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# Posted: 31 Jan 10 14:57
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.
About me: I am basically a holiday/week-end photographer. I do candid (or spontaneous) photography, without any special setup, never asking people to pose, ... I don't use a tripod, and rarely a flash (I increase the ISO instead). I don't spend a lot of time on postprocessing: mainly basics like histogram adjustment, cropping, ...
I like landscapes, street photography, B&W, ....
About my selection: I did not include any of my old scans; this is only my more recent digital photography.
I picked photographs that I like, not caring for the ratings/comments that they have received from Woophy members. There is no special order.
1.Self (LARGE) specially made for a 14-day contest (about Myself, I think).
2.Lake (LARGE)
3.Parade (LARGE)
4.Vossem (LARGE)
5.Gent (LARGE)
6.Snowy window (LARGE)
7.Frost (LARGE)
8.Cranes (LARGE)
9.St Hubertus (LARGE)
10.Games (LARGE)
11.Apple-stealing dog (LARGE)
12.Flea market (LARGE)
13.Cold morning (LARGE)
14.Xmas carols (LARGE)
15.Woophy (LARGE)
16.Zanzibar (LARGE)
17.Laon (LARGE)
18.Pierrefonds (LARGE)
19.After the rain (LARGE)
20.Xmas shopping (LARGE)
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# Posted: 31 Jan 10 20:59
Well Alain, it's nice you also presented us your selection.
You're subjects are divers and straight foreward as you mentioned yourself.
Although some of your pictures don't excite me a lot I like the overall quality.
1. Fortunately I've met the person behind the camera
2. A lovely traquile shot with a fine armosphere
3. You caught this person on the end of a long day I suppose, the way you've captured the decay of the mask is great
4, 5 and 6 are nice pictures but not that special to me
7 and 8 two different subjects, but both done in a fine clear way with fine compositions
9. Good candid but, if possible a wider crop. I suppose this wasn't possible knowing your way of cropping 
10, 11 and 12 lovely pictures, taken from life, that make me smile. You hit the right moments.
14 Just a nice candid
15 ............Nokel telling me about the great Belgium beers  Those pictures are a wonderful souvenir of some fine days
16 I keep looking at the Manchester United bag, how and were did she get this. Great scene
17. Just a fine and well composed picture
18 and 20 not for me
19 a real treat, I love the atmosphere you've captured a lot
Alain you will always go your own way, and please keep on doing so. And please keep on commenting in your honest way, you will stay an example of the original Woophy spirit.
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# Posted: 1 Feb 10 09:15
Hello, Alain,
allez, on y va !
1) unfortunately, I'm not as Martin and didn't meet this person ! the challenge wasn't about "myself" ; considering the light, enhancing perfectly the main subject, you may remember it was about "hands" ; a very successful exercise
2) for me, just a good document
3) this one is just clever; it belongs to an excellent series but ,imo, you picked the best one
4) beautiful and serene landscape, with, as almost in all your pics, a great sharpness and a very good light ; for me, just a shot to look at and spend time on another from your collection ( nothing to do with the quality)
5) mouais ... i expect more then this from you
6) almost like for 5 but i prefer this one; the B&W is well contrasted
7) here, i think it's the ligh that makes the shot , offering special tones to the frozen country
8 ) i love this one! the angle chosen make them as enormous dentist' chairs ; at the same time, it's a pic unexpected and well done and the most extraordinary in it, is that you can imagine a story ( like did my son with those boys game.. )
9) ha!ha! i can take vengeance : not a good crop !! but certainly, it was this or nothing and you did well to chose the first option : good scene
10 and 11) two great funny scenes caught at the right moment ; I like them very much ; they are refreshing & very well done ( so, it's the proof one can get the both sides)
12) same comment as n°9 ( hé, hé, i got you twice!)
