Have I already said how much I'm loving this photo course?! I'm sampling possibilities & want *you* (teacher, students and 365 team mates) to tell me if it's the right path or a mine field...truth & nothing but the truth!
As in art classes I've taken, I get to show my work & tell you what I'm trying to achieve: I took many photos of this layout & the back of the pool where Ken sits was in deep shadow. I lifted that out a little via p.p. I was trying to achieve another sun burst & I think it works. OK...the light ray coming in...good or a bad thing, generally speaking? (I really want to know, so over-ride the following if you have a thought to share...) In this instance, I rather like it. I gave the image a bit of a vintage look, though the coloration was almost there already. Thus an old camera might have let in stray light, so it adds to the finished look I hoped to achieve.
In this "class setting", I'm posting images I might not typically, but if I can learn a good deal in the confines of my yard, I might be able to take the techniques elsewhere. We're going back up the coast in another week, so (yea!) beach sunsets and new vistas! They're unlikely to resemble this photo at all!
The colors are quite nice. Ken may be a little swallowed up in the large image, perhaps a little less pool in the foreground, but still a nicely composed photo. It is never a bad thing to want to explore new pathways in art. We should always be willing to learn
I like the composition, the starburst and processing. If Ken is the main focus, I find he's a little overshadowed by the flare and starburst. Whenever I have doubts about a shot, I ask myself, "what is my main focus?" Then I remove or subdue everything else. Hope this helps - critiquing is not comfortable!
Here is my thinking and I may be totally out in left field but I agree that there is a bit of conflict between the starburst and pool reflection, and Ken. If he were a more shadowy generic human presence I think I'd like it better. As it is, he has enough detail and impact to demand attention almost as a portrait, but as such he is overshadowed by the other things going on.
Just my two cents and coming from someone who generally tries to avoid getting people in my pictures, so take it for what it is worth.
The flare is a nice detail, it sets a scene of a warm sunny day out.
I do agree with the others, it's hard to differentiate the main subject. I would crop the image and apply the rule of thirds. This is just my opinion though.
Just my opinion - I find the flare too distracting/harsh and Ken is too dark in the background. I would make Ken the focus and keep him in the upper left corner. Crop about 1/3 off the bottom of the picture to keep the composition in check. Then lighten and add contrast to bring out specific features.
Honesty - I love the sunburst and reflections you've captured in the pool. Ken is a little dark and if you cropped it down to put more focus on him this would be an outstanding shot. The flare doesn't both me but it does pull some of the focus away from Ken. Over all though, if you change nothing, I still really like this shot, wish I could be relaxing by the pool too.
@dgrynn@kass@d_lopes@gardencat@timandelke@digitalrn
Thank you ALL for the truly honest critique... I can learn so much from this sort of thing! I've done my homework and will post it with some final thoughts...
I think this is a good shot, and I do love a good flare :) I'm generally not a fan of frames and vignette, but that is of course a matter of personal taste.
I look forward to your beach photos! :)
@lily ...wait til you see "the rant" I'm about to post! After THAT, I'm looking forward to the tranquility of beach photos, too! Thanks for bringing my day to a close with your sweet smile!
May 14th, 2014
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Just my two cents and coming from someone who generally tries to avoid getting people in my pictures, so take it for what it is worth.
I do agree with the others, it's hard to differentiate the main subject. I would crop the image and apply the rule of thirds. This is just my opinion though.
Have a save trip and much enjoyable days .
Thank you ALL for the truly honest critique... I can learn so much from this sort of thing! I've done my homework and will post it with some final thoughts...
I look forward to your beach photos! :)