't like very much at all. It's somewhat fuzzy and not very clear. It's also somewhat boring, not much to excite the eye.

The fifth and final one is lovely. I love how you can see the reflection off the water. The only thing I don't particularly like is how the vase or pot is faded out at the base.

I had no idea you were this good, please post more!
Gold Star!
-daydreamer

Thanks again for the commentary, everyone. I have another shot of Summer Poetry, but I'm not sure if I like it, because the angle's a bit bland; I'm not sure if it looks better in grey or sepia, but here it is:





The Rivers Are Dying While The Moons Rise Early



I recently started cross processing in photoshop, and it's terribly painstaking to do it with curves. The preset modes don't work well, but here's some of my less garish results.

Tea (Experimental shot for Focus and Light test)



Bokeh and Balbo



The Sun and River Fall Together



Fungi




Thanks for looking! Harsh criticism welcomed, as always.

Hey June! As always, your photography is amazing.

First Photo: This one was much better, and believe me, I actually like the ankle and the fact that you fact that you chose to focus more on the page. The flower pen is a nice addition, but I much prefer black & white to sepia tone.

Second Photo: I love it, but I think the tiny moon in the background is a distraction. I know it's not what were supposed to focus on, so it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Third Photo: This one was good as well, and I understand that it's a test, but I think the focus was off. When looking at the two teacups in the back ground, I feel as if I'm going get dizzy. The sharpness and the blurriness contrasted too much.

Fourth Photo: This is good, but I think you should have focused on the cat's healthy eye.

Fifth Photo: Again, good, and I loved how you caught the glint of the sun, but I think this would have shown better in sepia tone.

Sixth Photo: Close to perfect, but I don't like the tree in the background.

Hi June *gives a hug and a cookie*

First Picture: I really love this set up. And this new angle is super amazing as is the pencil. Besides that fact, the sepia tone adds a lot of color to my desktop…or…you didn’t see that. But besides that, the idea is just one that I really love.

Second Picture: I’m not the most fond of this for one particular reason. Mostly, it’s because of the fact that the moon in the back ground is so very small that I had to squint and press my face up at the computer to even realize that it was a moon at all…I’m still not entirely sure. Also, it’s really dark in the bottom corners and it’s not really very appealing.

Third Picture: This is absolutely stunning. I love the image that you’re working with as it is but the very eccentric, gothic tone to the picture is so pretty.

Fourth Picture: Awww, kitty. I’m not really sure what to say about this on except: sooooo cute.

Fifth Picture: Much like the third picture, this one seems a little dark and I’m not sure if I really like it for that particular reason.

Sixth Picture: Okay, this is just cool, both in the fact that I’ve never seen fungi grow like that and in the angle that you used which is really cool. Though, like EB, I’m not so fond of the tree in the background.

~lilymoore

Hey June, just lovely I love them all! No criticism here.

Hi Juniper! Let me apologize for not reviewing your pictures sooner. Anyway, here we go!

First Set
Cover Pic--I absolutely love the pink flower! And how you didn't show all of it. Fancy handwriting as well.

Pic #1--Wow, that's so cool how you used the blurriness effect to your advantage! Don't like the color too much in this one, but great overall! (Again--love the calligraphy. )

Pic #2--Very interesting and haunting, in a way. That's the advantage of the effects of black-and-white. Also interesting is the angle of shot.

Pic #3--Aw, that's so cute! I think the bee completes the picture, but I do think the top flower could have been a little brighter instead of really dark-shadowed...

Pic #4--Awesome bridge! Love the clouds in the background, as well as the clarity, angle of shot, and calligraphy.

Pic #5--As someone commented, the fountain looks somewhat lopsided. Maybe that was just the angle. But anyway, I like how the reflections are visible, but not how the water is really murky. It makes the water seem like mud or blood. However, nice job including the vase-thing. I felt like it was the centerpiece, what actually drew our attention to the photo!

Second Set
Photo #1--I like this one better than the other one. Very elegant and creative; however, I think the pages...hm...how should I put this? Well, anyway, I think the pages could've been a little more 'on top of' each other. Just my opinion.

