What are your opinions on: Good photos with nothing in them? Bad photos with awesome things in them? Or good photos with awesome things in them?
Ok, so that's a bit simplistic, but how important is composition, when you have a fantastic subject? Obviously you aim to get an incredible shot of something really cool.. but when you have two photos that you can't choose between, and one of them is a stunning landscape/sunset.. and the other is a photo of a giraffe having a tea party with a penguin, but it's slightly out of focus, or blurry, or the light wasn't quite right, or there is something weird happening in the background.. which one do you post?
I ask this because recently I posted a photo that looks like this: (in fact is is exactly this)
So far (I know it's my most recent photo and hasn't been up for long) it has had the least amount of views/comments than any of my other photos have after the same amount of time. I feel that this is my worst shot so far.. but then again, it does have a lamb in it. Holding a rubber duck. This, I feel, negates the need for good composition/lighting (photographing a lamb is hard work!).
However, other photos of mine have made the popular page; been favourited; commented on and generally had more views than I expected, for example this one:
Or even this one:
These, I feel, have far less exciting subjects, yet have been more popular, perhaps because they are better photos.
After that long ramble.. how important is it to get a 'good' shot, and what is your view on this?
The lamb with the duck doesn't do anything for me ... the other two you use here are more carefully composed and the lighting is good.
However, I use 365 to record my life so there will be poor pictures because they have memories mixed in with more thoughtfully planned ones. To achieve a "winner" every time is not something that I expect to do .... if it pleases me .... then that's all that counts. If other people like it ... I guess that's a bonus but it isn't necessary.
The lighting of the one with the lamb just isn't as good and colours don't stand out. I had a look through the out-takes album earlier and I much prefer the photo where your friend also has a face. But I think the one of Greg and the lamb nose to beak was the best for me in terms of composition.
If you look through most projects on here, there are good shots, OK shots and the really subbish ones that people have taken at 5 to midnight when they realised they hadn't got any. I have a fair amount of them... I think that it's really up to you. If you want a whole 365 days of great photos, then that's up to you, but I think it's more realistic to expect to have one every so often that just doesn't do it for people, but maybe means a lot more to you because it's a memory of something that you did.
The lamb shot has more of a "Snapshot" feel to me, whereas the other two look like "Photographs." Like @elizabeth said, this project is as much about you and chronicling your life as it is about sharing your pictures with the community. As such, you are bound to have some shots that look good and people will love and you will have some shots that may not look as great but have a personal meaning for you and you will have the occasional shot that does all of the above.
To your actual question, when I have a photo that I really like the subject matter but it has issues as a photograph, I will tweak things in post to either minimize the issues or convert them into assets. For instance, in the case of Greg and the lamb, I would have probably cropped out as much of the girl as I could and played with the color/balance/brightness of the picture to minimize the glare from the sun.
I like how you are using the duck throughout your photos, at least the ones I remember. The composition in the bottom two photos is good. I like how you set up the 1st photo. Working with the lamb sounds difficult. The lighting looks really tricky in that photo. If you have a chance to redo, you could see what moving over a little to the left would do (get more side lighting which is softer, but still see the duck, lamb person in the same position). I think different lighting would really make this photo pop. You might try a little lower angle to eliminate more of the flooring and the pillow and the logo on the shirt. Sometimes getting a bit different lighting and a slightly different angle really makes a photo. I think what you do with this project is up to you. Do you want to appeal to others? Do you want to journal your daily life? Do you want to improve your compositional techniques? etc. These are the same questions I am asking myself.
For this project I think it all depends on the day. That being said if I do have a particular subject in mind I try to compose it in a manner so that it has both. Does it always turn out that way? No & depending on what you intentions are with your project I don't think it really matters. As others have said you are going to have great shots, ok shots, mediocre shots, & shots that just aren't that good. Do you not post a shot that you really like or just isn't that good because it may not get as many views as another? That's a question only you can answer. You have to think about what you want to get out of this project. Composition wise that is not your strongest picture, but emotionally to you it is & that is enough. Remember it is all subjective.
@katiegc24 I think both matter, but it is hard to get awesome and good composition at the same time in some situations, I have countless pictures relegated to the depths of my harddrive because they look a bit rough, usually because if something unexpected happens you don't always get the chance to plan the shot or even check your settings...
I'd say a bit of both. A priceless expression on a child would work in any composition, for example. A goat holding a rubber duck would also apply in this case. A sunset over trees...i'd take composition every time :)
For me, the last two photos energize my imagination. How did Greg like the wine? How does he feel? How did he drink the wine? Does he feel scared being on the ledge? They create a sense of wonderment.
The first photo is cute but doesn't arouse my senses. In real live it would not be unusual to see a duck and lamb together so nothing unique there. However, to see and imagine a duck drinking wine is not an everyday occurrence.
I would say Composition over subject, unless the subject was something phenominal then I would ask myself is there anything that could be done post editing to make the shot better. I think the problem with the shot of the lamb is that the light bloom is washing out the colour of the photograph and so the finished result doesn't look as crisp and colourful as the others there is not a great deal that can be done post editing with light that strong, you can tinker around with brightness contrast and curves but that bloom will always be invasive, it is still a nice shot but not as striking as some of your work (if it helps I have taken literally hundreds of photos with the same problem.)
If I have to strain to figure out what is in an image, such as the first one, I won't waste my time looking at it. It is poorly exposed, washed out, and frankly, too busy. I really don't know what the subject is supposed to be the lamb, or the duck, or the person, etc, etc, etc.
t's a fun pic, that's all. I take lots of fun pics, and I don't expect people to swoon over them. They don't have any great content, just a silly pic with a corny caption, is what they are to me. If I take an image I am proud of, and I get no response, then I know I have to rethink my direction. Do it all the time.
