[Leica] Hello and A Few Photos

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Micah McCoy SHOWED:
Subject: [Leica] Hello and A Few Photos


> Hello, I'm Micah McCoy and have just started reading the group. I can tell
> I'll enjoy seeing all of your awesome work!
>
> Here is a photo I took at my "niece's" birthday part. I took my M6 along
> with some black and white and took a few shots.
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freedomflash/BirthdayParty/img832.jpg.html

 Hello Micah, glad to have a new lad aboard. :-)

One little thought. Please never take any critiques personally! When a 
comment of your photography is given it is to assist you to become a better 
photographer? Improve your camera handling and the mirad of other little 
bitty things that make all of us better in our passions for photography and 
being a good photographer.

I looked at the three images, assuming they appear all from the same BD 
party.

img832:
My first reaction is to the out of focus background and find it distracting 
in taking away from the child in the foreground. Even though the people out 
of focus are relating to whatever the child is or was doing?

How to correct this? My guess is, you're "shooting the reactions?" But 
focused on the child because she is what people are laughing about. But the 
child isn't the subject because we can't see what she is doing? And my gut 
feeling is? You missed the shot because of not focusing on the right action. 
Or re-action in this case..... the people in the background.

A question? What were you shooting and thinking about when you took this? 
The child or the people? I suppose the question should be.... "what was your 
motivation to shoot?"

img829:
I hate to tell you, But.... You held the camera crooked! I slight Photoshop 
crop correction of removing the tilt down on the left side as we look at 
this and it would've been straight. It's tiny little things like this, until 
pointed out to a shooter, Look don't feel bad we all do it! Trust me after 
61 years of shooting for a living, I still check verticals and horizontals 
even when shooting. Or if I have an off tilt shot I correct during post 
production.  Once you start to watch for this kind of thing you'll find it 
comes as a second sense without thought.

img828:
I think you could've made this into a horizontal photo by cropping or even 
shooting it as a horizontal. Look at  full frame as we see it here. Come up 
from the bottom and crop off at the half way point between child's bottom 
and the bottom edge of the photo.  Then crop off the top to a point just 
where the back wall and ceiling join, completely eliminating the ceiling 
lights! By doing this you eliminate the light distraction and it kind of 
strengthens the over all look of the photo. Your eyes staywith the people 
subjects and child.

These comments are offered humbly and I would trust you take them kindly as 
no offence was or is intended.

By the same token I'm not always right! :-) As I'm sure there'll be other 
comments about my comments! :-) :-) :-)
cheers,
Dr. ted :-)
tedgrantphoto.com