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Caz 747 · Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 3

Hi all, I'm Caz from England. I was bitten by the graphic design bug about four months ago when I stumbled over the Gimp design programme. Since then I've opened a Deviant art account, got some favourable feed back from the designs I'm making and bought myself a decent camera - a Canon 450D, second-hand but it seems to work okay.

I thought I'd post a few pictures - I've done no work to them, none that you see applied to the images posted here - as I was hoping for some pointers as to where they go wrong or where they're right. It would also be nice to known if I'm on the right track to being able to sell some of my stuff.

Cheers, Caz.

matthi · Joined: 30 Sep 2010 Posts: 485

Hello Caz, well I dont know about the guys on Deviant, but none of them will make it...

1. & 2. Light, composing, LimitedCommercialValue
2. the union jack apple is not even close to look "real", just forget that

Also you should have cut out a piece of 500by500px out of the original image so one can check the focus

Caz 747 · Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 3

Thanks for the quick feedback, Matthi. The apple is one of the things I built with Gimp. I'll keep at making it more realistic whether it has commercial worth or not as I enjoy playing around with graphic design. Have to check out some tips on composition for the others.

Cheers.

matthi · Joined: 30 Sep 2010 Posts: 485

no probs, make sure you start with a well photographed apple then, this one if off...the window does not belong there, and it looks like you used on cam flash as an additional light, otherwise I cant explain the shadow of the caulis (hope that´s the right word) which looks unreal btw anyhow

also the shadow is much to big and the background would have been best left to be white, now if it´s just for your personal fun you are for sure free to do whatever you want

good luck and have fun

and about the composition: the most basic rule (despite the fact that there is in fact NO SUCH rule at all, but this are commonly agreed composings just working better than others) is the one called "rule of thirds" any yet could have helped you here

jhuls · Joined: 02 Jan 2012 Posts: 1046

The illustration (apple) seems to be pixelated and not very high quality.

The other two are LCV (lack of commercial value). They have bland overexposed skies. The framing is wrong and the commercial value is low. Without the crops I can't say for sure but I am willing to bet they are out of focus.

Don't be discouraged by my harsh comment. We are here to help you see your photos as the stock world will see them. It is up to you whether you want this enough to take our sometimes harsh critiques and make something out of it.

ruxpriencdiam · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:55 pm

OOF, shot at wrong time of day with no interesting sky and exposure of course.

rinder99 · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:23 am

OK starting Point but none of these will stand up to review.

jeffbanke · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:48 am

The pier is just blah
Your illustration as a concept is interesting and patriotic, but as the guys pointed out is very pixelated along the edges. The stem has a very strong shadow, as if the light was in front and very hard lighting, while the apple itself has a shadow underneath as if the light source were above and diffused. So, this is inconsistent and leads one not to believe in the image. Really good illustrations like good photographic images have correct lighting schemes.
The Buttress is also not telling enough of a story, it is just some brick buttress and without any knowledge as to the significance, would have extremely low commercial value and most likely rejected for that reason.

some of us realized that you created it from scratch hence my comments on your inconsistent lighting direction

Caz 747 · Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Posts: 3

Thanks for all the feedback, guys, much appreciated.
It seems as if I have a fair bit of learning to do before I think about subbing to a place like shutterstock.
As I'm new to the world of DSLRs - only a month in - and photography that involves more than pointing and clicking, I should have plenty to keep me busy for the next year or so.
If I'm not around in the future it's not because I've taken your comments to heart - it is always important to be told the truth - but because me and my Canon are on a quest to become better acquainted, so thanks for being honest.

Btw, I think there may be some confusion about the apple. It's not a picture with a union flag merged to it but a image that was built from scratch with Gimp. I appreciate that that's no excuse for poor lighting but it may explain the pixelated edge as the image was only 800 pixels square to start with, but now it sounds as if I'm looking for excuses so enough of that.

Cheers, Caz.

S.m.u.d.g.e · Joined: 30 Jun 2012 Posts: 647 Location: Essex, England.

Newb reply ~ cropped to hit the thirds...

semmickphoto · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:31 pm

Now the structure in the front is disctracting, my eyes are moving outside the frame trying to find out what it is because the top is cropped off.