Photo #2--The moon seems somewhat arbitrary here. It's just, like, this teeny-tiny dot in the sky you can see only when you scroll to about the top 2 centimeters of the pic! However, loved everything else about this picture--scenery reflected in the river was especially beautiful.

Photo #3--Ooh, interesting blurriness effect! I guess it's OK, but I think you could've made the background a little less blurry. Front teacup is very nice, though. Like the patterns of the tea set!

Photo #4--What a majestic cat! Was the, like, scar on the right eye on purpose? His ears also seem to be different sizes. However, I loved the color and all the wisps of fur and whiskers!

Photo #5--This was absolutely beautiful! I don't think I have any criticism on this one.

Photo #6--I don't like the fungi. I'm sorry, but I'm not a big fan of it! However, nice job with the clarity and the patterns of the actual fungi, even though I'm not into them.

Anyway, thanks for the awesome photos! I'll never be able to take pics this good!

*is wowed and will remain wowed for a while now*

- Kat <3

Hey Juneh

I probably shouldn't have left it so long to get to this thread lol So I'll just do the second batch because you have already gotten quite a few reviews on the first batch.

1 - Comparing this shot to the other one that you posted, I think that they are both quite good. However this one lends itself more to just a view of the notebook where as the last one I think concentrates more on the setting of the notebook. I think I prefer the first one you posted though, the first one kind of leads you through the image to the notebook, where as in this shot there is a lot going on within the frame. In fact the frame is quite messy and there is a lot to look at, the bench, the tree, the fence, the flower, the notebook. So I think the best of the two is the first one personally.

2 - This shot is pretty good. Good composition because you are using the river as a path through the photograph and I like how you have added this extra element of the moon into the shot, so then it becomes so much more than just a river shot. You seem to like doing these blackened edges a lot and I'll admit that it does work in some photographs but in others it doesn't. I think in this instance it doesn't work it just kind of detracts from the overall look of the photo and every time I look at the shot my eye keeps getting distracted by it. I know you like editing your photographs but just think before you put it in as to whether it actually fits in but that is just a minor thing.

3 - I love the focus in this shot. How the focus is clear on the middle cup but that you have the other subjects out of focus but still present. I quite like that. I'm not a huge fan of set up photographs, they are usually done without much consideration on here but I really quite like this. It has an atmosphere to it and a story to it which I like. What I would say is that there is a bit too much white at the bottom. You should be careful with dead space, which is something I have learnt recently. Considering the viewers eye, they will generally always be drawn to dead space, especially if it's white. I'm not sure why but that seems to be the case. I get that maybe you want a run up to the cup but I think there is just a little too much here.

4 - Awe. This is a nice shot. I like the focus and how you have the fur and the whiskers standing out against a dark background it really works well and makes the cat pop out against the background. What I'm not getting is a connection to the animal though, the way it's eyes are is interesting but I'm not getting much life from it and I usually like that in animal photographs. I'm also not sure about the yellowy tinge that is going on in this photograph but otherwise I really like this shot.

5 - I think this is my favourite of the lot. I like how you are not afraid to use the sunlight/sun flare to your advantage but also how you didn't go overboard with it. I just think that this photograph has such atmosphere to it and it just makes me want to be there. There is a lot going on in this photograph but I think somehow you have managed to pull it all together and create a good photograph with good composition. So well done.

6 - I like the angle that you took with this photo and how it follows up to the sky above, however that sky is a little bleached out. I think that the way you edited it makes it seem as though the light hitting the fungi is a little overexposed but I don't think that's the photo I think that might just be the editing so be careful with that. Otherwise though, a very good shot.

I think that since the first few photos I saw from you, you have improved quite a lot. I thought these photos were very good and you obviously have natural talent and a natural eye which is good! What I would say is that I know you like editing your photos but just be careful that you don't edit them too much and lose too much of the essence of the original photos. I'm not saying never edit because it's bad! Of course you can edit but just be careful how much and always consider each photograph individually and tailor the editing to the photographs needs rather than to fit into your overall style if you see what I mean.

Anyways I really liked these. If you have any questions PM me.

Bex x