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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge #7: Portraits In Black and White (or Sepia) >> Critique Gallery > A lazy Afternoon
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Jim Burkstrand

A lazy Afternoon

I really have to say that I am learning quite a bit from the comments posted here - both on my first two, and on the other postings. At this point, I don't feel really qualified to comment on the portraits by others.
I had to slide her into the sunlight for this shot. I tried various forms of cropping , and liked this one the best. I could have done the backgrond in a color other than white, but I thought the large contrast would work. Maybe too much?
Keep the comments coming ! Thanks in advance.


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Mike Bradford 19-Apr-2002 18:55
I really like this picture, but then I like dogs. My comments are more about the cropping then the picture. decide what you want the eye to be drawn to in the picture, then match that color in the mat, or crop. If you have a picture professionally framed remember that the picture is the art, not the frame and mat. The trend today is to make the frame and mat a piece of art and it takes away from the picture. change the way the trend is going, and mat the picture with the dark mat against the picture, and lighter colored mats to the out side, and it will draw the eye to the picture and not the frame and mat. Hope this makes sense.
Guest 12-Apr-2002 13:21
I agree that cropping it squarely would be effective...if you really like the round around it, maybe you could blur the corners instead of the sharpness of the frame you've got here. It makes it look like you're looking at the cute doggie through a telescope, which I think hurts the connection between subject and viewer.

And by the way, I'm not at all "qualified" to comment on other people's photos. Mostly, I'm just pulling stuff out of my...uhm...derriere. But I think it's helping me to think critically and recognize what I could do better in my own work. And hopefully my (uneducated) impressions help people recognize similar things. Even if it is to say "She's totally wrong!" :-) Anyways. It's a very nice idea, and I'm enjoying it very much.
cgesteland 11-Apr-2002 21:29
This image doesn't need a frame. If you removed it, but cropped the image to about where the frame defines it, it would be perfect just as it is. In fact, the glaring white detracts from the soft layers of gray and black. It doesn't just distract the eye, it jerks it to the side.

The dog wears a priceless expression, almost human, as if thinking, "Come on, I got you your newspaper and slippers. Can't you just let me nap in peace?" Let the eyes feast on that. 8)