Project 52 by Nicola

[Nicola]

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.

thank you very much for the deep analysis Geoff!
I agree with you, a person on the quay looking to the houses, or anyway a subject in the foreground -like an anchored oldfashioned boat- could help a lot.
and also cropping the sky (and a bit of the foreground) is pleasant to my eyes... thanks for the suggestion, it seems an improvement for that poor shot

[Nicola]

some other postcards from summer holidays..
in the night shot I must work again on the bushes lit by street lamp... also a crop can work here...

even if on holiday, I practiced the min exercise just to remember how to turn on the camera...

[Teton Chuck]

Nicola, very nice shots. I particularly like the night shot with the boats, reflections, etc. Even with a few items to work on, it is a very nice photo.

[LeoLeo]

Hi Nicola,

While I scroll to see your last post(s) happend to scroll a bit more and hide sun from the second picture. Also, gave me a slightly sense of panorama. See if this crop work for you.

For the first picture, it is one of those days, when you feel it, but "the light" is not with you. To be grumpy, I can argue about lack of subject (immediate foreground or rocky coast?), but is a well composed landscape. Maybe a lower station point to shoot ?

Anyway, good job for a middle day harsh light,

Leo

[Nicola]

Nicola, very nice shots. I particularly like the night shot with the boats, reflections, etc. Even with a few items to work on, it is a very nice photo.

thank you very much Chuck for your kind words

[Nicola]

Hi Nicola,

While I scroll to see your last post(s) happend to scroll a bit more and hide sun from the second picture. Also, gave me a slightly sense of panorama. See if this crop work for you.

For the first picture, it is one of those days, when you feel it, but "the light" is not with you. To be grumpy, I can argue about lack of subject (immediate foreground or rocky coast?), but is a well composed landscape. Maybe a lower station point to shoot ?

Anyway, good job for a middle day harsh light,

Leo

thank you very much Leo for the feedback!
I'm studying your suggestion to cut away the moon, and the other opposite crop, cutting away the bottom... perhaps the last one works better for me, but i've still to decide..
I agree about picture #1: a lower point of view helps,
if the water don't wash my camera!
anyway the foreground must be more heavier..
thanks again
N

[Nicola]

two attemps to night photography with serious issues on framing....
bad lines, too many direct lights (burned out), too many dark tones...
a lot to work on during next night walk!

[Geoff F]

Possibly, Nicola, you are trying to include too much with these shots. Maybe concentrate on a smaller area and put all your efforts into getting that correct.

In particular, I see that the overhead clouds are well blurred, although distant cloud, from a better angle, isn't too much of a problem.

Tighter crops do improve these images for me.

Slow shutter speeds are always difficult though.

[Nicola]

Possibly, Nicola, you are trying to include too much with these shots.

it is. Thank you Geoff, I owe much to you
I should concentrate on a smaller subject, since in the #2 the view is quite busy and difficult to read. there isn't well readable features (excluding the sky)

[Nicola]

Just out of the office, I recognized the breeze and the clear air
quickly I started to fight with myself: what to do? windsurfing or photogrphing?
well.... both!
I ran fast with my bicycle and I just did a bit of surf before going out of the water and picked up (still wet) the camera from the bag. One of my friend was practicing in frnt of me and so i took a few shots of him. Just to sold him. just kidding!

[Donald]

What I particularly like about this image, in addition to what I think is the excellent composition, is the how the sunlight is used to lift the image. The light edging on the man's face, torso and legs is, I think, very good.

[Nicola]

What I particularly like about this image, in addition to what I think is the excellent composition, is the how the sunlight is used to lift the image. The light edging on the man's face, torso and legs is, I think, very good.

thank you Donald

[Teton Chuck]

Nicola, I think Donald got it just right. When I compare the third photo with the first two it is amazing what a difference the light on your friend makes. Very nice photo. Take a look at my Project 52 posting and I think you will see that we live in different climates. Yours looks warm.

[Nicola]

nothing from week 37, so I jump PP something from week 38
and there're few pics anyway..
just this one below of this young fellow, leaves me one doubt: I'm not sure to leave or not this yellow cast. Jst to make the scene a bit warmer...
your comment are welcome
ciao

[Nicola]

I must run fast to cover the delay...
just few weeks to the end of the year and so many pictures that I've still to PP!
these are from a mountain trip with friends, a good opportunity for shooting, but also an hard job to carry the gears on the back!
C&C welcome!

[Teton Chuck]

Nicola, A very nice photo of the kitten IMHO. I have no problem with the yellow cast. I assume that represents the environment that the kitten was in. I like your narrow depth of focus on this shot. We see the face and can fill in the rest as we wish.

I like your first mountain shot the best. Having people walking a ridge with a rugged mountain in the background helps me imagine the terrain you are traversing. And having the people spread out so the ones at the rear are much smaller than the person next to the camera does a good job of helping the viewer appreciate the size of the place. And the clouds on the peak in the background are very nice.

As for the jet contrails, I see no problem with leaving them in. Tonight I was at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole looking at an exhibit of photographs of the American west that was put together by National Geographic. They had more than one photo with contrails in the exhibit. I suppose that is the difference between photojournalism and fine art photography.

Either way, thanks for posting your images. I enjoyed seeing them.

[Geoff F]

That kitten looks rather sad, Nicola, so I think the rather subdued lighting works well. You could try adding a fraction more blue but I fear it might spoil the atmosphere.

The mountain shots work fine, although I would clone out the vapour trail in the top right corner of the last one. Being thin, it looks too much like a scratch to me.

[Nicola]

thank you very much Chuck and Geoff!!
honestly, I didn't noticed the jet contrail in #2
I think to clone it out...

yes Geoff it looks very sad.
i'm sad too looking at him: it was a very young cat, born in a barn of my girlfriend's farm, it was quite wild. The night after this shot, he vanished with one of his brothers, I suppose eaten by a fox or similar...

[Nicola]

I spent some days in Paris at the beginning of october
I'm processing the images, and up to now I have an issue on these two pics below.

they are similar but there are some relevant differences:
one for all, what about the Tour Eiffel position?
what do you think? recycle bin or keep them in HDD?
your thoughts are welcome!

[Teton Chuck]

Nicola, I like these photos very much. Especially the first one. I like the way you have framed the tower between the bridge and the lights. The angle of the bridge in the second photo seems to compress the photo in a way that is not as comfortable to view as the first. They are both unusual views of the E. Tower, as least as far as I know. Very nice.