Athens National Garden

[MilT0s]

Hello everyone,

I recently shot this one in Athens National Garden.
Since I am an inexperience photographer I would appreciate your guidance. Although I like the subject and the frame the photo looks flat. What could I have done better?

[rob marshall]

Hi Miltos

It's a good shot of the two guys on the bench, and that alone has enough interest to make a good shot. I would have zoomed in to fill most of the frame with them alone. The stones on the left are OK, but that column on the right really pulls the attention of the viewer away from the men.

[MilT0s]

Thank you for the feedback Rob.

I think such a crop would alter the concept of the photograph but I am affraid you are right and a tighter crop is inevitable.

[PhotoRob]

Thanks for posting Miltos. In my humble opinion the concept of a photo is (a) what the photographer intended, or (b) what the viewer has interpreted. In most cases my guess is that the goal is that (a) and (b) be one in the same, however in this case, as Mr. Marshall pointed out, the first reaction to the original shot is to wonder 'what's the subject here'? The column, the men on the bench? Personally I don't think there's enough location-specific 'personality' in the shot (unique trees, architecture, etc...) to really distinguish that these men are sitting in the National Gardens, vs. just two men sitting on a bench in any park...look forward to more of your pictures, traveling to Greece in on our bucket list.

[Geoff F]

I suspect, Miltos, that if you had shot from a different angle you could have retained both the column and the men. But as it is, I would have done much the same as Rob.