Smoking Kills (New here)

[sfunahuel]

Hello, I'm new here. Actually, I'm new with a SLR (a Canon t3)
I'd like to know what do you think about this selfportrait I've taken the other day.

I'm not quite sure about the lighting (is it enough?), the composition (should I put the head in the center?) and the "temperature." I made the photo colder with the ligthroom, but maybe it would be better if it were warmer. What do you think?

Any other advise would be more then wellcome. Thanks!



I think it looks better when enlarged: http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr....l1mg7PPIKRc%3D

[Hill Country Hack]

I bet you would get more responses if you follow the critique rules. Critique Forum Rules

[sfunahuel]

Originally Posted by Hill Country Hack

I bet you would get more responses if you follow the critique rules. Critique Forum Rules

Thank you. And sorry! I think it's ok now...

[cesarderio]

Crop it in quite a bit. There is so much dead space. I would crop in nice and tight to your face and hand

[3bayjunkie]

rotate it 90 degrees counter clockwise

[sfunahuel]

Thanks a lot. I've tried both tips, and it definitely looks much better!

[BigFuzzy]

The thing I have to say is both good and bad.

But first, welcome to DPS and photography in general.

The good is that I really like that you're actually trying something real. You have an idea and wanted to carry it out and do it the best way you can. Most folks just start snapping away at anything that's cool or cute without any thought into it.. so kudos big time to you.

However (and if you get to know me here on DPS, there's always a however) when I first saw the image, without even having read your description (I like to have the image hit me first without any input by the photog) my first thought was "wow, he's trying really hard." It just feels "too much" like you were trying so hard to be artsy and edgy and all that. Many many many people come across to me that way, so don't take it too personally. It just feels a bit too posed, too staged. Does that make any sense?

Technically, I like the dead space, I just would have rotated the image as noted and placed the face in the upper left part of the frame with the dead space to the right and down.

Keep posting!

[utsc2006]

I agree with Bug Fuzzy, you can't always rely on a title to explain your image. The viewer should be able to read the image and get the message. I think it's a great idea and with some tweaking would be a neat shot. I would say better lighting. Maybe sit in a chair in a darkly lit room and smoke so we have some sense of atmosphere. Keep at it!

[sfunahuel]

Thanks for the welcoming BigFuzzy, and for the advise. If I'm posting here, is because I like the "however." My family would just say "I like it," but that doesn't really help me to improve. So I thank your "however" as well!
And yes, it does make sense. I think I can understand what you are trying to say, and I'll keep it in mind the next time I shoot.
I'll keep on posting. Thanks a lot!

utsc2006 I like that idea, I'm gonna try it. And I get what you say about the "title that explains more about the image, than the image itself," I need to pay more atention to that. Thanks for the advise.