Swans in the Park

[joebranko]

Taken in LaSalle Park.

[ionian]

First of all, I like the shape the land is creating to the horizon, which gives the image a nice frame to work within. However I'm not clear what your subject is - there are swans everywhere, but nothing that stands out and says LOOK AT ME! A telephoto lens focussing on a small group of swans may have created a more pleasing image to the viewer. The three swans in the middle-left of the image have potential for a crop, with some of the land and rocks adding interest.

The lighting is very flat as well - I'd want to have a play in my editor to try and get some saturation and find a way to lead the eye around the image. A day like this makes pleasing wide angle shots a challenge. As you have black and white swans on a grey lake, I would probably be shooting black and white (or raw for a b&w conversion later).

I hope these comments are helpful.

[Manfred M]

Joe:

+1 to what Simon has written. While we can do a few technical things to improve the shot, the real issue is there is no subject and our eyes just wander all over the place looking for one.

This one is not going to work for me (even as a B&W)

[joebranko]

[QUOTE=ionian;583605]First of all, I like the shape the land is creating to the horizon, which gives the image a nice frame to work within. However I'm not clear what your subject is - there are swans everywhere, but nothing that stands out and says LOOK AT ME! [\QUOTE]
Thanks Simon. I agree with your observation that there is no focal point in this shot. And I am not defending it. But I don't get it. [UMust[/U] there be a focal point in a landscape? To me this was just a nice pleasant shot of a bunch of swan swimming about in a pleasant cove in the Bay. I did not look for a focal point when I was taking the shot and I agree there is not one.

[joebranko]

Joe:

+1 to what Simon has written. While we can do a few technical things to improve the shot, the real issue is there is no subject and our eyes just wander all over the place looking for one.

This one is not going to work for me (even as a B&W)

Thanks Manfred. This is not the first time you have commented about the lack of a focal point in one of my landscapes. I guess I am just a slow learner. Must there always be one in a landscape?

[Wavelength]

Very nice image; since your swans are different, it might be difficult for you to make one the central point of interest; so you possibly captured the best,taking in the situation.... Even in landscapes there can be some point which can drag your eyes first; however that need not be the case always; instead of a point we may have a reflection of a mountain in lake, a receding row of trees etc. These are my thoughts only

[Manfred M]

Thanks Manfred. This is not the first time you have commented about the lack of a focal point in one of my landscapes. I guess I am just a slow learner. Must there always be one in a landscape?

In any good photograph, you need to draw the viewer's eyes into the image. That is what composition is all about; interesting the viewer in your image and then keeping him / her engaged. I remember chatting about this with one of the long time photography instructors at Algonquin College, in Ottawa. He suggested that in his experience 50% - 80% of the images he has seen used this approach. Leading lines, repeating patterns, etc. can also come into play.

I suspect this image would have worked far better had there only been a single swan (or perhaps a small cluster of swans all swimming together). As it is, I find my eyes dart all over the image trying to figure it out. That is not something a strong composition should do.

[Geoff F]

For me, Joe, there doesn't always have to be a main subject and sometimes it is nice to 'wander around' a scene noticing various little elements which come together to make the whole scene.

But in this case there is a swan, plus a couple of ducks, in the bottom left corner and they are facing out of the image which is distracting for me because they appear to be the most likely items for a main subject. If they were facing the other way I suspect the whole image would appear stronger. Alternatively, clone them out.

[joebranko]

I have removed several swan from the shot, including those who were looking in out of the frame as par Geoff's suggestion, keeping all who seem headed to the cove in the upper left of the frame. I had previously reduced the saturation of the shot as, on my monitor, the colours seemed too bold. After seeing comments about it being flat, and looking at it on a different monitor, I decided to readjust that slider.
I agree this now looks less cluttered, and probably more pleasing to the eye'

[ionian]

I think that works much better myself, now the group of four swans give you a key foreground element and the remaining swans lead you round the shape of the land. I may be tempted to crop a little off the right, but I'm being nit-picky.

For me I like a strong foreground object and go for triangles in my composition. Even when i think of artists like Breugel, who thrived on multiple subjects and created chaotic scenes, they also involve a lot of geometry to move the eye around the image.

[Shadowman]

Recognizable shapes, plentiful number of subjects, it just does work.

[Geoff F]

Yes that is better. The scene now leads your view around in a circular tour. If you did crop the right side it would mean a similar amount from the top, or a different size ratio.

Maybe losing the right side outer 'island' could be worth a try.

[joebranko]

I think that works much better myself, now the group of four swans give you a key foreground element and the remaining swans lead you round the shape of the land. I may be tempted to crop a little off the right, but I'm being nit-picky.

For me I like a strong foreground object and go for triangles in my composition. Even when i think of artists like Breugel, who thrived on multiple subjects and created chaotic scenes, they also involve a lot of geometry to move the eye around the image.

Thanks Simon. I appreciate your comments.

[joebranko]

Recognizable shapes, plentiful number of subjects, it just does work.

Thanks John.

[joebranko]

Yes that is better. The scene now leads your view around in a circular tour. If you did crop the right side it would mean a similar amount from the top, or a different size ratio.

Maybe losing the right side outer 'island' could be worth a try.

Thanks Geoff. Appreciated.