What’s Your Preference?

sarahle · #1 (**permalink**) 06-11-2011, 10:44 PM

I took this photo today...and need to know some opinion, critique, ideas..there is a local photo contest which is specific for the area and this photo shows several criteria of the contest..the beauty of the landscape, the season, a person using this land in an appropriate manner, so the general criteria is met...they are also judging on technical quality, uniqueness, etc..

Exif data is...shot w/a Canon Rebel XT
f/4.5
1/400
ISO 100
18mm(18-55 zoom kit lens)
I did shoot raw and did not do a lot of post processing..I was basically happy with the shot as it came..however being shot in the morning light, I see darkness in the woods on the eastern side, but that's to be expected..
What aspects could have been done better? Should I have gotten closer to the water? Is the water too dark? If you were judging it, would it warrant a second glance?

JFSanders · #2 (**permalink**) 06-11-2011, 10:46 PM

No photograph shows in your post.

sarahle · #3 (**permalink**) 06-11-2011, 10:50 PM

I took this photo today...and need to know some opinion, critique, ideas..there is a local photo contest which is specific for the area and this photo shows several criteria of the contest..the beauty of the landscape, the season, a person using this land in an appropriate manner, so the general criteria is met...they are also judging on technical quality, uniqueness, etc..

Exif data is...shot w/a Canon Rebel XT
f/4.5
1/400
ISO 100
18mm(18-55 zoom kit lens)
I did shoot raw and did not do a lot of post processing..I was basically happy with the shot as it came..however being shot in the morning light, I see darkness in the woods on the eastern side, but that's to be expected..
What aspects could have been done better? Should I have gotten closer to the water? Is the water too dark? If you were judging it, would it warrant a second glance? The competition is for photo space in a 12 month calendar celebrating the area.

sarahle · #4 (**permalink**) 06-11-2011, 10:53 PM

Sorry my attention got called elsewhere just as I was about to do the preview...I hit submit instead..

JFSanders · #5 (**permalink**) 06-12-2011, 02:32 AM

The mind will add sky to a scene but a centered composition will detract from the brightest subject in the scene. That is a bad thing. The kayak is headed into the scene which will draw the viewer in. That is a good thing. Crop the sky down to just above the trees and it will show better.

As to the exposure, I think it is pretty good but the colors are a little flat. They don't punch.

sarahle · #6 (**permalink**) 06-12-2011, 02:56 AM

You know I think you are right...I do need to crop that sky down...I see that now that you say it...colors do need punching..there had been two kayaks but one headed out before the other..I will do the crop, and see about adding some color...it is rare that I center composition like this but I was on an overlook with about 20 cars parked and nowhere else to go but where I was...no ground to really move to so I just shot where I was...Thank you for your time and thought.

Thanatoz · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2011, 08:13 AM

I see what you mean about the crop it makes a huge difference....
I also did a high pass and blended it at 35% soft light so create some contrast.

rmettier · #8 (**permalink**) 06-13-2011, 10:53 AM

Don't know if you want to go this far with postprocessing, but here's one point:

The cropped version is already a lot nicer than the first version; JFSanders was 100% right there; but unfortunately, you've lost those nice fluffy cumulus clouds that were in the upper center, and now you have those rather boring flat cirrus clouds at the top right and center. If you would maybe cut out those clouds and stich in the fluffy ones, it might make the top of the image more pleasing. Might be a lot of work though, depending on how handy you are with your image editing tool. Might also go beyond what you're willing to 'fake' into your picture.

wal · #9 (**permalink**) 06-13-2011, 11:31 AM

i prefer the uncropped composition.. it shows the vast and awesome landscape and the kayak is just a perspective point in the frame. colors, i agree that it needs some enchancement.

Photologyst · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-2011, 02:29 PM

It is a very nice photo, given the criteria.

Here is what I would do with it. Adjust colours, crop to rule of thirds. This way you get to keep the sky and the main focus of kayak moving toward the turn and the horizon is not in the middle, cutting the photo in half.