2007 Step by Step Guide to Critiquing Research Part 2 Qualitative Research
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Transcript of Critiquing research 2
Critiquing a Photo
By Simone Ekstroem
Critique SessionsAlso known as “crit”
A group of people carefully analyzing one’s photo and judging it together
The basic questions to be asked
What is good about it?
What is not good?
How could it be better?
Critiquing other’s work makes you a better photographer
Evaluating a Print First: move beyond your personal likes and dislikes and you will have an open mind
The essential distinction is between style and standard
Overtime, everyone acquires their own style which is consistent through each photo
Four basic factors determine a photo’s standards:
Value
Clarity
Composition
Presentasion
Value
Concerns the range of light in a photograph
The larger range of contrast (scale of white to black)
It is necessary to also have grays to define shapes and provide shading
Improving ValueThe most common area loss of incorrect exposure
Too little light will result in dark “muddy” areas
Too much light will cause “washed-out” or “burned out”
The developing of negatives and paper it is printed on also affects a photo’s values
ClarityThe primary key is whether or not the photo is focused
A focused photo is either soft or sharp
Sharp: all edges are clearly defined
Soft: the edges blur a bit
Clarity also depends on the shutter speed and degree of contrast
Improving ClarityThere are two ways to create better clarity
The shutter speed can be increased
The aperture can be increased so the depth of field decreases
When focused on a certain object, the goal is not to move forward or backward
Camera shake is a huge problem for many photographers. This can be prevented by keeping the camera completely still or balanced
Presentation How clean the photograph is when presented makes a huge difference for critiques
This includes
Fingerprints
Scratches
Dark circles caused by poor agitation
Cleanly trimmed edges and proper adhesion to the display makes a large difference regarding the way people view the photo
Composition
The four objectives of composition are
Point of Interest
Cropping
Lines
Aesthetics
Composition (Point of Interest)Is there a point of interest? Does this point stand out or is it lost in its surroundings?
Every photograph should have on clear and dominant element which attracts your eyes first
This element should be towards the center of the frame
Composition (Cropping)When looking at the photo, determine if the artist left empty and unnecessary space or if the photo was left to “tight”
Negative space with little action taking place can enhance the pictures impact but can also take away from it
What is the overall balance of the composition? Make sure the photo is not lopsided. It can be balanced in two ways
Static: weight the balance so the area with a lot of attention is equal to a side of none
Dynamic: weight the composition away from the center, towards sides or corners
Composition (Lines)The amount of straight lines and curved should be balanced
A single misplaced line can distract the viewer away from the focus point and lead their eye somewhere else
Lines can be used to open up an image to where its attention is bound to be
Composition (Aesthetics)Aesthetics or style can make the difference between a skillful photograph and an ordinary photo
All photographers strive to make their photo different and style is what makes it happen
A critique’s eye must be trained overtime to be able to pinpoint when there is style and when there is not
Sample CritThis photo’s contrast is well balanced and there is a clear divide between whites, blacks and grays
The photographer didn’t acknowledge the scratch across the boys pants. The artist should have used the stamp tool to remove it
The picture is well focused so the viewers eyes go to the boy’s body and ball instead of the back wall and plants
Sample Crit
This photo has a nice pallet of colors that are well contrasted
Although the bride and groom stand out, they could be more in focus
The picture has no obvious dust and scratches and has been very well editedPhotography came from the ppsnys website
Sample CritPersonally, had I edited and or taken this photo I would have put the entire diamond ring in focus to make the picture more appealing
I also would have left out the yellow in the corner because the color is distracting from the focus point which is the rings
Lastly, there is a mark on the picture that was not well edited
Cedits
• O'Brien, Michael, and Norman Sibley. The Photographic Eye: Learning to See with a Camera. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, 1995. Print.
• "PPSNYS President." PPSNYS. PPA Affiliate, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2013.
• "Weddings." South Street Studios Professional Photography and Video Freehold New Jersey. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.