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Critique Me – Renee at Renee Wright Photography
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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.

Thank you to Renee at Renee Wright Photography for submitting the following image.
Settings: ISO 100 | SS 1/320 | f/1.8
Renee Wright Photography

30 Comments
  • September 29, 2014 at 8:36 AM

    I love the focus of this picture, with the great bokeh in the background. Some of my favorite pictures have this effect. I personally find the iPhone distracting, so I might have cropped the image a little tighter when I was editing. Just to cut the iPhone out. That being said I really like that your image is not cropped super tight, I tend to get close in my pictures but I really like this perspective. Great photo!

  • Liz Glebus
    September 29, 2014 at 10:08 AM

    Love! Love! Love the perspective of shooting from above! The catch lights are amazing. I agree with Megan and would crop out the iPhone. This image is so adorable! I love the bokeh, the catch lights, and his expression. Great job!

  • Sara Derr
    September 29, 2014 at 10:10 AM

    I like the expression you captured on his face. I probably would have cropped it to either include the iPhone or get rid of it, but the the lighting is really nice and smooth!

  • September 29, 2014 at 10:12 AM

    Beautiful catch lights in the eyes. Lovely expression on his sweet little face. Perhaps pull it in a little tighter and crop out the iPhone. Would also be gorgeous in black and white.

  • Robin Putt
    September 29, 2014 at 10:19 AM

    Great photo, adorable little one. I think I would’ve zoomed in just a little more on the child’s face keeping focus on those beautiful eyes. Everything else is just perfect, the f-stop, lighting and placement. :)

  • Chelsea
    September 29, 2014 at 10:27 AM

    The angle of the shot is great. I love shooting from above my subjects. Like everyone else, I find the phone distracting and would try to crop it out. Catch light is perfect!

  • Melissa Negron
    September 29, 2014 at 10:30 AM

    Love, Love, Love this! The catch lights are amazing. I would have added the phone into the picture. I love his expression. Great job!

  • September 29, 2014 at 10:47 AM

    i love focus and depth of field. It gives the photo a great feeling. I would have straightened the photo a bit, maybe have gotten more of the phone. Love that it doesn’t look posed. :)

  • Katrina
    September 29, 2014 at 10:57 AM

    What a beautiful face on that child! The catchlights in his eyes are perfect. The only thing I think would help would be to add a bit more contrast, since it seems a tad washed out. Lovely image – and the background blur is super!

  • September 29, 2014 at 11:09 AM

    I think making the background colors richer, making his eyes pop, and if that spot on his shirt is wet?? Clone it. I can’t tell for sure from my phone. He is gorgeous and you captured his beautiful features. I really like the off centered crop as well. :-) keep shooting!

  • Brian
    September 29, 2014 at 11:44 AM

    I really like this pic. The focus on his eyes is spot on. he really is quite a handsome young man. About the only thing I might have done is crop the phone out but as an after thought – cropping the phone out might make it almost too small. Perhaps if you were at more of an eye level with him?? The bokeh around him is awesome. Keep up the good work.

  • Robyn S.
    September 29, 2014 at 12:07 PM

    I really like the expression, catch lights, and the bokeh. I typically love the cooler colors as well, but I would warm up the photo a bit more, if nothing else, than to get another perspective on the photo. I love that you kept in the wet marks and the phone; that is an honest photo of a toddler (and what a cute one he is!).

  • September 29, 2014 at 12:43 PM

    Bokeh is great. I also would bump the saturation just a tad, then mask it off him. I would probably clone out the phone and the spots on his shirt. I would sharpen his eyes a touch as well. The image is an awesome one. I’m sure the mother of this adorable child will love this image.

  • Jennifer
    September 29, 2014 at 1:54 PM

    I love so many things about this photo! It has the style of soft color and background blur I love, and shooting from above gets that completely precious look and his eyes are amazing! I agree with previous commenters that the phone in there takes away from the rest of the photo and I would clone out the shirt spots as well. Great subject and great photo!

  • Erica
    September 29, 2014 at 2:17 PM

    I love the perspective on this photo! Bokeh is great, I could go either way with this photo. From a mother’s point of view I’d say if this were my child that this is just how I want to remember him/her. Sometimes my kids pick up my phone and play with it and I love to remember moments like this because it sometimes shows their personality! If I were to hang it in a studio or wall I’d probably crop it tighter focusing on his expression and adorable face! Great work, great subject, and adorable little one!

  • September 29, 2014 at 2:44 PM

    Its awesome- Id just add some contrast and maybe some black to it in LR.

