Fresh off the press

[Blues fan]

I just got back after a very early morning for me trying to get some nice fall color shots and I came up with a few shots. I have only done post on one of the shots and am looking for some feed back on this. The first shot is the original shot size the second is cropped. I am looking mainly to get better comp on this photo and would like some help. If there is anything else that needs to be done to the photo please let me know.

Thanks for looking.

http://cmj-photography.smugmug.com/photos/41781289-M.jpg

http://cmj-photography.smugmug.com/photos/41781286-M.jpg

EXIF (http://cmj-photography.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=41781286)

[USAIR]

Well no expert here but...
First good photo nice color great reflection
I like the wider shot looks beter to me

Thanks
Fred

[TristanP]

Well no expert here but...
First good photo nice color great reflection
I like the wider shot looks beter to me

Thanks
Fred
I agree.

[David_S85]

2nd shot better. :thumb

[Bob&Glennie]

I like the original better. That's not based on any anal adherance to some "rule of composition", it just feels right. #2 is too tight and makes me feel confined. The only thing I'd suggest for #1 is to open up the shadows at the left and right side if there's enough surviving detail to do this.

This picture looks a lot like what I'd expect from a contrasty slide film and until I adopted digital it's the sort of picture that I'd have thought was great. I really think it's worth a little work and I'll bet some careful curves work or possibly an adjustment to the shadow control in your Histogram dialogue is all it would take.
I love the light and the rich color. And the dock adds a nice Norman Rockwell sort of touch.

Nice work
Bob

[George.]

the first photo tells more of a story for me - there is more for my eyes to follow so that i can get a feeling from where ur coming from. (is that too deep? :rofl )

but yeah definietly the first one. nice work.

[Blues fan]

Thanks everyone for the comments. After reading Bob's comment I decided to try and work on it some more. The original straight out of the camera was a little under exposed and the one I posted was with some curves, levels and saturation changes. I am not very good with post work but am finally starting to get somewhat of an eye for it. After working on it again I think I like this one better than the previous two. The color, the subtle detail on the right side, everything. The left side just wasn't very appealing for me to have so it didn't bother me to have the shadow on the left, but the right is a boat dock and has more of an interesting subject matter than a swimming pool (which is on the left). Bob, I don't know if I made this any better for you or not but please let me know.

Thanks.

http://cmj-photography.smugmug.com/photos/41928057-M.jpg


I like the original better. That's not based on any anal adherance to some "rule of composition", it just feels right. #2 is too tight and makes me feel confined. The only thing I'd suggest for #1 is to open up the shadows at the left and right side if there's enough surviving detail to do this.

This picture looks a lot like what I'd expect from a contrasty slide film and until I adopted digital it's the sort of picture that I'd have thought was great. I really think it's worth a little work and I'll bet some careful curves work or possibly an adjustment to the shadow control in your Histogram dialogue is all it would take.
I love the light and the rich color. And the dock adds a nice Norman Rockwell sort of touch.

Nice work
Bob

[W.W. Webster]

I am looking mainly to get better comp on this photo and would like some help.
http://rosscollins.smugmug.com/photos/41932531-M.jpg

[PlayeTyme]

http://rosscollins.smugmug.com/photos/41932531-M.jpg
Like the crop and outline change. Good job.:thumb

[Bob&Glennie]

Thanks everyone for the comments. After reading Bob's comment I decided to try and work on it some more. The original straight out of the camera was a little under exposed and the one I posted was with some curves, levels and saturation changes. I am not very good with post work but am finally starting to get somewhat of an eye for it. After working on it again I think I like this one better than the previous two. The color, the subtle detail on the right side, everything. The left side just wasn't very appealing for me to have so it didn't bother me to have the shadow on the left, but the right is a boat dock and has more of an interesting subject matter than a swimming pool (which is on the left). Bob, I don't know if I made this any better for you or not but please let me know.

Thanks.

http://cmj-photography.smugmug.com/photos/41928057-M.jpg

YES!!! This is much better and you see, it didn't take much did it? Now we have a sense of what's in the shadow area on the right. It not only adds interest to the image but it also satisfies our curiosity. I find that heavy shadow areas in an image like this not only waste space but they leave a subtle psycological sense of apprehension ... it's discomforting to not know what might be lurking in the shadows.

