submit a photo to the urban75 critics

[alef]

The idea here is to generate constructive and interesting feedback.
- anyone may submit an original photo to this thread, but please don't enter loads
- anyone may give their opinion, please do!

Would someone like to post a shot?

 

[wordie]

Would someone like to post a shot?

Not really, but how about this shot!

It really needs to be on a black background and be centered. Oh, and you may have to increase it's size - as when I view it in FireFox it's not at it's full size! But then that's not a criticism of the shot is it?

I won't take any criticism personally. Maybe .

 

[alef]

Not really, but how about this shot!

It really needs to be on a black background and be centered. Oh, and you may have to increase it's size - as when I view it in FireFox it's not at it's full size! But then that's not a criticism of the shot is it?

I won't take any criticism personally. Maybe .

Very strong shot, anthropomorphises (animal-pomorphises!?) the bridge. Reminds me of those walker-robot things in snow from the Empire Strikes Back! Lack of clouds is good, can't find fault, though agree a non-white background would be better. Flipping the photo left to right might be worth considering?

 

[wordie]

Very strong shot, anthropomorphises (animal-pomorphises!?) the bridge. Reminds me of those walker-robot things in snow from the Empire Strikes Back! Lack of clouds is good, can't find fault, though agree a non-white background would be better. Flipping the photo left to right might be worth considering?

I'll assume that's complimentary then Alef! Hadn't seen the robot/transformer/ESB connection and I would have preferred to have some clouds in the back. As it was it was just a grey day.

I just liked the nice round shape of the light in contrast to the industrial metal work.... but there you go!

I was going to put the shot into another html page, to make it look better, but eventually couldn't be bothered. Sorry!

 

[alef]

I'll submit this one because I'm not very sure about it. Was trying to do something similar to yours, wordie, but just don't think these pipes and bit of wall are interesting enough.

 

[Crispy]

I'll submit this one because I'm not very sure about it. Was trying to do something similar to yours, wordie, but just don't think these pipes and bit of wall are interesting enough.

Nice subject - I especially like the birds

I'm no expert, but I think a lower angle of light would have helped in this one (if the path of the sun permits it!). With shadows to the side of each pipe, they'd stand out a lot more.

Maybe bring the camera round to the left a bit, and crunch the pipes closer together in perspective. Might need a crane to get you in the right place

 

[alef]

(wrong forum, duh)

 

[jeff_leigh]

ok i'm game for it here's my pic

 

[Cadmus]

seems it's all about rivers, bridges...ha, well....Enter the Thames
[SIZE=-2](im crap at photography, i just do it for self amusement)[/SIZE]

 

[Corax]

I'm very amateur. Point'n'click, me. I was pleased with this though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Corax_U75/U75/Line.jpg

 

[alef]

ok i'm game for it here's my pic

I see this as a shot all about composition, you could emphasize the backward Z shape more by cropping the sky down. My eye catches on the foreground pole and fence, so maybe needed to be worked more into the shot. Also probably work better in b+w since the colours aren't interesting (as with my entry).

 

[alef]

seems it's all about rivers, bridges...ha, well....Enter the Thames
[SIZE=-2](im crap at photography, i just do it for self amusement)[/SIZE]

Like it a lot. Though would definitely be better in b+w because it's strength is the shapes, textures and compositions, but the brown water is distracting. Perhaps needs a bit of contrast adjustment too. Look out for a competition theme on "sinking"!

(Entries coming in thick and fast now -- at least for such a usually slow forum -- need more critics please)

 

[beekeeper]

Like it a lot. Though would definitely be better in b+w because it's strength is the shapes, textures and compositions, but the brown water is distracting. Perhaps needs a bit of contrast adjustment too. Look out for a competition theme on "sinking"!

(Entries coming in thick and fast now -- at least for such a usually slow forum -- need more critics please)

I'm liking all of them but "clapham on a sunny day" is my favorite. The colours work well and compsition is lovely.
I'd like to submit but don't have my own webspace. Can I just attach a file to a post instead?

 

[wordie]

seems it's all about rivers, bridges...ha, well....Enter the Thames
[SIZE=-2](im crap at photography, i just do it for self amusement)[/SIZE]

Agree with Alef. Great composition and intrigueing subject. Would be better in B&W I reckon.

 

[wordie]

I'll submit this one because I'm not very sure about it. Was trying to do something similar to yours, wordie, but just don't think these pipes and bit of wall are interesting enough.

I think you've confused yourself here Alef. You liked the angles of the top of the building as well as the blue sky and lamppost didn't you?. Problem is you quite liked the pattern of the pipes as well. Without knowing your circumstances - like how much freedom of movement you had, equipment restrictions etc, - I think you've got too much in the picture.

I reckon you'd have done better getting closer to the pipes and cropped out the rest, making an interesting pattern come alive against the bricks. OR Tried to isolate the slightly strange angles of the roofline against the blue sky, leaving the pipes out of it altogether.

But then, what do I know?

 

[alef]

I'm liking all of them but "clapham on a sunny day" is my favorite. The colours work well and compsition is lovely.
I'd like to submit but don't have my own webspace. Can I just attach a file to a post instead?

Cheers, bee

I think people avoid attachments to help keep down the server costs, but if it were a real problem surely editor & co would have disabled it? Go for it.

