Garden Benches (2nd Post in two years)

[lewerim]

Man, I don't get on here enough.

Could you critique on Composition and overall quality of light? I realize the sky is blown out. It was an overcast day and I wasn't sure how to handle that.

Picasa Web Albums - Erik src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ijtOVU9XmWQ/St...0/DSC04386.JPG" />

From with" target="_blank">Picasa Web Albums - Erik - with Kyle and... Kyle and Lori @ Olbrich Botanical Gardens

[nathanbarlow]

Its a good start. Nothing 'wrong' with it, but I suggest that you choose your subject and shoot your subject - you've got too many things all competing for attention. Personally I like the benches and the pinkish leaves, so would primarily focus on those getting those in the shot, if possible. But there is alot of scope for different shots within that scene.

The blown sky isnt really a worry, since there is so little of it, but if it was a nice blue sky it might be nice. It just looks like a overcast day to me, so no biggie.

Finally, it looks like it was taken in Auto mode, and I would strongly encourage you to at least get out of that and into the program mode (P on Canon dSLR's) or into aperture priority mode (Av on Canon dSLR's) and take some of the control into your own hands.

[milosh]

I agree with what Nathan said. I think it is a good scene, but I can't figure out what is your main subject.
Also, do you notice that when you look at the image your eye keeps wandering around, "jumping" from one interesting thing to another (the tree, canopy, benches, the bushes in the front). You could try to get closer to the benches (since they are your subject), so they would be the main subject.

[lewerim]

Thanks for the comments. They confirm some of what I was thinking.

What I like most about this scene is the way the trunks of the central tree spread through the frame. I think I like the crop below alot better. I was on an outing with the family and didn't take as much time as I would have liked to think about my shots (as is usually the case.) I think maybe the whole thing was a little busy and the tree kinda got lost.

I wonder if I had included the tree in my post title, if comments would have been different.

BTW, the camera was set to Apeture priority rather than Automatic. Is it helpful to post camera settings as I see others do? Does FLICKR do a better job of capturing those settings than Picasa? (Forgive the NOOB-y questions.)

[nathanbarlow]

the crop is better

the exif data should be accessable on most image sharing sites - flickr definitely has it. Just go to 'more infomation' for the shot, and the exif should be on the left.

[milosh]

This crop is much more interesting. I've also found myself in situations where I see something that draws my eye (like the tree in your case) but it's surrounding is very complicated, and it is very hard to isolate the subject you first saw. Maybe we'll get better at it with time.