Advice and Critique corner

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Avulon

Ok, I'll try a small constructive comment here. Given the limitation of the lens being used it's turned out a nice picture - largely due to being a nice frame. The one thing that lets it down is that there's not a single thing in the picture that draws the eye more than anything else. Meaning that its a deliberate rather than involuntary act to scan the picture with the eye. I think this is down to the blurriness in the fore-midground. The white house nearest the camera would have been an ideal point to draw the eye. But unfortunately it is out of focus (look a the tree above) as would the beach huts in front of it on the beach. I suspect the focus is either averaged or at the centre of the frame. Sacrificing focus at the further reach of the picture (where everythings too small for the viewer to notice or care) and focusing directly on the white house may have lifted the picture a bit more. There, I've said it (and it was probably easier to say than to think to do when the picture was being taken) Make of it (the critique) what you will.

Focus is indeed centred, I wanted the whole scene to be sharp but the phone doesn't have the ability to dial in large F Stop numbers .
Again, only having a digital zoom doesn't allow for closing in on any forground interest without sacrificing pixels at a rate of knots so my choice was to go for an overall scene with the beach as a leading line into the distance

For a shot from a phone I'm moderately pleased with it but agree entirely with what your saying, 'Tis why I shall be revisiting armed with my usual kit at some point in the future

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Rocket

I tried the magic of Adobe. Don't look to close

Maybe a bit sharper but still not so good.

This would be lovely with your good gear Jeff.

Looks a great bit of editing viewing it on my phone Paul

[Rocket]

A little better Jeff. But it won't make a wall poster

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Rocket

A little better Jeff. But it won't make a wall poster

Postcard size would be okay

I'll try my hand at a better one in the near future, here's a picture taken from Harwich Pier overlooking Felixstowe docks using my Dslr.
Ros is sitting on the bench acting as my subject



No comments on this one ?

[Rocket]

I had a stab at editing this one. Not sure it is better but it is a little different.

I am not a fan of portrait style of view (just my taste) but in this case I see no other option.

Maybe gone back a bit further and got the whole of the bench in shot, I am not sure that would look better Maybe back a bit further is off the edge

Edit: maybe a slight amount of flash? I seem to want Ros to be lighter.

(careful with replies)

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Rocket

I had a stab at editing this one. Not sure it is better but it is a little different.

I am not a fan of portrait style of view (just my taste) but in this case I see no other option.

Maybe gone back a bit further and got the whole of the bench in shot, I am not sure that would look better Maybe back a bit further is off the edge

Edit: maybe a slight amount of flash? I seem to want Ros to be lighter.

(careful with replies)

A bit further would have been getting wet indeed
Could have changed glass of course but that would have involved effort !
I would have had to use off camera flash for fill as I was a bit of a distance, I could have done so as my trusty old 7D has wireless Flash firing.
My new 1D mk4 doesn't but my second speedlite takes care of that now

Ros does lighten up well doesn't she

The only thing I would say is that lightning the photo has lost a little bit of detail in the wood grain of the boards .
As you say, a bit of fill flash on Ros would have solved that.
Problem being there is Ros hates her photo being taken and wasn't aware that I had, strategic placing of the speedlite may have given the game away

[Rocket]

Originally Posted by coolcat

A bit further would have been getting wet indeed
Could have changed glass of course but that would have involved effort !
I would have had to use off camera flash for fill as I was a bit of a distance, I could have done so as my trusty old 7D has wireless Flash firing.
My new 1D mk4 doesn't but my second speedlite takes care of that now

Ros does lighten up well doesn't she

The only thing I would say is that lightning the photo has lost a little bit of detail in the wood grain of the boards .
As you say, a bit of fill flash on Ros would have solved that.
Problem being there is Ros hates her photo being taken and wasn't aware that I had, strategic placing of the speedlite may have given the game away

When walking about and having the camera is just for a bit of fun, swapping lenses and setting up off camera flash is all hassle. I tend to go light and do what I can in post.

If I think I want to try and take a pic and I want to control all aspects of the picture then I take my bags. But for fun walking around, no. That's one reason I got the Sony - so I can go places with just a small camera. Of course you then limit what you can do,


I agree about the boards.

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by Rocket

When walking about and having the camera is just for a bit of fun, swapping lenses and setting up off camera flash is all hassle. I tend to go light and do what I can in post.

If I think I want to try and take a pic and I want to control all aspects of the picture then I take my bags. But for fun walking around, no. That's one reason I got the Sony - so I can go places with just a small camera. Of course you then limit what you can do,


I agree about the boards.

I just take the IPhone, we were however taking bulb exposures of the ports.
I just snuck a quick crafty shot of Ros when I spun the camera round

[coolcat]

A bit off the wall but here you go

[coolcat]

As this thread has been quiet for a while let me stick this up and ask for your thoughts

CC9J3966 by Jeff Cranwell, on Flickr