Street In Finland

marvintheroundone · 24th December 2008

Hello...
Well this is a photo taken in Finland when I was there for a media exchange program.
It was kinda of a street on an island in Helsinki Finland. I took it in colour intially.
It was suppose to be a sunset. I figured that it may look better in B/W so I convertered it. I took it underexposed.
ISO:200
Shutter: 1/4
Fstop: 5.0
lens: 18-55mm

Somehow, I feel that the picture have something missing but I can't put my finger on it.
Thanks to all in advance

Ps: Merry Christmas to all

CFM56-7B · 24th December 2008

very very nice,by the way do u use any filter?

marvintheroundone · 25th December 2008

Originally Posted by CFM56-7B

very very nice,by the way do u use any filter?

Thanks

hmmm UV filter....
Wanted to use a polariser but it would have jsut darken the photo...

merelyok · 25th December 2008

I kinda like it for the tones which lend to the moody atmosphere.
The composition is fine in my book, but i do understand why u feel that there is something "missing" from the picture.

In my (very humble) opinion, perhaps a human element is needed to complete the picture. Someone jogging past, a couple walking past, a cyclist going past; that would complete the picture for me.

foxtwo · 25th December 2008

Could you post a bigger image? I'm straining to see the details and tonality.

marvintheroundone · 25th December 2008

Sure, here you go

teoelisha · 25th December 2008

hi.. i think this is a pretty picture. however, imho, i think the foreground has lost a lot of detail. perhaps brightening it a little might help.. afterall, your title does say street in finland but my eyes are fixated mainly at bare tree branches and the sky. cheers!

Xtol19 · 25th December 2008

It's missing a person in the foreground. Perhaps an old woman in a scarf.

That's one thing I've learned about photography. When I was starting out, I wanted to shoo people out of my landscape/streetscape pictures because I felt they were noise. I would wait for hell of a long time till the whole scene was clear.

Now I understand that people add scale to a landscape, and context to a street photo.

A picture of an empty street is not as powerful as a picture of an empty street with a homeless man sleeping on it. That homeless man tells a story, and the empty street underscores the story of his homelessness.

marvintheroundone · 25th December 2008

Hmmm, yeah. I think this photo really lacks a human element to it.
Thanks to all for the advice.
Thanks

srinivasanj · 25th December 2008

Composition wise, this is very good...I just feel the image is a bit underexposed overall..up the areas that need to stand out...

foxtwo · 25th December 2008

How much underexposed were you, and why? But yes, you need to bump up the greyscale here.

I don't think the main problem here is the lack of a human element, it is the lack of a main subject. A subject of interest is placed at middle right but by composition, it's a secondary subject. Your leading lines (which is the main subject indicator) do not lead to anything, they head off-frame. Our eyes first follow the line left, then switch right to the structure but there is no relation between the two. Rule of 1/3s is not followed here as both subjects (end of line & structure) are placed squarely in the middle, and it would be better if you staggered points of interest.

Since the title is the 'street...', make sure the street actually does something rather than being a line. Be it adding a human element(s) or including a destination to it (even the horizon).

sembawangmagic · 25th December 2008

nice...more like a gothic theme...

marvintheroundone · 27th December 2008

Originally Posted by srinivasanj

Composition wise, this is very good...I just feel the image is a bit underexposed overall..up the areas that need to stand out...

Originally Posted by sembawangmagic

nice...more like a gothic theme...

Haha Thanks guys
Will take not of the exposure

marvintheroundone · 27th December 2008

Originally Posted by foxtwo

How much underexposed were you, and why? But yes, you need to bump up the greyscale here.

I don't think the main problem here is the lack of a human element, it is the lack of a main subject. A subject of interest is placed at middle right but by composition, it's a secondary subject. Your leading lines (which is the main subject indicator) do not lead to anything, they head off-frame. Our eyes first follow the line left, then switch right to the structure but there is no relation between the two. Rule of 1/3s is not followed here as both subjects (end of line & structure) are placed squarely in the middle, and it would be better if you staggered points of interest.

Since the title is the 'street...', make sure the street actually does something rather than being a line. Be it adding a human element(s) or including a destination to it (even the horizon).

Hmmm, I understand what you mean. Yeah, my lines are indeed leading to no where. I still have some problems with composition in majourity of my photos as well. Hmmm, well I will practice more and hopefully improve on my 1/3s and seek you guys on c&c again. Thanks for all the advice. It has really helped. REally appreciate it. Thanks!

joshuachan28 · 28th December 2008

Hey nice picture you got here. I like the mood. IMO, i think maybe u could have taken the picture from a lower angle, used the two lines in the middle of the road so as to have lines leading off into the distance. But doing that might just cut off the sky which really adds to the atmosphere. So to counter that maybe you could also move back and to the right abit assuming that the path behind you was winding as well so u can capture the lines of the road and sky and trees at the same time. But all in all, nice picture!

feralburn · 1st January 2009

nice shot bro..love the colour and mood it sets...anw, ur from IJC oso rite..well all the best for ur A level results...

marvintheroundone · 1st January 2009

Originally Posted by joshuachan28

Hey nice picture you got here. I like the mood. IMO, i think maybe u could have taken the picture from a lower angle, used the two lines in the middle of the road so as to have lines leading off into the distance. But doing that might just cut off the sky which really adds to the atmosphere. So to counter that maybe you could also move back and to the right abit assuming that the path behind you was winding as well so u can capture the lines of the road and sky and trees at the same time. But all in all, nice picture!

