One on One Critique

Instructor: Roy Sewall

This on-line critique is about the photographs themselves – the results - not about how to use equipment and software. Roy will critique the photos using the same criteria he uses as a frequent photography judge, but will go into much greater depth than a competition would allow.
This on-line Critique is about the photographs themselves – the results - not about how to use equipment and software.

Roy will critique the photos using the same criteria he uses as a frequent photography judge, but will go into much greater depth than a competition would allow. He’ll give specific recommendations on how to strengthen the photos, such as how to adjust the processing (“crop here,” "tone down this area,") to solve problems that are found, and/or how to re-shoot if appropriate. Roy will not be giving any Lightroom or Photoshop instruction.

Course Content

This course is available as a one hour or two hour live Zoom session with the instructor.

  • Students will submit electronic photographs ahead of time for the live Critique session via Zoom. On average the critique will cover approximately 15 images.

  • Roy’s ground rules for his Critique Groups: - He will be frank, honest, and constructive. - He is an experienced judge and critiquer, but that doesn’t mean he is always “right,” or that you should always do exactly what he suggests, or that you should necessarily agree with him all the time. We’ve each got to find our own way.

  • Please don’t agonize and fret about what photos to submit – they don’t have to be the very, very best you can do. The photos should be photos that you feel pretty good about, with some diversity in subject material, and they should fairly represent where you are with your photography.

Required Skill Level

  • This course is designed for all skill levels. However, basic knowledge of editing software (Lightroom, Photoshop, On-One, etc.) is very helpful so as Roy suggests an adjustment, you have an idea of the tool(s) to do that.

  • Although it is not required, it is highly recommended that students have taken the Take Your Photography To The Next Level course before taking this one-on-one critique. That course describes the analytical framework for Roy’s critiqbook

  • Approximately 15 images that will be submitted to Roy. Instructions will be in the welcome email.

Capital Photography Center Instructor

Instructor

Roy Sewall

Roy enjoys working with novice and intermediate photographers alike and finds great pleasure helping them develop their eye and their photographic skills.
His interest in photography evolved from extensive travel in six continents during his youth. In 2001 he started his transition to full-time photographer following his rewarding 30+ year career working for several major technology corporations in the Washington, DC area.
Roy has published two photography books, Our Potomac, from Great Falls through Washington, D.C., in 2005 and Great Falls and Mather Gorge in 2009. These were inspired by his affection for hiking and bicycling along the river and the adjacent Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal. His books led to numerous speaking engagements and established him as one of the leading photographers of the Potomac River and C&O Canal.
He has been a guest on WETA’s TV program Great Views of Washington D.C., the lead photographer in the Best of D.C. 2009 publication, in feature articles in the D.C. and Virginia Where Guestbooks, the lead still-photographer in The Nature Conservancy’s 2011 video The Potomac Gorge, and is sought after in many well-known photo competitions for his judging skills.
More about Roy can be found on his website, www.roysewallphotography.com