If I'm looking at my own photos it's subject over composition (usually). If I'm looking at someone else's photos it's composition over subject. Because it just doesn't mean as much to me - it's not as personal.
Generally speaking I think that composition would win over subject most of the time but art is very subjective and you will never please everyone all the time. I agree very much with @pfmandeville when I'm flicking through this site, photos appeal much more to me when I know the subject and/or the photographer.
I agree, Kate, that the photo with the lamb is not your best composition wise and if it appeared on someone elses page as a random shot I probably wouldn't have given it a second look, but I like it on your page because it is part of Greg's adventures. I challenge anyone to take 365 perfect photos of the same subject!
When I have a lot of photos I try to pick the one that speaks to me the most.
In a perfect world I would love to choose both subject and composition. However, since my world is not perfect, I go with subject first for the most part.
One thing I have enjoyed about the 31 day challenge is that basically my subject has been picked for me so it frees me up to work with composition more. Because of this, for the most part, I have been able to find something I like with just about every photo I've taken. For instance, the one of my kitchen appliances is one of the most blah ones I have taken in the past 7 monthes, yet I am really pleased with the lighting in it.
Composition for me owns the image. If I'm talking about the photo itself, I'd rather have some unique composition than a subject everyone else seems to be shooting. Granted, a lamb holding a rubber duck isn't something I can say that I see on a daily basis - it simply doesn't do anything for me. Not doubting the fact that it may (or may not have) been difficult to get a shot of the lamb... it simply isn't interesting to me. And like a couple of others have said - it does sort of have a disposable camera / snapshot / oh crap I need to finish this roll of film sorta feel to it.
A moment or photo that "means" something to you versus something artistic? I'd go for the moment or photo that means something to you, hands-down. What gives you more joy to look at? Who are you trying to impress? What means more to you? All questions to ask yourself, I guess. That's my two-cents, anyways!
Plus, there are things you can do in the processing (or even just a crop) in the lamb photo to make it stand out more--if you really want to.
The great thing about 365 is that can really be; 'all (or most) things to all folks'. Take your choice. My choice is a photographic site that allows me to compare my photography with that of other photographers. But it's entirely valid if you choose to say, "No, this is a chronicle of my days in a year." However, if you're at all interested in getting followers, appearing on the popular page or winning competitions, be prepared to submit shots of a decent quality - just have a look at the top 20 each week, there's some talent on this site.
@katiegc24 Ah, got it. Picnik is free, that's all I use and I think it does a fairly decent job.
Well, I'm going to root for the under-dog and wave my flag for the lamb.... (:
Just echoing what some have already said that composition for others to critique or OOOH AAHH over a picture.
For own sentiment I choose subject
But when combine the two, isn't that just the best? Context and composition? I'm looking forward to when my sister graduates as I'll have the chance to do both!
Composition. I would like to get a level were it is automatic. It can make any subject Good or bad into a good picture. As I said to SPace with the picture she nearly deleted.
@katiegc24 Software. I was given a copy of Photoshop (52MB) that runs on a USB stick that is great to use anywhere. I just wish I knew where he got it from, as I don't know how I can pass it on to anyone.
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However, I use 365 to record my life so there will be poor pictures because they have memories mixed in with more thoughtfully planned ones. To achieve a "winner" every time is not something that I expect to do .... if it pleases me .... then that's all that counts. If other people like it ... I guess that's a bonus but it isn't necessary.
If you look through most projects on here, there are good shots, OK shots and the really subbish ones that people have taken at 5 to midnight when they realised they hadn't got any. I have a fair amount of them... I think that it's really up to you. If you want a whole 365 days of great photos, then that's up to you, but I think it's more realistic to expect to have one every so often that just doesn't do it for people, but maybe means a lot more to you because it's a memory of something that you did.
To your actual question, when I have a photo that I really like the subject matter but it has issues as a photograph, I will tweak things in post to either minimize the issues or convert them into assets. For instance, in the case of Greg and the lamb, I would have probably cropped out as much of the girl as I could and played with the color/balance/brightness of the picture to minimize the glare from the sun.
The first photo is cute but doesn't arouse my senses. In real live it would not be unusual to see a duck and lamb together so nothing unique there. However, to see and imagine a duck drinking wine is not an everyday occurrence.
t's a fun pic, that's all. I take lots of fun pics, and I don't expect people to swoon over them. They don't have any great content, just a silly pic with a corny caption, is what they are to me. If I take an image I am proud of, and I get no response, then I know I have to rethink my direction. Do it all the time.
I agree, Kate, that the photo with the lamb is not your best composition wise and if it appeared on someone elses page as a random shot I probably wouldn't have given it a second look, but I like it on your page because it is part of Greg's adventures. I challenge anyone to take 365 perfect photos of the same subject!
In a perfect world I would love to choose both subject and composition. However, since my world is not perfect, I go with subject first for the most part.
One thing I have enjoyed about the 31 day challenge is that basically my subject has been picked for me so it frees me up to work with composition more. Because of this, for the most part, I have been able to find something I like with just about every photo I've taken. For instance, the one of my kitchen appliances is one of the most blah ones I have taken in the past 7 monthes, yet I am really pleased with the lighting in it.
My two pennies. *shrug* =)
Plus, there are things you can do in the processing (or even just a crop) in the lamb photo to make it stand out more--if you really want to.
Well, I'm going to root for the under-dog and wave my flag for the lamb.... (:
For own sentiment I choose subject
But when combine the two, isn't that just the best? Context and composition? I'm looking forward to when my sister graduates as I'll have the chance to do both!