Is it my imagination or is the saturation a tad better? Don't go too far with this. It's just right as is. You've got a good picture here ... be proud.

Bob

[Blues fan]

Is it my imagination or is the saturation a tad better? Don't go too far with this. It's just right as is. You've got a good picture here ... be proud.

Bob

Yes the saturation is a tad different. I think I only increased 6 or 7 percent on each color and changed the hues on the green and red channel. I liked the color a lot better than the previous picture.

Thank you everyone for the comments and critique. Now do you think it is challenge worthy?

[Bob&Glennie]

[QUOTE=
Thank you everyone for the comments and critique. Now do you think it is challenge worthy?[/QUOTE]
What sort of challenge do you have in mind? I suppose if it was me I'd not be inclined to enter any sort of challenge. If it was me I'd be content to have made a beautiful image, finish it and hang it in my gallery. I sell a lot of pictures that way. We have a gallery in the den right next to our music/photo studio and people come to visit, like what they see and purchase. For me it's more about the picture than the challenge of competing with other photographers that I'd rather be complimenting than competing with.

If I may be so bold; here is one of my favorites. Straight from the camera except for Dgrin resizing and a little sharpening.

http://www.igs.net/~yesamen/Dgrin_resizes/Blakeny_misty_morn.jpg

Bob,
Ottawa, Canada

[Blues fan]

What sort of challenge do you have in mind? I was thinking of the Dgrin photo challen of natures colors. I have only entered one mainly because I do not feel my work has reached the level of the others, which makes me wonder if others feel the same way as or was this comment just for yourself that you don't like entering photo competitions? I too would be happy with a selection of photos I could finish and hang in a room that I can call a gallery.

I suppose if it was me I'd not be inclined to enter any sort of challenge. If it was me I'd be content to have made a beautiful image, finish it and hang it in my gallery.

For me it's more about the picture than the challenge of competing with other photographers that I'd rather be complimenting than competing with. I know photography is a subjective subject and what one person loves another may hate and there is no pleasing everyone. However there are people on this forum that have more knowledge and a better eye than the average joe and I would like to have spectacular photos not just ok photos. One way of doing that for me is trying to work on challenges and to see if I can get in the top 10.

Don't get me wrong.... I REALLY REALLY appreciate all the comments and critiquing you and the others have given me on this photo. By far it is the most commented photo I have submitted. I just would like to take spectacular photos not mediocre ones and I think the challenges help move me in a direction.

The picture you posted was pretty good. I have always enjoyed the water and love taking photos that have water in them. I really like the composition on it. The only thing I don't like about it is the haze toward the backgroud.

Bob, Thank you for all the comments, seriously. I try to learn something new every time I go shoot.

[Bob&Glennie]

I was thinking of the Dgrin photo challen of natures colors. I have only entered one mainly because I do not feel my work has reached the level of the others, which makes me wonder if others feel the same way as or was this comment just for yourself that you don't like entering photo competitions? I too would be happy with a selection of photos I could finish and hang in a room that I can call a gallery.

I know photography is a subjective subject and what one person loves another may hate and there is no pleasing everyone. However there are people on this forum that have more knowledge and a better eye than the average joe and I would like to have spectacular photos not just ok photos. One way of doing that for me is trying to work on challenges and to see if I can get in the top 10.

Don't get me wrong.... I REALLY REALLY appreciate all the comments and critiquing you and the others have given me on this photo. By far it is the most commented photo I have submitted. I just would like to take spectacular photos not mediocre ones and I think the challenges help move me in a direction.

The picture you posted was pretty good. I have always enjoyed the water and love taking photos that have water in them. I really like the composition on it. The only thing I don't like about it is the haze toward the backgroud.

Bob, Thank you for all the comments, seriously. I try to learn something new every time I go shoot.

Fair enough :thumb it's been a pleasure and BTW the haze is precicely what I like about that picture :):
Bob, over and out.