Hello, I tried posting this in the Photo Illustration and Digital Art forum but perhaps this one is more appropriate.

I have finally have images that I feel would look good as a large format canvas print. I am very new to this fine art thing and would like some constructive criticism. I have one photograph in mind but wanted to hear what others have to say about the proportions, the framing and which would look best large on canvas. When I say large I am talking about 36x54.

I am after a simple, in terms of colors yet a large scale. I was thinking about a large canvas with not a lot of information on it but enough so that one could get a feel for this particularly beautiful horse.

Thanks,
Jorge

Banterer,
I'll offer you the input I can, but you might post on the Post-Processing and Printing Forum.
My own experience is limited, with one 20x30 canvas print I have done.
Seems like the general idea is correct: I dont know the file size you are working with, but you are likely to have a low resolution image at that size. I think your goal, your subject will hold us well and canvas needs less resolution than other print media. Your printer should give you some idea of resolutioon needed, which is dependent not only on subject, your aesthetic goal, but also how close the image might be viewed. I'm thinking you will need 120-150 dpi, so you will still be needing to up-rez.


Where I feel I might be more helpful is in commenting on the images themselves. Is the plan a panel of three images as presented, or one image?

Panel: First does not work for me. It is a beautiful horse and you have nicely captured the tension in the muscles, a sense of energy and movement. But background is a bit dull grey in the top image, and I think the crop is too tight, especially along the head. Second is fine but the third feels like a view up the horse's ....

Second panel First two could go together, although I'd like to see a third of a slight variation on the pose. Head is a bit too turned away in the first. Second is more effective and a very nice image, IMHO. S is the third with excellent framing, sense of tension and action, and is the strongest image of the 6. I thik it would do well by itself blown up large.

Hope this is what you are looking for.
Again, check out the processing/print forum for folks with a lot more experience blowing up images large, working canvas etc. I think Duncan Staples may be especially knowledgeable (and does prints).

Scott

Scott,

No, I was not proposing printing the three panels as one image. I want to print just one image, large.

The image I fell in love with was the one that you said the horse's head is turned away. I liked it for the way the mane flowed but also because the head was turned away and thus forced you look a little longer to make out the what was there to make out the head.

Please tell me if you can, what it is about the second that makes it more effective.

I'll post some others for more critique but I really liked the white horse's mane as the star and whatever little there is of his body as the co-star.

Thanks Scott,
Jorge

Jorge,
It's really a matter of taste. I am by no means the last word. See what other feedback you get.
In the meantime, I reposted one of the shots (the one I prefer) with some warming of the temp, bump in contrast, inc in exposure, slight curves work Printing on canvas will look less contrasty and a bit less white. See what you think and let me know if you want me to remove it.

Scott

Hi Scott,

No need to remove it, I'm here to learn. Take a look at these other shots. I do like color but the horses that really caught my happened to be either black, white or black and white!

I like the poses of the white horse but things got cut off. I want to learn how NOT to feel that I need to include an entire "thing" in my photos. I do ok with that in head shots but not always in everything. So as a result, I am not sure if I 'can' use the bottom one with the legs cut off. I suppose I can recrop it but would like some guidance on where and then why it was suggested to crop it in that manner.

Thanks,
Jorge

I understand the issue and I am trying to learn more myself. Dont know of any guidelines, but it is great to learn how to isolate key features for a stron effect.
What rarely woks is cutting off parts of limbs and I think your last image does fall on that basis.
Glad you posted these additional images. You have some great captures, beautiful subjects, appealing backgrounds (minus the fence). Of this selction, the first image really wows me but needs a bit of work to recover some of the details.
So again, with your OK, I have repsoted the top image with some shadow recovery and a bit of contrast work. I'm sure the jpeg and re-worked image dont do it justice. As shown, I think the shadow recovery could go further and adjustments below are conservative, but give you an idea. I think the image is stunnig and a real winner!

Scott

I think you would do better to avoid the fence in the background.

For me the close crops are not working. I'm not a horsey type so maybe I'm missing something relevant but I see a lot of bits missing and that spoils the images for me. If I was a horsey type then I think I'd prefer the horses to have shorter mains. They look too much like teenagers

The shots with the grass at the bottom of the frame would benefit from having the horizon straightened to minimise distraction from the horse.

The watermark is particularly distracting.

- Alan

HI Alan,

My eyes were particularly drawn to the horses with the longest manes. The horses were running on uneven terrain that had hills so the horizon can be straightened on some not on others without changing the horses attitude to a strange one.

As for the fence, if I were to print that one, I would delete the fence.

Perhaps a horse person would see something different in the photos, I'm not sure, I am not sure if I am one but the close crops do happen to do something for me.

So, just what is your advice on how to choose an image?

Thanks,
Jorge

Second set, second one with horse's head turned away. Like the movement in the mane and the color variations throughout it too. It's one of the only colored elements in the frame so I think I agree with sbeme in that it needs the boosts.

Canvas prints are usually done at 150 dpi, from my experience. Hope that's a useful tidbit. I've been printing with Canvas on Demand (www.canvasondemand.com) and been very happy with them on price, service, and quality.

Jorge,

As both a horse person and a photog I will try and add a couple suggestions. I think here, especially with the mane, you are going for a "wild spirit" kind of impression with these and I think you have largely succeeded with this.

I agree with all the suggestions that have been offered so far, especially Scott's about the bump in contrast. They all needed that.

When I photograph horses for a client I try and follow most of the rules of human portraiture. One of these has already been mentioned and that is of cutting off limbs (especially at a joint). Many of these would have benefited from that less aggressive cropping.

The first one especially would have been really cool at that angle and with the mane if the whole body had been in the frame. I don't like the head being cropped off.

The next two don't work for me at all. The psychological process of the horse going away from me doesn't work. Plus if I want to see a horse's ass I will talk to one of my brothers-in-law.

From your first post, the bottom of the second panel of three is the one that works best, at least for me, and the boost in contrast would help it dramatically.

Overall, the one that really would have worked for me is the one from your post of 2:36. It is the second one which is below the black silloueted(sp?) one. Great angle to the horse, the horses head is up, ears are forward and it shows a lot of motion and power. I don't know why it is, but horses always show best with a very slight curvature to the body. Notice how the head is slightly turned towards the camera? If just the tail wasn't cut off and there had been a little more foreground.

HTH