Pointy Ledge

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Ok I did not like this photo when I first saw it, so I thought I would post it in here for Critique. It is heavily edited from the original (which I will post later to show what can be done). Please tell me what you think and why. I was trying to evoke emotion from the viewer.

ISO 50
22mm
f/22
​13sec

D60_0152.jpg
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Without using the star system, I like it a lot, but can't say I love it. Here are some of the things I see.

1. The ledge isn't sharp. Maybe it's just my eyes, but it looks like there is either lens distortion or camera movement and all the crags in it amplify that lack of sharpness.

2. The horizon is too high. While you went rule of thirds with the small rock on the right, I would have much preferred a lower horizon while keeping the small stone where it is in terms of L-to-R perspective. In your edit the rock is precisely on the intersection of the upper and right third lines, so I suspect you were thinking rule of thirds, but the horizon is just as critical as that small rock fighting against the sea.

3. There is too much foreground below the ledge. While this also goes with #2, what bothers me is that you have a perfect leading line at the bottom of the ledge and didn't use it.

Here's a very quick and dirty edit where I raised the perspective and did a very dirty content aware fill in PS to show you what I believe would have made for a better photo. Hope you don't mind - sometimes this is easier than describing things. You still get enough of the shore to show proximity, but the sky is as powerful as the water, or at least one would think that seeing as much as we, can. Better overall composition removes the distractions, which allows the viewer to focus on the emotion.

Ledge1.jpg
 
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Scott Murray

Senior Member
Without using the star system, I like it a lot, but can't say I love it. Here are some of the things I see.

1. The ledge isn't sharp. Maybe it's just my eyes, but it looks like there is either lens distortion or camera movement and all the crags in it amplify that lack of sharpness.

2. The horizon is too high. While you went rule of thirds with the small rock on the right, I would have much preferred a lower horizon while keeping the small stone where it is in terms of L-to-R perspective.

3. There is too much foreground below the ledge. While this also goes with #2, what bothers me is that you have a perfect leading line at the bottom of the ledge and didn't use it.

Here's a very quick and dirty edit where I raised the perspective and did a very dirty content aware fill in PS to show you what I believe would have made for a better photo. Hope you don't mind - sometimes this is easier than describing things. You still get enough of the shore to show proximity, but the sky is as powerful as the water, or at least one would think that seeing as much as we, can. Better overall composition removes the distractions, which better convey the emotion.

View attachment 61231
Excellent thank you, here is my original photo ;) I do not mind in the least and consider this as a learning curve as I do tend to leave too little background or foreground, also this is an exercise in what you think is 'crap' can actually make an ok photo. Thank you for your input ;)

D60_0152-2.jpg
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Glad to find another person who somehow manages to secure perfectly crooked horizons as they focus on the foreground. I am truly horrible at composing fully in the viewfinder. I get very myopic and lose track of the supporting cast behind the subject ... but I'm getting better, and that's what this is all about, right? :)

I'd say that 95% of my shots are a matter of rescuing something, with about 40% qualifying as clutching something from the jaws of death. It's not so much pray and spray as poor, or more succinctly "lazy", execution of a good idea, and it's something I need to work on. So I've been doing a lot more shooting in my head rather than with the camera lately, trying to fully realize the shot first rather than finding something with the viewfinder to my eye. In other words, right now I'm a better photographer with my fingers and a mouse than I am with a camera and a shutter release, and I'm working on evening the playing field.

I like the edit, btw. Works well.
 
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Scott Murray

Senior Member
Glad to find another person who somehow manages to secure perfectly crooked horizons as they focus on the foreground. I am truly horrible at composing fully in the viewfinder. I get very myopic and lose track of the supporting cast behind the subject ... but I'm getting better, and that's what this is all about, right? :)
Exactly :)
 
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