Photo Critique

[onepixel]

Ok, here is another I shot on a grey, over cast and foggy day in San Francisco. Originally in color, I just snapped this one surreptitiously from the hip. In the original you can see the young girl's heads and faces, the top of the window and they are more centered.

I cropped it this way because they were minors and I wanted to focus the attention on their poses, which I thought was whimsical and fun. The photo was not staged, I had no control over the ambient light. It took me 2-3 seconds to pull the camera out and take the shot, before they giggled along.

 

[pioneervato]

Ok, here is another I shot on a grey, over cast and foggy day in San Francisco. Originally in color, I just snapped this one surreptitiously from the hip. In the original you can see the young girl's heads and faces, the top of the window and they are more centered.

I cropped it this way because they were minors and I wanted to focus the attention on their poses, which I thought was whimsical and fun. The photo was not staged, I had no control over the ambient light. It took me 2-3 seconds to pull the camera out and take the shot, before they giggled along.

Pay attention to how you crop. As I have said before, what you leave out is just as important as to what you leave in. Carl, I took the liberty of making a few changes. I like the image but when only part of the faces show in your original composition sometimes it is even better to just crop them out completely. Of course, doing this after the fact is sometimes easier than at the the moment the image is made.

 

[onepixel]

Jesse, I really like what you did. But I'm going back and forth struggling to see which one I like better. In my crop I like the twists and turns of their upper torsos, but where I cropped, it does look like decapitated them. Also I was intent on getting more of the background. The washed out top section, now seems distracting.

hmm... I'm gonna have to go with yours. Thanks!

 

[pioneervato]

Lighter values tend to command attention, especially when they are at the edge of an image. It is why many darkroom photographers tend to burn in the edges to help keep the eye contained within the photograph and keep it from wondering out. But the rules can always be bent and broken if the effect of the image is maintained in its purpose.

I found the washed out sky to be a distraction as well.

 

[JohnVF]

If I may add something...I like the cropped version because you get more information of who the people are from their shadows than you do from their actual bodies. I like the weighting of information better, I guess. But again, I'm not a photographer...I'm just reading this thread with interest because I'm often asked to critique photographs for my own clients, at work. Or at least I'm asked to make a judgement on photo selects.

 

[onepixel]

I'm still staring at it. I cropped down to below the shoulders and the bottom some and left both sides intact in what I posted. The girl's hand on her hips shows to much character for me to completely crop out.

The line by their feet is now in the exact middle. I have a thing for that and I have some paintings that explore that, but that's another story. I also like the empty spot to the right. Once I see the girls, my eyes read left to right. Then it flows out the window and I'm out in the misty landscape.

 

[onepixel]

The original image of the girls I posted looks like crap now. Damn it!

 

[onepixel]

If I may ad something...I like the cropped version because you get more information of who the people are from their shadows than you do from their actual bodies. I like the weighting of information better, I guess. But again, I'm not a photographer...I'm just reading this thread with interest because I'm often asked to critique photographs for my own clients, at work. Or at least I'm asked to make a judgement on photo selects.

Cropping is definitely an art. I like Jesse's cropped one too and the shadows, but for me it focuses to much on just the girls and I wanted to show more, like what they may be looking at.

Maybe it's to much to ask of this image. I have to play with it some more. Thanks!

 

[chicks]

I'm no expert, but maybe PV's crop complies more closely to the rule of thirds, with the glass/floor intersection / feet right about at the top 1/3 line. :scratch2:

Also, cropping out that vertical window joint at the right removes a distraction...

 

[onepixel]

I'm no expert, but maybe PV's crop complies more closely to the rule of thirds, with the glass/floor intersection / feet right about at the top 1/3 line. :scratch2:

Also, cropping out that vertical window joint at the right removes a distraction...

I totally agree. But I was never good at following rules.

So my dilemma, do I comply or not?

 

[Cadillac Kid]

I prefer the original image with the fog silhouette. But, either way is excellent.

 

[onepixel]

I'm stuck here. Took a little off the top and bottom. I like the foggy skyline and the hands on the hips.

or

 

[onepixel]

I was asked about the original. Here is a downsized version. Have at it!

 

[pioneervato]

I think a little too much cropped out in your version, HH, and I would have still left out the window joint on the right.

 

[Cadillac Kid]

I find this thread

 

[onepixel]

... I need a beer.

 

[marantzfan]

Why don't you two take your pissing match to PM's so that the rest of us can get back to the original point of this thread.

Thank you. :thmbsp:

 

[pioneervato]

Here is another version...

or this one with a border applied to help contain the washed out area?

 

[Cadillac Kid]

Sun light filtering through fog is incredibly beautiful. I think the nuance of light and fog is near impossible to capture on film. Thunder clouds are bold and strong, but fog? Fog she comes rolling in on little cats feet.

Cropping it out of the photo ruins it for me. Sorry if I am being trippy, but it is art after all .

 

[pioneervato]

Why don't you two take your pissing match to PM's so that the rest of us can get back to the original point of this thread.

Thank you. :thmbsp:

I agree. I don't want this thread to close as I see it having value/merit as I indicated before. If any one has nothing to contribute to Carl's request then I highly suggest you refrain from doing so. There have been some great comments made from several parties and the last thing we need are personal attacks that is not and should not be a part of this thread.

Keep to the subject of the thread.