Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by Manic:
Critique Club comment :o)

Composition:

The first thing that my eye goes to in this image is the gazebo, since it stands out so clearly - exactly what this photo tries to do, which is great. The reflection on the water and the lines of the white bridge to the left give plenty of interest to the centre of the shot too.

However, the foreground branches on both right and left sides are distracting, and dont really help frame the photo - perhaps a closer crop or more zoom would have helped, or maybe a slight change in position (a bit lower?) while shooting.

Background:

The background trees are an integral part of the landscape, which works well, and the bridge/road behind the gazebo doesn't distract. The background sky is very clear blue, but this makes the shot feel a bit flat, since there isn't a sense of depth that a few clouds would add to the shot... but you can't always get the weather you want, of course :o)

Camera Work:

The focus and DoF are good, and all the details are quite clear, but perhaps a slightly shallower DoF focused on the gazebo would have blurred out the foreground branches a bit more, making them a bit less distracting.

Post Processing:

Since you've not provided any specific details, I can only guess as to the post processing you've done, if any. One important thing to mention is that this shot is only 97Kb, out of a maximum 150Kb, therefore you may have lost quite a bit of detail by compressing the image down to that size - I always recommend that you try to get as close to the 150Kb line as possible, so that as little detail as possible is lost.

Apart from that and possibly cropping tighter, it might be worth while adjusting the colour balance and levels for this shot - the shot is quite blue, and could do with a little more contrast to make the island pop out a bit more, and not just the gazebo.

My Opinion:

I think that this photo definitely meets the 'landscape' challenge, but it doesn't really excell in any area, making it more an average shot.

If you have any questions about this critique, please feel free to contact me via the PM system.

Message edited by author 2003-01-26 08:58:20.

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by Jacko:
Interesting reflection, however I feel there are too many competing elements: the branch on the left, the ducks, the bridge, the building, the reflections, the branch on the lower right corner. It still has its merits because it depicts tranquility. Jacko 6

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by lisae:
This is a very pleasant, peaceful scene, but photographically is a bit busy. The composition isn't tight enough to keep the viewer interested in any one particular thing.

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by pikyto:
Nice shot. Quiet place.

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by albright1:
What a tranquil scene! I like it except for the branch in the right foreground. Not that you could have helped it....

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by connie:
Very Nice!

"LADY IN RED"
by Bitz

Comment by Alecia:
CC

this is such a pretty photo! the composition and framing are excellent, and the clarity of the feathers is wonderful. did you use a red light to take this shot? i am trying to figure out what the background is--carpet? not that it matters really--i am jsut trying to figure out if a red lamp was bounced against a white carpet to create the glowy background! i like the fact that the reds are so prominent--it really makes the blues and greens jump out at you. i do find myself wondering tho, what the same shot might look like on a darker background? then those colors would REALLY pop! technically, this photo is well done--the aperture setting combined with the monochromatic feathers and background really give this pic a nice dreamy feel. nice work!

Message edited by author 2003-01-15 02:59:06.

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by bod:
Gorgeous. Good use of the trees in the foreground and good framing of the main focal point. A very nice reflection too. Nice shot.

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by inspzil:
Majestic looking, on a smaller scale though. The tree branch on the left is a little annoying, but I can live with it. I bet this would look much better in summer. The ducks are a great touch. - Inspzil

Winter Garden Gazebo
by Bitz

Comment by justine:
Very fresh, clean, good light, colors, composition and focus. Well done!