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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
10/8/2003 1:58:17 PM
Very strong portrait. The ps-work is done very well and the darkness makes this look very mysterious. The highlights could even be a bit darker for my taste I think. Less contrast might make this look even more mysterious. Makes me curious to know what the original looked like! Regards!
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| Photo By: Lars Raun
(K:1701)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
8/7/2003 2:57:52 PM
Well, I can't complain about not shooting this with a polariser, because as Bob said, it wouldn't even have made a big difference here. The reflections are a lot less harsh here and the colours are much warmer than on the first one and yes, there's even a catchlight in the eye  . The whole photo quality looks better here and I guess that if your scanner made it soft, this one will be quite sharp in print. I have only one nit here and that is the crop. I would have liked a little bit more space at the bottom and maybe a little less at the top. Apart from that, there's a bright edge (reflection on the water) at the top of the photo that keeps drawing attention away from the hippo. Cropping off just that little sliver would be a good idea already I think.
Well, apart from that, the capture is great again. I love the expression on the face!
Best regards!
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| Photo By: Dorine Post
(K:1133)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
8/7/2003 12:41:43 PM
Hi Dorine. This capture is very very good. I've been waiting for a chance to make a shot like this for quite a while (and the waiting continues ;p). I love that bored expression in the eyes as if he/she is thinking what to do with yet another boring day. The close cropping works really well to make all the attention going to that face and that expression. Nice!!
I do have a few suggestions though that could help make the quality of the photo (not the capture and the idea!!) a bit better. First of all is using a polariser filter for a shot like this. It will reduce the hot reflections on both the hippo and on the water. Because it will lessen the reflections, you can also see more of the hippo under water. And, it will make the colours more saturated. Then there's the fact that the photo isn't as sharp as it could be (though of course that may be because of downsizing the photo for uploading). I know these animals can move very fast in the water so capturing them in perfect focus may be difficult, even with a tripod. One last thing is that ideally there would be some catchlights in the eyes. I don't know at what distance you were working, but a little bit of fillflash will often do the trick without altering the rest of the exposure too much. It can add a lot of life to (zoo) animal shots, but of course isn't always the right thing to do because it could disturb them.
Well, I hope you don't mind my nitpicking on this lovely photo. Best regards!
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| Photo By: Dorine Post
(K:1133)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
7/11/2003 12:50:21 PM
Tamar, thank you so very much for your explanation! I've been looking at this photo for a while longer now and it seems that the more I look at it, the more I like it. Great work! Take care!
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| Photo By: Tamar Matsafi
(K:875)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
7/11/2003 8:19:18 AM
This looks so dramatic... Really the first story that came up in my mind was that this girl lives in a country at war (don't ask me why :s) and that she is hiding from danger with all to protect her is her doll and the rough fabric to keep her out of sight. Well, no matter what kind of story comes up, I think the photo is strong. Her expression seems so real and the lines of the fabric together with her pose and the position of the doll work well too. I would be curious how and why the shot is made this way... Best regards
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| Photo By: Tamar Matsafi
(K:875)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/31/2003 8:49:41 AM
The colouring is eyecatching, but for me personally the colours are a bit too unnatural. Certainly not bad, but I would have preferred them a little more natural. I would be very curious to see the original (assuming that this is (digitally) retouched). The pose, the expression and the use of light is good! Regards!
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| Photo By: tamir bar yehuda
(K:324)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/31/2003 8:45:33 AM
The reflection is beautiful with the small waves and the leafs in the water. The exposure and the toning are perfect in my eyes. I only think there might be a small tilt in the photo. It's a hard one to be certain of it, but it's just a feeling. The fact that there is that little sliver of the real building in the top of the photo is a bit distracting to me. If the tilt is really there, it is a tilt to the left. If you would correct that, it will be easier to crop off that part on the top, so you would only have the reflection left. I think I'd like that better, but that's just my thought. Regards!
