Restless — An Alex Hall Portrait (Full Film) | Faction Skis

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October, 2024

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Critique My Photography

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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10
hey, so i'm pretty new to photography. All of these were taken on a single roll (i discarded the ones that were blatently poor lighting so there aren't 24) with a minolta x700 in black and white film 200 iso i think. then scanned onto my computer. my scanner is a POS though..

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i have a few more decent ones that i may upload when i have more time.
Apr 10 2008 10:07PM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10
btw.. the 5th one down is a good example of my shitty scanner. the original photo is not anywhere near that grainy.
Apr 10 2008 10:09PM
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Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
I really like the cloud one.  And the crooked horizon in the first one is bothering me.  Nice pictures.
Apr 10 2008 10:14PM
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skierdudeguy
Posts: 6574 - Karma: 81
love the first one and the last three. the second and third ones confuse me though. i really really like the first. i actually disagree with ^, i like the crooked horizon
Apr 10 2008 11:58PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,386
the multiple shells, the second beach shot and the clouds are reallly cool. The sparse composition of the second beach one, and the fact that the figures on the beach are dark and you can't really tell what's going on I like a lot. It's a desolate shot, minimal. nice. the shells are a nice texture.

Black and white is nice. If you are trying for interesting people shots, you need to try really really hard (lighting, set up, lots of thought put into it) or you need to try not at all, and make sure they are completely candid. The middle ground only seldom produces good results.

the soft focus of the first beach shot is sorta bothersome, and I would agree that I would like to see a straight horizon. It's not apparent that there is a reason for a crooked horizon in that shot.


Apr 11 2008 12:38AM
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skierdudeguy
Posts: 6574 - Karma: 81
i lied, not the one with the girl. i understood that one.
Apr 11 2008 12:59AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
the beach one with the shitty scan is the only one I like, but I am not much of a fine art critique
Apr 11 2008 1:17AM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10
hey, thanks for all the criticism. if anyone has any questions about any of the photos feel free to ask.
Apr 14 2008 8:11AM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
sweet cloud shot !
Apr 14 2008 8:16AM
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hotdog.garbage
Posts: 1854 - Karma: 10
i use an X-700 too, its treated me well. but im trying to get rid of it...need any lenses?
Apr 14 2008 12:16PM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7822 - Karma: 21,855
I really like the first one and the ones with the shells and the clouds. I'm sort of biased because I usually don't like pictures of people as much though. I really like the way the people and their shadows look in the first one. Good pictures, keep posting them!
Apr 14 2008 1:00PM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10

what do you have to offer? i have 50mm a 28mm and a 70-210mm right now.

Apr 14 2008 5:53PM
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low_fidelity
Posts: 2673 - Karma: 118
nize
Apr 14 2008 7:29PM
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teejayy
Posts: 134 - Karma: 14
i love the black and white theme here
Apr 14 2008 10:02PM
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hotdog.garbage
Posts: 1854 - Karma: 10
ha. i have nothing to offer. I have a 50mm, a 70-210mm and a 24mm wide angle
Apr 14 2008 10:57PM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
^ ha ha all I can say is that great minds think alike ....
Apr 15 2008 6:56AM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10
well those pretty much are the basic lenses haha. I'll talk to my brother though, he might be interested in that 24mm. I'll pm you if he is.
Apr 15 2008 8:07AM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
They are pretty decent, B&W is not usually the best way to go with beach scenes. Its very hard to get the right shot with the lighting. Alot of hot spots and to many cool areas.

What type of film did you use? I've actually never heard of B&W at 200 speed. I've shot 100, 400, 800, and 1600 but I've never seen a 200. If you are going to try the beach scenes again w/ B&W, I would recommend 100 speed (especially if its sunny out).

The portraits are pretty good though
Apr 15 2008 10:00AM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 27
I like this one...
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Apr 15 2008 11:00AM
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triebby
Posts: 8670 - Karma: 2,190
the one with all the shells is pretty sweet as is the one with the clouds. but with the clouds picture there is a little too much dark/black area in the bottom left corner. it would be better if cropped or taken a little more up and to the right.
Apr 15 2008 12:27PM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
Actually its preportioned just right. Yeah you can see alot of dark in the bottom left but you have to take into considiration the whole image and its opposites. In the upper right there is about the same amount of light area as there is bark from the bottom. It equals itself out, kind of framing it so that your focus is pushed to the center, where the action is.

