curious of people thoughts/crits/opinions

scootermm · Jun 23, 2004

Ive been a bit of a lurker here on the apug forum for good while now.
usually dont comment or post due to a lack of experience and/or knowledge.
I started out doing photography a couple years ago with an old 35mm then got a hasselblad and eventually a crown graphic and now Im obsessively shooting with a cambo 4x5 and the 135mm Graflex 4.5 from my crown.

I managed to scan a random assortment of my shots from the last 6months or so and put them up on my website. I realize scanning does no justice to the quality (subjective statement I know) of these negatives, as they were just scanned on a epson with a light box shining through them.
But I would love to hear what people think about composition/exposure etc.

Im always interested in learning something knew or being questioned on why I shoot something. it seems to always lead to a better understanding of photography and in particular why I love it.

here are the shots.
http://www.scootermagruder.com/photos/4x5images/

Ole · Jun 23, 2004

Why do you have all the thumbnails scrunced along the right edge? I'm working on my own website at present, and have only a few pictures in place. I used IrfanView to make a page of thumbnails, and it looks like Dead Link Removed

scootermm · Jun 23, 2004

theres supposed to be two columns. I think I fixed it.
its just the manner in which I choose to aesthetically layout the webpage.
just personal preference.
I used an automated image gallery PHP for a long while but just dont like the manner in which it displays things.

Timothy · Jun 23, 2004

Webpage feedback

Scooterman, I love your sense of composition. I have to ask you, are you musical at all, ... play the piano or anything like that ??
Your images look to me like you know a lot about jazz.
And your exposure looks dead on. You do realize, don't you, that the first image at top of left column has vignetting at top that does not seem to add to the image. Otherwise, I am very impressed. And I like the design of the webpage, although it looks like it is unfinished - a work in progress -- show me a webpage that is not

Eric Rose · Jun 23, 2004

Since you asked for a critique of your photos rather than your website I will do just that. I looked at all the photos presented and it appears you certainly have mastered the technical aspects of the craft. Since these are scans from negs it's hard to judge the interpretation of the images as I don't know what level of expertise you have with PS. I myself suck at PS and all my scans in the galleries are straight scans with minimal contrast and brightness adjustments. Yours like mine seems to need some extra work to really bring out the full impact of what we previsualized.

wdemere · Jun 23, 2004

Timothy said:
Scooterman, I love your sense of composition. I have to ask you, are you musical at all, ... play the piano or anything like that ??
Your images look to me like you know a lot about jazz.

OK, I'll bite. Why jazz? (BTW, I do know a lot about jazz and I'm not seeing the connection.)

Thanks,

William

scootermm · Jun 23, 2004

Timothy.
I dont play an instrument and cant hold a tune vocally or in any other form. Although I love music.... and in particular jazz, so maybe that has a little to do with it. I am intrigued by what, in my photos, reminded you of jazz.
I paint alot along with my photography..... altho my muse has recently ventured away so photography may be my only outlet for a while.
thanks for the comments so far. like you said eric, its so hard to express from a (bad) scan and viewed on a computer screen. I was/am apprehensive about even putting them on my website for that reason alone.
my website is very much a work in progress. in fact its something I have never been happy with design-wise...... and is more a repository for people I know to see what Ive been up to.

BWGirl · Jun 23, 2004

Scooterman,

I love the pics. It would be neat if in the big blank space on the web page, there was a frame that would show an enlarged view of which ever picture you clicked on.

I think I understand Timothy's question about jazz... there's a *feel* to the pictures.. almost like a song... I can definitely hear some Jesse Cook when I look at some of them!
IMHO,
Jeanette

bobfowler · Jun 26, 2004

I'm curious about your processing technique - the image on the lower right (http://www.scootermagruder.com/photos/4x5images/images/Untitled-18.jpg) looks to have a pretty bad streaking problem. Are you using a rotary tube system? If so, it looks like you're not using enough solution.

Other than that, nice stuff!

Jeremy · Jun 26, 2004

I think it's a scanner problem and not a development problem (it appears on many of the images).

curious of people thoughts/crits/opinions

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