Critique request

[CIC]

Hello friends and fellow photographers.

I hope that you are all safe during this global pandemic situation.

I would be grateful if experienced members here kindly give feedback on (shooting and post-processing, both) the enclosed photo.

This is my first post here, so if I have made any mistake unknowingly, I express my apologies in advance.

Thank you all.

Edit: The [IMG] tag is not working, hence I am enclosing the url of the host.

https://web.500px.com/photo/1017192832

[Donald]

If you ever need any help in getting images posted into your message, then please do read the helpful guide that walks you through how to do it. Click HERE to read the thread.

[CIC]

If you ever need any help in getting images posted into your message, then please do read the helpful guide that walks you through how to do it. Click HERE to read the thread.

Thank you for your response. I hope that a direct link to the photo hosted on 500px is not a problem for CiC? If yes, I would be happy to edit the post and upload a smaller version of the original elsewhere. I posted a 500px link only because the members would be able to view the photo in higher resolution.

[Donald]

My only response is to say that I'd think you'd get more people willing to give you feedback of they could see the image directly inside your post instead of having to link to it.

[pnodrog]

I prefer to address people with a name a bit friendlier sounding than CIC and I suspect many of the others will too.

I found the subject matter very interesting and it made me curious about the history of the ruins. The photo is well exposed, sharp, level and the verticals correct so apart from the very slightly warm colour balance nothing appears to be technically wrong with the image. However the lighting is rather flat and lacking in contrast and there should be more drama if it had been taken at a different time of day with a few more shadows. Darkening the sky may help make it a bit more striking.

The photo would do well as part of a photo essay that included other views and close ups of parts of the structure.
As it is for me it is well taken, interesting but lacks a bit of excitement. When travelling I often find it difficult to get satisfying photo of an entire building although I do normally take one. However my favourite shots are normally of architectural details or odd views of parts of the building that are interesting.

[davidedric]

Hello Roy. I picked up you name from your intro message - it would be good to add your name to your profile, and your general location.

I agree with what Paul said. In fact, I did browse through your images, and I think there are others that are worth posting and asking for feedback. Is there another that you'd like to share? You should be able to link directly to the image, but sometimes the automatically generated tags get in the way.

Incidentally, we were in Karnataka last year, in Nagarhole NP.

Regards, Dave

[Manfred M]

+1 to Paul's commentary. I have very much the same view as he does; the light is flat and uninteresting. A golden hour or blue hour image would be much more interesting.

I also wonder if you are trying to do too much in one shot. Look at different angles to take this old ruin to see if you can find a more interesting view or perspective.

[CIC]

Thank you so much for your excellent replies. Thank you, Paul, for being so analytical, it helps.

I understand my screen name is bit odd, but it's a short form of "Creator in Calcutta" (the old colonial name of my city) which matched with the short form of this forum's name.

Sadly, it was during our travel to certain parts of the Indian state of Karnataka, so even if I tried, I could not choose the golden hours.

The history of this church can be found if you please search with the following search string "Shettihalli French Rosary Church".

Thanks, Dave, I have been to Karnataka twice and went to the sister forest of Nagarhole, which is called Bandipur. I have a plan of visiting Nagrahole in future.

I am enclosing a few of the shots that I took of this architecture. I have converted all to black and white. There are 13 different angles that I explored.

Please find some of more photos of the same structure enclosed and I would be grateful for your further insights. I

By the way, I have edited the profile info of mine. Unfortunately, I am unable to upload my photo even though complying to both the file conditions, that is less than 100pxx100px and lesser than 64KB.

[Manfred M]

Thank you so much for your excellent replies. Thank you, Paul, for being so analytical, it helps.

I understand my screen name is bit odd, but it's a short form of "Creator in Calcutta" (the old colonial name of my city) which matched with the short form of this forum's name.

Sadly, it was during our travel to certain parts of the Indian state of Karnataka, so even if I tried, I could not choose the golden hours.

The history of this church can be found if you please search with the following search string "Shettihalli French Rosary Church".

Thanks, Dave, I have been to Karnataka twice and went to the sister forest of Nagarhole, which is called Bandipur. I have a plan of visiting Nagrahole in future.

I am enclosing a few of the shots that I took of this architecture. I have converted all to black and white. There are 13 different angles that I explored.

Please find some of more photos of the same structure enclosed and I would be grateful for your further insights. I

By the way, I have edited the profile info of mine. Unfortunately, I am unable to upload my photo even though complying to both the file conditions, that is less than 100pxx100px and lesser than 64KB.

Yes, it is hard to get the images one wants when traveling as there are so many things on the agenda, especially if you are with a group (even a family). One is stuck shooting while on location and then moving on.

Bright, sunny weather is often the worst for photography because of the harsh shadows we have to deal with. In situations like that I will use auto-bracket mode on my camera and under / overexpose by 2 stops to help me recover details in post.

That being said, I like composition these detailed images more than the initial shot of the church that you posted. Some dodging and burning would certainly help "calm" these images.