13) same as 7
14) good scene reflecting the expected atmosphere of Christmas;
15) i'm almost sure the lady in the background isn't a Woophy member ; btw, i believe I'll soon meet the 2 others; a good double portrait, good use of B&W for it
16) strange how these youg girls seem imprisoned (and reading the comments, i'm not the only one to think this) while they are just visiting a museum ; not a so inviting moment for them?
17) excellent ! really a fine compo meanwhile it could be just a snap
18 ) as n°5
19) a pure beauty; nothing to add
20 ) without boasting, I preferred mine !!
to resumate, I make mine Martin's concluding words ; i would add you're a good teacher ( I remember for example, your explanations in a forum about fishlenses)
and I just miss your humour sense is almost absent from your selection: you could have included for example your  but for this, we have your blogs, isn't it?
and I miss a very special shot  which remains very rarely seen and, imo, it's a pity !
amitiés ,
brigitte
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# Posted: 1 Feb 10 10:28
Hi Alain,
I think nr. 1 is very good black and white
2. Very nice view sky like here lots of times bit borring grey but still good one
3. I love this theatre piece of art great expression
4. Nice view but nothing thats trying to catch my eyes
5. Geat Black and White love the lightpole in it
6.Very different in a way i like it
7.Great view beautifull good composition
8. I love this one great comp great colors everything
9. Nice catch the face of the little girl and the woman wonderfull
10. Great shot right time right moment .
11. just wonderfull
12.I would love to see only the man because i think he has special caracter
13. Nice view nothing to catch my eye
14. well done great colors and good sharp
15. I like the way the poster is behind the man great comp.
16. This is wonderfull picture but makes me sad
17. Not telling me something to attract me
18. Think this one should be more bright or in HDR to show all shadows and details
19. My fav one she shining of the streets the poles great shot
20. Dont speak to my fantasy sorry
great job and yes photo's and art are very personal
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# Posted: 1 Feb 10 21:39
Hi Alain,
One of the things I like best in your portfolio is your b/w pictures. I think you have a very good eye choosing which ones must be in monochrome, and also you edit them with great contrast and brightness. From your selection I like very much  and  (I love this snow frame, I think it's very original) and obviously  although it has some noise, it's nice (sorry SJS ) to see other woophy's members, and also to see those eyes in the background………… (I'm sorry again SJS)
About the other bw pictures you selected, two of them have a crop that I don't like, this one  (I'm sure it was impossible to leave more space at left) and specially this one  where more space is still more needed than on the previous, but I'm sure you saw that before!
As a humble suggestion, I think some of your people/street photography shows that you are very interested in catching a great expression or scene, but sometimes I guess you must think a little before taking the picture to find the pov that gives you a beautiful compo. Anyway, I know this is not possible most of the times if you don't want to miss the perfect moment...
Your nature pictures are all of them very beautiful, but I think are not so original as your other works. Anyway I must admit that  ,  ,  and 
although are more conventional they are also very beautiful and well composed and lighted.
I don't like your  maybe because of the compo, I'm not sure, or maybe because the scenery don't seems interesting for me.  I think would be better if we see just two or three faces very close than a overall view of the stage (I know that sometimes is not possible),  I think it's tilted and it has some noise (I suppose ISO 1600 has something to do with it) and  that is a good idea for a picture, but I think you didn't choose the best pov to take it (please don't ask me which one would be better, I don't know it! )
From this selection I really love  ,  (funny and just in the moment!),  and  a simple and apparently easy picture, but with a lot of stories (just I wonder how looks the original picture so I think it needs a different crop… maybe just with the three girls at right, obviously if you have third girl's face complete…)
About the other pics on your portfolio, I miss some of them in this selection. For example I love the composition in  , also in  where the bw is a very wise choice as in  with also an excellent pov and  because of its great title
Well, I also like this one  , but you know the reason….
Cheers!
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# Posted: 5 Feb 10 20:09
Hi Alain
Looking through the last 200 pictures in your portfolio several things are strucking me:
The pictures show your commitment in the discussions on our Woophy. For this you deserve a big compliment.
