2016 Project 52, First Quarter by Joe/ Joebranko

[joebranko]

In the first series I would like to work on improving my compositions.



Shot taken at ISO 400, f 13, 1/500" 70mm. I had my exposure set at 1/500 in case any birds took off I would be ready. It was an overcast day so I set my iso at 400.

[Shadowman]

Hi Joe,

What steps are you taking to improve your compositions (studying the works of others, art appreciation, etc.)? Nice capture.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Joe,

Compositionally, you have a nice grouping of three things (swans, geese and bridge) arranged fairly nicely here, if I were to nit pick, I might suggest a little more space between swan's feet and the lower edge of frame would be better. However, it basically works for me.

It is a shame there's that continuous straight line separating the birds from the bridge and cutting across the entire frame, but fortunately it is quite thin, so not too bad.

I'll stop the critique there as we're discussing compositional aspects.

Cheers, Dave

PS I have added a link to this thread from the P52 Index
.

[joebranko]

Hi Joe,

What steps are you taking to improve your compositions (studying the works of others, art appreciation, etc.)? Nice capture.

Good ideas; I am also getting a book on composition in photography

[joebranko]

Hi Joe,

Compositionally, you have a nice grouping of three things (swans, geese and bridge) arranged fairly nicely here, if I were to nit pick, I might suggest a little more space between swan's feet and the lower edge of frame would be better. However, it basically works for me.

It is a shame there's that continuous straight line separating the birds from the bridge and cutting across the entire frame, but fortunately it is quite thin, so not too bad.

I'll stop the critique there as we're discussing compositional aspects.

Cheers, Dave

PS I have added a link to this thread from the P52 Index
.

Thanks Dave.
I had cropped out several geese at the bottom of the frame. I'll see if I can clone them out instead

[mknittle]

To me it looks pretty good Joe.

[Wavelength]

Very nice composition indeed

[Geoff F]

Dave has already said exactly what I was thinking. Otherwise, this looks fine to me.

[Urbanflyer]

Agree with what others have said with one exception. After you increase the space between the geese's feet and the bottom of the frame, suggest you see how much of the sky you can crop out and still get the feeling you want. The bridge now sits pretty much in the middle of the frame and the additional sky, for me, has little purpose. The triangle suggested by others seems strengthened by losing some of that sky. Composition is such a personal preference item it is well worth discovering what your preferences are. Bravo for focusing on this element of good photography!

[ionian]

Joe - the internet is full of resources, tutorials, videos etc to help you think about composition but the key thing in my opinion is viewing good photos. If you haven't already, I can strongly encourage signing up at good photo sharing sites like 500px and looking at the editor picks on Flickr. Look at pictures that you like but use a critical eye, ask yourself if it works, why it works, and try to remember things you like and want to emulate. Often these sites let you save your favourite images to a gallery.

I'm still near the start of my journey as a photographer and in no way an expert, but I feel I made my biggest improvements when I stopped reading solely about technique and started looking at as many pics as I could. I save those that I like and try to work out how it was done, so I can apply the composition, lighting or technique to my own pics. It's opened up a lot more doors for me and I'm loving my photography.

[IzzieK]

+1 to Simon's response. I rely mostly on the internet for learning and tutorials and apply it to my own image. No books. If I have books and magazines, I tend to pile it away.

[joebranko]

Thanks Simon.

[joebranko]

Would like suggestions on improving the composition of this shot please. The focal point is the father and son out skating on the frozen pond.

[Geoff F]

Looks good to me Joe.

Possibly: a pity about that sawn off branch. Maybe I would tone down the cut end?

Are the figures a bit too central? Should be possible to move them slightly to the right?

I think there is also a tighter crop scene to be had here by losing that sawn branch at the top plus a bit from each side so as to concentrate more on the figures; although that would lose most of the sky as well

[joebranko]

After posting I had another look and thought I could crop out the sky and just keep that 'knarly' branch in the foreground. Which is better?

[Geoff F]

Exactly what I was thinking, Joe. Possibly you might have several alternative crops to be tried with this image.

[joebranko]

Exactly what I was thinking, Joe. Possibly you might have several alternative crops to be tried with this image.

Thanks Geoff

[IzzieK]

That is better, Joe...just nicely framed...

[joebranko]

Thanks Izzie.

[joebranko]

Taken at Grimsby Ridge Winery, Grimsby Ontario. ISO 200; 55mm;f 6.3; 1/400" Lens Canon 55-250mm.

Composition: Using lines to guide the eye to the focal point.