Pool Party - Feedback please?

12 years 2 months ago #193261 by Kevin T. Cary
Hi there,

I took a shot that I really like, but I'd appreciate some feedback about what I could/should have done differently in order to get a better photo. Composition, post-processing, whatever you suggest. :)

Thanks.


Self-taught photographer wannabe.
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12 years 2 months ago #193398 by Wi1tt13
Did you use a tilt shift lens? I ask, because everything looks tiny. Overall it's a good picture.


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12 years 2 months ago #193467 by photobod
This is personal preference really, I would have had the bike in the foreground with everything else in the background out of focus, but your shot is decent enough. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn

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12 years 2 months ago #193498 by icepics
It's an interesting shot, I like the curve of the edging going into the background beside the bike. I wonder if it would work better with less foreground and a different perspective with the curve going into the background showing more.

Sharon
Photo Comments
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12 years 2 months ago - 12 years 2 months ago #193507 by Kevin T. Cary
Well, actually the background would have consisted of huge houses, etc. if I had put the bike in the foreground, which would have been way too busy in my opinion. But thanks a lot anyway for your thoughts. :)
I didn't use a Tilt-shit to take this shot, I guess it's just an impression. ;)

Self-taught photographer wannabe.
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12 years 2 months ago #194715 by Paige120
I would also like the bike better in the foreground. Also I don't think the title works. When I read pool party, I thought pool party...not a bike. Would this be the aftermath from the pool party?


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12 years 2 months ago #194726 by scifitographer

Paige120 wrote: I would also like the bike better in the foreground. Also I don't think the title works. When I read pool party, I thought pool party...not a bike. Would this be the aftermath from the pool party?


Same issue here. I like the tones, but I can't tell if it's true b&w or slightly warm tones cause the monitors at work suck.. The curb is a nice leading line to the bike.


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12 years 2 months ago #194821 by Kevin T. Cary
Well, the title reflects the way I see it: a boy left his bike there on the street, then his flip-flops on the grass, so to me, it looks like he just couldn't wait to go to his friend's pool. Hence, the title. :))
Thanks for your thoughts, it's definitely helpful!

Self-taught photographer wannabe.
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12 years 2 months ago #194822 by scifitographer
I didn't even see the flip flops, they blend into the shadow from the bush. Maybe try to highlight them a little more if you're going with that title, otherwise most people will probably just see a bike on the street.


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12 years 2 months ago #194831 by chasrich
I like it. The shot does tell a story... what the story might be is left to the viewer. The title might be a way to lead the viewer from seeing a story like "fatal accident" or perhaps "kidnapped". The composition could have the bike in the lower right third of the frame and still not include the unwanted houses. If nothing else you could have moved the bike. The flipflops are not even a subject (my opinion) as they are lost in the vastness of the frame. I can understand how the shot plays in your mind with the additional information of perhaps the sounds of children playing at a pool or even the subtle smell of chlorine... something that we, the viewers, did not see on the image.

The curving of the curbing is a natural pathway. I found my eye fell on the center of the frame then started down the path on to the bike - then nothing... I feel it left me with a small story that was somehow incomplete. Don't feel bad about this. It takes a lot to convey a sense of meaning in a single image and it is not easy to do. To convey the same exact story - well that is indeed rare.

Thank you for posting. It makes for an interesting thread about composition.

“Amateurs worry about equipment, professionals worry about money, masters worry about light, I just make pictures… ” ~ Vernon Trent
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12 years 2 months ago #194885 by icepics
Yes it does, appreciate you pointing that out.

Another thought, since the background wasn't something you wanted in the photo, maybe something as simple as cropping the foreground some could make a difference. Or as Chas pointed out, when you're shooting changing the vantage point can make a difference in a shot.

I thought the title meant the reason somebody might have hopped off their bike, although as someone mentioned the flip flops aren't real noticeable. But that could improve too by bringing the viewer's eye more into that part of the photo.

Sharon
Photo Comments
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12 years 2 months ago #195046 by Kevin T. Cary
Okay, thanks a lot to all of you, particularly to Chasrich for giving me such a constructed answer! I won't feel bad about all the stuff you guys say anyway, I'm here to learn, otherwise this isn't the place I'd post my photos. :)
I guess the scene was so "obvious" to me because I was there and I took the shot... Your reactions prove that the story didn't come across the way I saw it and wanted to show it. Still got a lot of work I guess. :D

Self-taught photographer wannabe.
The following user(s) said Thank You: chasrich
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12 years 2 months ago #195055 by icepics
If it wasn't already an interesting photo I doubt we'd be bothering to discuss it so much, so you know you captured something meaningful in some way. I imagine many photos could be interpreted in different ways, and the viewer probably brings their life experience into how they interpret it.

Sharon
Photo Comments
The following user(s) said Thank You: Kevin T. Cary
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12 years 1 month ago #205597 by Arkangel7x3
I'm doing B&W photography in college this semester (one of the reasons im not on as much as before because ive turned into a mole who lives in the red light of a dark room most of the day heheheeh) One think the professor warns about is one when describing the photo Never state anything that's not in the photo and second always think about what is the audience going to see when you show someone else the work. As photographers ( and to thine own self be very true) We tend to take pictures of what we like and how we see something with out taking much regard for what those looking at are work later will think. We or in this case you know the situation behind the photo because you were there you took it and had a better assumption of this being a kid hurrying to go int he pool at his friends. For me and likely most i get a feeling of childish lack of responsibility taking the time to move your bike from a busy street or taking your shoes with you. Pictures worth a thousand words as they say. As far as positioning you got to give more foreground or like chas said move it to were its more identified as the focal point ( an that does not mean put it dead center no no no) Just give more border other wise it seems like the photo is missing something

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