Results always dissapointing

[jsanders]

Hello everyone.

Here I am. I like to take pictures every so often. So this past sunday I went to a place calles volendam ('ts in the Netherlands). I didn't take many pictures but I did take some picutures of a very nice sailing ship arriving at the quay. I thought i had taken some great shots. While I was still there I checked my display and the histogram. Everything seemed fine.
Then when I came home, i transfered the picutres to my pc. And as always, very disapointing. I thought I had made a picture which would look like a postcard. But the composition was not good.
Does this happen to you as well? Can you give me some tips how to deal with this? Have you overcome the same struggle?
All tips 'n tricks are welcome.

[jiminyClickit]

jsanders,

Thinking back to your sister-in-law portrait, that was a good composition. I've spent a majority of my life dealing in composition, so I have some idea of how things go together well within a frame. I'd suggest you read a good Graphic Arts book first, then look around for photographic discussions about composition. You'll understand them better once you learn the basic terms and theories behind composition.

[wulf]

How many pictures did you take of the scene? How many do you expect to keep? I typically take at least two and often more shots of a particular subject. Some will be very similar but allowing for those tiny details that can make or break a shot (for example someone walking into shot and spoiling the sense of isolation, how the wind stirs the sails, etc) and some will experiment with different approaches (eg. thinking about the background as much as the subject, considering different angles, etc).

That often gets whittled down to one shot I keep and even that might call out for some post processing before I am content to keep it (I was blogging about this topic this morning).

I wonder if you are taking enough pictures to increase your odds of getting one that you are happy with?

Wulf

[jsanders]

@jiminyClickit: Thanks for your reaction. I am suprised that you remember that portrait. That was actually one of my better shots. For this I took the time and she wanted more and more shots. Do you have a good book tip for me about Graphic Arts?

@Wulf: Thanks for your reaction. I think, that I took about 5 or 6 pictures (I am at the office now and don't have them here). If I have time I will post the shot's tonight. Then I can explain better what I mean and why I think they didn't come out as I wanted.

[wulf]

It is always worth analysing what disappointed you about a shot - that way you can figure out if the deficiency can be fixed with post-processing or if there is something you need to look out for next time you see a similar scene. I look forward to seeing one or two of the shots.

Wulf

[jsanders]

Hello,
As promised i would publish two of my shots from last sunday:
#1

#2


What I don't like about them is that I thought I took some nice shots which I could put straight on a postcards. But it was disappointing. First of all, it isn't a good composition. Secondly not the whole boat is on it.

[jiminyClickit]

jsanders,

You'll get some of your answers from just taking photographs, good ones, iffy ones, soon enough you'll see before you trip the shutter whether you have a good position. On your boat, if there was enough wharf, I'd have walked to your left, making the angle of the boat tighter (and narrower) so that I could go portrait (vertical) and get the masts, and less of the other boats. Think "tall ships."

[wulf]

I think the second is better than the first (brighter, straighter horizon, no people in the foreground) but it is a shame you missed the top of the masts. You should be able to pick up something like when reviewing on the camera - find some shade (so the screen isn't overpowered by the sun) and zoom in a bit, looking round the edges of the picture to make sure everything is covered.

You might be able to get a usable image by cropping in closer at the bottom and back of the boat (and perhaps cloning out a couple of distractions at the bottom so that it looks like it might be sailing out to see rather than pointing towards the quay) but I think it would have been better to get the whole thing in the viewfinder.

If you are often cutting things off, spend a while deliberately framing a bit wider. That will give you scope to crop back later and you should find that your eye for what needs to be in frame improves so you can later return to framing in camera.

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

jsanders,

"Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is primarily for artists who want to draw more accurately, but I found some good ideas, exercises and ways of seeing worth the price of this book. Try the DPS Blog, search "Composition" and move on to web search for Graphic Arts, Composition, Design, and perhaps quickest, go to a college bookshop, or an Art Supply store, for best selection also.

[jsanders]

I have done some cropping to it and I hope this already make's a difference. But stull it isn't a brilliant picture which I would add to my portfolio.