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Critique Me – Jocey of Jocey Marie Photography
Lifestyle

Remember:
-Read How to Critique a Photo
-Make a critique sandwich – something positive, something you would have done differently, something positive
-My rule: no improvement tip = deleted comment
-This will benefit the person leaving the photo critique just as much if not more than the person receiving the critique.
-If you would like to have an image critiqued be sure to read How to submit an image for critique.

Thanks to Jocey of Jocey Marie Photography for submitting the following information.
Settings: ISO 200 | SS 1/125 | f/3.2
jocey marie photography

43 Comments
  • Jennifer
    September 15, 2014 at 2:39 PM

    Great job with the catchlights in her eyes! It could be because I’m viewing it online, but it looks like the whole photo could use a bit of sharpening to make sure those beautiful catchlights are nice and clear. I would also pull back a bit in the frame since I feel like there’s a bit too much head/limb chopping. Nice job with the background blur. Since you’re so close into your subjects it’s great not to have anything in the background competing with them.

  • September 15, 2014 at 2:40 PM

    Love the composition! I think I would have focused on the little ones sparkly eyes! The image really shows detail!! Great work!

  • Ana
    September 15, 2014 at 2:43 PM

    Hi,
    Nice depth of field! The only think I would change is that I feel the need to see her whole face. Love the light in the eyes.

  • Dawn
    September 15, 2014 at 2:51 PM

    Love the subject matter. Also a nice bokeh. The only thing I would change is to back up just a bit to see more of her face and maybe a bit more of his face. I would have loved to see the expression on her reaction to his kiss. Love the lighting and the catch lights in her eyes. Sweet photo!

  • Emily
    September 15, 2014 at 2:56 PM

    Love the moment you captured! Love the eyelashes of the top subject (little boy?) , I agree with overall sharpening on subjects..could just be my old laptop, but i would have LOVED to see the eyes of the little person (girl?) tack sharp and pulled back just a smidge so I could see their face completely. Other than that, I think the color saturation looks great, creativity is awesome {im gonna borrow your idea for my kiddos ;) }, and bokeh is excellent and jealousy worthy :) Great job!

  • September 15, 2014 at 3:13 PM

    Candid kids almost always make great images.

    I want to see more of the kisser’s eyes and the kissee’s mouth.

    Good light.

  • September 15, 2014 at 3:21 PM

    Love the idea of this photo! Her eyes are captivating. I would suggest stepping back and showing her full face in the frame. Beautiful work!

  • September 15, 2014 at 3:31 PM

    Such a sweet moment! I love her catchlights and I do like the softness to your edit I feel like that’s what you were going for. I think I might have cropped it differently either a tighter crop or stepped back a bit to get the girls entire face. I feel like the crop in the little girls face makes the photo a little unsettling to the eye. Like other suggested maybe sharpen her eyes up a bit so they look tack sharp but still keep the softness everywhere else. Overall great job!

  • Jessica
    September 15, 2014 at 3:44 PM

    I love the thought and sentiment behind the capture – It is always nice to see big brother loving his little sister :)
    I do think it looks a little cool and could use some warmth. Also, next time, try focusing on the eyes of the lower subject (the main subject). I would also either crop in more (just above her lip and just above his eyes) or take a step back and capture her entire face.
    Fantastic stepping stone!

  • Julie
    September 15, 2014 at 3:47 PM

    This is a very sweet moment you captured. Nice catch lights in the eye and nice exposure. I have to agree with the cropping off of the face. Sometimes we do not have time to zoom out before the moment is gone, but when you do have a tiny bit of time simply flipping the camera to the the vertical/portrait position will keep more of the little faces in view. Thank you for sharing your little tykes! :).

  • September 15, 2014 at 3:51 PM

    I love the composition of the photo. It makes quite an impact. The eyes are out of focus though, which for this shot I think that’s where it needs to be. I also think you used the light well. It suits the shot and is hitting the subjects in the right places.

  • Alison
    September 15, 2014 at 3:55 PM

    I love the sentiment of this photo! I want to know more about what’s going on. I am always telling people to get closer to their subject, but sometimes the framing of your photo can help tell the story or to draw your eye to the subject(s) by panning out a bit. I feel the DOF is a little too short. His eyelashes are crisp, but her eyes are just out of focus, even though that’s where my eye is drawn. This is proof that siblings love each other, they may need this in the teenage years! :)

    • Alison
      September 15, 2014 at 3:58 PM

      And thank you for being brave and opening yourself up like this! Good luck!

