Critique: Composition 01 - DPChallenge Forums

09/06/2002 11:21:46 AM · #1

Let's take a look at THIS PHOTO and critique ONLY for composition....

Konador

09/06/2002 11:27:02 AM · #2

Okay its mostly very good but I have a few little gripes:

The feet are too near the bottom of the frame.
I don't like that electric heater on the left,
The mirror on the back wall isnt straight. It sloped down a lot at the left.
And finally that small part of the window is offputting to me.

09/06/2002 11:32:42 AM · #3

Originally posted by konador:
Okay its mostly very good but I have a few little gripes:

The feet are too near the bottom of the frame.
I don't like that electric heater on the left,
The mirror on the back wall isnt straight. It sloped down a lot at the left.
And finally that small part of the window is offputting to me.

Those are definitely some compositional observations... do those issues change the way you feel about the image as a whole?

Konador

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

09/06/2002 11:41:26 AM · #4

Yes. at a first glance, the room seems empty, and depressing. But as you look at these it seems to become more cluttered, so i have less emotion for it. The thing about her feet, well thats just something that for me, gets annoying. Her feet are hanging, so I expect to see something beneath them.

Jak

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

09/06/2002 12:12:45 PM · #5

I like this shot quite a lot. However, I would definitely crop on the left to take out both the window and the heater.

I hadn't noticed how close the feet were to the bottom edge until konador mentioned it (which presumably meant it didn't bother me too much.) However, now that I look again, I would prefer more room at the floor to balance the height of the top.

But I like it nonetheless.

drewmedia

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

09/06/2002 12:18:30 PM · #6

After the girl and the chairs, the radiator is the first thing I notice... and I feel it distracts from the mood of the shot. Changing the POV of the photographer just slightly left could have easily fixed this, while still providing the same atmosphere.

The interesting thing about the girl's chair touching the bottom of the picture is that the whole composition of the shot is set up to show us space, and I get a mood of sorrow and loneliness from the shot... yet the front chair really crowds the viewer. It distracts from the 'emptiness' of the shot in my opinion.

The composition of the chairs and the mirror, though, as well as the girl herself are all exceptional in my opinion.

Drew

aelith

Olympus C-3020Z

09/06/2002 12:19:14 PM · #7

Picky picky, The composition is about straigt and curved lines!
you guys are controle freaks. *rolls eyes -- grins* every thins is rectuliniar except the two chair backs and the child who's sholders and arms echo the shape of the two spindle chairs. window and heater just help to define the space and depth. The mirror is key because it acts as a ruller. with out the window present the light in the mirror WOULD be distracting.

Love this John.

* This message has been edited by the author on 9/6/2002 12:18:01 PM.

dpchallenger

Canon PowerShot G2

09/06/2002 12:40:17 PM · #8

I manually cropped the photo (i.e. I stuck my hands in front of it). Like the other people, I think it would look good with the window and heater cropped out.

UNlike the others I still like the window and heater in the photo. It gives the picture a sense of where the girl is, depth, and how barren the room is...which might be leading to her depressed expression. The black and white also lends to give the photo the depressed expression.

However, the thing that I DO find distracting is that blank wall to the right of the photo. I'd definitely crop the blank part out. Because the rest of the photo is quite busy with objects that blank area really stands out to me. Cropping it out on the right would shift her to the right a bit but I think it would look better anyways.

09/06/2002 12:42:18 PM · #9

My compositional two cents on this photo haven't been hit on yet....

I don't like the 4th chair on the left... I think that it should be removed from the photo... I have this 'thing' for odd numbers of objects rather than even numbers... Removing that 4th chair should remove some sense of clutter in the image, if there is any...

I would also prefer to have the girl in the chair on the right rather than in the center chair.

The window, mirror, radiator, etc, don't bother me. The closeness of her feet to the bottom of the frame don't bother me either, but would probalby be better if not so close...

courtenay27

Pentax *ist DS

Pentax A 50mm f/1.7 MF

09/06/2002 01:25:14 PM · #10

I like the window on the left because, since she is so young, it appears that she may be in school and is being punished so she can't go outside an play. Because of this, however, I would like to see a little more of the window and a little less of the expanse of wall on the right of the frame. Also, her feet and the chair legs are rather close to the bottom of the frame. Lastly, for me it would have worked better if the camera were a bit higher and was slightly looking down at the girl instead of an eye level shot. This, again, is because of the school punishment feeling that I get from the photo and would emphasise the girl having to look up to her teacher and the teacher (or parent if not at school) is looking down, upset at the girl.
That's my take.
Courtenay

2ndgear

Canon PowerShot G2

09/06/2002 01:44:21 PM · #11

Great picture!
It doesn't bother me that the feet are close to the bottom but it does that the chair leg is cut off.

I'd keep the window, it adds a lot to the mood.

