Nobody owns no camera


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sprintist

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Nov 13, 2006
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During the marchpast by the recruits on their passing out parade, parents and friends throng the 'frontlines' to get the best shot of their sons/friends. While I am their to see my recruits, I have no particular person to shoot, standing on the stands, this picture immediately struck me which was a colourful and meaningful picture.
Everyone at the frontline held a camera handphone or pns, the affordability of cameras today along with the various dress codes of the spectators. It portrays the liveliness and vibrant colours of photography.


Would like to know if cropping of the picture to a panaroma worked for you people and also blurring out the troops as well as desaturating them made the colourful photographers stand out as a subject to you. c&c appreciated =)
 

Before I read your description, I thought this picture is like a group of people witnessing a big event like Tiananmen. Maybe because of the post-processing you gave to the soldiers, it gives me a feeling like its like a newspaper picture.

Hope you don't mind a newbie commenting, just that I had this feeling when I just saw the picture.
 

Somehow it just doesn't give the 'feel'. I think that blurring the troops was okay but perhaps you should not have desaturated it. Just a newbie's opinion =)
 

hmm, cause i didnt want the soldiers to distract away the attention from the colourful people. well its a different perspective too =)
 

Great picture! I like it.

It is so full of contrast.
Civilians against soldiers.
Colours against monochrome.
Flexibility against rigidity.
Movement against stillness.

I think in general all the 3 effects worked for me. Even Nat. Geo. photoshop their pictures nowadays, esp blurring. I like the blurring and desat. but I think the cropping can be better. :)
 

I think its quite a nice effort.It all adds up to quite a unique picture.I like it:)
 

hmm, cause i didnt want the soldiers to distract away the attention from the colourful people. well its a different perspective too =)

Nice feel. But a few irritating things.

The soldier on the stand to the lower left, he is blurred but the surrounding ground isn't. The blending of the blurring is too abrupt.

I actually found the blurring and desaturating rather distracting.
 

commented on this pic on ur flickr. didnt see it large there.

but now that I see it, i think the blurring was unnecessary - and it is poorly done anyway - it is a good idea but execution not good - needs more subtlety - remember use a surgical knife not an axe .. :)

the desaturation is very good. But u cld leave the soldier on the pedestal in colour - another small twist, but significant.

and lastly I dont like pano - just my taste - and I think u can composed it in the usu 3:2 or even 16:9 format. I think proportion wise these ratioes are more aesthetic.
 

Great picture! I like it.

It is so full of contrast.
Civilians against soldiers.
Colours against monochrome.
Flexibility against rigidity.
Movement against stillness.

I think in general all the 3 effects worked for me. Even Nat. Geo. photoshop their pictures nowadays, esp blurring. I like the blurring and desat. but I think the cropping can be better. :)

Thanks!~ the comparison u did was interesting, hmm cropped quite abit already, what else should i crop out in this case?
 

The 2nd looks much better. Can actually see the parents taking photos instead of the distracting b&w soldiers from earlier photo.
 

The bottom past is not necessary. I wish to see more on the upper part (if you have it).
 

Btw, the floor color changed too..
 

agree with sumball. but ur idea remain good from the start. need some photoshopping to remove bottom part.
 

well my 2nd pic was to try to keep it at a 16:9 ratio so as not to make too panaromic like what espion suggested. and to not blur the background. the top part has nothing, i merely cropped off less than a cm of horizon between the parade square and roadside curbs.

i wanted to show the numbers of the people that was why if i had to crop away the bottom part the picture looked too long in length. Otherwise, i like the vertical portrait edited version. =)
 

well my 2nd pic was to try to keep it at a 16:9 ratio so as not to make too panaromic like what espion suggested. and to not blur the background. the top part has nothing, i merely cropped off less than a cm of horizon between the parade square and roadside curbs.

i wanted to show the numbers of the people that was why if i had to crop away the bottom part the picture looked too long in length. Otherwise, i like the vertical portrait edited version. =)

Thanks. There's actually leading lines in the portrait edit, and it's related to why I chose to leave the guy in red, colorised.

Yeap, I get you mean. Frankly, panoramas are a matter of taste. If you believe that it has worked to a certain extent for you, it's fine. Everything else is either composition or making sure that the framing is clean. :)
 

Looking at the picture again, there is a question: why did u include so much of the bottom when you took it?

Maybe the initial composition shld take more space above the soldiers on the parade ground and cut of the stands and the people there altogther. Maybe you need to take a few steps down.

Well maybe you didnt see this composition until you get home. :)

So then its a matter of experience: to see a pic before you take it. To try make a picture after the taking sometimes is so very hard. But this pic is still salvageable, but wat it means is that a great pic potential was lost.

So bottomline: keep shooting, but think before you shoot. ;-)
 

Looking at the picture again, there is a question: why did u include so much of the bottom when you took it?

Maybe the initial composition shld take more space above the soldiers on the parade ground and cut of the stands and the people there altogther. Maybe you need to take a few steps down.

Well maybe you didnt see this composition until you get home. :)
Get a film body and try shooting slides, you will sure learn how to compose nicely before pressing the button.:bsmilie:

Yeah shoot more!
 

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