Vineyard in HDR

[Peisqo]

Hi everyone !

1st of all i'm Peisqo and i'm new to the dps forum I've read the rules and things but just want to apologize just in case i missed out something or did anything wrong Hoping to learn from you guys here !!

So here's a shot of a vineyard taken at Hunter Valley, Sydney. Did some HDR on it to give if the punch. Just wondering if it's overdone or not? Also hoping to get some comments on the composition of the photo. I've included the rules of thirds and vanishing point here. I've tried to get lower but i'm losing the sky. Any comments on how to improve the composition of this photo ? Looking forward to hearing from you guys



Camera: Nikon D90
Exposure: 0.01 sec (999/100000) - actually 3 photos : 1/400 , 1/1600 and 1/100
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200

[jiminyClickit]

Peisqo, Welcome

And thanks, you've renewed my belief that someday, a new member will visit, see rules, read them, and then post a great thread. Hold on to your apology, you did all anyone needs to give you a Critique that, we hope, will be helpful.

One first impression is that, while you've been true to your title (very subtle HDR, nice), the subject, vineyard, is very broad, and could use something else, like a harvester, a basket of grapes, a small table with a bottle and glasses on it, something to act as an anchor, while we take in the surrounding vines and sky and ground. As it is, my attention runs over the weeds to the tiny tree in the horizon, fast, and wonders what did I see?

Technically it is good. One more subject in the composition would make it good and interesting. Sometimes interesting is the hardest part of photography, and it can be learned too.

[And to all the other new members who have recently posted perfectly, thank you, too.]

[Peisqo]

Originally Posted by jiminyClickit

Peisqo, Welcome

And thanks, you've renewed my belief that someday, a new member will visit, see rules, read them, and then post a great thread. Hold on to your apology, you did all anyone needs to give you a Critique that, we hope, will be helpful.

One first impression is that, while you've been true to your title (very subtle HDR, nice), the subject, vineyard, is very broad, and could use something else, like a harvester, a basket of grapes, a small table with a bottle and glasses on it, something to act as an anchor, while we take in the surrounding vines and sky and ground. As it is, my attention runs over the weeds to the tiny tree in the horizon, fast, and wonders what did I see?

Technically it is good. One more subject in the composition would make it good and interesting. Sometimes interesting is the hardest part of photography, and it can be learned too.

[And to all the other new members who have recently posted perfectly, thank you, too.]

Wow i'm honoured to be commented by a "honorary critique moderator" lol. I read some articles on the blog (plans to read all 124 pages of them since i'm on holiday haha) and i've came across a few good points. One of them which is "leading lines" which I believe i have (correct me if i'm wrong). Like you said my photo leads your eyes from the foreground all the way to the end ( which is better than your eyes wondering around yeah? ) and that's it. So i succeed in that point but you're saying i'm lack of a subject, didn't you? That's "focal point" according to this article isn't it? I agree VINEYARD was just too broad and there is not REAL subject in that photo.

Man that's an awesome comment. That's really professional critic and I've learnt how to improve. Thanks alot mate!! Looking forward in learning more from you guys.

Besides that, does anyone else have any critics ? I'd very much appreciate if someone could add into how i could improve this shot. Cheers !!

[dblaveino]

Peisqo- I agree with jiminy...

When you are framing your shot by placing the horizon line on either the top or bottom third, think why or why not. Why am I showing more ground than sky? In this case that is my question... when i looked at the photo, I wonder what is going on in the sky, because there isnt all that much going on in the foreground... And if the sky ended up not being all that interesting either, then why not take the shot in landscape format? (an interesting tip that i once got from a friend of mine was to take 2 shots for every picture... one landscape and one portrait... that way you really dont get too stuck in one format)

over all though. I feel like it is a really nice photo, and you DO make a focal point. It just leaves me wanting MORE...

Great technique on the HDR too... I'm very pleased that its not over done like so many others that I have been seeing recently!

Cant wait to see more!

