Skating the Loading Dock

[ericw]

Uh, I'm not sure why this was deleted before... Anyway please critique composition on this, my first attempt making images of one of my skate homies. Without flash, what would you do with a background like this - are there other angles that I should've tried? Is my shutter speed fast enough? I used servo AF, should I have tried prefocusing and switching to manual? It seems pretty soft.Umm.. anything else you want to comment on.. I know the soda needs to go...

From Action Sports

Mar 15, 2009
Camera: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/320 sec
Aperture: 7.1
Focal Length: 18mm
Flash Used: No

[t blanchard]

The capture of action is fantastic! I think the angle is great and I like the bold colors. I'm not sure what you mean by this question: "Without flash, what would you do with a background like this" - could you elaborate?

[sybren]

First of all, I would have tried to get more light in his face. Perhaps make him look up more, or place a reflector somewhere.

Concerning the composition, there are several objects that are cut in half by the edge of the photo. I would have cropped the blue dumpster, and probably also the fence on the left. Perhaps a lower shooting position would have given the photo some more extreme angles. That would also have separated the door knob from the skateboard wheel.

The shutter speed is fine. Perhaps you can regain some sharpness by applying chromatic abberation correction.

[t blanchard]

Originally Posted by sybren

Concerning the composition, there are several objects that are cut in half by the edge of the photo. I would have cropped the blue dumpster, and probably also the fence on the left.

I was actually going to recommend cropping out the blue dumpster, but then I thought it was a nice element to parallel the yellow rails and the green shirt. Maybe try cropping it out and see what you think.

There is also something about that Pepsi bottle sitting there that bothers me...

[ericw]

Originally Posted by t blanchard

I'm not sure what you mean by this question: "Without flash, what would you do with a background like this" - could you elaborate?

What I meant wass that the background was bothering me - I didn't really think about what was bothering me about it specifically. I think Sybren hit it on the head when he pointed out the wheel and the door knob. And without being able to use flash to seperate the rider from the background I wasn't sure what to do. After Sybren's comments I think if I had rotated my position a bit to the right and gotten lower, the rider would've been placed between the left fence and the door and the dumpster would've been out of the shot as well. Should've thought about my composition some more instead of obsessing over flash.

Thanks for the comments!

And thanks for the reflector suggestion.

[t blanchard]

Originally Posted by ericw

What I meant wass that the background was bothering me - I didn't really think about what was bothering me about it specifically. I think Sybren hit it on the head when he pointed out the wheel and the door knob. And without being able to use flash to seperate the rider from the background I wasn't sure what to do. After Sybren's comments I think if I had rotated my position a bit to the right and gotten lower, the rider would've been placed between the left fence and the door and the dumpster would've been out of the shot as well. Should've thought about my composition some more instead of obsessing over flash.

Thanks for the comments!

And thanks for the reflector suggestion.

You could always use a smaller aperture to blur the background more - that would focus the attention on the skater...

[mikedugganphotography]

As far as the action goes you did a great job capturing it. Would it have been possible to move more in front of the skater? This would eliminate some of the distractive pieces like the pipes, rails etc. and given the building wall as a more solid background.

[ericw]

Yeah it was definately possible and it definately would've improved the image a lot. I'll remember it next time for sure.

You are from frederick! and I am from Hagerstown.. do you shoot much skating over there?

[RyanAtaylor]

I agree with the comment about a more shallow depth of field. If you didn't want to do that, I would suggest eliminating some of the other stuff going on. Maybe a slightly different point of view...where you frame him with the door or something to attract even more attention to the figure. I do like the shutter speed. I've been taught you should do manual. Nothing wrong w/ more control right? As for the color in the dumpster and pipes... I think personally that you should leave them in this photo. Put your hand up and cover them up on the screen and see how it affects the photo. To me, it takes away from whats there.

[Aidan]

i like this photo, good lighting and colour.

id have done a wider composition, from further back, and used the railing to 'lead in' to the rider. thats just me though, i get odd ideas i cant really describe. keep at it though!