  • September 29, 2014 at 3:19 PM

    You did an awesome job! I love the perspective, the exposure is good, focus is good, great catchlights in the eyes, and I really like the muted tones and matte edit. The only thing I would suggest is cropping the phone out or bringing more of it in showing both hands and the whole phone. Leaving the phone tells more of a story and along with the spot on his sweatshirt gives it a great snapshot feel. I love photos that seem real and those details bring that real moment aspect in. Overall you did a good job. :-)

  • Lora
    September 29, 2014 at 3:24 PM

    The catch light is beautiful. Cropping the phone would be the only thing I would recommend.

  • Chanel
    September 29, 2014 at 4:13 PM

    I love the matte edit of this photo and the innocence captured in his face. This little boy is so adorable! I’d have to agree with everyone else – I’d either bring more of the phone into the picture or crop it out completely. Other than that, this photo is absolutely timeless.

  • Michelle
    September 29, 2014 at 4:18 PM

    I like the focus and the perspective from up above of the photo. The only thing I would recommend is cropping the phone out of the image, if possible. Aside from that, I love the look of innocence and questioning on his face that you captured. Cute kid!

  • September 29, 2014 at 10:13 PM

    I love the beautiful light! His eyes totally draw your attention! I would have taken more of his arm, or cropped the phone all the way out. Also, I think I would crop it so his face is closer to the left. That said, you might have used a grid and everything, that’s just my preference. I love this photo so much! He looks so cute and sweet!! I really want to give him a squeeze!!! ♥

  • Elisa
    September 29, 2014 at 11:37 PM

    What eyes! Amazing! I was distracted by the drool on his shirt although it did make me chuckle. I would have photoshopped that out if possible. Everything else is perfect ,

  • Heidi
    September 30, 2014 at 1:42 AM

    There’s lots to love about this photo: his clear blue eyes staring right at the camera (and the sparkling catchlights in them), the way the background is simple and blurred so your attention goes right to his face, the curves in his cute little cheeks and mouth, his skin looks so smooth, even the simple color palette. I would have liked to see more of his hands holding the phone, which might tell a little more of a story (maybe he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing?). I wonder if it would have helped to be a portrait orientation to see more of his body. Definitely a cute subject and a great photo.

  • September 30, 2014 at 12:34 PM

    I love this capture! Great focus and bokeh makes him stand out. I don’t think I would’ve cropped tighter because of the phone bc it would look too tight. It kinda of tells a story of what you and him were doing. Sure it would’ve made for a better picture maybe if it was notvm there but that’s ok. I might clone the stains or wet spots on his sweatshirt. Also maybe up the exposure just a tad and add some warmth. I edit on the warm side so some may disagree with that tip! I think the placement of him in the photo works. He’s not too dead center which is nice.

  • Lindsey M.
    September 30, 2014 at 6:17 PM

    I like the picture as a whole :) Love the “coolness” of the photo, and I don’t mind the phone- I think their sweet little hands holding objects gives perspective of their size at this age :)

  • Sarah
    September 30, 2014 at 8:13 PM

    This is beautiful! I love the catch light in his eyes – such a cute subject! A lot of people suggested cropping out the phone. I think the image quality is sharp enough that a B&W edit would eliminate the phone distraction while still showing all the things we love – the catch light, the sharpness, the awesome bokeh.

  • els
    October 1, 2014 at 10:33 AM

    The catchlights and the bokeh are really great ! Many suggested to clone out the iphone, but I’m not so sure, because the crop would become real tight. Maybe it would have been nice if the whole hand holding the phone was visible. My personal taste also goes to a bit more contrast or lightening up of the subject versus the background. The picture and angle is really great and inspired me to try this also.

  • Darlene B
    October 4, 2014 at 9:12 PM

    Beautiful little boy, catchlights and bokeh. I like the composition, but I might straighten it out a bit, crop above the logo on his sweatshirt, and, if possible, retouch/remove the wet stain. The clarity in his eyes is amazing!

  • October 18, 2014 at 9:06 AM

    What a handsome little man! I really love this photo. Great catch lights in his eyes! Maybe consider toning down the aperture just a tad so we can see his environment a tiny bit better. It is a very crisp photo, though. Really clear and well focused. Thanks for the submission!

  • Nancy
    November 2, 2014 at 7:51 PM

    What a simple but very beautiful portrait! I love the expression on his face. As mentionned in another comment, I would have cropped the iPhone. It is a bit distracting. And also, I think I would have photoshoped the stains on his shirt. Overal a very nice picture, the kind of picture I would like to have of my sons :)

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