Joker's Wild | Version 2013

[PhotoRob]

New Year, so new Joker shot...





24mm, f/7.1, .6", pp in aperture, color fx, Little fuzzier than the original (oh well)

[Donald]

I like the idea and i think it's well executed.

Two thoughts I had:
1) Would it be better if that edge in the background was straight instead of sloping to the right?
2) What about making the vignette larger so it helps focus our attention more into the middle of the frame?

[PhotoRob]

I like the idea and i think it's well executed.

Two thoughts I had:
1) Would it be better if that edge in the background was straight instead of sloping to the right?
2) What about making the vignette larger so it helps focus our attention more into the middle of the frame?

Thanks for the help Donald, I've leveled the horizon and intensified the vignette without overwriting the shadows cast by the cards too much - just replaced the original post this go around...

[RustBeltRaw]

Personally, I think the relatively short distance between the background and the corner makes the vignette high-contrast enough to compete for attention with the card. Maybe it's just me, but the vignette's strong enough to draw my eye away from the card. But this is a very cool shot. I like how precarious the balanced cards look.

[Bobobird]

Nice shot that has given me some ideas to play with.
Thanks.

[Mike Buckley]

I love the brown toning!

However, the composition hasn't resonated with me and it wasn't until today, after several visits to the thread, that I realized exactly why: The subject is vertically oriented, yet it is presented in a horizontal format to no advantage that I can see.

Cropping it to a vertical format solves several issues for me. It eliminates the wasted, unhelpful space on the sides. Leaving the current vignette as is, a vertical crop allows the vignette to enhance rather than detract from the subject, as others have mentioned. Allowing the shadows to go beyond the edge of the frame anchors the image and allows the shadows to take on more of a supporting role; in the current version, the role of the shadows is so strong that, for me, they compete too much with the subject.

If you would like me to post an example of your photo using a vertical crop and making no other changes, let me know.

[PhotoRob]

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated! I could also try a square vignette vs. round, which may simulate a vertical without cutting too deep into the shadows, which I think help the shot. We'll see!