 

[wordie]

ok i'm game for it here's my pic

Again, as with my critique of Alef's shot, I haven't a clue about how much freedom of movement you had or what your equipment was but if you'd moved a little to your left and panned the camera a smidgen to the right, you would have made the "Z" in the picture more obvious and lost the vegitation at the end of the bridge on the right, making the whole shot more graphic.

A slightly higher angle would also have done a lot for this shot IMO.

However, that said there's a range of other pictures in your subject matter.

If you'd gone to the path on the bridge, there may have been some very graphic things going on with all those diagonal metal struts.

Of course it's only a subjective view and you might not have thought there was anything else in it. Not a problem. Nice bridge!

 

[alef]

I think you've confused yourself here Alef. You liked the angles of the top of the building as well as the blue sky and lamppost didn't you?. Problem is you quite liked the pattern of the pipes as well. Without knowing your circumstances - like how much freedom of movement you had, equipment restrictions etc, - I think you've got too much in the piture.

I reckon you'd have done better getting closer to the pipes and cropped out the rest, making an interesting pattern come alive against the bricks. OR Tried to isolate the slightly strange angles of the roofline against the blue sky, leaving the pipes out of it altogether.

But then, what do I know?

I think you know a lot Agree with your analysis: too much at once. "Keeping it simple" really is such a good rule of thumb. Might go back and try some more shots with that of wall of pipes since it's only a short walk from here...

 

[wordie]

I think you know a lot Agree with your analysis: too much at once. "Keeping it simple" really is such a good rule of thumb. Might go back and try some more shots with that of wall of pipes since it's only a short walk from here...

Alef, if you're going for a walk, and you've got the chance to take something more than a compact digicam, see what you can do with a longer lens on both pipes and roof angles. See if you can't get a little higher on the pipes as well... Just a thought! (And hopefully you'll start another thread with the results of your trip....! )

 

[beekeeper]

Cheers, bee

I think people avoid attachments to help keep down the server costs, but if it were a real problem surely editor & co would have disabled it? Go for it.

Filesize is limited to 9.8k... Now I know why it's not such a good idea. I fiddled around with photoshop but can't get a decent enough pic that small! - I'll try and find some webspace.

thanks anyway

 

[jeff_leigh]

If you'd gone to the path on the bridge, there may have been some very graphic things going on with all those diagonal metal struts.

Of course it's only a subjective view and you might not have thought there was anything else in it. Not a problem. Nice bridge!

i took a couple of pics from the path on the bridge but the problem was the lighting, i'm gonna go back sometime and try and climb the fence to get a pic of the bridge from the rail track
something like this

 

[alef]

I'm very amateur. Point'n'click, me. I was pleased with this though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Corax_U75/U75/Line.jpg

Don't underestimate what can be done with a simple compact!

Your picture captures a very relaxing mood. Although I haven't taken many, I like silhouettes of buildings with sunsets. Here, though, think you've got too much going on. The clothes line would work better either as a side detail or the central subject, here it's half and half. The aerial/lighting rod was probably impossible to avoid from where you were, but unfortunately I think it really distracts. The edges of the buildings frame the sides of the picture nicely.

 

[wordie]

i took a couple of pics from the path on the bridge but the problem was the lighting, i'm gonna go back sometime and try and climb the fence to get a pic of the bridge from the rail track
something like this

jeff, rather than trying to get the whole structure, try getting closer to the metalwork and look for patterns in there if you can. Often some very graphic shapes and shadows to be found.

Good luck and let us know what you get.

 

[wordie]

Don't underestimate what can be done with a simple compact!

Your picture captures a very relaxing mood. Although I haven't taken many, I like silhouettes of buildings with sunsets. Here, though, think you've got too much going on. The clothes line would work better either as a side detail or the central subject, here it's half and half. The aerial/lighting rod was probably impossible to avoid from where you were, but unfortunately I think it really distracts. The edges of the buildings frame the sides of the picture nicely.

I agree with your comments Alef. The washing would have looked better if it was isolated in silhouette against the evening sky.... OR the buildings would have made a good frame for the colours in the sky.

However, overall, it's a nice relaxing shot and good colours in the sky.

 

[beekeeper]

right - I hope this works:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/postercontact/detail?.dir=9605&.dnm=a96d.jpg&.src=ph

 

[Mrs Magpie]

It does...where is it?

 

[alef]

right - I hope this works:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/postercontact/detail?.dir=9605&.dnm=a96d.jpg&.src=ph

Works, and you can avoid the ads by going to just the image:
http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/41e094f9zc4f80ce3/9605/__sr_/a96d.jpg?phdvwqCBc0.Stl4y

There's an emerging theme of the need for simplicity in this thread. I'm not sure what your subject is here -- the lamp post stands out most but needs to be isolated away from the rest more. The building's ornate architecture is rather lost at the angle, though does fit in with the "olde" look with the street light. Maybe try a major crop losing the cars and the large window on the right to focus centrally on the lamp along with the edge of the building and the buildings in the backgrounds?

 

[wordie]

Alef,

This is my original shot, but now in a sensible html page.

Does it change your views at all?

 

[beekeeper]

It does...where is it?

it's in Geneva, Switzerland

 

[Pingu]

I am afraid I am a bit of a point and click mercahnt too but I got this one today and would appreciate any tips on how to smarten it up a bit etc. obviously I cant do much about the sand etc unless I photoshop it

I have cropped out some of the grass etc she was not central and it looked a bit lopsided

picture



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