Would like your thoughts

[SnapTheFrog]

Hello all, I've been enjoying everones photos and I like the way everyone is so helpful. I thought I'm jump in the deep end and make my first post here.

Here's my first submission for you. Don't worry about being honest. I'm hoping you can help me get better. Thanks

I was on a day trip up to Big Sur and saw a small graveyard. Though the grass was amazingly well kept and bright green the headstones dated back to the 1800's. Here are two that I took.

http://SnapTheFrog.smugmug.com/photos/30901251-M.jpg


and this one

(edited) Sorry, didn't know I was limited to only one a week.
I'm including a link to the other one. (http://SnapTheFrog.smugmug.com/photos/30901245-M.jpg) I hope that's okay.



I look forward to your insights.

[ginger_55]

First, smile, I would take one of those photos off, before someone else tells you that you can only put up one photo a week.:):

On the second shot, I would not cut her off below the knees, or where ever, unless absolutely necessary. I guess that is becoming a pet peeve of mine.

The other one, I do wonder if there is another arm there.

Good graveyard shots, basically. Those places are so cool.

ginger:D

[SnapTheFrog]

First, smile, I would take one of those photos off, before someone else tells you that you can only put up one photo a week.:):

On the second shot, I would not cut her off below the knees, or where ever, unless absolutely necessary. I guess that is becoming a pet peeve of mine.

The other one, I do wonder if there is another arm there.

Good graveyard shots, basically. Those places are so cool.

ginger:D
Thanks for the reply, Ginger. This is the other photograph (http://SnapTheFrog.smugmug.com/photos/30901249-M.jpg) I took of the tall angel. She's missing her right hand.

[Angelo]

OK Snap, for what it's worth, here's my $0.02

I like the contrast of the monotone of the statue against the blue/white sky (too bad there isn't a bit more blue and a little less cloud).

Beyond that - I'm not seeing anything particularly compelling in the shot. Aged, distressed statuary are not uncommon, so a bit more creative cropping here may help a bit. example: you could've moved camera right a bit more, positioning his (yes, angels are male) head closer to the left of the photo, thereby revealing a bit more of his left arm.

A+ for effort :): :thumb

[SnapTheFrog]

Once I got home and saw the picture, I was disappointed because of the sky, too. It was overcase and there wasn't much of anything happening behind the angel.

Thank you for the cropping tip. I'll experiment with it.

I end up doing cropping on a number of my pictures, but the annoying thing is that I end up with a photo that doesn't conform to a traditional frame size. I don't have a mat cutter (too expensive), so the picture stays on the computer.

[wxwax]

I like the shot, but it does lack pop. Not sure if a polarizer would have helped that sky, too much white in it. Better might have been a flash, to throw some light on a subject that was backlit. I'd still play with it in Photoshop, if you have it. Maybe B&W? Certainly, Curves to make it pop.

[rahmonster]

I personally really like the framing, the way he's looking down you. Though thing that does bother me is all the 'grey light' which I know can't be helped on overcast days. I would try what Sid said and convert to B&W, and maybe up the contrast. What would be nice to try (if you can) is a reshoot at sunset. Some yellow light might really make him 'glow'.

[digismile]

Hi snap,

I also like the basic composition/framing. But the photo overall is a bit grainy and has a bit of purple fringing/noise (best seen on the full size original). I didn't fully follow the thread, but possibly this is a close crop of a much wider photo.

As wxwax already stated, it lacked pop. I think this same photo needs some kind of dramatic lighting. The image needs to engage me more, draw me in. A setting sun casting a ray of light on the face might make me feel the statue is looking down on me, just as God would look down on us.

Good start:thumb . Keep up the posts.

Brad