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Hi all,

I put this image up a few days ago. I now would like to ask members for thier opinion on improving certain aspects of it.

How can I do that without cluttering the already busy "image reviews and critiques" section?

I am not asking for a review or critique, but more so advice and suggestions on improving the image. Is there a place other than here I should be posting this question? I've travelled around the site but I can't seem to pigeon hole my post.

Anyway here's the image:




And my question: Can anyone suggest a better way of presenting this shot considering the background had to be deleted.

Ghost I am afraid that I cannot help. I would how ever like to know what technique you used to clone out the background. Step by step if you can. Ta.

You're in the right section Ghost. "Reviews and Critiques" in my view means "What D'yall Think?" and leaves it up the photographer to ask whatever questions they would like the forum to answer about their shot/s.

Occasionally, some may use it as a bit of a showcase, "Hey, look what I've done" and take umbrage when anything other than glowing praise is offered but it's purpose, as far as I'm concerned, is for genuine discussion regarding potential improvements in technique, composition or otherwise. As it says in the description on the main page, look elsewhere if you have a thin skin. That being said, take the 'plunge' and you'll find genuine well-meaning advice given by experts in this section of the forum.

So rest assured - you've posted this image in the right place.

Now, on to your image...

I think it's a great shot, very sharp, well composed and exposed but I think the white matte of the frame makes the whole image too stark. Try adding a smaller matte, drawing the colour from the girls' leotards, maybe the gold?

This would help to balance the image a bit, in my opinion. (Note: I am NOT one of the experts I mentioned earlier!!)

Hope this helps.

Ghost
The image is perfect! Don't fiddle with it. Beautifully constructed!

ghost wrote:Hi all,

I put this image up a few days ago. I now would like to ask members for thier opinion on improving certain aspects of it.

How can I do that without cluttering the already busy "image reviews and critiques" section?

I am not asking for a review or critique, but more so advice and suggestions on improving the image.

Which, surely, is a critique of some kind?

The whole concept of the critique section of members to post an image or two so that others may offer suggestions for improvements or changes.

This is perhaps contrary to what many may think - they perhaps mistake it for an exhibition gallery of their work - but that is simply not the case.

If you want to exhibit your work ... you have your own online gallery somewhere for that, and linking from postings here is just fine.

But you post images here because you're looking to improve your techniques, and you're receptive to suggestions in that vein, and not because you're strutting your ego.

And no, I'm not having a go at you ... just restating the obvious.

Simon.

Manta wrote:You're in the right section Ghost. "Reviews and Critiques in my view means "What D'yall Think?" and leaves it up the photographer to ask whatever questions they would like the forum to answer about their shot/s.

Absolutely correct.

Occasionally, some may use it as a bit of a showcase, "Hey, look what I've done" and take umbrage when anything other than glowing praise is offered

Correct again, and it's this prancing of one's ego - if I may use that sort of terminology - that some here seem to do that I find rather objectionable.

This section is not a gallery section, nor is it a gallery replacement, and the correct approach, in my opinion, is that one posts an image or two or three, for critique.

Further images belong in a gallery, not here.

Ghost - I don't think you need do anything with this image. It's very strong compositionally and wonderfully interesting for the eye to wander through. Any background would distract from that. (but ditch the frame - it kills the image)

Hmmm, to me it seems to look a bit, uhmmm, stark on the plain white background... Not sure what to suggest though... Seems like you've done an excellent job on the extraction though, so any background looks as though you could easily "slip it under your subjects"... Spose it's up to what you want as a background...

The border does look a bit busy to me, maybe it's just the double matt effect...? I think Simon's on the money, might be worth having a color matching the outfit on the girls somewhere in your frame... Maybe that's all it needs?