What’s Your Preference?

S_Sanyal · #1 (**permalink**) 03-29-2011, 05:40 AM

Hello everyone,Here's an experiment I did a while back, and I only had a P& S Camera on my person at the time and shooting in auto mode (its hard to shoot at luxury with all the time possible inside a living Indian Temple - my traveller friends will confirm that) This was shot by keeping my brown-tone glares in front of the lens to cut the harsh late morning light; also the grey stone as a canvas lent itself to this treatment.

Camera Sony DSC-H10
Exposure 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 6.8 mm
ISO Speed 125
Exposure Bias 0 EV

Composition wise, as you will observe that I have cut both the temple spire as well as the courtyard as the emphasis is on the SPATIAL EXPERIENCE of the temple complex: the way the structures enclose an area and the serenity of it. The people were included for scale and add a dash of colour to the otherwise monochrome photograph.

I want to know:
1. composition: would you rather see the entire spire in camera right ? (mind that it would include a lot more white space that adds nothing to my idea) The lions projected out of the shikhar (spire) provide the necessary schema to identify the temple
2. I positioned in a way that would have minimal distortion: panning a P&S camera up or down exaggerates perspective - I climbed on a structure placed at a reasonable distance to keep camera level with subject(s)
2. Colour saturation: does it need to be pulled back - how much so that i dont lose the people who are integral to the picture, albeit not primary elements?
3. Any other feedback is welcome..you're welcome to share what you think of this picture subjectively

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I'm considering using this in a book I'm writing on Kalingan temple (specifically the Sun temple, Konark) architecture with my boss and as the emphasis is on built environment and its relationship with rituals and feeling of sanctity through historic architectural design - which is why I prefer this warm mood image to a more "true" colour one.

Krusty79 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-29-2011, 09:33 PM

That's a difficult question - how to emphasize the spatial experience of that scene? I think that's why no one has responded yet. I was going to suggest either a ground level perspective or an elevated one. I see you chose an elevated perspective. I do feel like the people on the left are cut off at the bottom. I don't mind missing the spire of the building on the right, but I don't know what I am missing, either. There might be a little too much saturation, but it doesn't bother me.

Since the buildings are pretty much the same color and seem to be pretty close together, I don't get a feeling of space - it feels more clustered. I think I would get more of the impression of serenity if there was just one lone person in the shot. I wish I could give you more specific recommendations, but I have never been there.

S_Sanyal · #3 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 06:55 AM

Yeah, its a tough one Krusty!

I understand the clustering point - and by spatial experience its actually alluding to whatever the situation may be. Perhaps serenity is the wrong word. There are ways to interpret this...

Maybe I should raise some simpler questions to begin with at least, say what can one do to strengthen this picture - composition wise; given that this is the only frame i have and am compelled to use it. Broadly speaking - we are constrained by having to use THIS particular image. How can we do that in the best way possible.

SwissJon · #4 (**permalink**) 04-01-2011, 10:39 AM

OK, If you're limited to this photo, here's my comments on how I think you could improve that.

I do find the colour a bit strong. I think you're right to have some yellowing if the temple is otherwise grey, but perhaps ease off a fraction, perhaps adding a touch of orange?

I would crop the left column so that you lose all of the off verticals. There's a vertical line that stops just to right of the decoration at the top, I think that would be an appropriate place to crop. The top of the column descends out of the picture, and the crop would prevent the eye wandering out of the picture, frustrated by what it can't see. You already have a similar column in the picture, so you can complete the column in your minds eye. It provides balance to the enourmous structure on the left, giving you a frame.

Alternatively you could crop the entire column out, but that would leave you with the sillhouette of the woman below the doorway, which would make her look a little lost.

On the right hand side there appears to be a lamp, again, I would crop the right so that you lose that. Perhaps losing the entire building on the right.

This leads us to a portrait format frame, which I think emphasises the height of the structure. It's a pity you lost the feet of the people in the foreground, but you're right, they're an important part of the picture, giving it scale.

I think the space you need to consider is in the vertical with this picture, there's no space on the horizontal, the same way as there's no space in a city crowded with high rise buildings... Whatever you do, I think you should look to using portrait format to emphasise that.

chicagojohn · #5 (**permalink**) 04-02-2011, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwissJon

OK, If you're limited to this photo, here's my comments on how I think you could improve that.

Alternatively you could crop the entire column out, but that would leave you with the sillhouette of the woman below the doorway, which would make her look a little lost.

Maybe it's me, but the column on the left doesn't appear straight. I'm wondering if a crop at the top of it wouldn't emphasize that along the left edge of the resulting image? But this column also seems to give an overall impression of enclosure rather than open space feeling I think is sought.

So do you think it would be an option to crop the left column out entirely and then use PS to eradicate the sillhouette of the woman below the doorway? Should be easy to do but maybe unacceptable for some other reason.

S_Sanyal · #6 (**permalink**) 04-11-2011, 07:17 PM

Sorry for the late reply everyone...was traveling and just returned...I read your feedback, Swissjon and Cjohn..thanks. I think I'll have a go at it again. The saturation seems too much on second look (this was processed on an LCD and it does look too rich on my calibrated monitor)...

composition wise, I like swissjon's idea of working with verticals - of course, then it seems the tough part is to balance the frame without weighing everything too much to the right. maybe an exact half of the left structure would work to balance.

cjohn, i like the idea...i dont think the sihouette being there or not matter in this case much...i personally kinda dont mind it. and you're right about the verticals not being straight, i'll have to take care of that and fix the distortion before use of this photograph.

thanks again!