  • Lacey
    September 15, 2014 at 3:58 PM

    I <3 the composition of this photo! I love it when you don't quite capture every detail (e.g., the little ones whole face). It leaves some space for the imagination, like reading a good book. I would have placed the focus on the little ones sparkling eyes. I also think I can see your reflection in her eyes? Maybe step to the side a bit? Either way, you should print it and hang it! Beautiful!

  • Shelly
    September 15, 2014 at 4:12 PM

    I love the moment that you captured. It is so darling. If you are unable to capture more of their faces, I would suggest cropping the photo in portrait and focussing more on their faces. Maybe a little green in the back, but no blue shirt. I love the natural lighting!

  • September 15, 2014 at 4:22 PM

    I love the sharpness and colors! I would have showed the little girl’s mouth. Beautiful color and clarity.

  • September 15, 2014 at 4:27 PM

    Love the sentiment in this picture!
    I love the catch lights in the girls eyes and even the crop feels mostly ok. The picture feels a little cool for my taste and could use some warmth to brighten it up a bit. Otherwise, I think you captured a great moment!

  • Katrina
    September 15, 2014 at 4:28 PM

    Beautiful children – and oh those eyelashes! I would love to see more of the faces – maybe pull back quite a bit to allow the viewer to “see” more. Also, it seems a bit fuzzy to me (but it might be my monitor), so an overall sharpen might help with that. The colors are so lovely and bright, and the background blur is perfect. Lovely children!

  • September 15, 2014 at 4:45 PM

    I love the emotion in the photo and of course the eyes in this photo. I too would have like to have seen a little more of the boys face/eyes/mouth. Using the rule of thirds, perhaps if the photo of the eyes was a little more off center and to the right, this would offer more use of the un-used space on the far right of the photo. Great Depth of Field. Was the depth-of-field Photoshopped? Some of the hair is blurry and I didn’t know if the camera would have produced that affect or if it was done in Photoshop? I love the subject matter.

  • September 15, 2014 at 5:55 PM

    Such a precious moment! I miss these days now that my kids are in high school! I love the creative thought behind this picture and I too would love to see more of the girl’s face and maybe to just sharpen overall as well…to really focus on those eyes! I love the catchlights and bokeh as well! Thank you for sharing this :)

  • September 15, 2014 at 7:28 PM

    I love how your attention is immediately draw to the eyes! I would have liked to see the whole face but is can’t get over those beautiful eyes!

  • Megan
    September 15, 2014 at 7:55 PM

    Absolutely love the catchlights in her eyes! I would’ve captured her whole face, personally. The image is great and exposure is perfect! :)

  • Linda
    September 15, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    I love the sweetness of this image. You’ve done a wonderful job capturing the sparkle in your subject’s eyes. I would like to see more of the little girl’s face. The composition seems a little awkward. But, the beautifully blurred background makes it easy to focus on what’s important in the picture, so nicely done.

  • Melissa
    September 15, 2014 at 8:58 PM

    I love how you can see you in her beautiful eyes. I love accidental captures of the photographer. I think it would have benefited from being framed slightly differently maybe her whole face but I kind of like that its fully focused on her eyes without the distraction a cute smile would bring. I think it would have been good to get all of your sons eyelashes. My eyes are drawn to where they have been cut off. I know in the moment if can be hard to capture something as quick as a kiss perfectly though. I LOVE your depth of field – perfect :)

  • Sheri
    September 15, 2014 at 9:09 PM

    I agree with the others.. this is such a sweet picture and special moment between the two, but I want to see more.

  • September 15, 2014 at 11:13 PM

    Love the sharpness in the brown eyed beauty on the bottom (: My suggestion would be to do a little less “cropping” around the faces, although, I do love detail shots!! (Those long lashes on the top though <3) I also like how the background is in focus enough you can tell you are in a shaded grassy area, but blurred enough you don't "lose site" of whats important, your subjects.

  • Anu
    September 16, 2014 at 2:13 AM

    Lovely Children and Love the catchlights, A better crop with a little of the boy and girls face would have been better. Otherwise its a beautiful capture :)

  • Lindsay Detrick
    September 16, 2014 at 2:46 AM

    Beautiful shot of, I’m assuming, sibling love.
    These are my favorite moments to shoot of my little lovies.
    Great catch lights in the eyes and I love the detail of her hair.
    I think the crop is intriguing but I would of shot it in a portrait orientation rather than landscape. I would of loved to of seen the little ones lips maybe with a partial chin crop. I see a lot of blue catch lights in the hair and I wish the eyes were sharper but, now that I’m done being tediously picky, I think this is such a sweet capture. The lighting is perfect and shows wonderful detail. I especially love that their skin isn’t blown out (which seems to be the photography “thing” these days). :)
    Love it!

