the last one is soooo in the project, so so so so in there.
just some stuff you really really dont have to crit, we can just talk over the phone

ps sorry i missed your phone call earlier

RE "The Best Years"

Okay, you have way too much work here to bypass a crit. :)

I will comment from the top most image down to the bottom.

Title: "The Best Years of Our Lives" (?)

I was recently in a photography lecture noting that the cover of books/portfolios is 75% of what sells books and makes audiences want to pick it up. Does the pretty image of a college campus draw in the viewer to world filled with alcohol equivelants to work loads? I don't know, but maybe you want to think about that a little. I am not suggesting that the cover doesn't draw the viewer in, but I'd encourage you to question it.

1st image: this is the most successful of your beer pong images. You have a character texting/BBM-ing, something that is so common in these types of settings. The viewer also has some mystery. Who is this guy? Is he a straight edge kid? He doesn't have a cup in hand. Is he texting for someone to pick him up because he's too drunk or is he checking to see what else is going on that night?

2nd/3rd: The 3rd image is the better pick of the two. Is she smiling innocently with a beer in hand, seconds after she hooked up with the boy who's hiding behind her? The 3rd has more of an implied story/mystery than the second. I don't know enough in the 2nd to come up with something.

4th: Secrets? Lying? Backstabbing? All the drama associated with partying and college are in this image, as well as layers of characters. Is she whispering about the viewer? I love that she's looking at us, making the audience a player in this story line, too.

5th: I like this image. It focuses more on the idea of texting/technology and constant communication within the party context. I like that this focuses on this specific trait of college/partying/being a part of this generation. I think I would keep it even with the 1st image.

6/7: Story? I don't feel like I'm learning anything about the characters or context of the situation.

8th: I like the piggyback ride. Is it flirtateous or is he trying to carry home a very drunk friend?

9th: Again, I love that you're bringing in the viewer into the situation. We said you would continue to shoot like this I believe. I like this image a lot.

10th: Distance/seperation! There is the mystery of the cropping of the heads. The boy is probably attracted to the girl, he leans forward and the girl just sits back holding a beer. Is she being resistant? Or is she is waiting for the guy who's beer comes into the frame as he "cock blocks" the boy who is leaning forward? Great story in this image.

11th: The 9th is the better frame. This is too in-between moments to pick up on something. And the technology/cell phone story is already taken care of in the previous two images.

12th: Tina Barney? Nice lighitng. Good layering of the subjects. Is the girl thinking about the paper she has to write that is due in 48 hours or is she just trying to relax and drink her wine? The boy in the back is great, leaning against the wall. Perhaps he's too drunk to even stand straight...

13/14/16: You have better beer pong images which I commented on in the beginning.

15: You're doing mostly horizontals but this is a nice vertical. She's trying to appear chic/classy holding a glass of champagne but the snapshots in the background beg to differ. The scotch-taped pictures to the wall are out of context, almost child-like.

I love it, Elle. Happy shooting!

more contact sheet grabs for you

possible title, maybe.. maybe.. i think i want to have the title in an image, and i think the perfect school campus-y type of picture is the one to do it with.



here are some more contact sheet grabs.

here are some grabs from a low quality contact sheet scan. JHU project.

no crit necessary, just showing you some grabs

RE College

I like where you are going in these images. 

1st image: We've discussed the "object" portrait a few times if I recall. I like this one, more so because its in the context of a documentary versus a portrait. I also enjoy the dividing line of the wood.

2nd image: That's a really strong image. Mixing pain killers with a drink (?). I don't know what is in that glass exactly. Is it a glass of coca cola or a glass of wine? I love the picture but I would love it more if I saw some red or white liquid to suggest wine of some sort. But then again, I don't know, maybe the glass is enough of a signifier to tell the story...

3rd image: I think this is a beautiful picture. Kind of Philip-Lorca DiCorcia:

My issue is I don't know what is going on in the image. Two characters are in a car. The light is strong, like DiCorcia's image is. Are the two girls heading off to a party? Or are they simply in the midst of a conversation? 

4th image: Again, gorgeous. The angle glorifies the alcohol, "I need this to do well in school." And, like you once described this project to me, the image gives the viewer the "party hard" aspect to this project wonderfully.

5th image: Two characters are in conversation. The girl to the left is clearly all ears to the girl on the right. Are they discussing their boy-problems? Their "horrible" B+ in French class? Or are they debating over what Tolstoy is trying to say in War & Peace? I'm not sure what is happening in this image, but I like it better than the 3rd.

How are you lighting these? Are you mounting strobes? The lighting is strong, more polished than Lauren Greenfield. And I don't know if I agree with the Greenfield reference... I'm seeing more Bruce Davidson ("Brooklyn Gang"), Larry Clark ("Teenage Lust"), or Colin LaFleche ("Right After").

Nice beginning, Elle. I can't wait to see more.

college

beginnings. the colors are off but i will fix that in post, these are right out of the scanner.