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zoidberg
Moderator
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# Posted: 27 Dec 09 07:55
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IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN THE WORKSHOP PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE RULES BELOW:
1. Join the workgroup in this link: http://www.woophy.com/forum/12_4440_0.html . The of members list will be open all the time (to get in and to get out).
2. Each member of the workgroup agrees in being a critic for other members (not necessarily all them) and being criticized by the rest of members (not necessarily all them).
3. The main idea is to make a critic of a whole work from a photographer and not only of a picture. It’s aviced to browse to the whole collection of the photographer under critics (but it’s not obligatory, specially considering that there are some very large portafolios).
4. Nevertheless, a sample around 20 pictures selected by the photographer will be posted in the appropriate forum thread in order to highlight which pictures the photographer considers as the best examples of his/her photographic work. The critics will take specially these pictures into account, but all the collection can be browsed and used for the critic’s work.
5. All opinions must be accepted by all members, like it or not. The only limits for the critics is to be sincere, to be polite and to be constructive. This is supposed to be a workshop to learn... if you want flattery just have a look at the normal comments in your pictures.
6. All aspects of photography would be under critics: quality, quantity, originality, subject, composition, light, color, white balance, edition, etc... But this doesn't mean that you must criticize all these things. Concerning the critics, you will find a very good summary in Miguel's blog here: ".Elements of Analysis
7. This workgroup doesn't intend to be an "exclusive club for experienced photographers". All members are welcome, with all photographic levels... (If you don't know about white balance, depth of field, ISO, etc... just tell us "I like your collection or I don't like it at all and try to explain why with your own words...)
8. The strategy "you scratch my back and I scratch yours" is not accepted in such a workgroup... Let's be serious...
Now some ideas about the way to carry this out:
1st. Join the group in the forum linked before.
2nd. You will be in a queue and you will have to wait to your turn to post your own gallery in a new forum topic. There will be 4 members showing their collections at the same time for one week.
3rd. When it's your turn post a forum topic with the title: "CRITICS WORKSHOP: Member’s nickname gallery". In this topic you will cut and paste these rules and those written above and post around 20 pictures selected from your own collection. It would be nice also if you could write few words about your photographic work: what are you interested in, what do you want to transmit with your pictures, for how long you are a photographer... and whatever you think it’s important to consider for a critic.
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zoidberg
Moderator
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# Posted: 27 Dec 09 07:56
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About me:
I'm a real amateur, so I started to take pictures in the summer of 2008, just a year and a half ago, when my girlfriend gave me her old camera Sony which became my ever first camera. About 10 months later I bought a second-hand PentaxK10D after following Ruden's subtle suggestions, as this one about this picture:
 : "good example of how to achieve an excellent result with a shitty camera! Anyway, I hope you'll buy a new one, my friend, don't be stingy!"
Yes, he convinced me. 
My first interest in my subjects was landscapes. After that, I tried to test so many subjects and sceneries as I could, sometimes with bad result, sometimes with worst. Anyway, I keep trying to learn about photography trying to shot different subjects with different techniques and seeing that best results sometimes are a simple good chance, when you find it…
In this selection of pictures, I tried to post those I guess are the best 20 pictures of my collection, trying also to have a wide selection (selfportrait, detail, panorama, people, b/w, concerts, long exposure…) Six of them are taken with my old camera (1,2,3,4,5 and 17) and the rest with the new one. I'd like to see reading your comments "what's wrong with my pictures and how can I improve them" so don't hesitate to be honest, please 
Finally, thanks in advance for take your time to comment them!
1- Selfportrait in my great-grandmother's grave LARGE
2- groom's parents LARGE
3- frozen cobweb LARGE
4- another brick in the… stair LARGE
5- El Papa ha muerto (Pope is dead) LARGE
6- Show me your colors LARGE
7- potrait reflection LARGE
8- Stockholm's panoramic view LARGE
9- Together but alone LARGE
10- Anonymous people LARGE
11- come to the dark side… LARGE
12- street music LARGE
13- Rossio LARGE
14- city's eye LARGE
15 - Sé Cathedral LARGE
16- night lights LARGE
17- Disneyland After Dark LARGE
18- Dali's feet LARGE
19- look up LARGE
20- Atocha station 11-M memorial LARGE
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Jan Hemels
Moderator
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# Posted: 27 Dec 09 14:19
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Hello Zoidberg,
I really was surprised to learn you started taking photography seriously so recently!