Originally Posted by feralburn

nice shot bro..love the colour and mood it sets...anw, ur from IJC oso rite..well all the best for ur A level results...

Thanks and noted!
Yeah I am from IJ and Thanks

night86mare · 3rd January 2009

Originally Posted by marvintheroundone

Somehow, I feel that the picture have something missing but I can't put my finger on it.
Thanks to all in advance
Ps: Merry Christmas to all

the picture is a lacking a subject.

you have a nice leading line.

but it leads to a mass of blackness and cloud detail and a tree caught up in the mess.

24th December 2008	#1
marvintheroundone Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bukit Gombak Posts: 151	Street In Finland Hello... Well this is a photo taken in Finland when I was there for a media exchange program. It was kinda of a street on an island in Helsinki Finland. I took it in colour intially. It was suppose to be a sunset. I figured that it may look better in B/W so I convertered it. I took it underexposed. ISO:200 Shutter: 1/4 Fstop: 5.0 lens: 18-55mm Somehow, I feel that the picture have something missing but I can't put my finger on it. Thanks to all in advance Ps: Merry Christmas to all __________________ To capture the beauty of God's Creation...This is my photography

24th December 2008	#2
CFM56-7B Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: tampines Posts: 149	Re: Street In Finland very very nice,by the way do u use any filter?

25th December 2008	#4
merelyok Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,050	Re: Street In Finland I kinda like it for the tones which lend to the moody atmosphere. The composition is fine in my book, but i do understand why u feel that there is something "missing" from the picture. In my (very humble) opinion, perhaps a human element is needed to complete the picture. Someone jogging past, a couple walking past, a cyclist going past; that would complete the picture for me.

25th December 2008	#5
foxtwo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: singapore Posts: 1,707	Re: Street In Finland Could you post a bigger image? I'm straining to see the details and tonality.

25th December 2008	#6
marvintheroundone Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bukit Gombak Posts: 151	Re: Street In Finland Sure, here you go __________________ To capture the beauty of God's Creation...This is my photography

25th December 2008	#7
teoelisha Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Singapore Posts: 205	Re: Street In Finland hi.. i think this is a pretty picture. however, imho, i think the foreground has lost a lot of detail. perhaps brightening it a little might help.. afterall, your title does say street in finland but my eyes are fixated mainly at bare tree branches and the sky. cheers!

25th December 2008	#8
Xtol19 Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 265	Re: Street In Finland It's missing a person in the foreground. Perhaps an old woman in a scarf. That's one thing I've learned about photography. When I was starting out, I wanted to shoo people out of my landscape/streetscape pictures because I felt they were noise. I would wait for hell of a long time till the whole scene was clear. Now I understand that people add scale to a landscape, and context to a street photo. A picture of an empty street is not as powerful as a picture of an empty street with a homeless man sleeping on it. That homeless man tells a story, and the empty street underscores the story of his homelessness. Last edited by Xtol19; 25th December 2008 at 09:13 AM.

25th December 2008	#9
marvintheroundone Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bukit Gombak Posts: 151	Re: Street In Finland Hmmm, yeah. I think this photo really lacks a human element to it. Thanks to all for the advice. Thanks __________________ To capture the beauty of God's Creation...This is my photography

25th December 2008	#10
srinivasanj Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 275	Re: Street In Finland Composition wise, this is very good...I just feel the image is a bit underexposed overall..up the areas that need to stand out...

25th December 2008	#11
foxtwo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: singapore Posts: 1,707	Re: Street In Finland How much underexposed were you, and why? But yes, you need to bump up the greyscale here. I don't think the main problem here is the lack of a human element, it is the lack of a main subject. A subject of interest is placed at middle right but by composition, it's a secondary subject. Your leading lines (which is the main subject indicator) do not lead to anything, they head off-frame. Our eyes first follow the line left, then switch right to the structure but there is no relation between the two. Rule of 1/3s is not followed here as both subjects (end of line & structure) are placed squarely in the middle, and it would be better if you staggered points of interest. Since the title is the 'street...', make sure the street actually does something rather than being a line. Be it adding a human element(s) or including a destination to it (even the horizon). Last edited by foxtwo; 25th December 2008 at 01:39 PM.

25th December 2008	#12
sembawangmagic New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6	Re: Street In Finland nice...more like a gothic theme... __________________ when I die,I wanna die like my father,SLEEPING.Not like his passengers,SHOUTING.

28th December 2008	#15
joshuachan28 Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 107	Re: Street In Finland Hey nice picture you got here. I like the mood. IMO, i think maybe u could have taken the picture from a lower angle, used the two lines in the middle of the road so as to have lines leading off into the distance. But doing that might just cut off the sky which really adds to the atmosphere. So to counter that maybe you could also move back and to the right abit assuming that the path behind you was winding as well so u can capture the lines of the road and sky and trees at the same time. But all in all, nice picture! Last edited by joshuachan28; 28th December 2008 at 12:47 AM.

1st January 2009	#16
feralburn New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	Re: Street In Finland nice shot bro..love the colour and mood it sets...anw, ur from IJC oso rite..well all the best for ur A level results...