Wrestling match at a flea market

[Eien Photography]

Hello everyone, I took this picture while doing a class project, Social Landscape, for my photography class a while back. Yes it took place at a flea market near my home. Also do you think it would be better if I crop down the top part where the window is? Do you guys think it works even though I crop the wrestler's foot?? please critique away. Thank you



Exif Data:

Camera Canon EOS REBEL T1i
Exposure 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

[dlambert]

It's a good action shot - not easy w/o a flash. The cropped foot doesn't bother me, but in a shot like this, I'd like to see someone's face a little better - I think that would help the "human interest" part of the photo. Did you shoot in B&W or convert it afterwards?

[karen_s]

Oh how fun! I used to love watching wrestling on tv when I was a kid ... The Killer Bees, The Claw, all good.

Anyway to your question about the crop ... Yes. I would crop out the window 'cause it is a block of brightness and my eye just wants to go there. However I would not crop in from the right or left unless you have to match a certain aspect ratio for your assignment. (It would look kinda wide screen rather than standard 4x6 but I kinda like that feel.)

Outside of that, the image has some nice contrast but the blacks are kinda heavy and some of the details seem to be getting lost. If you have some software with a dodge tool (like Photoshop, Lightroom ...) experiment with it and see if you can bring out some of that detail. I'd say up the exposure a bit but my guess is the brighter area on the left would blow out big time and you'd hate to see that go.

Anyway, I like your subject for the assignment. I also like the lines from the left with the ref as they travel and connect to the wrestlers then lead on out of the image on the right.

[gturner]

I would clone the window out, it would be a shame to lose the height in the image.

use some file light
play with the colours in the BW conversion (if the wrestlers with his face to us is well tanned, look at orange slider, that will be a great way to lighten his face.

[Eien Photography]

Originally Posted by dlambert

It's a good action shot - not easy w/o a flash. The cropped foot doesn't bother me, but in a shot like this, I'd like to see someone's face a little better - I think that would help the "human interest" part of the photo. Did you shoot in B&W or convert it afterwards?

Originally Posted by karen_s

Oh how fun! I used to love watching wrestling on tv when I was a kid ... The Killer Bees, The Claw, all good.

Anyway to your question about the crop ... Yes. I would crop out the window 'cause it is a block of brightness and my eye just wants to go there. However I would not crop in from the right or left unless you have to match a certain aspect ratio for your assignment. (It would look kinda wide screen rather than standard 4x6 but I kinda like that feel.)

Outside of that, the image has some nice contrast but the blacks are kinda heavy and some of the details seem to be getting lost. If you have some software with a dodge tool (like Photoshop, Lightroom ...) experiment with it and see if you can bring out some of that detail. I'd say up the exposure a bit but my guess is the brighter area on the left would blow out big time and you'd hate to see that go.

Anyway, I like your subject for the assignment. I also like the lines from the left with the ref as they travel and connect to the wrestlers then lead on out of the image on the right.

Originally Posted by gturner

I would clone the window out, it would be a shame to lose the height in the image.

use some file light
play with the colours in the BW conversion (if the wrestlers with his face to us is well tanned, look at orange slider, that will be a great way to lighten his face.

Thanks to the suggestions guys I really appreciated, sorry it took me a while to reply.

To dlambert: I shot this in B&W, I found it easier to shot B&W than in Color, but then again I have a slight preference to shot in B&W than to shot in color.

To karen_s: It was really fun working there. I had the chance to work there for 2 months. I get about the window, but I didn't want to crop it and also the teacher told us we weren't allow to do any kind of editing. About the leg, well, I didn't crop it intensionally, I took the photo and when i got home to see, and select the "good ones" for class I saw the cropped leg. This photo didn't get selected for my final series.

To gturner: Im not skilled enough using the clone tool so i didn't want to do a crappy job with it that's why i left it like that

Again guys thank you very much.

If you have any other suggestions please feel free