In general I aprreciate your pictures very much as they always bring up something new and are never dull.
As promised I will try to be as critical as I possibly can to give you a personal view of mine on your progress.
1. A very good start, the idea is far from original but seeing it done on a monument or tombstone makes it a very special composition.
2. A very original wedding picture, at first glance I thought it handled about people just passing by and having a look on something in which they could not participate and maybe that is still the case and do they feel excluded for one way or the other loosing their daughter to a .......
3. A nice one but nothing more...... sorry
4. I do miss the top of the stairs and it lacks colour and contrast
5. A great shot but imho the tilting does damage the scene considerably, I wished you could go back and take some more distance
6. The woophy meeting I had to miss  Good shot and well processed too.
7. A very interesting reflection
8. A very dynamic evening panorama, technically very good too
9. A great story! Fantastic light conditions, superb scene!
10. The dark side of city life, the composition could be improved I think
11. A little too far away and small to create the tension it needs
12. Interesting scene with those - as it seems - Latin women looking at the harpist in a peculiar way....as if he came from another planet ..... but take care for it is a little tilted (lamppost and buildings)
13. Splendid fountain ambiance, super!!!
14. Beautiful scene of architecture
15. A bit too little contrast to make it a perfect b&w i.m.o.
16. I like these long exposure shots and this one is very good !
17. I appreciate your shots of musical events very much , this one really shows passion !
I know the circumstances are far from easy!
18. Beautiful capture but again..... t.........
19. A difficult shot, well executed!
20. My favourite, like a flying saucer coming into a dramatic location
I hope my comments can be useful for you!
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Martin de Rijk
Member
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# Posted: 27 Dec 09 16:06
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Hi zoidberg,
Like Jan I too was surprised to learn you started with photography so recently.
I regognize this in your oldest pictures, experimenting trying everything, sometimes with succes and sometimes making beginners faults. I did the same . But I can see you tried to avoid the usual snapshots and tried to make something of it.
1 & 3 don't do much for me, but I can imagine #1 is special for you.
2. I like a lot, the story behind the picture
4. sorry, I don't like this one at all
5. another POV could have made a better picture. I like it but as said, the tilt............
6. well done,
7. I like this one a lot an original picture, nice to look at
8. good panorama shot, horizon in the middle but so what
9. very good one, well seen. This one and #10 and 12 show you know how to find the good scene's allthough 10 is more standard.
11. good, but special to me, but that's personal
13. one of your best, special to me, but that's personal
14 & 15 two fine b&w shot's. It's nice to see you use b&w a lot, the results are most of the time very fine
17. That's the kind of concert picture I would have like to make. I attend concerts a lot, but most of the time you're not allowed to take pictures and standing in front with a camera in those cases is not a good idea. The small clubs (and bands) work better.
18. Maybe a different POV or a removal of the background but still I like this one alot, nice detailed shot.
19. well done indeed but not special, still we have to try these all
20. like Jan this is my favorite also. A very intriging shot you keep looking at, very well composed.
It's good to se you use postprocessing as less as possible.This keeps the pictures natural.
I'm sure we will see lots of fine pictures from you in the future and will come to your collection more often, I see I missed a lot.
