can you tell, pro or amateur

[Marija]

I'm just curious can you tell which photo is taken by a pro and which one is taken by an amateur? and why do you think like that?
notes: photos were taken by people who never met, within a couple of weeks. both photos need some editing.
your answer will hopefully teach me something thanks!

[homank76]

The Pro took the second picture.

An ND filter was used to give the silky look to the water and there is no distracting blurred branch like in the first.

[graciousness]

It's pretty obvious what the answer is. Which one do you think is a better photo?

Whether the better photo, which is the second one, is a pro or not is insignificant. The better photo is taken by the better photographer.

Why?

First photo is a snap without consideration for better composition due to the very distracting foreground of branches and leaves. Water is just well, snapped, without consideration that there is a better and more artistic way to show the motion of that water. Image is flat. Colours are boring. It's not a bad photo, but it's also not a good photo. It's just a snap.

Second photo was taken with more thought behind the camera. ND filter was used because the photographer knows that it will create that silky effect on the water. Composition was carefully planned so that there are not distracting foreground. Better processing was done.

Who cares which one gets paid and is the professional. It's just clear who is the better photographer and that's what counts.

[Ambrosia76]

Originally Posted by homank76

The Pro took the second picture.

An ND filter was used to give the silky look to the water and there is no distracting blurred branch like in the first.

+1 on this one.

[CurlyCorry]

The pro shot, I don't see much different composition than the first one, other than the blurry leaves and a very slight angle change (pro moved a touch to the left before clicking) The pro, the water looks fake, have never seen water flowing like a fog but thats me, I don't like that on any photo... it immediately makes it fake looking to me. Which shot do I prefer? The pro shot has better coloring and is focused better, in my opinion.

[karen_s]

I honestly couldn't determine which is a pro shot since there are a few pros who shouldn't be and a few amateurs that could be. But, I will say this, If I were shopping for a photo for my wall, I would buy the image on the right. My thoughts ...

1. The left image is kinda harsh with too much detail and the water is awkward. I prefer a real stop action or super smooth for waterfalls, not something in between.
2. The color balance on the right one is a bit warmer and that draws me in a bit easier. The one on the left seems a smidge cold (although that might be the harsher details and not really the color).
3. Attention to detail is not that strong in the image on the left. The right one however is nice. (Mainly because of the blurry tree leaves on the right in the first image.)
4. It really comes down to the mood that is created and for me, the left one is a bit stressful while the right fills me with a calm feeling. I rather stare at calm.

Both are good images though and for the most part well composed with nice lines and interest. The second one just seems to capture the mood for me better.

[NathanFranke]

I'd say the pro took the one on the right, simply based on the framing. Getting the foreground branches out of the shot was something that an amateur is more likely to overlook.

That being said, except for those branches, I prefer the image on the left, for pretty much the same reasons that Karen doesn't. I like the coolness, and I like seeing the water without the long exposure trope. Mostly, it's just the mood. Water is frenetic, water moves. As Heraclitus says, 'you can't step in the same river twice'; the image on the left shows the water moving better than the soft glassiness of the image on the right. The image on the right will always be the same river. I come back next week with the same shutter speed, I'll get pretty much the same river. With the image on the left, the drops will be different, the foam will be different.

The one on the left could have been executed better--primarily in framing--but I like it better than the other one.

Neither. I doubt anyone was paid to take either shot.

[Hill Country Hack]

I agree with Graciousness on the relevancy of who was the pro. The photographer who took the left photo obviously put more thought and effort or had more knowldge on how to accomplish what he/she wanted.

The flow of the water is a personal thing. The accepted convention is to smooth out the water to create a more calming mood. Water is dynamic, ever changing. I can enjoy looking at flowing water more stopped or smooth depending on the mood of the photo. We have all seen the images of the lone lighthouse being battered by large waves. Would long exposure times impart the same mood of difiance? Or the inverse of a nice golden hour surf image captured at a high shutter speed? I really like the quote Nathan provided, "As Heraclitus says, 'you can't step in the same river twice' ".

I'm not sure where the OP is going with this. I'm sure most will agree the image on the right is the better technical image. How one interprets the image is a personal choice.

[ceremus]

I also kind of like the cooler tones in the first picture, but I prefer just about everything else about the second shot. The composition is better, not only because the blurry branch is out of the way, but because the waterfall subject is placed on more of a rule of thirds line instead of being more centrally placed (on the vertical lines).

The first image wins for the shutter speed consideration as well. If you prefer the look of the water being frozen in place by a fast shutter speed that's totally fine, but that's not what the first image has. The shutter speed wasn't fast enough to actually stop it so it's still blurry, just in a less attractive way.