[CIC]

Yes, it is hard to get the images one wants when traveling as there are so many things on the agenda, especially if you are with a group (even a family). One is stuck shooting while on location and then moving on.

Bright, sunny weather is often the worst for photography because of the harsh shadows we have to deal with. In situations like that I will use auto-bracket mode on my camera and under / overexpose by 2 stops to help me recover details in post.

That being said, I like composition these detailed images more than the initial shot of the church that you posted. Some dodging and burning would certainly help "calm" these images.

Thank you so much.

Some dodging and burning would certainly help "calm" these images.

Could you please explain this line a bit more?

A bit off-topic request, as you are a "moderator", could you please help me with the problem of not able to upload my profile photo? I am unable to see my profile photo against the posts, though it is being displayed on the "settings" page.

[Manfred M]

Could you please explain this line a bit more?

There are some high contrast areas - bright highlights and strong shadows. This give the subject a very hard look. Going in and burning down the highlights and opening up the shadows often results in an image that has better visual flow.

A bit off-topic request, as you are a "moderator", could you please help me with the problem of not able to upload my profile photo? I am unable to see my profile photo against the posts, though it is being displayed on the "settings" page.

Have you successfully uploaded the image? There is a restriction on some functionality of this website until you have made 10 posts. The problem could go away by itself once you get the that threshold.

[CIC]

There are some high contrast areas - bright highlights and strong shadows. This give the subject a very hard look. Going in and burning down the highlights and opening up the shadows often results in an image that has better visual flow.

Thank you so much for your explanation. I would surely keep this in mind.

Have you successfully uploaded the image? There is a restriction on some functionality of this website until you have made 10 posts. The problem could go away by itself once you get to that threshold.

Thanks again.

[CIC]

There are some high contrast areas - bright highlights and strong shadows. This give the subject a very hard look. Going in and burning down the highlights and opening up the shadows often results in an image that has better visual flow.

I have reprocessed two of the photos again, I would be grateful if you (and the other members here) would comment on these newer ones, whether there are improvements or not.

Thanks again!

[mugge]

The original photos were too tightly cropped, these are much better. I am not in favour of exaggerated blue skies but I do know that it is often used in promotional photos.
Cheers Ole

[Polar01]

Srijan would you tell us what you are using to process the images, it could help at least me.

Cheers: Allan

[Manfred M]

When I look at the images, they look like documentary shots very much like one would find in a history text, a tourist brochure of the site or an entry in an encyclopedia. They are technically well done, given the lighting, but they really give the viewer much to explore.

The images are centred in the frame and there is very little foreground and the crop on the sides is quite tight. The approach almost looks like the front view using an orthgraphic projection found in engineering or architectural drawings. This can work, but it results in a very two-dimensional image, so you need something else to engage the viewer.

This is not a technical issue how you captured the image, not is it how you handled the post-processing, like the perspective correction you applied. The issue is basic composition - you need to come up with something that captures the viewer's attention and then holds it while the details of the image are explored.

[CIC]

Srijan would you tell us what you are using to process the images, it could help at least me.

Cheers: Allan

Hello Allan

I use Ps to Post Process my images. I hope this is the answer to your question. If not, please elaborate so that I might of some assistance.

[CIC]

When I look at the images, they look like documentary shots very much like one would find in a history text, a tourist brochure of the site or an entry in an encyclopedia. They are technically well done, given the lighting, but they really give the viewer much to explore.

The images are centred in the frame and there is very little foreground and the crop on the sides is quite tight. The approach almost looks like the front view using an orthgraphic projection found in engineering or architectural drawings. This can work, but it results in a very two-dimensional image, so you need something else to engage the viewer.

This is not a technical issue how you captured the image, not is it how you handled the post-processing, like the perspective correction you applied. The issue is basic composition - you need to come up with something that captures the viewer's attention and then holds it while the details of the image are explored.

Hello manfred

Thank you for your time and excellent comments.

I understand your point regarding perspectives and composition. I shall keep in mind about the cropping in future.

I have redone my images to bring out some drama in the rather flat sky as well as the flat light that I had to work with. I was wondering whether the last two images carry some improvement on these two points. If they do, then that would mean that I have understood the points raised by esteemed members here.

[CIC]

The original photos were too tightly cropped, these are much better. I am not in favour of exaggerated blue skies but I do know that it is often used in promotional photos.
Cheers Ole

Hi Ole

Thank you for your reply.

If you look at the previous comments, you would find that members here correctly raised the point of lack of drama in the images. Hence, I just tried to bring out some highlights and shadows and create a bit of drama.

[pnodrog]

Hi Ole

Thank you for your reply.

If you look at the previous comments, you would find that members here correctly raised the point of lack of drama in the images. Hence, I just tried to bring out some highlights and shadows and create a bit of drama.

When I darken a sky with vivid blue in it I often find I need to reduce the saturation of the blue to keep it from looking too processed. I don't reduce it much but just enough to avoid the rather intense artificial looking blue that the darkening can produce.