-dblaveino

[Peisqo]

Originally Posted by dblaveino

Peisqo- I agree with jiminy...

When you are framing your shot by placing the horizon line on either the top or bottom third, think why or why not. Why am I showing more ground than sky? In this case that is my question... when i looked at the photo, I wonder what is going on in the sky, because there isnt all that much going on in the foreground... And if the sky ended up not being all that interesting either, then why not take the shot in landscape format? (an interesting tip that i once got from a friend of mine was to take 2 shots for every picture... one landscape and one portrait... that way you really dont get too stuck in one format)

over all though. I feel like it is a really nice photo, and you DO make a focal point. It just leaves me wanting MORE...

Great technique on the HDR too... I'm very pleased that its not over done like so many others that I have been seeing recently!

Cant wait to see more!

-dblaveino

That's another great tip !! Thanks dblaveino. In my case, neither the sky nor the ground was interesting, which is why i tried to get a low angle but guess that failed as well :P So in that case is it alright to go landscape and put the horizon in the middle ? That defies the rules of thirds then ..

Hmm I usually NEVER do this but I have no idea why I did it this time .. i actually got a landscape of the same frame .. exactly like what you've suggested lol .. I don't think I can post more than 1 photo here right ? I'll wait for approval but in the mean time, that photo is in my flickr. Is that what you've been suggesting dblaveino?

[jiminyClickit]

If this is all there is to shoot, then I would go to the first vine in a row and find a really good bunch of grapes to focus on, while angling back similar to your original shot, but not so dead-centered. Strong point of interest, perspective, thirds intersects easy to place. It's all about point of view. Something in a vineyard.

No grapes? Buy a bunch, or focus on a bloom, or tiny unripe fruit, a broad leaf with insect, etc.

If you want to edit this shot, you can repost that here. If you want to reshoot, you could post that, but you might get more response to a new thread.

[Peisqo]

Originally Posted by jiminyClickit

If this is all there is to shoot, then I would go to the first vine in a row and find a really good bunch of grapes to focus on, while angling back similar to your original shot, but not so dead-centered. Strong point of interest, perspective, thirds intersects easy to place. It's all about point of view. Something in a vineyard.

No grapes? Buy a bunch, or focus on a bloom, or tiny unripe fruit, a broad leaf with insect, etc.

If you want to edit this shot, you can repost that here. If you want to reshoot, you could post that, but you might get more response to a new thread.

Awesome ! Absolutely loved the comments from you guys I'll find more photos which i think i can improve on and make a new thread. Thanks alot !

[Trevor.Dennis]

I'm a bit new to the Forum to be making critiques, but I'll take a shot at it...

It's a good interesting shot, and the HDR has been handled well.

It's generally not a good idea to use so wide an angle without strong foreground interest - as suggested by other posters. You don't mention whether you used a tripod, but you could perhaps have placed the camera very close to the ground to make a feature of the clover (if that's what it is). That would also have given you the stability (if actually on the ground or rested on your camera bag) to use f22 and maximise DoF.

I can see from the fuller EXIF on flickr that you are using CS3 that has the excellent Auto align layers feature. You could perhaps have optimised focus for the three picture elements with that in mind. I'm guessing that the scene became brighter towards the sky.

Landscape mode might have worked better, and would have made more of the perspective of the vines.

Finally keep this shot in mind for a composite - the perspective of the vines would set off something rushing towards the camera like a sprinter. In fact I just might steal the idea and have a go myself.

[BrentGambrell]

The colors are great, the sky is perfect, but your subjects however, are not.

I didn't get a "vineyard" feel when I looked at this picture.

Perhaps you could find a very nice full bushel and focus in and shoot away.

[EOBeav]

Yeah, the HDR effect here is really nice. It looks very natural and not overdone. My only criticism is one of composition: This isn't about the vineyard, or the sky, it's about the space in between the rows. If you could have gotten a different angle on one of the vineyard rows, you would have had a much different picture. As it is, the space on the ground is pretty blank.