Your photo stories are instructive, for example, the port of Antwerp, here is a very nice mood  or Saint Hubert Feast 
But also you have in your portfolio some postcard pictures that impress with very strong colors  .  . 
What I would like to see more from you are images with a critical background  .I know you as someone who questions matters.
Here are some comments on the selected images:
1: good light and fine-grained gray
2: beautiful picture, unfortunately, too little sharpness (daylight was the cause of it)
3 : Beautiful portrait. The colored background on the left interfere in the picture. Had this part yet cut away or removed from the paint. Here is another beautiful portrait  .
6: I like it very much. Black and white is perfect for this picture. The "frame" gives the image a lot of depth.
8 : one of these typical harbor scenes from the series. Strong colors and good composition.
9: There are many details in this picture. Nothing against the lovely dog guide, but I only had the big Newfoundland dog and the little girl with his worn Yorkshire Terrier shown in the image, because that is the special attraction of this shot.
10: super snapshot. That the sponge is still in the picture, gives the whole a lot of momentum.
11 : Your humorous pictures make me smile.  .
18 : Your interior pictures are often very succeeded. Like here under tricky lighting conditions.  .  .
19 : You've caught the perfect moment. After a rain, the lighting conditions when the sun rises are just great for landscape photography
Finally an image that I like very much, picture composition, subject, color and sharpness everything is great.  .
Thank you Alain for your images, but also for your great commitment to Woophy.
Kind regards
Erwin
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# Posted: 8 Feb 10 08:52
Alain, hi! 
One of those in Woophy, I really appreciate! Always lovely street and everyday photos. Nice moods and very rarely any reason to kick and scream about light and other details.
I also appreciate your blogs very much!
With respect and of course all imo.
1. A classic and a good hand/camera portrait, but needs more light. Seeing the details on the lens would be nice. (I do not remember what 14-day contest this was from, so I may be missing out on something )
2. A photo with very much life and a good story. It looks like a place to spend a nice quiet morning.
3. So sad, but so rich on details! I wish I new the girl's thoughts A wonderful portrait!
4. I keep wondering what it would look like without the pile of dirt in the middle of the photo. Huge green fields with blue skies, only separated with a line of trees...? Probably very, very nice.
5. A little too dark for my taste. I'd love to see more of the people in front of the building.
6. Experimenting is always good even if this does not appeal very much to me.
7. Frosted threes usually looks good. Just like these ones! Seeing them with sun adds the extra touch
8. Chairs or cranes? Good detail, compo and light! Excellent clods too! Almost missed them
9. Lovely crowded scene and good color choice! A tight crop that fits the photo very well
10. Summer fun! Very joyful scene that makes me a little sad actually. Why?... it is about 40 cm of snow, and the spring is still several months away 
11. Playful scene, but too soft imo.
12. Light looks good, but not really exciting or different.
13. It looks like a nice place for a walk, but I do wish the people and their faces was more visible
14. A nice group portrait with difficult light. You handled it very well and some of the face expressions are very sweet
15. Very likely from a great day with several people present with the same interest. Hopefully, I'll join some day
16. Good scene, but I wish the compo was different. Getting attention from all, and not cutting one of them in half would be great
17. We all need to practice photographing peoples faces. Same with this one. I'd love to see her face even if it was on a safe distance.
18. Difficult shot. Light at these places are usually not very good for a photographer. Bonus, for not having burned out windows
19. After the rain, comes the sun and that is what I find most appealing about this photo. The depth is good, but not very exciting.
