| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
I want a slap in the face
Jonathan Durr, Student/Intern, Photographer
 |
Morton Grove | IL | USA | Posted: 3:27 PM on 11.02.10 |
->> Yes, I'm serious, but not literally.
Being a sophomore in college, I haven't received much harsh criticism about my work. It's always been positive and I want to hear something that has a negative aspect to it. I want a slap in the face to figure out where I stand in my skills as a photographer. I want to use this to motivate myself to improve.
Can you look at my member page and/or my portfolio and offer suggestions on how to improve my work?
Portfolio: www.jondurr.com
Thank you so much in advance. |
|
John Tucker, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Cordova | TN | USA | Posted: 4:30 PM on 11.02.10 |
->> Pulled up one image:
Football Highland Park vs Deerfield 10-15-2010 9416.JPG
picture was too dark and should have been shot vertically and cropped more closely.
Sorry, but that's the only one I clicked on, maybe your slapping will commence, just trying to get your thread moving a little. |
|
Kevin Johnston, Photographer
|
Oden | MI | USA | Posted: 4:46 PM on 11.02.10 |
| ->> SLAP! |
|
Ian L. Sitren, Photographer
|
Palm Springs | CA | USA | Posted: 4:48 PM on 11.02.10 |
| ->> Nothing on your website about where you are located other than "Illinois Press Photographer Association". And I didn't see your phone number anywhere but on your Facebook page which you have as your blog. Common mistakes... |
|
Jack Howard, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Central Jersey | NJ | USA | Posted: 5:21 PM on 11.02.10 |
->> Jon, you've got some strong tight swimming in your portfolio but also a gallery filled with loose shots featuring martian-looking swimmers.
Which photographer are you? Who is going to show up for my assignment: tight and toned or loose and morguish? |
|
David A. Cantor, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
John OHara, Photographer
 |
Petaluma | Ca | United States | Posted: 10:39 PM on 11.02.10 |
->> I think,
The foundation is as important as the image. Good color balance, use a grey card under the existing lighting conditions to get the correct Kelvin temp to begin with. Next, exposure, your sample/proof images should reflect a good exposure. The exhibitor does not consider you adjusting the photo they order. They only see what you put in front of them. Ask yourself, would I purchase that photo ? If not, then don't publish it. Typically you will spend more time in proof corrections and editing than you did photographing the event. After action photos can be as sale able as a good action . Look behind you, there is usually a good photo, a parent a friend. With exception the photo should be somewhat intimate or strong game action. Finally, timing is so important. If you miss it, you missed the shot.
You asked , some of the other responses are very good. Your name, your phone make sure they can find you. |
|
Chuck Liddy, Photographer
|
Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 12:45 AM on 11.03.10 |
| ->> Jonathan, your toning is horrendous. Not much more to say other than that. Anyone looking at the "finished" product on your website would probably not even consider hiring you. If I was you I would start over and not put any photos out there for public view unless they were either exposed properly or toned correctly. Your site is doing you NO favors... |
|
Alan Herzberg, Photographer
|
Elm Grove | WI | USA | Posted: 1:43 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> I looked at some of your photo galleries. The file size for each photo seems to be the same: 2848 x 4288. Based on that, I assume you have not cropped any of these photos. Many of your photos would benefit from cropping to a much tighter shot.
The volleyball galleries in particular are in desperate need of white balancing. There's an orange cast to many of the photos that suggests a) you weren't even close to the right white balance in-camera, and b) you did nothing to fix the white balance before uploading the photos.
You have some nice shots that would look much better if you took some time processing them. |
|
Louis Lopez, Photographer
|
Fontana | CA | USA | Posted: 3:12 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> Jonathan,
Everyone is spot on with the comments about your images. They and you need a lot more work.
Who has been reviewing your work and giving you positive feedback, your mother? Mom's will always tell us our stuff is great no matter how bad it is, that's what Mom's do...
I would take Chuck's advice and essentially hit the reset button and start over. |
|
Chris Large, Photographer
|
Okotoks | AB | Canada | Posted: 3:53 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> You wanted a slap in your face, you are getting your ass kicked.
Some good images...but a whole world of cropping, color correction, and more are needed.
Maybe invest in a good monitor so you can really evaluate what people are seeing on their screens. I'm looking at a properly calibrated Apple Cinema display and some of your color/toning/balancing/levels look.......somewhat lacking (I'm trying to be kind)
But good on you for asking for a totally honest no holds barred review of your work. What you lack in post production work you make up for in balls.
Chris |
|
Jonathan Durr, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Morton Grove | IL | USA | Posted: 11:01 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> Thanks for all the slaps and ass kicks, it will help. I wish I did this earlier.
I have put my hometown and phone number in appropriate places on my site now.
The overall editing of the photos.. I guess that is something I clearly underestimated the importance of. Back when I started using Photoshelter I thought I could just make sure people purchasing photos knew that they would be color corrected. After reading all of your comments, I now understand that people want to see what they are going to buy. This is going to take some thinking on how to implement this the best way in terms of the workflow. I really don't want to take a lot of photos down at once.
I have a concern about the cropping. I don't want to limit the dimensions of the files because what if someone orders an 8x10 and the subject of the photo doesn't cover much of the frame. Let's say I crop it to fill most of the frame and now the file can't print to an 8x10 because of the smaller size. I want to try to keep every product that I have available for all the photos. Is it worth it to crop them to avoid this situation? Or should I still do it to provide the best quality? Or a middle ground of medium crop?
What are some things photo editors look for in a photographer? Consistency? A variety of different types of shots? |
|
David Manning, Photographer
|
Athens | GA | | Posted: 11:10 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> I think you need to work on "making" a photo. Composition & framing and move beyond that "tight is right" mentality. You need to add context to your photos to show whats going on.
