well after posting some recent model work on another site and having yet again another slagging off of my style and work/standards by the "experts" on said site , i think its time for a portfolio ctitique from the members on NP.

so.......fire away 

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 03/06/2010 03:21:03   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

well then, nothing says it all, must be good

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 04/06/2010 05:28:15   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

Quoting post from nikonuser
well after posting some recent model work on another site and having yet again another slagging off of my style and work/standards by the "experts" on said site , i think its time for a portfolio ctitique from the members on NP.

so.......fire away 

wow, managed to survive a full 24hrs without a single critique being posted ~ got to be a record methinks or has everyone gone elsewhere

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 04/06/2010 22:57:00   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

Well, you did ask....3 times!

I quite like your stuff, the more recent work is consistent and of a good quality.  Love the Hercules!

The only image I would omit is the reflected self-portrait, not because I don't like the look of you, but if it was intentional I would have put a male model behind the camera!

Keep at it matey, 

GCImages , Photographer  posted on 04/06/2010 23:28:38   Posted 663 times

Located:Gloucestershire,Hampshire, UK
Member Since: 03/10/2009

I'd say your work is OK if somewhat pedestrian and unimaginative but then my style of work tends to be based on a narrative and I don't get much out of simple shots of models.





Cheers





Jeremy

Ouch, but then i did ask 3 times   thanks GC

Any more?

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 05/06/2010 02:00:05   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

Quoting post from nikonuser
well then, nothing says it all, must be good

Doing well now, only 2 critiques in 48hrs, great   or is everyone asleep? or afraid to comment ..........mmmm

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 06/06/2010 00:37:58   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

I am awake.  I think that your work is "okay".  You have achieved pleasing results that are nice and rich and well exposed.  I think that a little fill light and softer shadows would help more.  I also think that the models you use are good at this level but they do not pose or paint a picture with their expressions and bodies.  Hence no narrative.  This could be down to them, down to you not conveying a meaning or simply because you don't want narrative but do want pretty pictures.  In which case you have succeeded.
Look now at other better outdoor work and spot the difference between that and yours and bridge the gap.  Learning by increments and practice.

I agree with the above.

You have your level down as advanced, and while technically I think it's okay, I just don't think it pops like the advanced/professionals in the showcase section.

There are quite a few similar images from the same shoot which I would remove too, for instance the girl with the sunnies on in the leopard print outfit.

Just my 2 cents worth


Yasmin

Yasmin Stone , Model  posted on 06/06/2010 13:55:21   Posted 425 times

Located:Bristol,Avon, UK
Member Since: 19/09/2008

I am in agreement with the comments here. While your getting good results with the lighting, which is very warm and appealing, I think your models are not giving much with their posing or their expressions. I think you need to try and work with some more professional models.
Also I think some basic retouching would be advantageous as well, especially in some of the 3/4's shots.

I would agree with the comment of your experience level, if you have advanced skills your portfolio at the moment just isnt justifying them.


xxx

Quoting post from louisevissen
I am in agreement with the comments here. While your getting good results with the lighting, which is very warm and appealing, I think your models are not giving much with their posing or their expressions. I think you need to try and work with some more professional models.
Also I think some basic retouching would be advantageous as well, especially in some of the 3/4's shots.

I would agree with the comment of your experience level, if you have advanced skills your portfolio at the moment just isnt justifying them.


xxx

I also agree with the above.

I think advanced is not where you are right now, though i think it may be with model selection not helping in some cases. It could also be down to model direction by yourself I am not sure.

I think for Advanced level you should have creative, polished work across the board. Each image has something that needs improving. For instance:

81279 - Look at her body, her stomach looks a little deformed because of a bad pose and the hair is covering most of her looks strange.

Repeating similar shots of the girl with shades on lacks diversity.

Across the board I think you need to work on your image cropping, in 81959 you cropped too much, in 81273, you cropped too much in 80750 you did not crop enough and so on.

80918 - Car shoots are very tacky in my opinion so these are a big no for me and if you do go for them it needs to be a sports car. Using a car like that looks weird to me and disjointed, not to mention the cloudy sky doesn't work either and again model selection, this model needs directing. This is a glamour shot but she is trying to pose fashion.

61963 - my fave of your set, but she should not be wearing pearls in my view.

Just to again highlight this fact, your level at advanced is not backed up by the work and I would drop this to intermediate. Getting the eyes right on a model is a challenege and using shades repeatedly makes it look to me like your finding a way to hide something you can't get right. So less shades shots, drop your experience level and work on your creativity and cropping.

I hope that the above constructive criticism helps.

M

DragonLady , Digital Retoucher  posted on 06/06/2010 16:09:35   Posted 934 times

Located:London,London, UK
Member Since: 07/11/2008

Quoting post from DragonLady

I also agree with the above.

I think advanced is not where you are right now, though i think it may be with model selection not helping in some cases. It could also be down to model direction by yourself I am not sure.

I think for Advanced level you should have creative, polished work across the board. Each image has something that needs improving. For instance:

81279 - Look at her body, her stomach looks a little deformed because of a bad pose and the hair is covering most of her looks strange.

Repeating similar shots of the girl with shades on lacks diversity.