20. Not really my taste. A little dark, and the person does not add enough to make it interesting..
Woophy would not be the same without "ortho158". The blogs and all the help in the forum is very precious, and you're one of the solid pillars to this community! Keep it going, Alain and
it would be nice to say hello at a Woophy meeting some time!
very best
Vidar
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# Posted: 10 Feb 10 16:03
Ok Alain, here we go
First of all, I see that you do achieve you goal, catch day to day moments on relaxing times in your candid photos, your landscapes are a different issue:
1 nice to meet you, I like the b&w edition and the cropping, I also like contrast and light
2 the scene is to open, my suggestion it will be to crop on the right to the tree and on the top down to the birds , too much sky whit no clouds do not add interest, same on the right, there is nothing interesting beyond the last tree
3. I like it, you got here thinking, well done
4 good mood, nice compo, a pity the pile of dirt on the middle, ruins the photo, not your fault, but it is a decision, mine for sure not take the shot
5 I don’t know if there is a better angle, but this one is not good in terms of composition, on the other hand, let me tell you that if you do not use tripod is a good night shot, not to noisy, of course not sharp, but very good for a hand shot
6 this one I like it so much, the idea, the dof, very nice
7 a compo lesson
8 Gulliber chairs, well composed
9 very nice scene, good use of dof, I like it so much in b&w, in my opinion the lady of the dog it is so tight, but in general it is an excellent capture
10 excellent catch
11cute scene, well captured, sharp and well composed for an action shot
12, sharp, good contrast, but to tight, the scene do not have enough context
13 beautiful scene, so sad that the sky has no clouds the excess of light on the back distracts
14 maybe it is my personal point of view, I see your street scenes to tight
15 well captured, the eyes on the back adds life to the compo
16 nice catch, so sad that you crop the girl on the right
17 a compo lesson, excellent subjects, nice colors, lovely scene
18 good place for practicing HDR, it is leaning to the left, or maybe a lens effect, not a good one
19 classic compo
20 this one I like it so mucho in large the effect of the drops is very nice
In general I do tray to see your portfolios attending to your goal, my suggestion will be that add some context on you street scenes and practicing not to push the subjects in the frame, many of them are so tight, your landscapes are good and compo is perfect, best regards my friend and tks for passing by my portfolios, Héctor
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# Posted: 22 Feb 10 20:40
hello Alain,
the second photo of your selection...
... is a simple and quiet ánd attractive composition. but what i like most of it is the few lines you have added; you tell us this is the set for the movie The Storm.
that's what i like about a lot of your contributions. you are showing things that are relevant, in your photo's and in your blogs. you show us things that happen, things that matter, such as the brussels' march for the climate:
or strange and unknown places, such as in the Bereklauw-series:
your Saint-Hubert series is another example:
some photo's of the mentioned above are better than others; and there are photo's that aren't so good; but what they have in common in a positive way, is that they show something of the world (a small part of your world), that they tell something, learn something; and sometimes they invite to visit one place or another.
this is what Woophy was meant for. and that is what i like an appreciate in a lot of your photo's.
from the selection you've made, my favourite is:
i've been at this place many times before, but you are the first who makes me see this cranes as huge chairs. that good eye of the photographer is also present in your numbers 9 (Saint-Hubert again) and 11 (dog and 'apple').
some of your photo;s in my eyes are too empty, and a bit dull. number 4 (Vossem) ands 7 (Zaventem) for instance. Another early-morning-photo (13) is much better because of the human presence.
Kraainem summer fair is lovely. and these two are very good:
(despite or thanks to the emptiness one of my favourites)
(i'm an amateur, so i can't give you technical advice; for instance: i think the camera in your number 1 is much too dark; couldn't do it better myself, i suppose) (and go on, Alain, despite the floral terror this site is suffering from)
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# Posted: 25 Feb 10 20:18
Hi Alain,
So many pictures in your portofolio! But all interesting to see!
I enjoyed the streetviews, the pictures with all the different people, but also the landscapes.
The photo's from Nepal, India, Egypt and Tanzania, I'll find really impressive.To see a little bit of how people live there.
From the ones you choose, I like them all except the last one.
Best Regards Dieneke
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# Posted: 5 May 10 14:22
Like La Rafale, I am also closing it. Otherwise, new members could get a wrong impression and think that Woophy is a photo site where honest criticism is welcome.
Many thanks to Ruden, Zoidberg, and those few who took the time to look at my pics and criticize them.
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