What is Wrong with This Image?

[Wirefox]

I had a less than inspired weekend photography wise. I feel this image should work, I have played around in PP but it leaves me cold. Any suggestions or should I just move on?

The subject is the flower Lady at Norton Priory in Cheshire.

[peterb533]

Technically it looks good and I certainly couldn't improve on it, so I guess its down to taste. I quite like it although I might have gone for a lighter background.

Peter

[Colin Southern]

I had a less than inspired weekend photography wise. I feel this image should work, I have played around in PP but it leaves me cold. Any suggestions or should I just move on?

If it were me (and I'm not saying it's what YOU should do), I'd move on.

I feel your frustration - the same thing happens to me on occasions; I look at a scene - I can see the beauty in it - but (sometimes despite several efforts) I just can't translate that into a winning image.

Having thought about it, I suspect it's due to the differences in the way the brain processes a photograph -v- how it processes the real thing. I've had to learn to not beat myself up about it too much, and put the energy into something that does work.

[Geoff F]

I just wonder if the frame is distracting my eyes. If I look at the image for a while, it moves. Particularly her jaw line.

[crisscross]

Hi Stephen. I think there is a clash between the heavily modelled face and totally blank background; to a lesser extent between the blue bits and the bronzy green.

Result of my play; you may have a better background, like the original, as my splodgy one is still a bit too bland. Certainly wouldn't bin it, I like the sculpting. Reminds me of a young lady with whom I attended a masonry course and suggested her face was asking to be modelled


The claywork (or did get as far as being cast?) is rugged and don't think a smoothy frame helps either

[Antonio Correia]

Your image stroke me buy the power in it.
The colors are very saturated and strong. The sculpture is nice. Must have been a strong lady.
But the background is too ... quiet Too flat.
I like Cris version for the background.
How is the original background ?

Can you show the original image ?

[Wirefox]

Ok Antonio..here goes


......but I am inclined to agree with Colin. It was my gut feeling. However, I thank CrissCross for taking the trouble to show me a different view point and I feel a lot more comfortable with his version. I also agree with CrissCross and Geoff's comment about the border in this case. The border over confines an already constricted image. Well from a flaky image I have certainly got a lot to take away with me for future captures of this style. Thanks guys.

[d3debian]

I like the first version with the black background.
I think i can appreciate the picture also in B/W (with a black background)

[Wirefox]

Whilst searching for my change in Avatar I came across this image of a statue that heralds entry to Birchwood East from the M62....not that there is much to herald. It was taken with my old P&S and has refreshed my enthusiasm for photographing sculptures

[joec]

I agree with D3Debian -- I like the black background better also, perhaps without the frame. The black background makes the sculpture pop moreso than the teal (IMHO).

Joe

[Wilfredo]

To all who share this small slice of heaven-on-earth we call photography, I say hello, hope all are doing great. It's raining in Miami, so for me it's an excellent time to read-up on this re-discovered passion for the sound of the shutter.
How sweet it is!!!!

Wirefox,

With regards to your question " what's wrong with this image?" let me say that I love your original, since it was the stimulant for this interesting forum. Thanks,

P.S. I also love your black background recomposition and the blurred background offered by "crisscross".

Thanks, Guys.

Wilfredo

[Colin Southern]

To all who share this small slice of heaven-on-earth we call photography, I say hello, hope all are doing great. It's raining in Miami, so for me it's an excellent time to read-up on this re-discovered passion for the sound of the shutter.
How sweet it is!!!!

Thanks, Guys.

Wilfredo

Hi Wilfredo,

Just a quick note to say "welcome to the forums" - great to have you with us

If you get a chance, pop a reply onto the welcome thread and tell us a wee bit about you, so we can give you a proper CiC welcome!

[sekhar]

hi everybody,

i am not sure if my thoughts are way off the line of discussion, and plz let me know if it is so.

i am thinking if the rules of golden mean could be used in deciding the borders, would it make any difference? (or, have they already been adhered to!) but i guess the original shot has already set some limitations as to how one can go about cropping the end product and of course it would be done after all the hard and technically challenging artistic modifications that members have already suggested.

regards
sekhar

[Wirefox]

Hi Sekhar
I am not sure what golden rules you refer to. But I really would like to understand them since I am struggling to find a'signatur' border I feel at home with.

Wilfredo

Welcome an thankyou for your kind comments

Steve

[sekhar]

Hi Wirefox,

I am sure you must have heard about it, anyway the wiki link is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio and Leonardo da Vinci's illustrations show the proportions of human face.

The original shot and the PS Work are fantastic but i thought if you wanted to get that feeling of connection or some extra punch to the presentation may be the picture could be recropped with the help of this plugin http://powerretouche.com/Divine_proportion_tutorial.htm - just a thought from a novice and a confession - I, myself have not used it, but thought the links might convey more info than me rambling. plz let me know if i am way off the target.

regards

[Antonio Correia]

Hi Wirefox,... with the help of this plugin http://powerretouche.com/Divine_proportion_tutorial.htm - ...regards

Lightroom has this feature built in.
I capture the screen 6 times circling through with the O key. Shift+O makes symmetric figures This command is only available when you are cropping the photography
I am only showing 4 captures.

Please don't consider this post as hijacking.
Can you see the thin lines ?

[Functaztig]

I'd prefer the black background or the second one, but definitely not the one with leaves, it is a bit distracting in my own opinion.
Also the golden ration isn't that easy to master. My friends are doing a Salk institute design and they are literally losing it just to understand how it works

[Wirefox]

Slips sheepishly back into his forum seat

I do remember this from O level art. I cannot recall if they called it the golden rule. Back then I had a 28" waist and flowing locks so I have forgotton more than I remember Thanks for explanation and link Sekhar it jogged my fading memory.

Antonio excellent illustration of its merits and a very nice image to boot. Being an engineer I work to rule of thumb...if it looks right it probably is right...whoops there goes railway bridge. I guess I apply this to photography. However fundamental these rules are I am not sure I could superimpose those guides from my mind into the viewfinder. I am half aware of the rule of thirds as I shoot so I suppose it is a start. My guess is that the guides were applied by mathematicians some time during the reformation to images that were considered comfortable to look at rather than the other way round

[sekhar]

cheers Steve,
I guess rules are just rules (to be broken !!!!!) and they date back to the good old Greek Parthenon days.
Regards
-Sekhar