Seascape - Lonely boat

[david163]

Hi all, this is my first attempt at this:
EXIF data:
Nikon D90
F-stop: f/20
Exposure: 1/30sec
Exposure bias: 0
Focal length: 55mm
Max aperture: 5
No flash
With polarizing filter

I would especially like some feedback on how to improve the composition of the shot and its exposure pls however all sorts of advice will be welcome. Thanks!

[BPhil8835]

I'll just give my first impression - I find the light on those two floats in the foreground distracting from what I presume was the primary subject, the boat. I'd probably crop them out but, hey, it's your photo. I've always thought (from my advanced age) that getting to museums or looking at art books will train your eye better than anything else.

[david163]

Hi, thanks for your reply - just one question though - when you say crop them out, do you mean cutting that part of the pic out, reducing the foreground and increasing the background when planning the shot or doing it afterwards with photoshop pls?

[Doug Sundseth]

Originally Posted by david163

Hi, thanks for your reply - just one question though - when you say crop them out, do you mean cutting that part of the pic out, reducing the foreground and increasing the background when planning the shot or doing it afterwards with photoshop pls?

Yes.

You'll end with higher resolution in the final file if you crop in camera (that's what zoom lenses are for), but you can crop either in camera or in post-production.

[Krusty79]

Besides the distracting floats, I think you need to tell some sort of story. If you had someone fishing from the boat or if there was some kind of interaction going on with the boat or with a passenger, it would add interest.

If you don't go the story route and want to go for artistic, then I think you need a nice sunset in the background or at least some foreground interest.