Photo critique – Phil Bourassa Photography

Dear Christian,

Thanks so much for your wonderful critique offer, as well as one of the more useful photography sites anywhere on the web. This is the kind of thing that most photographers are looking for: an actual structured critique of our work rather than just “nice shot!”

I’ve done editing and retouching for other photographers for years. About 4 years ago I began shooting my own work doing portraiture and product shots.

I’m enclosing 3 photos for your review. I’m currently shooting a Canon 60D, and looking to upgrade both the body and the lenses I’m using as soon as possible. That having been said, finances dictate how quickly that will happen!

The photos enclosed are of entirely different subjects, one in a studio, two in natural light. We’ve recently moved to Northern Michigan right on the shore of Lake Huron, and I’d like to start focusing more on outdoor and nature shots. At the same time, I want to make certain that I keep my portrait and head shot skills sharp for paying jobs.

I’m not one of those who needs someone to blow sunshine up my skirt. While I appreciate hearing what I’m doing well, I’m more concerned on finding out areas where I can improve my craft.

Thanks again for your time. I’m already a big fan of the site and will be using it as much as I can. In return for your wonderful offer, I’d like to extend my services (free of charge in keeping with your project) if you should ever find that you need help with website design or implementation, Photoshop compositing, or anything else that could be of assistance to you.

Yours truly,

Phil Bourassa

http://www.philbourassa.com

…………..

Phil

thank you for your submission. I appreciate your skills and I would say you are already as good as any other professional photographer. You are the living proof that equipment comes second as one does not need the fancy cameras and equipment to create outstanding shots. I am happy to see such skill and I would encourage you to put your knowledge into drive to do something more ever day. I believe you do not need much advice as I see that you know what you are doing with no difficulty. Probaly form now on it is only the business skills will get you a successful business which I believe you are after?!

Lets have a quick chat about your photos. Usually I get distracted when I get 3 different photos that doe not talk to each other in any shape or form, however in this case I do not have that problem. I can see the skill in all 3 of them

Sarah

I lobe this image not only for the photographic skill but also for the approach. Leaving the subject in half shade is very interesting and visually intriguing. This causes a reaction on my side as a viewer: what is in the dark…mysterious and sexy. Great model, and great idea to have one light only one side. I believe the composition is good and the pose is also unusual and interesting.

I love the fact you left it in colour and not black and white.

There is something that is not comfortable though, the hand looks bigger and perhaps a slightly different position of her right hand side would have made it slimmer? not sure….

Love the picture anyway, one of my favourite so far on this critique session on my website

Old Plymouth Barn

Classic shot, goes by the rule of thirds, dramatic colours, good exposure. It is a good image, ticks all the boxes. I cannot find any flows, bit it does not make me WOW…seen and done this before!

Lake Huron

I like your picture as it has layers of colours structured horizontally. The rock is a bit to big for my taste, and this is one image where following the rule of thirds would have helped. Because the image has some symmetry of the wave which crosses the image in the middle and subject is above, foamy wave layer below….all a little confusing, maybe too many visual elements fighting for attention.I would simplify this image a bit by either treating it as a texture and remove the rock completely, or have the rock and remove a layer – either the sky or the breaking wave…but that is just me.

Phil

you have got the skill, all the above can be discussed and broken down in many ways, the bottom line you know photography and if you want to turn this into paying job, you need to work on other skills, like your website for example.

I love when people like you send me good quality photos for comments…this is all what is all about. please stay close and lets have another discussion in one year as I want to be surrounded by people such as yourself

thank you

………………………………………………………

About Christian Tudor

professional photographer, main editor at Academy of Photography and

Posted December 3, 2013 at 2:39 AM

Christian, thanks so much for taking the time to critique my submissions. I will definitely work on putting these tips into action for future shots, and am working on a re-crop of the stones in the water to help with the layout.

Christian

Posted December 3, 2013 at 2:42 AM

Christian,

Thanks so much for taking the time to offer your insight on my work. I appreciate all of the suggestions on each of the pieces. I agree, the old barn has been done to death. I was mainly submitting that one to field some comments on the treatment in post, but was still pleased to find that it stacks up to the others of this type.

The shot of the stones is also one where I definitely agree. I had originally thought to crop this to remove some of the snow on the shore at the bottom, but decided to see what your thoughts were. I guess I should trust my instincts a little more.

Like you, I am partial to the shot of Sarah. When I met her, I was torn about how best to shoot her. She’s actually not a slim girl by any means, which I find to be a relief these days. Part of the reason for shooting her that way was to bring the attention to what a gorgeous face she has, rather than emphasize her thicker physique. Like you, I would have preferred the hand in a different position, but this was the pose for the shot of her face I liked best. I also thought to crop this one to focus on her face, but it would have meant losing all the light play in her hair, so I opted to leave it in. If I get to shoot with her again, I will definitely go after another where I can make some of these corrections.

With your permission, I’d like to include some of your comments in my overall portfolio on my website. I am getting ready to update some of the samples. If you don’t mind, I’d like to know what points you were suggesting focusing on with my website? I actually just changed this over to this design so that it would specifically focus on the images content above all other points, as well as allowing the images to be displayed full screen without any action on the part of the user. I’m always happy to find out what others in the industry think about a particular style or format. The one limit to the format was that it did not allow me to use Sarah’s photo or a couple of other shots in portrait orientation. I’m adding a secondary gallery under the “My Work” link that will allow for this.

Thanks again for the great advice, and taking the time to encourage those of us who are trying to make a go of this wonderful art. I will definitely touch base with you as you suggested, and hopefully have a great deal more to show you at that time.


Christian

Posted December 3, 2013 at 2:46 AM

Phil
please feel free to use my comments to your website. It actually helps.
in relation to your website, I would suggest to stop focusing on the design all together and worry about the content and the transparency in google. I know you care about your design but your public won’t judge you if you have a simple website with great content
Christian