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## amandarine (Jun 20, 2012)

deleted


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## jowensphoto (Jun 20, 2012)

Love the B&W, she's such a cutie!


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## 480sparky (Jun 20, 2012)

She's a doll!


Buy a clone tool would be nice to use on her forehead.


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## The_Traveler (Jun 20, 2012)

amandarine said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> *This here is my boyfriend's little cousin. She turned three around Easter time, so while the whole family was together for the Easter weekend we held a little party for her. She had the best time running around in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens and playing and dancing with the family.
> *
> ...



Here is my constructive criticism.

1) get objective about your pictures.  The more subjective you are, the bigger chance that you can't tell good from bad.

2) don't tell everyone how much you love the pictures, the viewers don't - or shouldn't - care, this site is about photography not about your emotional ties to the picture but, inevitably, the constructive critique will be tempered so that viewers don't hurt your feelings. 
And you won't hear the truth.

3) Post 3 pictures at the very most. Pick the best. Otherwise any comments will be spread around and you won't get the whole truth about  anything.

4) *Any picture you put on the web is gone*. Forget it. If you don't want this, take them down now.


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## paigew (Jun 20, 2012)

yep, you post online, it can get 'out' especially if you post on a public forum! My opinion is there are far more things to worry about being a parent than some pics of your kids being online (its not like they are inappropriate). I think the ones of her inside are the best. You got some really nice light on those! Of course 2&3 are the best because you got eye contact. And yes, she is a gorgeous girl!


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## Joel_W (Jun 20, 2012)

Traveler gave you some honest and well thoughtout suggestions. We see hundreds of photos each week, and most have a story and/or personal attachment to them.  When I view a picture it's based on what I've learned about photography: Composition & exposure, and how it tells its story.  

As an example, picture #1 she has an absolutely fantastic facial expression. the harsh natural light coming from the right and illuminating that side of her face, is just way to strong compared to the left side. Also your composition is lacking. I would have cropped everything just past the straws on the right, and at least half the space past the shoulder on the left, as that would have really drawn us to her face.


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## Frequency (Jun 20, 2012)

i really liked the first four images...My best choice is the first followed  by the B&W; in the remaining activity images, background is much disturbing


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## jwbryson1 (Jun 20, 2012)

Cute snapshots.


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## Alex_B (Jun 20, 2012)

As The Traveler explained, emotional ties with the subject do not help to really judge the images themselves.

You show to us these pictures and more or less tell us how cute she is and how much you like her. Now I personally am confused, if you really want us to comment on the images and how well they are done, or if you want us to join in with you and praise her cuteness. 

Don't get me wrong, but it is similar when a man sees an image of a nude woman he thinks attractive, for many men it will then be difficult to judge the quality of the work the photographer did.


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## Frequency (Jun 20, 2012)

i feel OP did not claim the quality of the images; her love  and appreciation was well expressed, which is her right to express; but she has very well stated her eagerness to get helps, tips, tricks with her ears and eyes open; she has declared that there to go a long way.....so why should one refrain from giving her proper guidance?


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## The_Traveler (Jun 20, 2012)

There is a totally natural tendency on the part of most viewers to do two things if he/she knows the background story and the feelings that the photographer has for the image and/or the subject.
The viewer might 1) inadvertently compensate for inadequacies in the image and ignore them or 2) refrain from the total truth to save the feelings of the photographer. 

How do you tell a photographer that the love of his/her life presented in the picture is really a way lumpy example of flesh, way over the hill, and not a great choice for a model or that what he/she sees as a totally unique view of a glorious sunset on his/her honeymoon is really a hackneyed cliche?

Well, we don't, we reflect his/her love just to be nice.  We compensate.    We lie.

I don't want to be in that predicament, I don't want to shade the truth any more than I do.

In this set, the camera is responsible for 99% of the work and all of the success. 
The pictures are snapshots of a cute little girl but the photographer has ignored the lighting, the composition and the background - all the photographer's responsibility - and pushed the button on the top of the camera. 
We can help the photographer get better at his/her part because not all of his/her subject's will be cute three year olds but the photographer has to do their part - and that part is separating her feelings from her 'work'.

Lew


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## paigew (Jun 20, 2012)

We CAN help this photographer grow by pointing out what she did right and what to try for next time. Eye contact, composition, lighting etc. By pointing out things that were done right she can learn to look for these things when creating future images.

I also doubt that she has close emotional ties to this child. It is her boyfriends cousin! Not her own child. I think when she said things like "love her eyes" she was pointing out parts of the image she liked and that is it.


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## The_Traveler (Jun 20, 2012)

My point is that it is easier for the viewer to be honest if he/she doesn't have to take into account bruising the feelings of teh photographer.

The photographer can maximize their useful responses by keeping the interactions objective  

Here are my pictures.
I like these because .......................
I'm concerned about focus, exposure, etc.
I like this one the most because ..........................


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## TechArtist (Jun 20, 2012)

I love the 3rd to last shot. Not only is she cute, but if you look at the picture 1st and don't read the description, it really leaves you wondering what's she's yelling at and that really makes the picture more appealing. Of course it sucks that person in the background had to get in the way. I'm not sure you could even really Photoshop that out without it being very obvious. =(


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## The_Traveler (Jun 21, 2012)

amandarine said:


> So far you've told me what I should do when I post things and have made some assumptions about how I took the photos, but not really given me anything practical to help me become a better photographer i.e. suggestions of what I could try for next time, or how you would have done something differently.



My suggestions

Share stuff in the 'JUST FOR FUN' board.
Put no more than 3 pictures in a post
Say what you think is right, what you think is wrong
in summary, if you want people to work on your behalf, do things the way it has worked for the forum here.

Lew


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## Joel_W (Jun 21, 2012)

"Hi Joel, 

Do you mean you'd have cropped it like this? I tried cropping it in the  way you described while keeping it to its original aspect ratio but I  didn't like the way it chopped off her hand. I do like it like this  though. And I understand what you're saying about the harshness."

Yes, it's a much better candid portrait. Now if you have a good enough editing program, you could work on those forehead facial tones, and you've done your part to produce a solid image that is more then a snap shot.


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