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la rafale
Member
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# Posted: 27 Dec 09 22:30 - Edited by: la rafale
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Holà, Santi!
well, I'll begin by the shots I don't like in your selection, sometimes with no explainable reasons ;
n°4, dull, imo
n°10 : for this kind of shots, it works or not on me and this one doesn't, sorry
n°16 : as i'm not a photographer, maybe i can't value the work in it ? just it tells me nothing
now, I would like to say why I generally like your shots:
i find common points in almost all your photos that are originality, either by POV or by angle either by chosen subjects and the way your shots forwards feelings: i didn't like your 10 but your 9 & 12 work for me (i already commented them); i feel delicacy, too and this is maybe the most important for me ;
who showed better than you show Laura's charism in this  ? who ever saw "el Rossio" as in  and who is fan enough to bring his camera in a concert (likely to see it fly away) and get one of his favourite band in such a dynamic way
well, you
for your last selected, i reserve my comment because i didn't see it enough and i saw Ruden(and another member called Ruben) uploaded a similar post (i want to compare them) ; i just can say i like it a lot and i prefer this cropped version than the first one ;
i miss in your selection some pics i particularly like (you already know them) and a work i liked a lot because you focus on one item by two ways (sharpness and drop of colour) and allowed the viewer to focus on the shadow or on the black less sharp part that was ... human , you see : 
Ruden is right: you deserved a better camera but i believe that a good camera deserves an owner who have un petit quelque chose that will make the difference and imo, you got it !
amistades,
brigitte
yesterday, I was in a hurry because we share one computer for the whole family and on my time, limit had expired ! so, I couldn't speak about your city shots ( and among them, panoramas ) ; your "city-eye" for example, is very well done and i like the B&W use;
i think you use very wisely of colour, drop of colour (that is difficult to handle,imo) or B&W (except in your 903786 where I disagree to lose color)
the last words will go to El Papa : imo, you chose the best version for your selection; i remember the forum about it and must say that it's my favourite : a good post processing ,neither too much nor too little work, that save the strenghth of the shot;
voilà 
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la rafale
Member
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# Posted: 29 Dec 09 16:52
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After adding a ps on my previous post,I come back on your critic workshop because I said:
for your last selected, i reserve my comment because i didn't see it enough : here you have my comment on this 
"ah.. this shot gave me a lot to think and i had to look at it and at its "competitors" many times!
my analysis (of course, this is personal) is that 779322 by ruben is too busy and that breaks the shot strenghth, 925840 by ruden fretsbo is too post processed and get the same result (lack of strenghth), his 925841 is better and sharper than yours on the letters but your compo is far,far better because you saved a greater part of the surroundings and the mood is almost like in a concert (you know, when smokes and lights join together making a psychedelic or surrealistic effect) and this add to the pic meanwhile it could have been disturbing ; en conclusion: BRAVO!"
friendly yours,
brigitte
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geert geenen
Member
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# Posted: 3 Jan 10 19:59
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hello Zoidberg,
much has been said about this one:
the crop at the right surely has made it much better; and, as others, i think this is the best photo in the selection you offer us.
i like two other architecture-photo's: 15 (sé cathedral) en 14 (city's eye). though i think the last one could me much more interessing with some extra elements; a biker or a walker for instance.
number 8 (stockholm's panorama) is good; 7 (reflection in a puddle) is nice, and i like your self-portrait (number 1) and the symbolism, possible stories in and behind it.
number 4 (another brick) is dull, not interesting; overexposed at the top too.
the numbers 2 (groom's parents) and 3 (cobweb) aren't bad technically; but that's all.
this kind of stuff i like:
and there are three others in your collection i like very much:
  
interesting subjects, interesting photo's; good street-photography!
number 11 (come to the dark side) is good. that means: i like it.
nummer 10 (sleeping man on a bench): subject ánd photo are not interesting in my eyes.
disneyland after dark: this one is okay! wish i could take a band-in-action-photo like this one.
i will comment some other photo's from your selection at another place.
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Paulo Calafate
Member
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# Posted: 3 Jan 10 23:10
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excellent work... I can see improvement, in all photographic aspects, since your first works and the more recent ones... you have talent... keep shooting
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Cloudbuster
Member
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# Posted: 6 Jan 10 14:16
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Not forgotten. I'm working on it
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Cloudbuster
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 10 12:37
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Zoidberg, hi!
Nice photos! 5 and fav! Yeah right!...
Who needs them! Okay. As always. All IMO of course!
