Photo Critique #154
tuts workshop

Photo Critique #154

on Sep 14th 2012 with 7 comments

Friday Photo Critique is our weekly community project, where we publish a photograph submitted by one of our wonderful readers, then ask you all to offer constructive feedback on the image. It’s a great way to learn more about photography, express your viewpoint, and have your own image critiqued!

Quick Ground Rules

  1. Play nice! We’ve deliberately chosen photographs that aren’t perfect, so please be constructive with any criticism.
  2. Feel free to offer any type of advice – composition, lighting, post-processing etc.
  3. You can also link to photographs that you feel offer a great example of this type of image shot exceptionally well.

Without further ado, here is this week’s candidate for Friday Photo Critique!

The Photograph

Photo Details & Inspiration

  • Canon EOS 60D
  • 18mm
  • f/6.7
  • 1/250
  • ISO 100

One used one Canon 580EXII shooting through an umbrella directly above subject & another one on the ground just to the left of the camera.

I wanted to capture the athletes focus. I thought the down lighting would help portray a serious tone.

The athletes name is Curtis Thom, and he represented Canada in the 2012 Paralympics. He competed in four events, medaling in two.

Photographer: Steve Ariss

Please let us know what you think in the comments – how would you have approached the scene or taken the photo differently? A massive thank you to everyone who commented last week.

The most constructive and helpful comments will be featured on the site. Interested in submitting your own photo? You can do so here!

 
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Rollover to read this author's bio or click through to see a full list of posts by this author.

I was raised in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. After high school, I left for Western Kentucky University where I obtained degrees in photojournalism and cultural anthropology. I am currently employed by CityBeat, an arts and entertainment weekly in Cincinnati. The work I am doing here is very rewarding and I suspect it will continue to be. I am available for freelance work in all areas of photography.  

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  • http://yashmatunited.blogspot.com Tom

    I don’t see much anything wrong with the picture. The only thing would be to wear a lighter colored hat because it blends in with the background instead of standing out from it.

    great contrast and composition

  • SUE

    I love it and can’t see anything wrong with it either. It has great lines and dramatic lighting. I think you achieved everything you set out to do with this shot…well done. :-)

  • http://Www.digitalwhims.com Denny Weigand

    Great use of light! You put it all in the right places to emphasize your subject! Killer image!

  • shane

    i agree that it’s a smashing photo! if i had to point out anything that could possibly make it even better, I think i’d crop out a little more of the foreground or adjust the composition to bring the athlete into the bottom half of the frame with more negative space above to make him stand out more.

    I’d also expose him a bit more for dramatic effect and maybe reduce the noise slightly.

    Great pic and live the way the light’s been used.

  • jakub

    Nothing to criticize here. Cropping is OK, maybe I would try to crop about half of the empty space above head – but it is just personal preference.
    Lighting, composition, textures (including noise, which looks more like film grain here) are all perfect!

  • Valerie

    I really like this shot and I don’t see much wrong with it. I like the composition: the context is the track in front of him and his position gives him room to move into the space. If the context was behind him (maybe crowds or more of the stadium), then it would possibly be valid to have him lower in the frame. I think his cap stands out well enough. Possibly a gridded backlight could have provided a rimlight to aid separation, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Given the symmetry of the image, the athelete’s slightly off-centre pose could be considered a technical imperfection, but I think his pose tells a story and adds to the image. I’d have liked to see more detail in his hands, given the importance of that connection to his wheels, but I don’t think that constitutes an imperfection in this shot.

    I’d be proud to have taken this.

  • Steve Ariss

    Thanks everyone for the comments! It was my first time playing with my new 580exii speedlites and I was really happy with how things turned out.

    If you’d like to see more from the shoot you can visit Curtis’ website http://www.wheelzontheline.com/gallery/photos/

    Thanks again!