Across the board I think you need to work on your image cropping, in 81959 you cropped too much, in 81273, you cropped too much in 80750 you did not crop enough and so on.

80918 - Car shoots are very tacky in my opinion so these are a big no for me and if you do go for them it needs to be a sports car. Using a car like that looks weird to me and disjointed, not to mention the cloudy sky doesn't work either and again model selection, this model needs directing. This is a glamour shot but she is trying to pose fashion.

61963 - my fave of your set, but she should not be wearing pearls in my view.

Just to again highlight this fact, your level at advanced is not backed up by the work and I would drop this to intermediate. Getting the eyes right on a model is a challenege and using shades repeatedly makes it look to me like your finding a way to hide something you can't get right. So less shades shots, drop your experience level and work on your creativity and cropping.

I hope that the above constructive criticism helps.

M

You make some very good points on your review of my portfolio, and i thank you all for that, i agree with all of them, i am still coming to grips with editing in the digital format, i have spent most of my life with film!

i find PS a bit to much to grasp & i am currently using PSPX2 as i find it easier, though harder to find tutorials online & the book is.....baffling in some parts!

i agree with the comments regarding the models, i have used amatuer & beginner levels and all on a tfcd basis. i certainly think i need to know more about posing & giving direction as i am fairly new to this style of work, having mainly done landscape & aviation photography up to know & am still learning fashion & glamour, but its a nut that i would like to crack

I also think Dragon lady is right about my status, although generous when she says i should make it intermediate level, i would rate myself more advanced amatuer, but i will stick with dragon ladys suggestion

so a few points for me to work on, thank you once again for your responses/pointers & advice, just what i asked for.

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 07/06/2010 02:31:41   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009

:-) I look forward to seeing more work :-) x 

Yeah I think theres somthing a little bit off in quite a few of your pictures, try looking in magazines & notice the croping, editing, even styling ect, not to copy, just to take inspiration from how pro photos should look. Also its very repetitive I would like to see more variety!
Hope this helps!

Still think that is the best shot I have seen of Beki.
I think you could do with working on your post processing skills.
I know it's hard as I have been there, done that myself.
It's the little things that make the difference.
I was once told to critique my own shots. Ask yourself what DON'T you like about your shots and learn from that.
Take for instance your main shot of Beki. Personally, and this is purely a personal view, I would want to be editing out some of the little blemishes just to make her skin that bit cleaner. As I said, it's the little things people pick up on.
On the whole, I like the look of your port. It reminds me of when I had started and had lots of colour. Be a bit more experimental, talk to your models and ask them what they think.
Play around with the editing styles. Add a bit of cross processing, de-saturation, whatever you want to.
The main thing is to get it right in the camera first and then play to your hearts content in PP.
Just remember, It's not a competition. It's a form of art and everyone has a different perspective on art.

Quoting post from KT101
Still think that is the best shot I have seen of Beki.
I think you could do with working on your post processing skills.
I know it's hard as I have been there, done that myself.
It's the little things that make the difference.
I was once told to critique my own shots. Ask yourself what DON'T you like about your shots and learn from that.
Take for instance your main shot of Beki. Personally, and this is purely a personal view, I would want to be editing out some of the little blemishes just to make her skin that bit cleaner. As I said, it's the little things people pick up on.
On the whole, I like the look of your port. It reminds me of when I had started and had lots of colour. Be a bit more experimental, talk to your models and ask them what they think.
Play around with the editing styles. Add a bit of cross processing, de-saturation, whatever you want to.
The main thing is to get it right in the camera first and then play to your hearts content in PP.
Just remember, It's not a competition. It's a form of art and everyone has a different perspective on art.

Very well put.

steveemberton , Photographer  posted on 08/06/2010 12:29:41   Posted 52 times

Located:Bedford,Bedfordshire, UK
Member Since: 22/08/2009

As a Nikon user you have an advantage over many togs as you use a better class of camera like myself which leads to the quality work in your Portfolio.

Quoting post from JohnHughes
As a Nikon user you have an advantage over many togs as you use a better class of camera like myself which leads to the quality work in your Portfolio.

Difficult to understand how the make of camera assists such elements as composition, narrative and rapport 

Quoting post from kruse

Difficult to understand how the make of camera assists such elements as composition, narrative and rapport 

Jeremy, it is only difficult if you cannot see it through a Nikkor lens.

Quoting post from gdsandy

Jeremy, it is only difficult if you cannot see it through a Nikkor lens.

+ 1   No seriusly guys n gals, is just a tool, as we all know, when i upgraded my gear from canon to Nikon i was thinking of a new nickname and Nikonuser was born after reading Cannonmans posts on another site, Mamiyauser did not cut it for me, even though i have 2 645s!

Thanks for your comments so far, they have been very helpful & enlightening, & i agree i must put more effort into my editing, 5 mins just does not cut it as in the shot of Beki!   and other areas already discussed.

when i get more time i will re do that shot.

As for more Variety, i am going to have to find more models and i have not noticed them queing up at the door to be shot yet .

  its Cosford air show on sunday 13th & i will be there all day, with my Nikons!

nikonuser , Photographer  posted on 09/06/2010 02:32:57   Posted 223 times

Located:Middlesbrough & Rugby i commute!,Warwickshire, UK
Member Since: 20/12/2009