09/06/2002 01:45:09 PM · #12

This is interesting... I didn't get the feeling of a 'school' theme from this photo... :)

lisae

Olympus C-720UZ

09/06/2002 03:13:51 PM · #13

I don't really understand the idea of composing photos into neat little bundles. Life isn't like that, why should photography be? To me, it's not important that "distracting" elements should be cropped out or avoided if they establish context or mood in the photo. There's something about that heater and the electrical cords, and the window, that bring back all kinds of memories for me of the dusty old church halls I had to hang around in for ballet and drama classes and so forth. Without them, in a more tightly framed image, you just have a bored kid, without really understanding the setting she's in. With them, you have a bored kid sitting in a big, empty, desolate, presumably cold hall. I love that her feet don't touch the floor, because that shows how tiny she is. Placing her feet that close to the edge of the photo, and not dividing up the spaces in the image in a uniform, neat, anally retentive (ahem) way gives it more of a sense of realism for me. As I said, life just isn't that tidy.

I'm not just being contrary for the sake of it... Maybe by inviting "critique" of a photo it puts people in the mood to find fault with the image and suggest ways to improve it, which leads to some fairly predictable results. But the photographer might have intended a different kind of effect to the nice, neat images people tend to have in mind when they do this. I think it's important to first consider what the photographer's vision was, then suggest changes if you can see a better way of capturing that vision, rather than impose your own idea of photography on someone else's work. It's not always possible, but I think it's important to try :)

Konador

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

09/06/2002 03:16:31 PM · #14

As I said, life just isn't that tidy.

Artistic photos should however look tidy to be pleasing to the eye.

hokie

Nikon D2X

09/06/2002 03:18:55 PM · #15

Superior in all respects.

The tonality, the choice of chairs and shapes and number.

The imperfection felt by the crop where elements like the heater and window being left in ease up the formality of the photo.

The lone bit of light coming from the side with the very nice light slowing changing in density over her face is not easy to acheive. Too often you see shifts of more than two stops across a side lit subject which makes subjects..especially chidren and older people... look harsh.

If I were to change anything I think I would have a different photo but not a better photo to me.

Cropping tighter on either side would turn the graphic element up and the informal nature down. Same for straightening the mirror.

I would give a link to a favorite photographer who has a shot similar to this but it would give away my entry this week :-)

lisae

Olympus C-720UZ

09/06/2002 03:21:33 PM · #16

konador - "pleasing to the eye" is in the eye of the beholder :)

Alecia

Canon EOS-10D

09/06/2002 03:35:36 PM · #17

hmmm. this reminds me of a little girl who won a round of musical chairs and all the other kids just left her there! she seems a little lonely. compositionally, i find myself rearranging the whole picture. i like the effect of the two arched chairs and the little girl betwwen them--the lines seem to flow. i also like the fact that she is positioned close to the camera (at least her feet). i also love the expression on the her face and the way she is holding herself--not sitting up straight, but not slumping either, as if she is pouting but mom/dad/teacher is watching. but then i want to cut out the chair on the left and the radiator and the window and center her under the mirror. or maybe do all of that and leave the window to give the impression that she is stuck in side on a nice day. i guess i am not too overly fond of this picture (as is) if i want to change it so much! it isn't bad at all, but doesn't speak to me very much. i'd probably vote it a 7 if i saw it here. maybe 8.

camelotnorth

Nikon D70

09/06/2002 04:21:00 PM · #18

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Let's take a look at THIS PHOTO and critique ONLY for composition....

I too feel the left window ,heater,and cord should be cropped. The chair with the girl being slightly foward from the others creates some depth to the picture. I like the grayscale and I don't mind the girls shoes. The girl's mood is helped by the gray tone.

camelotnorth

Nikon D70

09/06/2002 04:25:27 PM · #19

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
My compositional two cents on this photo haven't been hit on yet....

I don't like the 4th chair on the left... I think that it should be removed from the photo... I have this 'thing' for odd numbers of objects rather than even numbers... Removing that 4th chair should remove some sense of clutter in the image, if there is any...

I would also prefer to have the girl in the chair on the right rather than in the center chair.

The window, mirror, radiator, etc, don't bother me. The closeness of her feet to the bottom of the frame don't bother me either, but would probalby be better if not so close...

Yes the fourth chair could be distracting as an even amount except the girl on the chair is the 5th element to me.

Zeissman

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

09/06/2002 04:53:06 PM · #20

John,

I agree with you on the chair to the left, only because it would allow a tighter crop.

I would like the window if it were not for the heater, and the power cables.

This is not a picture that captures life, but one that captures mood. The heater and power cords are a rude intrusion of reality into the scene. With those elements there, it really makes me wonder what the point of the image was. It was not really a portrait. It looks more like an attempt at fine art. I feel that all of the elements in the picture are well composed, with the exception of the cord and heater. I love the mood, but it could be more affective.

johnmk

Ricoh Caplio RR1

09/06/2002 05:30:01 PM · #21

Followed all the cropping suggestions (saved picture and PS'd it) and ended up with boring pictures. Before you suggest unnecessary cropping to a well-balanced picture: try it out!

aelith

Olympus C-3020Z

09/06/2002 05:32:36 PM · #22

Originally posted by lisae:
[i]I don't really understand the idea of composing photos into neat little bundles. Life isn't like that, why should photography be? To me, it's not important that "distracting" elements should be cropped out or avoided if they establish context or mood in the photo.

Brovo Lisae, that's something I've been wanting to say for some time. :)

Zeissman