[Leica] Searching -- Critiquing!

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

Gene did say:
>>This is what I wanted and as long as I get some pointers on how to improve
>>my photos, I will never take it personally, as I do want to learn.  I keep
>>waiting for a comment from Dr. Ted, but so far, I guess he either likes my
>>stuff or has not bothered to look.  Or, I'm too terrible for him to narrow
>>it down.  ;-)  Either way it is great to have him back.<,

Thank you Gene for the welcome back.

However I did not pass your picture posting on purpose as I can only be here
so much time each day, then I'm ordered to leave! :-) :-( Both good and bad.
However mon ami I have and am looking as I comment! :-)

WINTER BARN #2:
No question the best by far! "SHOOTING FROM THE SHADOW SIDE!" Because of the 
trees and the tree shadow mid foreground! Quite obvious which is the better 
merely by clicking back and
forth for comparison.

Number 2 without question is "ART" and could very easily be framed and hung
in a family room or in the home of an urban resident.

Julia's Eyes:
I like this but would prefer it even more so if we could see a smidgen more
of her eyes. I suppose that comes from when I photograph people I always try
not to cut through the eyes.

If the subject is wearing eye glasses, no part of the frames should ever cut
through the eye or eyes! Still an interesting photo, however next time try
for a clean eye line. It does make a major difference because we humans
learn so much about others from the subject's eyes. We know when they are
lying, ill, emotional and it goes on!

Tetons:
Interesting, however the really black foreground or lower portion of the
frame I find disturbing. I think more so because I can't tell what it
is and it doesn't seem to add anything? I have just looked again and if
anything I think maybe a tad brighter might help as I think it's forest?
maybe a lake? tucked in there giving some reflection in the mid third left
in the frame? It doesn't fall into one of your better pictures, probably
more into a "snap shot category from the car as you were driving along
the highway and the scenery looked kind of cool. You stopped and went...
"CLICK!" It looked better to the eye than in a photograph.
Trust me it happens to all of us!

Thistle:
Not much to say here other than when you have "spines" or pointy things
sticking out they shouldn't be cut off by the edge frame as you've done
here. They should come from the seed pod and end clean and clear from the
edge of the frame. How much? It doesn't matter as long as it helps create an
interesting composition. If you chop them off it spoils the composition.

Wild Flower:
OK this works as a simple clean composition of a wild flower, dark back
ground helps make it stand out stronger and sharper. If one is into hanging
wild flower photos in the family room it could fall into that category. It
falls into the "nice picture" range and not likely anyone is going to be
jumping off their chairs over it!

Yellowstone Swan:
Even though the swan is clean and white and catches the eye and it should be
the smack you in the eye main point of focus..... IT ISN'T! !  That great
big root system on the left grabs your attention and holds your eyes there,
rather than staying with the  "Yellowstone Swan!" That is after all the
title of the photograph. Right?

How to correct this if the swan is considered the main point of focus?

That's a toughie without being there, but I think probably wait the few
minutes until the swan is coming out from behind the root system and clean
of the roots all together. Maybe just make it into a reflection in the water
and the real bird with green weeds filling the background! Or something of
that nature unless some other smaller size roots are about and can be
balanced as a secondary part of the photograph.

OR? Shoot the swan sooner before it got so close to the roots? In other 
words with a bigger gap between bird and roots. Because right now it almost 
looks like the swan will crash into the roots? maybe?

OK I hope this helps as I'm ordered out of here. good night. Talk later.
cheers,
Dr. ted