  • September 16, 2014 at 4:13 AM

    I like the idea of this picture. Maybe the crop is not 100% the optimum and if the focus would be on the eyes of the girl would make it better. Cause the light in here eyes is great!

  • September 16, 2014 at 6:40 AM

    I love this image! What a beautiful story of sibling love this photo tells! I would have to agree with some of the others above. Her eyes are so beautiful, switching the focal point to her eyes rather than his lashes puts the emphasis on her rather than the boy. I would warm the image slightly and also take the bluish hues out of her hair. I would love to see her mouth, I think it would complete the story and show her reaction to the kiss. I do love the upclose crop, it shows all the sweet little details on these precious faces!

  • Robin Putt
    September 16, 2014 at 7:33 AM

    Beautiful photo, good depth of field. The composition is perfect, love the catch light in her eyes. I would’ve had the focus more on her eyes instead of his lashes and I would captured her whole face. Great story in the photograph.

  • Megan
    September 16, 2014 at 12:19 PM

    I love how you used the light to capture such beautiful eyes and I love the blurred background. This is a great story telling piece and I love this image. I think if we had seen more of her face, it would tell a more complete story, as others have said before. I love the close up to her face though and I love how you can see each and every detail of her face.

  • Chanel
    September 16, 2014 at 6:16 PM

    I love the tonality of this picture, overall. I would have done less cropping and brought more of her face into the photo. The abrupt cut off of her chin chops off the sweet moment captured in this photo a bit. I love the little details like her bright eyes and his gorgeous, long eyelashes.

  • Heidi
    September 17, 2014 at 1:24 AM

    I love the feeling this photo evokes. I’m not sure who these people are to each other, but I can imagine they are siblings – maybe an older child showing love to a younger child. I love it, and it could be such a precious memory. However, the girl’s eyes are not super sharp, so my eye is actually drawn first to the contact of the kiss. I feel like the kiss and her eyes end up competing for my attention. The cropping is certainly an artistic choice, and I think it could work if the eyes were sharp.

  • jullene karl
    September 17, 2014 at 6:10 AM

    Such an interesting photo. I love the emotion and the back ground blur. I love the colours but I think it may look even more striking if it was in black and white. Thank you for sharing your photo with us.

  • Meg
    September 17, 2014 at 11:18 AM

    I love how tight the picture is. I think lighting it in lightroom would make it pop even more… I also think it would look beautiful b&w.

  • Stacy L
    September 17, 2014 at 3:48 PM

    What a lovely moment you captured! I love the saturation and vibrant colors. If anything, I think that the focus is on the older child’s nose/mouth and I would have had it on the younger child’s eyes, making the kiss just that tiny bit softer. As others said, the catchlights in those big brown eyes are exquisite. They almost look like a mirror. Really beautiful.

  • Desirae
    September 17, 2014 at 4:50 PM

    As all have said its the special moments of love that make a photo, but I agree that maybe pulling out a tad so we can see the littles face a little better. Great photo though!

  • September 19, 2014 at 8:32 AM

    Such a sweet moment! Very nice! We don’t always have time to worry about composition when kids have precious moment like this! :) It’s happened to me countless times, but then I just edit the best I can! All timing cooperating with me, I would have shot this vertically and focused on the little girls eyes. I love the sweetness of this moment, because Lord knows it’s not always like that with siblings! lol :)

  • DBernard
    September 21, 2014 at 1:38 PM

    I love the catchlights in her eyes and the tender moment that you captured! I would have pulled back a tad more to get a bit more of the little girl in, but it works as is, too. Beautiful rich colors captured in the fore and background!

  • Jodi McDonald
    September 25, 2014 at 5:17 PM

    Love the emotion and moment captured. I would have liked to see her whole face in the frame. But great over all feel

  • September 25, 2014 at 9:08 PM

    I actually kind of love the cropping here. I know a lot of people haven’t agreed, but I also haven’t read all the comments;) It just is different. I would have focused on the little one’s eyes. It appears the eyelashes of the top kid are in perfect focus, but not her eyes. With your ISO at 200, you have some room to increase the SS as well to get it even crisper. LOVE the catchlights and would certainly frame this! http://www.daniellegeriphotography.com/blog/oneyear-child-shoot-buffalo-mn-lifestyle-family-photography

  • Chelsea
    September 29, 2014 at 10:40 AM

    The colors are very vibrant and I like the catch lights you were able to get. It appears that her one eye is more out of focus than the other. I may have back up just a bit to get more of her face. I can see the approach you were going for and commend you on creativity. Good job!

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