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Welcome to the very first round of "The public jury". The idea here is that you, the users of this website, along with the staff at Crestock will join together in looking at and discussing potential stock photos, and voicing our opinions on their qualities.
Guidelines for your critiquing:
- This is not a general photo critiquing feature, there are hundreds of those about. What we're looking for is stock-related feedback on each image. Does it have the right look/feel/theme for a good stock photo? Are the technical qualities of the image what a graphic designer would expect from a stock photo?
- Constructive feedback is the key! Unless your name is Andy Pipkin*, we would love to see a more elaborate comment than "I don't like it". Point to what it is you like/dislike, what could be improved, how to improve it etc.
- This is not the place for complaining about rejected images. However, feel free to contact Crestock helpdesk if you feel that your image was erroneously rejected.
* in referrence to Matt Lucas' character in the TV-series "Little Britain"
Spanishalex has volunteered to be the first one to have an image scrutinized, with this image of a mug of lemonade on a palm leaf by the pool. If you would like to have one of your photos put through the paces by the public jury, send an e-mail to Lars at lars@crestock.com and he'll help you get it posted properly.
Downscaled version of the full image:
http://www.crestock.com/publicjury/001_213020_watermarked.jpg
Detail crop #1 (100% size)
http://www.crestock.com/publicjury/001_213020_crop1.jpg
Detail crop #2 (100% size)
http://www.crestock.com/publicjury/001_213020_crop2.jpg
The downscaled version was saved with a Photoshop JPEG compression setting of 9, while the 100% crops where made with a setting of 11. Some very slight artifacts may occur due to this, which are not visible in the full size version.
Now then, let your feedback flow!
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Good composition and excellent colors! Crop #2 is a bit soft, but it's probably just approaching the limit of your DOF.
How did you get the pitcher to float on the leaf?
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The leaf is on the poolside so the pitcher isn't floating.
This is one of a series that were rejected due to harsh shadows. i will be repeating them tomorrow with a diffuser and hands, weather permitting. I will also crank up the DoF.
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i wouldn't be so concerned about the shadows, but imo the image overall is a bit dark - especially the lemonade... the sense of freshness just doesn't come across very well. try messing with the levels a bit and give the mids a hefty kick... and see which lemonade you would prefer. just my two cents... still a nice photo with great stock potential. surprised to see it rejected for the shadows though... also don't find the focus fall-off on the leaf a big issue.
sascha
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I disagree that the image is dark-- any lighter and both the flowers and the water will look blown out. The lemonade is a normal color for real, home-made lemonade. If you want the fake, box-mix Crystal-Light look with fake yellow food-coloring, then ok, you'll have to lighten up something but only the lemonade and perhaps the leaf. As soon as you lighten it up, you'll probably introduce artifacts which would have gotten rejected. I have no idea why the shadow would get an image like this rejected, because without the shadow, the pitcher is no longer sitting on anything. Unless it's high noon at the right latitude. I would think this could have some stock value, as it says "resort" to me and those images seem to sell.
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are we permitted to post edited versions of the watermarked thumbs?
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We can all look at an image and see ways we might do it differently. I would like to see more translucence and yellow in the darker part of the pitcher of lemonade. But, that said, I think this image would sell well as is. It's good stock.
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bronwens
Baltimore/DC area, United States
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I think this photo has great potential. It needs some light bounced into the lemonade, otherwise it will still look pasted into the setting. You might have to water down the lemonade a bit. I like what it going on with the handle and it would be nice to see some of that through the lemonade in the pitcher. Digitally speaking, greenish colors absorb more light than most colors so you need to try harder to bring it out. I used to photograph lots of floral arrangements.
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sascha (6/4/2007)
are we permitted to post edited versions of the watermarked thumbs?
Sure, go right ahead!
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i had something more like this in mind:
http://www.overdoseimages.com/misc/lemonade.jpg
sure, one could argue it doesn't look "homemade" or what not, but personally i think it better conveys the concept of cool, light, and refreshing - which would probably find a wider audience than the homemade look.
that was a quick and rough edit, one could take it further... and i know with some heavy editing you could end up blowing highlights or introducing artifacts, noise, etc, etc.. but that's not the purpose of this thread. i'm merely trying to critique the image and point out what i would have tried to do differently. i'm by no means a ps guru, just throwing in my two cents - me and my crystal light :)
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Looks like a great edit to me. I'll have a play around with the original!
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Thats a pretty big improvement, sascha. Its fair to say we like bright pictures and the customers like them too. The brightness should be cranked up, especially with this kind of subject matter. Good effort, sascha.
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Image needs more of feeling of space. Something about the angle seems to imply the water is very steep as opposed to stretching away into the distance. The jug's too dark.Nice piccie all told though. Bit harsh somehow, but nice piccie.
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