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Johnny Magnoski

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« on: December 11, 2008, 02:57:41 pm »

I'm posting here, for the first time, to see how my images are received.
I have been self employed for over 8 years, my primary focus has been on wedding and lifestyle portraiture with some commercial work now and again.

Trust me, while weddings are fun, they aren't why I got into photography.  I've always shot for myself but have never really let my images out to be viewed by the public.
Sure, I have a website with some images, I also have some of my stuff on pbase... but in terms of focusing on my art as part of my career, I have been too afraid.
But now that business has taken a turn for the worse, and every day my desire to get out and shoot grows stronger and stronger, I feel that now is the best time for
me to re-direct my focus on the things that I was always drawn to photograph - to pursue my passion.

Currently I'm working on 3 personal fine art projects and while digging through my archives I stumbled upon some images I had that, to me at least, might make for a nice little folio project.
That would be 4 total.  Probably too many to work on at once but I feel a sense of urgency for some reason.

To be honest, I'm not one to seek out praise or validation - but for some reason, these three images in particular have me wanting to focus on this potential project first and I
want to know from the honest folks here what you all feel when you look at these images.  I want to know if these are emotive or if they are garbage.    



Here are the three images:

1.
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Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2008, 04:50:55 pm »

   That bad?

No problem.    
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wolfnowl

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« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2008, 02:39:51 am »

I wouldn't say 'bad'... average maybe.  Nothing too exciting.

Mike.

BTW, welcome to the list!

« Last Edit: December 12, 2008, 02:42:20 am by wolfnowl »
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David Anderson

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« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2008, 02:48:25 am »

Quote from: Johnny Magnoski
  That bad?

No problem.    

It's a slow area of the forum, but I think your shots are better than 99% of everything from Gettys..  

Seriously, I like the top & bottom ones, but the middle is a strange composition IMHO.


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Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2008, 10:19:48 am »

Sorry for my impatience, I'm used to other photography forums being more active.  

And thank you for the feedback.    


Since these are average, what would you suggest to make them above average and exciting?
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joergen geerds

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« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2008, 10:43:38 am »

Quote from: Johnny Magnoski
Sorry for my impatience, I'm used to other photography forums being more active.  

And thank you for the feedback.    


Since these are average, what would you suggest to make them above average and exciting?

Hi John,

as david said, it's a bit a slow forum, and it seems that only really outstanding work gets lots of reactions, while good work, and not so good work gets no reaction at all, as if nobody wants to hurt the feelings of the photographer... I didn't get so much replies either, and it stopped me from posting here.

I think your work looks interesting, but I have to look more into you r work to have a real opinion. for the three posted images, I like the last one the best, but I think you should have avoided the oof in the upper right corner, either with focus blending, of a smaller f-stop... it looks like a mistake right now. in terms of your highkey images... have you thought about to make the border around it not pure white, but ever so slightly off-white to prevent bleeding?

best

joergen

DarkPenguin

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« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2008, 11:07:50 am »

I don't like the last one.  It feels way overloaded on the top left.

The others are interesting but I haven't figured out what I really think of them at this point.  When I have images like that I tend to print them and throw them on a wall for a while to see what I think over time.
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Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2008, 12:40:41 pm »

Quote from: joergen geerds
Hi John,

as david said, it's a bit a slow forum, and it seems that only really outstanding work gets lots of reactions, while good work, and not so good work gets no reaction at all, as if nobody wants to hurt the feelings of the photographer... I didn't get so much replies either, and it stopped me from posting here.

I think your work looks interesting, but I have to look more into you r work to have a real opinion. for the three posted images, I like the last one the best, but I think you should have avoided the oof in the upper right corner, either with focus blending, of a smaller f-stop... it looks like a mistake right now. in terms of your highkey images... have you thought about to make the border around it not pure white, but ever so slightly off-white to prevent bleeding?

best

joergen

Thank you Joergen.

I understand folks not wanting to hurt feelings, but honesty is necessary in order for everyone to grow.  It seems that those that need no feedback, because their work is exceptional, get it while those that could use it don't... preventing them from the growth they need.  No big deal.

That last image was shot with a 10.5mm Nikon.  So that distortion is a product of the lens.  I could try to crop it, and that might take care of the heavy issue that dark penguin mentioned.


I appreciate you all taking the time to give me some feedback.  

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joergen geerds

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« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2008, 03:00:52 pm »

Quote from: Johnny Magnoski
I understand folks not wanting to hurt feelings, but honesty is necessary in order for everyone to grow.  It seems that those that need no feedback, because their work is exceptional, get it while those that could use it don't... preventing them from the growth they need.  No big deal.

I agree, good, constructive feedback is very important, especially since we can't rely on friends&family for that. And I agree with you, the ones that get a lot of feedback don't necessarily need it. I give a lot of feedback on other photo sites, and I try to be mostly honest and direct about it... this sometimes doesn't go to well down on dpreview ... but here in the LL forum it feels different...

Quote from: Johnny Magnoski
That last image was shot with a 10.5mm Nikon.  So that distortion is a product of the lens.  I could try to crop it, and that might take care of the heavy issue that dark penguin mentioned.

I wasn't referring to the distortion... I am well aware that it's a super wide... I was referring to the fact that the tree trunk in the upper left is out of focus... and that hurts the composition/image a bit.

Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2008, 03:44:50 pm »

Quote from: joergen geerds
I agree, good, constructive feedback is very important, especially since we can't rely on friends&family for that. And I agree with you, the ones that get a lot of feedback don't necessarily need it. I give a lot of feedback on other photo sites, and I try to be mostly honest and direct about it... this sometimes doesn't go to well down on dpreview ... but here in the LL forum it feels different...

I only go on DPR now to read threads... I stopped posting and commenting due to the fragile egos.


Quote
I wasn't referring to the distortion... I am well aware that it's a super wide... I was referring to the fact that the tree trunk in the upper left is out of focus... and that hurts the composition/image a bit.

My apologies, I hope I didn't offend your intelligence.
Thank you for clarifying.    
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Silver Birch Studio

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« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2008, 01:11:24 am »

Welcome - I'm new here, too, just haven't been brave enough to post any pix yet. I have to say, I really like 1 and 3 very much, and of course, I very much approve of your subject matter! I do agree that changing the background, or even a fine black frame might help define the images a bit. Thanks for sharing your work.
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Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2008, 10:26:31 am »

Quote from: Silver Birch Studio
Welcome - I'm new here, too, just haven't been brave enough to post any pix yet. I have to say, I really like 1 and 3 very much, and of course, I very much approve of your subject matter! I do agree that changing the background, or even a fine black frame might help define the images a bit. Thanks for sharing your work.


Thank you - when I saw your name, I knew you would have an interest in my subject matter...    

I intentionally used a white border for visual purposes.  I personally like the way the image seems to grow and then fade into 'nothing'.
With that said I took that feedback and tried a different color for the "mat" on a couple of new images.

Please tell me what you feel about these ones.    

 
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2008, 10:36:03 am »

I feel this series has potential, but I don't think you are quite there yet. Of the present three, the first one works best for me: the two trees feel as if they are having a conversation.

I would suggest going out and taking many more of similar subjects (but making sure that you feel an emotional response before you snap the shutter each time. Once you have a hundred or more, put up prints around the house as Dark Penguin suggests. After a while, start ruthlessly taking down the ones that seem to have less impact, until you are down to maybe 6 to 12 that you feel really good about.

I like your presentation (white space, etc.)

Good luck!

P.S. The light grey mats look quite elegant.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2008, 10:39:08 am by EricM »
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Silver Birch Studio

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« Reply #13 on: December 15, 2008, 11:34:40 am »

I do like the light grey mats. Of the two new images, I prefer the first, but overall, I'm feeling the most love for the original first and third - that subject matter thing, probably!    I think you're on the right track. Some of the crops are unconventional, but I think that helps add interest and draw the eye.
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mjrichardson

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« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2008, 01:00:32 pm »

Hi.

I like the first image, it has a nice balance, I really want to like the third image but the top left trunk causes too many distractions for me.

Overall I think you have something but as others have said, I think you have further to go with them. I do like the gray border though!

Cheers.

Mat
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Alexandre Buisse

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« Reply #15 on: December 15, 2008, 05:50:38 pm »

I really like what's going on in the first image, with this beautiful diagonal and the very delicate tones. The second one is good too but I feel something is missing. My eye follows the path from the top right to the bottom left and there is nothing to stop it from leaving the image. The third one doesn't really do it for me, I have no emotional response to it.

As for presentation, though I initially thought otherwise, I finally prefer the light gray mat. It doesn't take any "peacefulness" away from the images, yet still keeps the eye inside the main area. And I also like that there isn't such a sharp contrast with the black objects at the edges.
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joergen geerds

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« Reply #16 on: December 16, 2008, 01:33:27 pm »

I like where this is going... both in terms of the presentation, the development of your style, and especially that there is (finally) an open dialog about the work, with constructive criticism going back and forth.

David Anderson

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« Reply #17 on: December 16, 2008, 04:23:41 pm »

John, I like these better then the first lot, they have better composition and standout more with the new frames.
(they also remind me of the midwest winter I'm not suffering through because I moved to Australia.    )

Where are they shot ?


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Johnny Magnoski

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« Reply #18 on: December 16, 2008, 09:31:31 pm »

Oh wow, there has been some action on here - sorry for starting a thread and then leaving the conversations so soon.
Joergen is correct, it's nice to see some dialogue on here.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to point out what they like and what they don't like.
To me, this is what good CC is all about.  I'm on other forums where you don't get good and honest feedback.


Re: Grey Mats.
I agree - after taking the advice, I had made duplicate sets of white vs. grey and prefer the elegance of the grey over the starkness of the white.
Thanks everyone for pushing me in that direction.    

Alexandre -
My guess is you would like the second image better if it had the grey mat around it.
Thank you for your feedback.

David -
Oh am I envious... I was just telling my wife and (6) kids today that we are moving somewhere warm.  After living in the midwest all my life, I am ready.

The first two images I posted were photographed at Nine Mile Creek in Bloomington, MN
(As a side note, I entered my first contest for the 2009 Watershed District Calendar and won!
They've included two of my Nine Mile creek photos; this winter scene and this summer scene - I was pretty stoked to win my first mini-contest.    )

The third one was photographed up along the North Shore of MN, at Gooseberry Falls SP to be exact.
The bottom two I posted were just captured on Friday the 12th at a Winery in southern MN... just south east of where I live by about 25 minutes.
I had never been there, but my business partner wanted me to photograph he and his wife there for their Christmas cards.  I ended up spending half the time adding more images to my collection.  LOL.





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