Beyond that, I echo Chuck Liddy's comments. Your photos are horribly toned. |
|
Jonathan Durr, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Morton Grove | IL | USA | Posted: 11:12 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> I only have a 70-200 lens which limits how tight I can shoot in the field sports. I have to be in the right place at the right time, which partly is luck, and partly reading the game. I'm pretty sure this improves with experience, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to further improve on getting into the best position?
During games I am always thinking about where I should be based on how the game is being played, instead of staying in one spot waiting for the action to come to me. |
|
David Manning, Photographer
|
Athens | GA | | Posted: 11:33 AM on 11.03.10 |
| ->> You can make amazing photos of sports with just a 70-200. Don't knock it. Staying wide adds context. |
|
Tom Frick, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Narragansett | RI | USA | Posted: 11:42 AM on 11.03.10 |
->> Jonathan,
I agree with what everybody is saying on here...
Just wanted to add that I'm also a college sophomore shooting with a 70-200. Although it really does limit the tightness of some shots, cropping can do the trick.
In response to your "I have a concern about the cropping" post - when printing, it's also a concern about the resolution of the image and not just the actual size.
Just as an example, here's one of my tennis shots taken at 200mm, f 3.2, cropped and could be printed 8x10...
http://cache.krop.com/tom_frick-4cb0ddbe3080ad.jpg |
|
Jonathan Durr, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Morton Grove | IL | USA | Posted: 12:52 PM on 11.03.10 |
| ->> The dimensions of that file is 850x875 and 250 dpi. Wouldn't the print be 3.4x3.5" if you printed at 250 dpi? |
|
Jonathan Durr, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Morton Grove | IL | USA | Posted: 2:53 PM on 11.03.10 |
->> These are two galleries of the same event from last night that I shot. The lights in the stadium were the kind that alternated between a reddish orange and a more neutral color.
This one is from before any sort of processing but downsized to 1000 pixels on the long side through PhotoMechanic when I uploaded. There are a bunch of photos in this gallery.. I did not edit tight enough.
http://tinyurl.com/2ea5u9f
This is after processing. Only 40 photos this time.
http://tinyurl.com/2fvmxon
When I was editing to get the best white balance I didn't notice much, or any difference between some photos. Except the ones that were taken when the red/orange light was stronger. After looking through this new gallery, I will strongly consider investing in a new monitor. Some of the images do not look the same as they did in camera raw (color and exposure. I have calibrated my monitor once before.
Instead of choosing a gallery to do this on that was easy to white balance (daytime games), I chose the difficult one so it would really show what I need to work at. |
|
Tom Frick, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Narragansett | RI | USA | Posted: 2:53 PM on 11.03.10 |
->> When I upload photos on my website (or in this case Krop.com) I always decrease the size. - IMO, There would be no reason to upload a 10" (6 MB) file when it looks the same as a 3" (350 KB) file on a website -
The actual file on my computer is 10.4" x 10.5" and 250dpi. I just picked that photo to show that you can get good photos from a 70-200 if you have good placement, crop and keep on shooting.
Sorry for the confusion and good luck! |
|
Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
|
Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 3:20 PM on 11.03.10 |
->> Hey Jonathan,
One thing you may want to think about is what are you trying to do, what you want to accomplish with your portfolio and website?
Do you want to get your work in front of editors in order to gain assignments?
Are you looking to shoot and sell prints/images to athletes, family, etc?
Both?
Personally I'm more focused on internships and assignment work right now - though I have some minor success using PShelter to sell images. Either way, if images are going up on the site now, they have all been toned and cropped appropriately, in case an editor or client wants to see what I am able to do from a full game - not just a one off image. But no editor wants to look through 100+ images from a game to see what your gems are, they do that with their own photogs already, they don't have time to do it with you.
Good luck!
Patrick
http://www.patrickfallonphoto.com/blog/ |
|
Robert Scheer, Photographer
|
Indianapolis | IN | USA | Posted: 5:03 PM on 11.03.10 |
->> Jonathan,
Thanks for taking the plunge for a critique. I haven't read anybody else's comments, as I don't want to be influenced by them.
(semi) briefly: You're in the Chicagoland area. The first thing I'd do is give a call to a local photojournalist who's work you admire and take him or her out to lunch. Freelance, Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, whatever. Seriously. It might take a few weeks to schedule, but most pros respond well to flattery and a free lunch. If they're not a jerk, and you have a great attitude, they'll make it happen.
Pick their brain, show them your work on a lapper (not too many images!), and get a real in-person critique. If you hit it off, this "real world" person will be invaluable to you as you work through school. Heck, they might have a tip on a job down the road.
About your images, they're a good start, and you have some good moments, but at some point, lose all of the concert photos. I got a great critique years ago from a pro who told me that a concert photo belongs in a portfolio only if it's spot news. Yeah, tattoos and bands are cool, but they're a dime a dozen.
Also, with the giant galleries: People will judge you on the worst images. I understand that you're trying to turn a buck off stuff like the cross country galleries, but have a totally different website for that, or make them password protected, so only the client has access.
The sports stuff you have in your portfolio is pretty cool, really. I'd ditch the pole vault picture and the tennis shot.
I LOVE the opening portrait, and I find the coach's expression curious. Does he have a toothache? Did he lock his keys in his car? He and the player on the right indicate that they've had a touch season, but the player in the center seems a little hopeful. Does any of this bother me? Heck no! I like the image because it asks me to ponder and thing a bit.
With the other sports images in the set, in general, you can be tighter with your telephoto images. Go ahead and crop until you get rid of everything but what's really important.
Keep shooting, find a good local mentor or two, and all the best! |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|