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| Photo By: Dick van Breda
(K:4655)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/29/2003 8:38:55 AM
I think this looks very nice. The shapes of the tower and the different colours in the building and sky and water make this look very pleasant. But, I can't help feeling that maybe the composition could be stronger. I must admit though that I can't really say how. Maybe it has something to do with the buildings in the background. They do add interest, but I think it would have been great if more of them would have been visible. You should have been able to get on a higher point of view for that though and I don't know if that was possible of course. Another thought is that I might have taken this photo a bit more to the right, taking in more of the right side of the far shore and less of the left of the photo. The left part brings in my opinion a small bit of unbalance in the photo by being a bit too big without adding too much interest. On the right side, it seems as if there could be more interesting shapes of buildings... just a thought as I say, because I don't know the conditions and possibilities of the place. Best regards!
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| Photo By: Hayri CALISKAN
(K:16195)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/26/2003 1:48:38 AM
Hi Fabio! Just a message to tell you that my website is finished and that my photo WITH your text is in it. Thank you again very very much for letting me use your words. I'm honoured! www.artsevestre-photography.com. Best regards!
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| Photo By: Fabio Keiner
(K:81109)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/16/2003 3:09:54 PM
Thank you very much for your reply Fabio! Your words will be there with your name beneath them. I'll show it to you as soon as it's ready (hopefully within a week). THANKS!!!
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| Photo By: Fabio Keiner
(K:81109)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/14/2003 6:24:03 AM
A very very impressive piece of work! It doesn't really resemble anything I've seen so far, but it works so well.. There's a sadness in it, but also something very threatening. The only thing I'm not certain about is the bright tone around the fingers. I don't really see the function of it and for me personally I think that without it the added darkness would only add to the athmosphere in this photo. I'm probably missing something though and I would be very interested to know what the function of it is (hope it's not too silly a question ). Another question for you.... I was very very touched by your little poem on my last photo 'the big mistake'. Thank you very much for that. I think it's a great way to comment on one's photo, because it shows so very well what the photo does for someone. The question: I'm currently working very hard on my website and that photo will be on it too and I would be very honoured if I could put that little poem of yours underneath it with your name (and maybe a link to your website??). Would that be ok with you? Best regards!
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| Photo By: Fabio Keiner
(K:81109)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
5/11/2003 6:16:22 AM
So it's becoming a habit here as well to only comment to ask others to look at ones own work? Please let's keep the commenting constructive! Personally I don't learn very much from comments asking me to look at someone elses work and I'd be very not to receive them anymore!
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| Photo By: Jorge Jacinto
(K:4372)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
4/29/2003 3:20:12 AM
Hi Jay, I think this is a great photo with a deep and heavy emotional load. The pose is very strong and the toning somehow helps setting the mood. The only thing I can think of is that I find the left part of the photo a bit too dark. I do see that that makes it look as if you're trying to hide in darkness, but still I think that just a tiny bit of detail there (the outline of your arm for example) would be nice. However, it's hard to say if that would really make it better without seeing it. Anyway, I still think this is great work! Best regards!
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| Photo By: Jay Gumm
(K:3084)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/7/2003 3:53:08 PM
What a strong image this is! The colours on his skin make this look very surreal and strong and his eyes are great too. I wish the image was a bit larger, so more detail could be seen! The only nit I have is that I would have liked the whole hand to be in the photo, even if that would change the shape of the photo and make it more square. It's not always necessary to include whole body-parts, but in this case I think it would work best, at least for me personally. Regards!
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| Photo By: Gary Auerbach
(K:3935)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/7/2003 3:14:51 PM
The composition of this photo is nice and pleasant, the colours are catching and showing the backside is original. I find the sharpness very good, but along with the light, it makes this photo a bit 'hard'. That probably is mostly due to the light that is a bit harsh and cool. I think personally I would have tried to capture this with slightly warmer light, to make the flower look softer. Just my thoughts! Regards!
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| Photo By: Karen Johnson
(K:2951)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/3/2003 8:05:20 AM
I agree with Oliver about the proportions. Matching the size of the flowers to the canvas (or the other way around), would work even better. If you would want the flowers themselves (not the stems) to be big still, you could use the perspective given by a wide-angled lense, going closer to the flowers. For the rest, I like the idea a lot. I think though that maybe some careful changes in light could make it even stronger (like a bit more light on the flowers to get a bit more detail in them and more vivid colours). I was thinking about maybe also splashing some water on the floor as well, but I don't know how that would look. Just an idea... Regards!
