Isolation technique on a Malaysian beach

[qunox]

From 2010_02_07

Filename: IMG_8855.JPG
Camera: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 450D
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/400 sec
Aperture: 13.0
Focal Length: 18mm
Flash Used: No

How can I improve to make this photo phenomenal (chuckle). Anyway is how can create more focus and tension to the kid.

[imdaMANimal]

I would try to move the horizon a little higher. I think that would add to the feeling of vastness and isolation. You could also change your angle so that there are no people in the background.

[navcom]

Totally agree...move the horizon to the upper 1/3 and clone out the people in the background.

[qunox]

Thas an interisting suggestion

[navcom]

Here is a quick example. I cropped it to size and cloned out the people in the background. I also bumped the saturation a bit but that's just a taste thing...

[truffet]

I think the balance is strong, but I think for a more 'dramatic' effect, I would have crouched down more while taking this shot. Get the kid and the reflection, but from more on 'his' level...otherwise it still has the effect of 'looking down' on the kid.

[Kistabill]

Disagree about clonig out the people completely. I feel that if you want to create a sense of isolation or lonliness it's an advantage to have several figures in the image but to have your main figure somehow not connected: by means of perspective, body direction/postion - whatever. In this case it's a bit unfortunate that the little group of people are directly above the main figure. Might have worked better if they were further to the right

[CESTO]

I agree with Kistabill, it feels better to see tiny people in the distance.
I think a little more sky than your crop, maybe half inch or so.

[PhotoDon]

If you take a blank piece of paper and start covering up the sky from the top, moving down toward the horizon, you may find a crop that works better. You might want to crop out all but a sliver of the sky changing the format into horizontal rather than vertical - or even square. I agree that the people in the background are an important part of the composition.