1.  This may have a personal feeling for you, but this is not my cup of tea. Too personal.
2.  There is a special feeling over this photo. Very well composed and definitely a story telling photo. Good work!
3.  A much used motif, but very rarely seen as excellent. I do not know what makes the good ones good, but everyone will be told about the secret if I ever get to know it.
4.  You're searching, and that is exciting, but in this photo, you're not there yet. The photo is very soft and the bright white at the top of the photo draws away all the attention.
5. I have no idea on what the writings say, but I find the compo and color choice very appealing. Definitely eye catching and your on your way to something exciting!
6. I think to get this work, you need a greater distance to the lady. As it is now, the background is almost gone, and the woman alone is not that interesting.
7.  Beautiful contrast and light! This looks much better than any of my attempts! The low sun adds an extra touch and it becomes a very nice photo!
8.  Good, It looks very good! Good scene, color, light, contrast and very pleasing to my eyes!
9.  The best I've looked at so far! 
You've got it all in this photo. There is at least one story in it. Probably a lot more! Good work
10.  A cliché is something that is very good, but used too much. This is not a bad photo, but it needs a little something to be exciting.
11.  There is a certain mood present, but too much empty spaces. Just a suggestion, but I think this might look very good if it was heavily cropped. Keeping the crosses at the right side together with the chapel (Church?), and keeping some of the space above.
12.  The crowd does not seem to happy. Good street scene even if I'd like to see the face of the harp player.
Heavy metal and classical music goes hand in hand. Is he wearing spikes on his wrist?
13.
I've tried this a few times, but I have not yet found or created a photo when water looks good as silhouettes. It gets too "noisy".
14.  I've already commented this photo, and I stand by my comment. "Good work with this picture! I thought it was a fisheye at first, but stitching 8 photos can really do wonders! " GG wished for an extra element, and yes. It would add an extra touch. Good suggestion!
15.  Technically it looks very good, but this would be more storytelling if the ground was present.
16.  We have all tried it and you master the light and color very good. Now... Get out there again and find an interesting place! Something new!
17. . Busy scene, and I'm sure it was a good concert! This is a little different from other stage photos I've seen, and when I look at the light on the stage there is no doubt why you had to use a flash. Not bad at all
18.  Shooting another persons art is not my cup of tea unless it is given an extra touch.
In this photo, the only thing in focus is the decapitated foot so no rating from me
19.  You did very good with the stitching of the photos in
i'd like very much to see the same with this photo!
20. Excellent! The colors, mood, light looks great and together with a perfect crop this is definitely in my taste!
Newsflash!! After commenting on these photos and especially , I discover this...! 
Thank you, for showing how this should be done! Simply beautiful with the sun, the great colors and details! Excellent!
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erwinG
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jan 10 13:24
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Hello Zoidberg
It is a great pleasure to look through your gallery.
What strikes is the excellent composition of your photos. Perspectives and angles are always very well choosen.
You have selected pictures who tell us stories again and again. In the rest of your portfolio are also pictures with some world critically content (914559 or 886976) which fits well your story telling.
You have lately showed only a few landscape shots, although I believe that you can use your talent here. The picture 806040 shows this in an impressive way.
The very fine black/white balance in your various city shots are outstanding.
Now, here are a few comments on your selected images:
1) Bicolor with very soft colors, the frame is not needed for the image, which by the way for the vast majority of your images frames are not necessary .
2) Beautiful Stories from a special day. The foreground could use some more light. Good picture composition left-right, but also front and rear.
3) Here's my screen saver comes into my mind. A little more sharpness in the center of the net would improve the picture.
4) is not quite convincing me. In particular, the overexposed part at the top of the image is unhappy.
5) Talking Picture with excellent prospects and well-used colors. I like it very much.
6) and 7) These people shots from unusual angles are immensely realistic. Matching set of color.
8 ) beautiful panorama with good depth. With a little more contrast in the sky, I would prefer the image 816,136 as a panoramic picture.
9) Here, you have found the right tone for the picture. Beautiful light / shadow in the background.
10) Great shot, to my mind to strong in the middle of the picture, vertically well positioned. A little more light would strengthen the contours.
