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Archive 2013 · Composition CC

  
 
gregfixit
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Composition CC


My first post here at FM. I have learned quite a bit just looking, and reading, what others are saying and doing here. I guess I have lurked enough. It's time to share. I would welcome any CC on this photo. I am especially interested in the composition and what others think. Thanks in advance...



© gdgood photography 2013

Canon 1DX, 100mm, F3.5




Aug 06, 2013 at 08:06 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Composition CC


Welcome.
An appealing expression on the statue, and and appealing scene with nice complimentary colors, playing browns vs greens.
I like the feel of the image.
I like the diagonal flow from hand to mouth to eyes.
I am not sure this was the optimal crop. Some on the space on the left feels unnecssary.
The fingers of the outstretched hand are cut off, although the effect is minor.
Feels a bit tight above the head. I think the cut off upper right is OK as it provides a visual stop to the image.
BTW, the back of the frog appears blown out.

Here is an alternative crop from your posted image, with a bit of tweaks Played the diagonal flow from lower left to upper right more strongly. Some highlight recover, shadow recovery under the chin, sharpening. Slight vignette, esp upper left. Framing courtesy Fred Miranda.
Scott







Aug 06, 2013 at 08:21 PM
gregfixit
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Composition CC


Thanks Scott. I like your edit and I appreciate you taking the time to demonstrate via the edit. I had taken a portrait version of this but I did not like it nearly as much and I think it was because the angle didn't have the same diagonal flow.



Aug 07, 2013 at 06:25 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Composition CC


+1 @ Scott

I'm guessing the blown out area on the back of the frog is a specular reflection more so than an over-exposure issue.

A bit of a crop (Scott's version, crop only) to give a different weighting/balance to the person/frog relationship. Depending on how much attention you want to give to a particular area of your image, focus is pretty straightforward, but mass/weighting/balance can change that a bit too.

With the chosen area of focus being the frog/water, the heavier mass of the head adornment was pulling me that way a bit more strongly away from the relationship of the boy looking at the frog (perceived subject), so I trimmed it a bit, and then a corresponding trim near the fingers. Of course, this is subjective, but depending on where you want to draw/push/pull the viewers eye, mass has some impact for consideration too.

Welcome to FM and to the PC Forum.







Aug 07, 2013 at 08:51 AM
sbeme
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Composition CC


Nice Kent!
Scott



Aug 07, 2013 at 09:51 AM
eeneryma
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Composition CC


Would have liked to have seen the front of the maidens's face, especially her eyes, in sharp focus, since the key relationship here is the frog and the water hitting the maiden's face. The only thing in sharp focus is the back of the frog's head, and the front part of the water spout, which are secondary.


Aug 07, 2013 at 10:51 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Composition CC


Thanks Scott.
Nicely judicious rework on your part as well to help the viewer, yet still safeguard the vibe.

Of course, the vision was in the OP's capture to begin with.

I just tried to imagine what it was that drew the OP to make the capture. I came up with (perceived subject) their relationship as being my "What's the point?", "What's the message you want to convey to your viewer."

The camera format doesn't always coincide with our mind's eye, so I try to default to my mantra of what was it that compelled the capture for sharing with others. Then, it's a matter of looking into the tool bag to decide how to approach it's presentation.

Imo, the personification of the boy/frog interaction was the attraction (guessing) for the OP. At least it was the message that I felt like I wanted to share with viewers. For me, this makes me appreciate the talent of the sculptor to be able to bring such a personification to his medium, more so than a "picture of a statue". I think we're getting a nice 2-for-1 here at artistic message.

Props to both the OP for the vision for capture and to the sculptor for his creation that shares with us the boy being studiously/curiously mesmerized by the frog. I see the selective focus area chosen being that which tells us what the boy was looking at (i.e. frog). Even though we really don't see much of the frog's face, to me it is still implied. I see this as very intentional focus placement by the OP, as the water just in front of the frog's face is sharp also.

For additional processing, I could use "maybe" a little more oof at the bg, and maybe some different tonal values back there also, The tonal value and mass of the bg is still tugging a bit to pull me away. Probably not going to make any more changes to the mass/scale/balance relationship, but focus/blur and tonal/saturation value tools are still in play to help push/pull/draw the eye.



Aug 07, 2013 at 10:59 AM
gregfixit
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Composition CC


eeneryma,
Thank you for your opinion. I purposely focused on the frog but right now I can't recall why. I guess my lack of experience shows itself most when I compose a shot. It really helps me to receive feedback and I appreciate you taking the time to share.



Aug 07, 2013 at 11:54 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Composition CC


gregfixit wrote:

I purposely focused on the frog but right now I can't recall why.


Intuitive

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1059572/2?keyword=intuitive#10249605



Aug 07, 2013 at 12:06 PM
gregfixit
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Composition CC


RustyBug,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and talent with me. Your tweaks to Scott's rework make sense. Your question, in your follow-up, as to what drew me to the capture is one I should be asking myself every time I compose a shot.

For this shot I came accross this statue at the Minnesota Landscape Aboretum. The statue was created in the early 1930's and it struck me that the artist knew what this piece was going to look like in 80 years. That the message of the girl kissing the frog was a timeless one. That the idealism of a young girl is as priceless as it is sweet. (I have 2 daughters)
I wanted to convey to others, in 2 dimensions, what the artist conveyed to me.

I think I get caught up in making my photos technically appealing and I do not put enough thought into the message. Looking at what FM members post, both pictures and critiques, helps a great deal. I chose this as my first post not because I thought the photo was especially good, but because it was composed with more of a purpose than much of what I do.

Both you and Scott moved the photo in my intended direction without hearing my intention. (You guys are good)

Thanks again.



Aug 07, 2013 at 12:32 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Composition CC


gregfixit wrote:
Both you and Scott moved the photo in my intended direction without hearing my intention.

+1 @ there are some good folks around here, both in talent and in spirit. Scott is certainly one of them, as are several others. That's why I keep hangin' around. This is an "iron sharpens iron" kinda place, imo.

That means you captured your vision for others to see in a way that came across visually. All we did was study yours a bit and add some "finishing" touches for refinement of that presentation. That's why it's called photo-finishing.

You are certainly welcome. I'm always glad when my "guesses" are kinda close ... although I need to recheck my eyes, since I thought it was a young boy wearing headgear, curious at nature, rather than the princess/frog vibe.

It's a fine line between intuitively knowing what you want to convey and analytically approaching it. Go with what is most natural to you without trying to force one onto the other. In time, they kinda merge together a little bit more. I've found that when you try to force one upon the other too soon, it's kinda like the fable of the dog with a bone looking at his reflection. He strives to add the second one, and loses the first one in the process. Don't give away what you've already got, chasing what others have different from you ... just build upon your natural / innate strength(s) through continued growth.

Again, welcome to FM and the PC Forum ... looking forward to seeing more of your work.



Aug 07, 2013 at 12:43 PM





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