My small Documentary album 'Natural Salt Making'.....Please, Critique/Comment

[Rachana]

Hi,
Happy New Year to all of You!

My Album URL is,
https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...hp?albumid=666

Each photo has brief description.

Equipment: Basic P&S No post processing except some cropping.

I am newbie & self learner. Need your comments for self-improvisation.

Regards,
Rachana

[Donald]

Rachana

Welcome to CiC from me as well. I'm glad to see you took Dave's advice, in his welcome reply to you, and posted an image here for discussion.

I think the idea of you compiling this documentary series is excellent. I think it's important that we have these records of activities in our communities.

My comment on your image is best illustrated by my edited copy below. I hope you do not mind me doing this as it was the best way of illustrating my point.

I think there is too much wasted space at the bottom of the picture. The important part of the story is that viewer is told that water is involved in the process. The viewer then does not need to see a wide expanse of water which only draws attention from the main subjects - the salt makers.

So, I think that much more attention should be placed upon the people ratehr than their surroundings. And this is illustrated in the example below.

I do not know if you had the opportunity to get closer during the course of their work, so that you could fill more of your frame with the people.

[Geoff F]

Hello Rachana

Donald was typing his reply while I was still looking at your excellent series of photos. I agree with his basic idea concerning this particular photo although I think I would consider a slightly different crop which reduced the left edge a bit more and some from the bottom; but retained a little more of the reflected sky than Donald's suggested crop.

Number 8 would appear to require a little bit of anti clockwise rotation. Otherwise, I think they are very good with realistic colour and exposure on what are obviously rather tricky subjects.

[Hillbilly]

Hello Rachana,

I like your photo series and agree that you've done a very good job with the point-and-shoot. In terms of a documentary, I'd like to see at least one or even two more photographs -- a handful of salt, close up, and perhaps another of someone using it on their food, which could provide an interesting contrast to the condition of those who gather it. (My wife and I use sea salt and I've always wondered how it is harvested.)

thanks,
Carl

[Sahil]

Hi Rachana,

Welcome to CiC.
Nice series of photographs. I completely understand the feel to capture everything around you while taking a shot. In the shot above, all 5 guys are involved in same activity. I would have tried taking a shot with just showing activity of one guy & may be covering others in background.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Rachana and welcome to CiC.

Fantastic series and I think this is a great way approach photography. They are well exposed and have good colour for tonal ranges your are working with. Shooting in the full sun brings out the harshness of the conditions.

Exhibitions formed from these images create great insight into our world. The best part about these images is that while some may not stand alone as great photos the collection does and means that no one image can be ignored for its importance to the whole. It is a strong story.

I did like Rest and Other Side as images in their own right. I do like the one above and agree with Donald about cropping but maybe not as much - but as you see photography offers many personal choices.

I was in Namibia not long ago and did witness the natural salt harvest so these images transported me back to that wonderful trip. I was looking (probably just a boy-look) but I did not see where you are from. That would also help us understand more.