[SI] Autumn Critique

Well, work has let up a little, so why not take the time to trash someone
else's efforts? Like they say, if you can't do it, criticize it. You may
conclude, after reading this, that my photography is on par with my
critiquing skills. Lastly, do not check your sense of humor at the door.

Douglas MacDonald: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194271

A shocking submission since it has nothing to do with autumn. Yes, I know
that Douglas is from Oz, but hey, the rest of us living in the correct
hemisphere don't care. It's a nice shot, but I'm very disappointed that
D-Mac didn't fly north and find some suitable subject matter. Obviously,
Douglas does not take the shoot-in seriously.

Grade: B

Bob Hickey: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194274

Bob, Bob, Bob! Where to begin? A cell phone? You used a damned cell phone
when everyone that frequents this NG knows that it's only the gear that
matters? Very disappointing. Not to mention that the shot contains none of
the tried, true, and tired symbols of autumn we've all come to expect from
our cliche shots, like colored leaves, football, colored leaves, turkeys,
and maybe some colored leaves. That, and you didn't even hold your phone
straight. Obviously, Bob does not take the shoot-in seriously.

Grade: B

Peter Chant: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194276

Finally, some of the autumnm cliche material I've been looking for: colored
leaves. But that's it. Too much foreground, bad vignetting, likely from the
polarizer that was stacked on top of 7 or 8 other filters, and some power
lines that could have easily been cloned out in Photoshop. Peter, I'm
surprised you didn't care enough to buy a brand new Power Mac, 23" Cinema
display, Photoshop CS3, and a Coolpix 9000 to improve this shot by
converting a slice of reality into some over saturated and painted fictional
scene where you could have included a naked model. Obviously, you do not
take the shoot-in seriously.

Grade B

Jim Kramer: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194278

Well, we've got to cut Jim some slack here. It's obvious that he's spending
so much time administering the shoot-in that it's affected his photography.
How else to explain this? No leaves, which means winter to me, no turkeys
(unless that's one of the local turkeys), football, or anything that our
society has taught us to associate with autumn. Very disappointing. However,
since you are the administrator of the shoot-in, it's obvious that you take
it seriously.

Grade: A-

Bowser: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194279

Now here's a shooter that has it all figured out! Perfect choice of gear,
subject matter that meets all cliche criteria, and a referee sliced in half.
I didn't even see a need to move from my "outside the fence" end zone
standing spot. Truly a winner of a shot. Plus, since I'm taking the time to
offer my expert commentary (masquerading as Kinon) it's obvious I take the
shoot-in seriously.

Grade: B-

Michelo: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194281

Yes!! Pumpkins! Leaves! Autumn stuff that presented nicely and meets the
mandate perfectly! Love the colors. However, you only used an out of date
Canon "A" series camera. Bad move. This is a gear forum where it isn't the
image that counts, it's the gear. Obviously, you do not take the shoot-in
seriously.

Grade: B

Tom Gabriel: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90194283

Yes! More leaves! But, only one tree? What's up with that? Here's another
shooter trying to impress us with subject matter and content. Hah! We all
know better, don't we? I want more trees, anyway. But he had the common
sense to shoot with a DSLR, even if it's only a Pentax, which may account
for the lack of sharpness. This shooter seems to give a rat's ass about the
shoot-in, but you never know.

Grade: B

Helen Silverburg: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90196207

Leaves? Check. But where's the beef? I used to think that Helen was a Bret
sock puppet, but now I'm not sure. Unless Bret dumbed-down one of his shots,
removed the EXIF, and submitted under his SP. I would have liked a different
angle so the stairs didn't look so much like old railroad tracks. Plus, with
no EXIF info it's obvious that HelenBret does not take the shoot-in
seriously.

Grade: B

Bret Douglas: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90198926

Wow, this scene looks familiar! Been here before Bret? I think that you
have. Great color in the hills, but I would have preferred a much higher
angle so you could look down on the river, include more leaves and less sky.
In fact, I think a shot looking straight down with the river slicing through
the two very colorful banks would have been killer. I'm shocked that you
didn't take the profit you made from selling your FJ and hire a helicopter,
rent a Kenyon Gyro and get the shot you should have gotten. Very
disappointing. Obviously, you do not take the shoot-in seriously.

Grade: B

Solomon Peachy: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90202271

What's this? An autumn shot from Florida? They don't even have autumn down
there, do they? Sheesh. Here's another shooter who has tried to show us a
little variety by portraying what this time of year is like in his area when
what we all wanted was more leaves, football, and turkeys shot with high-end
DSLRs. Solomon, next time jump on the Acela, head to Maine, and give us the
cliches we demand and deserve. Obviously, this shooter does not take the
shoot-in seriously.

Grade: B

Paul Furman: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90213624

Geez, Paul, you make this too easy. San Francisco? Japanese Tea Gardens?
Spiders? Come now. You couldn't have driven to Yosemite for some color? Give
us the cliches we want? Sigh.... However, you did shoot with expensive
gear, so you seem to give a rat's ass about the shoot-in. Remember, it's the
gear, not the shot.

Grade: B

Justin Robinson: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90220515

Well, I've got to give Justin some props here since there are leaves, but
not enough of them, too much foreground, too much sky, not enough emphasis
on our beloved cliches. You couldn't have waded out into the lake to get a
better angle? You even used a DSLR that 3 generations old! I can't stand it.
You really need to take the shoot-in more seriously.

Grade: B

Bob Flint: http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/90224150

You know Bob, the only thing worse than submitting a shot that deprives us
of our autumn icons is making excuses in the text. And, to make matters
worse, you then explain that you used film, for God's sakes! And scanned a
4x6 piece of paper?! How quaint. Look, Bob, maybe this picture is an
accurate portrayal of what autumn is up there, but please, you need to take
the shoot-in more seriously.

Grade: B


And to all, a good night... ;-)