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| Photo By: Steffen Uhlmann
(K:760)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/2/2003 2:02:48 PM
Great light on her face and I really like the background too. The colours there really complement the model (what did you use as a background?). I must agree with Mike however about the hand. To me, it looks unnatural and really 'posed'. I don't really know how I would have handled that... maybe by having her open her hand and her fingers over her cheeck, but I'm not certain if that would work too well for the mood you were going for. Hope that helps... Apart from the hand, I really like it. Regards!
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| Photo By: Gustaf L Bjerne
(K:245)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/2/2003 1:54:57 PM
Amazingly powerful expression. Perfect exposure, nice tight crop and great light. Just one small nit is that maybe cropping a bit tighter at the top would be good. The hair at the sides of her haid in the top, when looked at fast or from a distance, almost makes it look as if her head is a bit wider there, which looks a bit odd. It's really a nit and not very important, but a tighter crop could help. Great work!
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| Photo By: Rene Asmussen
(K:138)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/2/2003 1:14:53 PM
Hi Kim. Nice to see this. When I was there, the water was completely frozen. I think this looks better .
I'm curious if you used a filter for this photo. I could be wrong, but it looks as if you used a Grad ND filter, to darken the sky. The tops of the mountains on the right are a bit darker than the rest, so it looks as if the dark part of the filter was over that. Also, the bottom part of the sky is quite a bit brighter. For a photo with a 'horizon' like this, a Grad ND filter is very difficult to use with good result. IF you used that, I would recommend a polariser. That will also darken the blues in the sky, but it will keep the clouds white and fluffy and it will saturate some of the colours and it can make the reflections in the water less harsh (if I'm telling you something you already know, sorry! :p). For the composition, I think that's very nice. It might have been interesting to add some foreground for extra sense of depth, but not necessarily.
Unfortunately, as you mentioned, the scanner didn't treat your photo very well. The photo is unsharp (don't know if it's only because of the scanner of course) and I think the colours could be better too. Try to win a lottery or something for a new scanner! 
Regards!
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| Photo By: Kim Culbert
(K:37070)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
3/2/2003 1:02:41 PM
Wonderful photo Darrin. I like every part of it and I also think it's perfect in b&w. The only thing is that I feel I would like to see a bit more space on the sides of the photo (especially the left), to get a better idea of the surroundings, but also just to create a bit more 'sense of space' if you know what I mean. Apart from that, perfect!
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| Photo By: Darrin James
(K:3944)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/27/2003 3:46:50 PM
Pete, I honestly don't remember if I used an ND filter on this one... silly eh? It was just such a chaotic sunset somehow, finding the right angles (there seemed to be so many) and filters were flying in and out of my pockets. On one hand, the sky isn't that much brighter than the sky, which would make you suspect an ND filter. On the other hand, the snow really needed to be brightened up in ps (partly due to the scanner, but also because it just wasn't that bright on the slide either). That would make you think that no filter was used... All in all, IF I used an ND filter here, it most likely is a 1 stop Grad ND filter. Thanks for making me think .
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| Photo By: Arthur Sevestre
(K:552)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/27/2003 2:57:15 PM
Hi Kai, sorry for deleting my photo just after you posted a comment on it, but it needed just a bit of sharpening . Thanks for the comment anyway!!!
Your photo is quite an eyecatcher. The curved line, the pattern in the dish and the contrasting dark sky make this quite special. The photo is sharp and the exposure is good (though maybe the center of the disk is a bit overexposed, so underexposing 1/3 or 1/2 stop would have given even more detail and an extra punch). Nice abstract!
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| Photo By: Kai Boehm
(K:84)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/5/2003 2:02:05 PM
Very well done!! I'm not certain how exactly you did it, but it works very well! I like the fact that the portrait is in b&w while the rest is in colour. Still the fingers and lips really seem to touch... how did you do that!!! You sure have a creative mind! Keep going!! Regards
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| Photo By: Erik Hansen
(K:26)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/5/2003 1:39:07 PM
Oh my... I've just taken a short look in your portfolio and I'm very impressed! I will certainly take a closer look at your work soon.
