Please C/C about the composition of this scene

01/07/2011 08:28:24 PM · #1

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to photography, having just been snapping for a month or so. Right now, my main focus for learning is the difficult topic of composition. I have two photographs here that are from the same scene, but from a different perspective.

What I can't figure out is which is "better" in terms of it's composition. Please could you post your viewpoint (please be as honest as you can), and maybe a reason or two why you liked photo 1 or 2 better, so that I can try learn something out of this exercise.

I have tried to compose both pictures with two compositional elements in mind: rule-of-thirds with the bench placement, and the use of an S-curve with the pathway.

Bench 1:
flickr.com/photos/58089638@N08/5334113079/

Bench 2:
flickr.com/photos/58089638@N08/5334731792/

Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Regarding the post-processing...I'm still learning Lightroom 3, so please dont be too harsh with regards to processing. Any pointers would be great, but my main interest is to learn about composition.

Thanks to everyone, I know you're all busy!

Message edited by author 2011-01-07 20:28:43.

smardaz

01/07/2011 08:33:47 PM · #2

Link 1

Link 2

Number 2 seems more appealing to my eye,but looks as tho the horizon could be stratightened.

1 seems a little too static

Message edited by author 2011-01-07 20:38:32.

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/07/2011 09:04:16 PM · #3

Thanks Smardaz, I prefer #2 myself, but not sure if the PP is biasing my opinion.

What do you mean by "too static"?

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

01/07/2011 09:20:27 PM · #4

I assume he means that there's more interest and movement in #2. Your eye has more of a tendency to wander through the picture, while #1 just kind of sits there.

I agree with that, yet I actually like #1 a little better (maybe because #2 needs straightening and perhaps a little tighter crop.) But I really don't care for the bench straight on from the side. I think if you moved either to the right or the left a little, it would have been more interesting. Straight edge on isn't the most appealing angle, imo.

KristinaG

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

01/07/2011 09:28:04 PM · #5

I also prefer 2, and also agree the horizon could be played with a bit. There is no clear horizon line so its hard to give specific advice, but it does look a bit off.
Over all the second picture just has a lot more dynamic composition. It is far more interesting, but I think a lot of that actually has to do with lighting than with the composition. The natural vignetting (or not so natural?) is very nice.

JulietNN

Canon EOS R7

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

01/07/2011 09:34:13 PM · #6

I really like the PP work in both those shots it really works well, but I do feel like I am tilting in 1 and 2.

Number 2 for me is more full, it shows a whole scene and shows you everything there is, a lovely landscape, but number 1 gives me the feeling of loneliness, emptiness, it tells more of a singular story, does that make sense??

01/07/2011 09:55:58 PM · #7

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I have taken Number 2 and straightened the horizon as best I can (there is no clear vector to work with) and cropped in a little tighter.

Bench 3
//www.flickr.com/photos/58089638@N08/5334901438/

A little background to these photos: this is only the 3rd time I've seen snow, so I was out photographing first thing in the morning. Was out by myself for about 2hrs, freezing my hands off. Was so cold, I could barely press the shutter at times!! I took over 100 photos, and these are the only 2 that I felt any connection with --- somehow the loneliness of the bench mirrored the loneliness I felt being out in the park by myself.

Please keep the comments and suggestions coming, I do appreciate it all!!

Message edited by author 2011-01-07 21:57:05.

KristinaG

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

01/07/2011 10:00:43 PM · #8

Originally posted by gcoulson:

Yep, the picture appears straight to me now.

By the way, since you are looking to improve, please feel free to enter lots of challenges here. It helps more than anything else I have found. The honest feedback (in the form of the score, but also sometimes comments) does a lot to help improve photographers.

tanguera

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/07/2011 10:01:12 PM · #9

Hard to say. I like them both for different reasons.

#1 is a more static composition (straight on), but there is also a meandering stream to the left which disappears out of sight. That adds mystery, and has equal weight in the image as it is side by side with the bench. The lighting is also much more dramatic, as though this particular bench is in a spotlight, and we are witnessing a private moment. There are footprints all around it but the snow on the bench itself is virgin, untouched. There is a long, beautiful shadow behind the bench, which adds movement and dimension.

#2 needs to be straightened, for sure. This is closer to what DPC refers to as "eye candy" than #1 - the lighting is lovely throughout, highlighting the gorgeous branches and the soft circle around the subject bench. Though the stream also appears there, it is secondary as it is behind the bench, and relatively unlit. The bench has a foreshortened shadow, but there are more areas to explore visually.

I'd say that #1 is a solo performance, and #2 is an ensemble piece.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/07/2011 10:05:01 PM · #10

I like the new crop much better.

Tanguera hit the nail on the head. That's why I was leaning towards number 1 more -- I thought it told more of a story and it was more about the bench. #2 is more about the whole scene -- more of a landscape shot.

Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical MF Wide Angle - Black

01/08/2011 08:14:14 AM · #11

Wow, thank you all for taking the time to provide comments!! It's really interesting to see that neither is truly right or wrong, and that both convey very different feelings to different people!

Tanguera, I've not been around long enough - what did you mean by photo 2 being typical DPC eye-candy? I can't tell if that is a good thing or not?

As always, thanks!

Paul

Leica SL

01/08/2011 10:41:45 AM · #12

I have to say I prefer Bench 1 in every way.

jagar

Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+

Sony Sonnar FE 2.8 35mm ZA

01/08/2011 10:49:36 AM · #13

I also largely prefer bench 1, although i do like the 2nd, the PP work is good in my opinion.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/08/2011 11:02:07 AM · #14

Jager, Paul, what in particular did you prefer about number 1?

Thanks for the input!

tanguera

Nikon D750

01/08/2011 11:20:57 AM · #15

Originally posted by gcoulson:

what did you mean by photo 2 being typical DPC eye-candy? I can't tell if that is a good thing or not?

I do not mean it to be good or bad, but rather descriptive of the type of images which DPCers tend to favor with ribbons. They are technically perfect, usually very beautiful (sunsets, oceans, landscapes, water drops [but let's not go there] etc.), common subjects, yet have that "wow" factor. "Candy" because they're easy to like.

Posthumous issues an award by the same name to images on the other end of the spectrum, which are messy, technically questionable, almost always difficult to decipher, yet which touch the souls of viewers who care to take the time to take a longer look. They tend to gravitate towards the bottom end of the challenge scoring. Some of us refer to these images as "artsy" or "PH quality" (motion blur, high contrast, abstract, no discernible subject, etc.). There was a challenge last year which you should view to get a better idea.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/08/2011 11:31:48 AM · #16

Originally posted by tanguera:

Originally posted by gcoulson:
what did you mean by photo 2 being typical DPC eye-candy? I can't tell if that is a good thing or not?

I do not mean it to be good or bad, but rather descriptive of the type of images which DPCers tend to favor with ribbons. They are technically perfect, usually very beautiful (sunsets, oceans, landscapes, water drops [but let's not go there] etc.), common subjects, yet have that "wow" factor. "Candy" because they're easy to like.

Posthumous issues an award by the same name to images on the other end of the spectrum, which are messy, technically questionable, almost always difficult to decipher, yet which touch the souls of viewers who care to take the time to take a longer look. They tend to gravitate towards the bottom end of the challenge scoring. Some of us refer to these images as "artsy" or "PH quality" (motion blur, high contrast, abstract, no discernible subject, etc.). There was a challenge last year which you should view to get a better idea.

Considering this was my first day photographing, I'll take that as a compliment then. I see what you are saying, now I just need to get the technical perfection part. Thank you for your generous comment!

Message edited by author 2011-01-08 12:31:37.

tanguera

Nikon D750

01/08/2011 11:54:39 AM · #17

Looking forward to your work!

01/08/2011 12:38:31 PM · #18

Thanks!

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon

01/08/2011 12:52:15 PM · #19

I think they're both very strong pictures, dramatically lit and well composed. You have a natural talent for composition.

bohemka

Nikon D700

01/08/2011 01:03:13 PM · #20

Yeah, agreed that I'd love to see more of what you've got to offer. Both photos are what I enjoy, and your processing is better than anything I can do, and you're new to it which is frankly hard to believe.

I prefer shot one, as number two seems out of balance (though still a great photo). But as viewing number one I wanted to inch up a bit more and change the frame a bit. I would've put the bench in the very lower right corner and let the black trail be the major player. But that's my take, and it usually isn't worth a cent more than what it just cost.

Sony Sonnar FE 2.8 35mm ZA

01/08/2011 01:16:09 PM · #21

Thanks to both of you for your very generous comments! Although having 2/100 okay pictures hardly qualifies as a natural talent for composition. Kind words though!

Originally posted by bohemka:

Completely new to it...busy using the trial version of Lightroom 3 (only 4 days left..ugh!). Admittedly, 75% of the PP came from the LR3 presets, and I just did some sliders and a little dodging and burning. Still much to learn!

see

Canon PowerShot S95

01/08/2011 01:27:36 PM · #22

I like #1, makes me feel like a modern day Bilbo entering Mirkwood forest..

jagar

Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+

01/08/2011 01:30:34 PM · #23

Originally posted by gcoulson:

Jager, Paul, what in particular did you prefer about number 1?

Thanks for the input!

Personally for me in shot 2 the bench just looks like any old bench were as in shot 1 the bench has a very nice form to it, and is put into value by the composition especially with the shadow and slight covering of snow, but in general the composition of the first shot is simpler than the second and speaks to me more.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/08/2011 03:41:19 PM · #24

What about lightening the meandering creek/river a bit in #1 -- something like this?

SteveJ