11) Must be seen in large view, so it works. I would have taken off half of the sky and the ground to give the picture even more breadth and impact.
12) In all parts of very good picture. Object beautiful views. Very good sharpness, picture sharing and taking corners perfectly managed and grays very well chosen.
13) Interesting picture, other variations of light and / or color may be able to create more impact. Even in the great view, for me the picture shows not much more. Attempt to revise worth it.
14) Successful inclusion symmetrical in both horizontal, and vertical alignment. The frame is working very well on that picture. A really beautiful black and white picture with balanced contrasts.
15) Your city shots in black white are very convincing, all of them are very good composed (also valid for images 886,980 and 827512).
16) well-resolved long shot. The lights of the street lamps are framing the auto road very subtle.
17) in good shooting angle and at the right moment to deepen the musicians in their element Great too, the sharpness in depth.
18 ) Very original, perfect angle and with the usual optimal composition.
19) well balanced picture of the interior. Too bad that the contours are no longer in the window in the middle/background. Perhaps with a local correction this might be still improvable.
20) No special comment, as the picture does not affect me.
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I really need to seek, to find points to criticize in your pictures. A beautiful and versatile collection of most speaking pictures, which I feel gives pleasure from watching.
Thanks Zoidberg and good light for all your further photographs.
Kind regards
Erwin
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chevylady
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jan 10 18:46
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Wel only last i found different but not bad . But the rest i wish i had such good eye for composition perfect
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Paulo Calafate
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 10 00:48
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who's this guy?
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VirgíniaB
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 10 01:18
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Looking at your pics, I feel really sorry not to "compete" in this challenge. I have no skills, no time to criticize or comment on them, but I should say I love your photos and think they are very original.
Keep on, boy!
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zoidberg
Moderator
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# Posted: 21 Jan 10 01:38
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@Paulo & Virgínia: I'm so happy for your comments! 
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ortho158
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 10 16:09 - Edited by: ortho158
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Hi Santi,
like the other members, I think that you are indeed very gifted, and I like your creative photography. A couple of remarks ...
I like very much 1, as well as the night pics (8, 16).
I think that you should add more contrast to the spiderweb (3), so that the background becomes less visible. And maybe convert it in b&w.
I like your reflections too, but I don't like the pavement (?) in 7; I also think that it is a candidate for b&w.
Initially, I found 10 too centered but, after all, I like it very much (thanks to the shoes and the beer bottle).
And finally, it is a pity that there is an ugly wire right in the middle of 15, but you couldn't do a lot about it.
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paulo.trindade
Member
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# Posted: 1 Feb 10 00:23
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hellooo Zoidberg...i love all of yours photos! great talent !
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chevylady
Member
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# Posted: 17 Feb 10 20:30
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Hi Zoid ,
1. Nice way of showing youreself
2. Very nice creqting dept with them in front
3. Great shot love it
4.This is great shot wonderfull
5. Nice picture dont know if i wanna walk there at night
6. Nicely done I am not fav of color in black and white but looks fine
7.Great reflection in such little water
8. Wonderfull night seneree great sky would love to see it closer by cropping a little on the left
9. Great the style ask for sephia i never thought of it till i saw several in whoopy
10. Great catch riught time right moment and good in B/W
11 In a way its nice but not enough details for me
12 Great shot well done
13. This one is absolute great
14. Great position and composition well done shadow light everything
15. I would like to see this in portrait stand of the camera
16 great move in evening
17. Not the right posotion i think but still good shot
18. ouchie well done whats the meaning of these toes cut off
19. Wonderfull so high very nice
20 Looks like sene from a movie in the futere well done
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Good portofolio well done
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Dieneke Boonstra
Member
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# Posted: 22 Feb 10 21:11
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Hi Zoidberg,
I'll find your portofolio very various and creative and I liked looking at it.
From the ones you choose, my favourites are: 7 and 9. I think you're a great observer and many times the stories you tell through you're photo's are interesting! Also the angle and compo, use of light and b/w are most of the times good.
Overall I like your style!
Best Regards Dieneke
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