This photo is timed perfectly, getting the expression and stance just right. There is just enough surrounding in the photo to show a bit of what is going on. The microphone on the right is a bit disturbing, but you can't have everything I guess. If you don't have anything against photoshop, you could probably clone it out, but I could imagine you wouldn't want to do that with a photo like this somehow. Great work!! Regards!
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| Photo By: Wallace Rollins
(K:149)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/5/2003 1:34:26 PM
Like Jeff I'm not too certain about the tones... it looks a bit dark... maybe the highlights have to be brightened a bit, but I can't really put my finger on what's missing for me...
What I do know is that this is another great expression and capture! I think in that aspect this photo is perfect. It makes me smile to look at it and I think that it's just done very well. The clothes fit the mood, as if this little girl was just passing by on the way from school or something. This just is another great photo to look at. Regards!
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| Photo By: Wallace Rollins
(K:149)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/5/2003 12:24:04 PM
Goodness.. this is so lovely!! The expression is so very good and looks so spontaneous.. I really think it's priceless! The way you printed it is absolutely great too. This is just one of those photos that really makes me stop and just sit down to look at it and enjoy it. There are a few nits though for me, however much I like the photo. There are some strange lines on the negative space in the left. Maybe a damaged or dirty print or something..? The second thing is that the vertical crop is quite tight, certainly compared with the horizontal one. I can't help but feeling that maybe a bit more space at least in the bottom would be good, showing just a bit more of her shoulders... Just my thoughts on a great image! Regards!
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| Photo By: Wallace Rollins
(K:149)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/5/2003 12:34:10 AM
Angelo, I think the composition is good. It is almost as if the viewer can feel as if he's hiding between the trees, maybe in some kind of shelter, looking out to see the storm rolling in. The capture of the light is really good too. The dramatic weather is really showing here because of the angry red light in the mountains and the heavy clouds and that makes it even stronger. The problem, and I'm sure you know, is the focus. If you would have had the time to really set up for this shot, I'm sure it would have been great, but as it is, the focus is just too poor to make this a strong image I'm afraid. I hope you don't mind me saying this, because the composition and light show that you do have a good eye! Regards!
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| Photo By: Angelo Iovinelli
(K:44)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/4/2003 3:10:31 PM
Hi Sabine. I think the capture of this 'kitten' is very good. Your timing is very good and there is really some tension in the photo because of the stance of the animal and the stare in its eyes, which is really eyecatching. Unfortunately, the photo is overexposed. That makes the colours somewhat flat and makes the highlights blown out. If your camera has that option, you could have done an exposure correction of about between 0.5-1.0 stops (underexposure). That would make the colours more lively and saturated and there would be much more detail in the fur. One other thing is that it would be nice to see the image a bit larger. That makes it easier to see it better. I hope you don't mind the critique, because again, the capture of this photo is really good!! Regards!
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| Photo By: Sabine Stiebritz
(K:94)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/4/2003 5:16:43 AM
Aurore, I can certainly see that you have been thinking about this before shooting it. I'm not certain what you tried to put into it, but what I see is a bent rose with its own huge threatening shadow looming behind it. It is almost as if the flower lets its head dangle because it gave up the hope to live (or love (since that's often the symbol where the rose is used for). The huge shadow behind it only strenghtens that idea of foreboding, the idea of giving up hope. Again, I don't know if that's what you tried to put into it, but for me this composition works really well. What Aiman suggested about using a reflector might work well to get a little more light on the rose and the glass. Not much, but very subtle. One other idea might be to let the rose 'face' a bit more to the lens, to get more depth in the flower. Just my ideas on what I think of as a really strong and dramatic photo. Regards!
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| Photo By: Aurore Lynch
(K:1687)
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Critique By:
Arthur Sevestre (K:552)
2/4/2003 5:06:36 AM
Hi Darrin. They sure posed nicely for you! I like the action and interaction in this photo. It's too bad though that the photo is a bit soft. Also the foliage in the background is a bit distracting. Otherwise very nice photo.
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| Photo By: Darrin James
(K:3944)
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