Project 52 by Nicola

[Geoff F]

Certainly a study in concentration. In this particular shot, the lack of focus depth doesn't present a problem.

[Nicola]

Certainly a study in concentration. In this particular shot, the lack of focus depth doesn't present a problem.

I think so. it needs too closed f-stop to keep both the eyes in focus, and it costs in matter of blurred backgroung, ISO speed-noise. and I thnk that the wide open eye grabs the attention more than the other...
obviously someone could disagree...

[Nicola]

one of the few pics I captured this summer
I was still playing with tight DoF... in landscapes not in portraits
don't know if it works...

[Geoff F]

For me, Nicola, a sharp foreground and blurred background usually works fine; but rarely successful the other way around.

[Nicola]

I didn't shot on week 29
so I looked for some not still processed images of the previous year (2011)
I found this one,captured in january 2011, in Venice
a not so usual view of Venice, though it is taken trough a very very common kind of window in the city
I know that is not a good shot, anyway I think it could be worth to spend some time to find a way to use that effect in a better way next time i'll go to Venice. couldn't it?
thanks for C&C
good day
Nicola

[Nicola]

ok, I must jump to week 31, since I used mycamera rarely this summer... and it's a big fall for my project 52 goal...

I've some few vacation-shots, one of these below
the boat in the foreground gives some depth to the image but i think it is too "heavy" in the composition, isn't it?
c&c welcomed

[Geoff F]

Yes I see what you mean, Nicola.

The boat does lead the eye into the scene, but being only 'half a boat' it is neither the main subject nor part of the background.

Perhaps what is lacking is a main subject, if there was another 'whole' boat in the foreground you would have better balance?

The background is too distant to be the subject. If the reflections on the water were stronger on the left side that might create a better scene. Maybe copy some of the strong reflections and paste them over the left side, but alter them slightly so it doesn't look too obvious?

[FrankMi]

Hi Nicola, What if you included the whole boat, lightened it a bit, and made it your subject??

[Nicola]

thank you guys!
I agree there is a lack of subject... the village and the boat are fighting togheter...
Frank, this is a quick following your suggestion. Anyway I haven't the whole boat and it is not quite sharp since it was swinging slowly on the little waves... don't think it could work as a subject...
the only wway is shoot again, I think!

[FrankMi]

I think it fits a bit better like this Nicola, do you? Perhaps it can provide you with some ideas for your next shoot at this location.

[Nicola]

this is a picture from my summer vacation,
I found this spot during a walkabout in the night, I found it interesting and planned to wait for the better condition to capture it. I waited a couple of days and then a quite clear evening set up...
this is one of the first times I plan a shot...
C&C?
thanks

[ktuli]

The results are well worth the planning. Especially following the other image where the boat in the foreground was too "heavy" this one has perfect balance - I really like it!

- Bill

[Geoff F]

It even has a perfect sky.

[Nicola]

thank you Bill and Geoff, your appreciations are important for me!

[Nicola]

for this week an other point of view of the week 31 location
and an other failure for me. also in this one the very subject is missing ...
what do you think?
thanks

[Donald]

what do you think?

The questions I would ask is - 1) Do we need so much in the foreground and, 2) Is there anything added to the image by seeing a large section of the harbour wall and the water at the bottom the frame?

Do you think that a crop from the bottom which made it into a 2:1 ratio landscape, would make for a more or less interesting image?

[oldgreygary]

for this week an other point of view of the week 31 location
and an other failure for me. also in this one the very subject is missing ...
what do you think?
thanks

By missing the subject do you mean not including the sun setting?

I like the scene overall. Do you think that by waiting for say, another hour that the artificial lights would take over more and might make a better night time scene? Maybe later on reflections in the water might also be stronger? But, I would say that in technical terms the exposure and clarity look good to me.

Cheers for now

Gary

[Geoff F]

I suspect the greatest problem here is the quay angle. It runs from the middle bottom edge to halfway up the right edge and tends to lead the viewer out of the picture before noticing all the other elements.

Cropping part of the bottom might be worth trying but avoid losing too many reflections.

I suppose, a figure standing on the quay in the foreground and looking to the left would have produced better balance.

The cloud is also heavy on the right side which leaves the top left corner rather plain and equal to the sea.

So, as an alternative idea, I also wonder about cropping the sky to end up with a 2 x 1 ratio and leaving the quay as it is? With less sky, the right edge doesn't appear to 'exit the scene' but looks more like 'turning a corner' to suddenly discover the buildings.

Possibly lose a fraction from the bottom edge to achieve the desired ratio.

[Nicola]

The questions I would ask is - 1) Do we need so much in the foreground and, 2) Is there anything added to the image by seeing a large section of the harbour wall and the water at the bottom the frame?

Do you think that a crop from the bottom which made it into a 2:1 ratio landscape, would make for a more or less interesting image?

thanks Donald for the feedback!
I think that the foreground, isn't eye-catching but gives some kind of depth to the image
I can't see any improvements cutting it away... IMHO obviously

[Nicola]

thank you very much Gary!
I mean that there is a lack of a "prominent" figure\subject: The boats are too many and too similar each other to be the real subject, the houses are too far away, the sky is too bright...
it seems to me that there is only the "ambient" but not the subject in that ambient...