Light dappled swing

[JennyQuinn]

Originally Posted by laura.wilkerson1333

Yes! About the picture though. I don't really want to argue about PP

You started it

[PowerPix]

Okay, well, the background as well as the pot in the front are very distracting. The whole angle of the shot does not help out greatly, either. There is not much that draws me or grabs my interest in the photo. Maybe if the background were blurred (this can be done in camera) a little would help draw out the swing. And personally, I think a tighter crop on the left would be better. Shadows are a hard subject to capture.

I will not argue about PP, but I do want to make a statement. I started out exactly like you, "I will not touch a photo with software AT ALL!!!". That's fine, but, I do minor sharpening, color correction, and small things like that. A camera does not have full capability to capture an image exactly the way a human eye sees it. I am not a fan of completely overhauling a photo into something it's not. That's why I only do "restoration", per se. Just something to consider.

[ryder]

Since you don't believe in PP, you need to retake this photo at other times and other exposures. The main problem that I see with this one is that your main focus point is the swing, but that area is too dark and the picture overall lacks contrast. Good luck getting the "perfect shot" in the camera!!!!!

[nathanbarlow]

Laura - i understnad what you were trying to say regarding over-Photoshopping - but take the view that if people like someone "overdone" pp'd image, eiter just accept they have different (aka weird haha) taste, or they are just ignorant. Maybe you can point out the problems with over PP to your friends - like just say, oh in doing that, you've lost all the detail here here and here, etc. That way they learn :P

Coming from a graphic design perspective (enthusuiast, not professional) photoshop can be used very well to create something from scratch, but the key is knowing limits in applying techniques, This varies with style, and also expertise with photoshop. When I first changed over to using Photoshop for photography, it took quite a while to retrain my sense of knowing when to stop - photography manipulation is alot more fickle - a little too much of something, and you can kill the image.

Anyways. I like the subject, but like someone else said, the pots and the the angle arent really conductive to the photo. I would get in closer (either zoom or physically move) and think about the background. Also maybe try a tad underexposure, to accentuate the light beams - maybe -1/2 or even -1... I think it would be quite a nice picture if it was in a faded colour, rather than B+W. Something much like an old colour film.

Hope that helps
Nathan

[Nesh108]

Nice idea.But I dont feel anything.
The pic seems too blurred or maybe the exposure time is too low.
it could be a good pic, though

[Joyce Matthews]

I suggest you zoom in on the bench and crop the photo to eliminate the background elements. This would give more attention to the bench.