What could I have done to improve this shot?

[Doctor Atomo]

I think this shot really needs to be seen in a larger size, if you are interested you may check it out at Black Tree in Sunset picture by fast_e_nuff - Photobucket .



I think I like it, but I just couldn't get it composed exactly how I saw it. I had to go all the way down to 18mm to get in the whole tree satisfactorily and then I got in the bridge and the ugly green sign. Also I try hate to use my lens all the way wide, because of the flattening of the corners, see the tilted gate on the right. It seems to me that even zooming out a tiny bit helps a lot with the ugly flattening. What do you think? Maybe a candidate for cropping? But I like the general shape...don't really mind the bridge,sigh...

[toasted75]

I don't mind the 'ugly green sign' actually, I think the extra splash of colour and contrast it adds helps the composition... the bridge though is definitely a distraction and needs to be cropped out imho.

It's hard for me to offer much more help than that - I just don't have the experience to offer anything exact, but to me it feels like it should be panned to the right a little more (but that might take out too much of the negative space to the left which I think is nice to have there), maybe even backup a bit further to move the horizon a little higher (provided that lush green grass extends back a bit further.

Thanks for posting, not sure I can help you that much, but as a newbie, it really helped to get me thinking about my own shots and needing to experiment with angles, horizons etc.

[inkista]

What's your subject? Just the tree in the center? or the line of the trees as a whole?

If your subject is just the tree in the center, then flipping into portrait mode could have helped you fill the frame more with just the tree, without the distractions of the fence and the sign. If it was the line of the trees overall, what's problematic is that you cut off the tree at the right edge of the frame. I agree that panning over to the right a little more would have helped, since you don't need what you have at the left edge of the frame. Or you could have used a wider lens or run backwards for a slightly less crowded framing.

I also think that possibly walking a little to your left to "flatten out" the trees, would have helped you get more of the tree on the right edge into the shot, or going to your right and going into portait could have "moved" the trees on the right edge closer together, and you could've gotten them both into the shot.

When something doesn't feel like "a good fit", just walking around, and take a few steps forward/back or left/right can sometimes help you find something that works a little better.

[navcom]

I'm with inkista. Let us know what your subject (center of interest) is. That might help us critique better. As is, it's kinda just a random shot of a tree scene with nothing to grab the viewer.

[joealcantar]

I would have considered Vertical composition and maybe walk up and put a Headstone in the foreground. That way it would have also told the story of where you were at as well as stress the cool character of the center tree. Maybe have played with different aperatures to pick the point of interest.

Shoot well, Joe

[Doctor Atomo]

I did start by taking shooting this tree in alone vertical, do you like this one better?



Nikon D90, Nikon 18-55vr @29mm, f/13, 1/200th, ISO-500, exposure bias -.03 step, no post processing

Black Tree In Sunset Out Take

I know it is just a tree, but trees are some of my favorite subjects! I am also a sucker for wide landscapes.
Thank you for helping me improve the impact of my shots so I can convey what I am seeing in a scene that makes it interesting to me.
I am going to post another, it has a tree. Let me know what you think, I think it may be even less popular than this one. let me know!

[craigmstevens]

That is composed much better. You get the whole tree closer which adds more detail to it and you can also see the headstones better giving the viewer your wherabouts. Like that shot much better.

[qunox]

Personally, really personally, I dont think many people will agree on this. For me, this picture will really look better if it was in black white with really sharp details and deep contrast between the higlight and shadow.

[LeeR]

Sorry, Doc, but there is nothing going on in this image compositionally that is worth saving. I say learn what you can from this experience and go look for another one.

What is especially frustrating is that you had some really nice light going on. I look for this kind of light all the time. However, you needed to be focused on a smaller area where the lighting would be more noticable.

[LoveDSLR]

I'll use the Balance concept to crop the first photo. Then tidy up the photo with some cloning.