The Pond at Castle Creavie

[Donald]

I have some specific thoughts about the composition of this and I'd like to read your thoughts about that. Any other comment will, of course, also be welcome.


40D, Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 @ 12mm. ISO 100. 0.3s @f22

[PhotoRob]

Beautiful.

On the feedback side, my eye keeps going to the darker tree + it's reflection top right of the frame. Cropping it out I think might eliminate too much of the deck; regardless, very nice to look at.

[Geoff F]

Just a personal first thought.

I wonder if the foreground is too 'heavy'. The jetty is rather too dark, and confused by the grass, when compared against the 'delicate' background.

I would consider cropping to 3 x 2 ratio and losing part of the bottom.

[Dave Humphries]

The composition works for me.

I don't find myself distracted by anything and my eye travels in a clockwise loop around the image; post, trees, bank, tree reflection, grasses, jetty, post. I might also divert down to the lower grasses on left, then via the leaves in water to distant bank and across.

[FrankMi]

Makes me want to take a comfortable chair out to the end of the dock, sit and fish for a couple of hours....

[Donald]

Thank you all for your comments. And, not diminishing anything anyone else has contributed, can I say, Frank, that your words probably constitute the greatest compliment I've had about my work. If that is the feeling it induces, then I've succeeded.

My 'issue' with the composition was (is) in respect of the relationship between foreground and background. I feel they are disjointed and don't feel like they are the one image. And the particular problem is that I feel I should have got lower down.

If the upright on the dock had been higher up; i.e. closer to the bank on the far shore, then the foreground and background would have been more 'connected'; i.e. more integrated. The reason it is not is that I was standing in a bog at the side of the pond and my wellington boots were about to start taking in water. If I'd got any lower, I'd have had to kneel in the water. If I'd been lower down, I could also have got more sky.

Now, for the sake of my art (you might say), I should have got in there and got wet. But .......!

So, now that you know my own thoughts, what do you think? The reason I'm keen to get the views of others is that I'd like the people who own the farm (and the cottage in which we stayed) to see it. But, I'm not sure about showing this one off.

[FrankMi]

Donald, I understand the look you were shooting for but for me it just looks so 'natural' the way it is, just as I'd expect it to be. Perhaps it is because I'm over six feet tall. To see it from a lower angle I would have be sitting, but not at the end of the dock. Or perhaps, seeing the scene through the eyes of a child?

About the only thing that might be missing is the little boy sitting on the end of the dock, dangling his feet in the water, fishing pole in hand, bobber rippling in the pond, and his faithful puppy sitting beside him. Now that would really bring me back a few years, with a little glisten in my eyes.

[arith]

I just think it is plain good; the only thing I would look at is including all the tree on the right, if that were possible.

[Lexie in NZ]

I have some specific thoughts about the composition of this and I'd like to read your thoughts about that. Any other comment will, of course, also be welcome.


40D, Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 @ 12mm. ISO 100. 0.3s @f22

I can't explain why, but I wish the post at the end of the wharf was shorter
I love the stillness of the pond, the leaves floating on the water, the reflection of the grasses on the right hand side, the reflection of the trees, the distant hills .... in fact everything except the post And as arith said, it would be interesting to see how the scene looks with the whole of the tree on the RHS included.

But hey, what do I know, I'm still learning, (and finding that the teaching available here is top class )

Lexie

[Ross]

Yes, I agree with Dave.

How peacefully!

[Bobobird]

Just as is please. It conveys serenity and all parts contribute to that. Very nice pic.

Whichever way it is cropped it will still be serene so lets not take away this or that part of it. This is what makes it natural I guess.

[Geoff F]

My 'issue' with the composition was (is) in respect of the relationship between foreground and background. I feel they are disjointed and don't feel like they are the one image. And the particular problem is that I feel I should have got lower down.

That is part of what I was thinking about cropping a bit from the bottom, Donald.

To by eyes, shortening the jetty has a similar effect to shooting from a lower angle; and for some reason appears to better connect the post with the reflected trees.

[Dave Humphries]

And the particular problem is that I feel I should have got lower down.

If the upright on the dock had been higher up; i.e. closer to the bank on the far shore, then the foreground and background would have been more 'connected'; i.e. more integrated. The reason it is not is that I was standing in a bog at the side of the pond and my wellington boots were about to start taking in water. If I'd got any lower, I'd have had to kneel in the water. If I'd been lower down, I could also have got more sky.

I see what you mean, it would have helped on the left, but on the right, the tree's reflection would have met the grasses and caused problems there that might well have had you crop it off. Combined with more sky, perhaps that would have given an image with a slight vertical format composition.

If you had gone down say, 6-9 inches, a slight jig right might've been necessary too.

Now, for the sake of my art (you might say), I should have got in there and got wet. But .......!

Or have a camera with a flip out LCD and Live View that would have allowed you to compose with the camera lower and while still standing up.

Not serious, as I know you like to look 'through', rather than 'at' your V/F But .......!

[FrankMi]

Or have a camera with a flip out LCD and Live View that would have allowed you to compose with the camera lower and while still standing up.

Hmmmm.... I got a DR-6 Right Angle Viewer for my Nikon for that very reason. It has a 2X view switch to make it easier to check out the image and focus. It's also great for doing close-ups and macro. I wonder if there is one available that will fit Donald's viewfinder?

[Maritimer1]

Donald, I am going to reply before looking at any of the other suggestions. I tried "framing" it differently, but I like your composition. For me, the only change I would make is to lightly burn the small, brighter section of land on the left part of the frame where it meets the water just to make it match the rest in tone.

[Donald]

Thank you all, again, for the very helpful comments.

You know when you get to the stage that you've looked at something for so long that you can no longer see it? It's always good to get objective thoughts.

[Lon Howard]

Sorry for entering the thread late Donald, but I just saw it this morning. Anyway, the only distracting portion for me was the post itself, and without it the serenity of the scene might be enhanced. Understanding that the owner would be reluctant to chop it off, I thought I would do it virtually (although a bit sloppy ... ). I also dodged the dock to make it's tone less in conflict with the rest of the scene. If it were mine I would have no qualms about showing it off - it's a very calming image.

[stg]

Beautifully captured and apparently, masterfully processed. My eyes though keep traveling from bottom left to upper right corner, crossing deck halfway. So, wondering "what if deck entered from the left side"...

[Donald]

Beautifully captured and apparently, masterfully processed.

Apparently? Apparently? Oh, the shame ..................!!

Steve - thanks for commenting. I know what you mean. But, for me, flipping it removes it too far from reality for me to consider it as an option.

Anyway, the only distracting portion for me was the post itself, and without it the serenity of the scene might be enhanced.

Lon

The problem with going that way is, again, going so far away from what is actually at the location. The other problem with deciding to clone, is that you've also got to deal with the reflection!

[jeeperman]

Hmm, how did I miss this? Donald I like the original shot. The slight distractions mentioned do not bother my eye at all. Even after reading through the posts my original feeling remains. Which happens to be right along Franks first thought. I am a fly-fisherman and do not fish a float....but when I saw this I felt like throwin a float out and sitting back with my hat pulled down just above the eyes while I chewed the end of a piece of long grass.