 Nicely done.
Apr 15 2008 12:56PM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10

yeah, you're right about the film. it was 400 speed not 200.

Apr 15 2008 4:33PM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
What film was it, I shoot Ilford Delta 400 Pro, and develop with Ilfotec DD-X, superb results, might want to try it
Apr 15 2008 4:54PM
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[JP-of-SC]
Posts: 345 - Karma: 10
it was just some kodak 400. I used to live in a small town that didn't have any type of photography suplies store within a 2 hour drive to my knowledge, and due to a lack of cash i haven't really gotten into developing my own film. I recently moved to a new area though and i'm getting a pretty good job this summer so i should be able to get better film and start developing it myself.

thanks for the advice.
Apr 15 2008 7:50PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
me to
Apr 15 2008 9:32PM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
I use to shoot Ilford and its good film, tends to be on the grainy side. I now shoot Fuji Neopan 400 and Fuji Acros 100. Some of the best contrast I have ever seen in B&W. I actually don't shoot kodak anymore except for their VS100 slide.

If your local photo stores don't carry the Neopan or Acros you can go online to bhphotovideo.com and order it from there. Its not that expensive either. Good Stuff.
Apr 15 2008 11:11PM
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Danger.
Posts: 3476 - Karma: 58
i think the grain really added something to the beach pictures. they seemed surreal, which i kind of gravitate towards in pictures.
Apr 15 2008 11:25PM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
wow, you found Ilford grainy ? what was your developer ? Ilford is hailed for their amazingly fine grain prints and negs...
Apr 16 2008 5:57AM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
I develope my own B&W, have my own dark room. I use Kodak for the chemicals though. They might say that but if you shop around you will find better films out there for this purpose. I'm not saying that Ilford is bad cause I use to use them, I'm just not one for a grainy image. You also have to put in perspective that the higher the iso the grainier the image, that's just a standard regardless the film.
Apr 16 2008 9:28AM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
yea copy that, my friend uses kodak chems on ilford film, and apparently it does become pretty grainy, I shoot 400 and tbh I can't see the grain most of the time, but there again I develop ilford with ilford, I would like to try out some Kodak TRI-X is it any good?
Apr 16 2008 10:04AM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
I stay away from Kodak film altogether, except for their vs100 slide (great saturation with reds and oranges). I did try the Tri-x a couple years back in college and hated it. I felt that it was  more inconsistent than Ilford. So I went back to Ilford till I discovered Fuji's B&W line. I can't say enough about how good theirs is.
I haven't tried using Ilford chemicals though. I'll have to check with B&H to see if they have them (I usually get most of my supplies from them).


Apr 16 2008 12:45PM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
Thanks for the heads-up Ilford Chemicals are pretty good, and cheap considering most of them are 1:9 ratios, I'm gonna grab some Fuji B&W film, which one do you use? yea we dont have B&H over here, we have Jessops, and they are terrible, so I have to buy all my stuff online, pfhh
Apr 16 2008 12:51PM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
No prob, I usually shoot the Neopan 400 the most, great stuff. I don't break out the Acros 100 unless I know that I'm gonna be in a bright situation or if I'm gonna do some trick photography.

B&H is about a 4-5 hour drive from me so I order all my stuff online, unless its bigger items such as cameras and stuff like that. Then I go up there.
Apr 16 2008 1:06PM
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grifter
Posts: 933 - Karma: 102
Awesome, that Neopan 400 looks great, saw a few shots of it on flickr, great depth and tone... I have a photography shop about 40mins away but they are sooo overpriced, I wouldn't mind spending a bit more since it's privately owned and everyone is friendly there, but it's nearly twice the price of Internet stuff,
Apr 16 2008 2:01PM
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jwaveson
Posts: 343 - Karma: 10
order it online. If you think about it, not only are you gonna pay more at that shop but since its 40 min away think of the gas. Just have it delivered to you, much nicer. I don't remember if I have any shots with it up on my myspace page. I'll have to check
Apr 16 2008 6:41PM
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