cgardner
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 p.1 #3 · I'm New, I'm a Beginner | |
Overall a very solid set of shots compositionally. Technically the exposure on some is under which mutes the tonal range, particularly the specular highlights on the wet glossy sail. I've edited your first one so you can see by comparison...
The edit is closer to my memory of seeing them on the beach, brighter overall and with more of a sheen which I created by pushing the highlights to point of clipping as specular highlights do with Levels in CS5. This brings it closer to your shot #2 which is one of the better exposed in the batch. When in doubt err on the side of underexposure and capturing the detail, but then learn adjust for a full tonal range and "seen by eye" look in post processing. After the tonal range adjustment I just removed a few distractions like the bit of color contrasting vegetation in the upper right and the rocks in the foreground with cloning. I also blurred the lower right a bit because I found the sharply focused sand there distracting.
Something to consider when composing shots with leading lines like 3 - 5 is whether the line you create with objects like the board are working in the shot to lead the viewer over the foreground context towards your focal point, or away from the focal point in the foreground somewhere else.
For example the color contrast of the Man 0' War pulled me to it first in 3-5 then my eye wandered off it up the board into space which isn't nearly as interesting. Here's an edit of #3 to show how you can include the same background context without pulling the viewer off the focal point in a situation like that. Change the point of view so the context is seen directly behind and at the same time as the focal point...
It has the same context of Man 0' War and board, with the context of the ocean in the background, but without the strong leading line that pulls the viewer up the board and way from the focal point. The lesson here? Think about where the leading lines will lead the eye. If away form the focal point make sure there's something interesting at the end of the line and from there a different interesting path back to the focal point so the viewer sees it first and it is their last impression. That's what gives some compositions more impact that others.
Your shot #6 has a very nice leading line in the tentacle in the foreground but the big gap on top invites exploration, which will sooner or later pull the viewer off the focal point. A crop like this edits the point of view and quite literally prevents the viewer from wandering off because I've given them nowhere to go. Absent anywhere else to go there I more "hang time" on the focal point before losing interest and disengaging.
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