The Photography Thread

[aligreto]

To crop or not to crop?

[North Star]

To crop or not to crop?

No, the original is much better to me.

[Mookalafalas]

No original is much better to me.

  I agree. The original is rather unworldly.  The cropped one is still very good, but loses that weird feeling that makes the first so startlingly good.

[North Star]

  I agree. The original is rather unworldly.  The cropped one is still very good, but loses that weird feeling that makes the first so startlingly good.

Tthere's definitely a surreal feel to the original.

[aligreto]

Cheers guys; I am inclined to agree myself although my natural instinct is generally to frame tightly around the subject. However in this case I feel that the first image has room to breath.

[North Star]

Cheers guys; I am inclined to agree myself although my natural instinct is generally to frame tightly around the subject. However in this case I feel that the first image has room to breath.

Framing the subject tightly isn't a universal goal at all. One should aim for a strong composition, and to excluding elements that don't add to the image, while not compromising the composition. And, crucially, that whole hill is subject. It adds to the image.

[Mookalafalas]

You hit the nail on the head with the point about that hill.  Its roundness is the key to the picture, I think; it seems to almost stand in for the whole earth, with the tree then acquiring some special status. This makes the three working up to it seem somehow threatening and unpleasant.  In the crop this effect is mostly lost--they are just boys on a hill.

[North Star]

You hit the nail on the head with the point about that hill.  Its roundness is the key to the picture, I think; it seems to almost stand in for the whole earth, with the tree then acquiring some special status. This makes the three working up to it seem somehow threatening and unpleasant.  In the crop this effect is mostly lost--they are just boys on a hill.

I didn't think they were threatening or unpleasant. Maybe your sympathy towards nature, represented by the tree, is coming to fore in your interpretation? Certainly it pits the persons climbing against the hill, and the  tree and bushes on it. The photo reminds me of the iconic photo of the American soldiers raising the flag on Iwo Jima. And, significantly - of course - the chap in a dark shirt is looking much more reluctant.


Thread duty - last one from the series for now, I think.

[Mookalafalas]

I didn't think they were threatening or unpleasant.

  May sound strange, but due to their white pants, at first glance I thought of worms/grubs/larvae/maggots writhing and burrowing up the hill

while we're here
Black Swans in Shallow DOF.jpg by Mookalafalas, on Flickr

[Moonfish]

  May sound strange, but due to their white pants, at first glance I thought of worms/grubs/larvae/maggots writhing and burrowing up the hill

while we're here
Black Swans in Shallow DOF.jpg by Mookalafalas, on Flickr

Nice shot Al! I have a tendency to enjoy bird photography (and nature overall). The swan furthest to the right is spectacular. Why not focus on the two rightmost swans (perhaps three) and keep the water above them as well? The canal (and siding) is distracting as one's eyes hit the swans and tend to move leftwards and up in the image. Love the red bill contrasting with the black feathers!

[aligreto]

Framing the subject tightly isn't a universal goal at all. One should aim for a strong composition, and to excluding elements that don't add to the image, while not compromising the composition. And, crucially, that whole hill is subject. It adds to the image.

You hit the nail on the head with the point about that hill.  Its roundness is the key to the picture, I think; it seems to almost stand in for the whole earth, with the tree then acquiring some special status. This makes the three working up to it seem somehow threatening and unpleasant.  In the crop this effect is mostly lost--they are just boys on a hill.

Thank you for the interesting comments guys. The background to that particular shot was that I was driving through the Irish countryside and saw that small hill in a wider landscape. There was indeed something mystical about it, which is why I noticed it in the first place. Then I saw the boys heading towards the hill. I stopped the car, walked back a it to get a little closer and waited for them to be in the position on the hill that I wanted.

[aligreto]

 
Black Swans in Shallow DOF.jpg by Mookalafalas, on Flickr

There is something unworldly about those swans; it is the eye colouring I think that makes them look a bit disconcerting!

[Mookalafalas]

Nice shot Al! I have a tendency to enjoy bird photography (and nature overall). The swan furthest to the right is spectacular. Why not focus on the two rightmost swans (perhaps three) and keep the water above them as well? The canal (and siding) is distracting as one's eyes hit the swans and tend move leftwards and up. Love the red bill contrasting with the black feathers!

  I agree with you, Peter!  As Aligreto mentions, the birds are cool looking and interesting, but the overall composition leaves a lot to be desired.  They were actually closing up the dock and I lay on my stomach and grabbed some pics, but none really did the subject justice...

[Moonfish]

  I agree with you, Peter!  As Aligreto mentions, the birds are cool looking and interesting, but the overall composition leaves a lot to be desired.  They were actually closing up the dock and I lay on my stomach and grabbed some pics, but none really did the subject justice...

It is still a great shot! 

[Sergeant Rock]

It is still a great shot! 

I agree. Sure, the composition isn't perfect but it's a striking image nonetheless.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Love the vibrant, almost surreal colors, and the forward motion. Boys never stand still.

Sarge

[George]

Love the vibrant, almost surreal colors, and the forward motion. Boys never stand still.

Sarge

And they don't cry. 

[Mookalafalas]

Peter, Sarge, thanks for the nice comments.

George---Right, except when you don't let them play with your cell phone, watch the TV show they want to see, put on the shoes they don't want to wear, stay up late...

[North Star]

     

[aligreto]

     

Love that one in particular!