Sentosa
- Thread starter dotaboy
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i'll say that the pics arent really special. they lack composition and the main focus of the subject. ie the first pic i cant tell if the boy is having fun playing with the water. it just looks too plain and static. it doesnt really capture me. but of all the pics, i like the last pic. it made me smile for a while. quite an interesting funny one. the one with the monkey holding the coke bottle. though i think it should have a tigther crop.
sorry if i'm too straight forward and direct to the point. no offence intended if you feel so.
merry christmas! and a happy new year! keep shooting and improving!
sorry if i'm too straight forward and direct to the point. no offence intended if you feel so.
merry christmas! and a happy new year! keep shooting and improving!
How can the composition be improve?
To be frank it's not easy cause they are mostly in motion and it's tough to put their in a balanced layout.
its more of your perspective. i'll say explore your angles. if its me i'll get close and shoot from a inclining positon. ie squatting low and shooting up. try to get the eyes and the correct moment. as some say, the eyes open the window to the soul. its not something that can be easily explained in words but i'll try. hmm.. its like when the water suddenly shoots up he might suddenly go into a burst of laughter. i'll try to capture these emotions and joy. if you dont really get my drift, it doesnt matter. but feel free to pm me for any inquries. dont want to go too OT(off topic to the thread) here. and i know i'm starting to type gibberish because its time for me to turn in
cheers mate!
cheers mate!
No worries,i get what you mean fully.
And well i did try different angles and seemingly,these are the best that i cold get.
For the 1st pic,it was done with me squatting and because the boy was playing together with his friends within a small enclose area,it is can be really tough to get the 'perfect' shots considering i have to take into account different factors like his friends might block him in the midst of fun,decreasing shutter speed if he's not moving etc.
so yea..
yea i know what you mean. i know where you took those pics. for the water there you'll get the weary look from the eyes of the parents watching. so it might be abit akward.but no worries dude. we learn from experimenting! btw just a point to note. it seems a little underxposed on my screen. you should try stepping up by a stop.
First things first, read the guidelines for Critique Corner. 1 photo only. I think you should remove them before the mods come after you. 
I think littlejt has given you some insight on how to improve already. Frankly, to me, personally, I do value appropriate titling of the shot. As littlejt has mentioned, your shots do not tell me anything about Sentosa. They could have been taken anywhere.
Secondly, work on your composition. I realise all your subjects are dead-centre framed. Try using the rule of thirds (go read up about it if you're not sure what I'm talking about). Dead-centre framing may work from time to time, but I don't think any of your shots work with regards to the composition.
Thirdly, do try some DI (digital imaging) or PP (post process) on your shots. Frankly speaking, you can safely say 9.5 (or more) out of 10 photographers apply PP to their shots. Don't get me wrong, PP should be used to enhance a shot, not create one. And do crop your shots when necessary. For example, for #5, do you think all that blank space and trees around the monkey are necessary? If not, chop them off!
Lastly, do shoot more and post more. Do keep in mind the guidelines of the respective forums, especially that of Critique Corner, if you really want people to critique your works.
I think littlejt has given you some insight on how to improve already. Frankly, to me, personally, I do value appropriate titling of the shot. As littlejt has mentioned, your shots do not tell me anything about Sentosa. They could have been taken anywhere.
Secondly, work on your composition. I realise all your subjects are dead-centre framed. Try using the rule of thirds (go read up about it if you're not sure what I'm talking about). Dead-centre framing may work from time to time, but I don't think any of your shots work with regards to the composition.
Thirdly, do try some DI (digital imaging) or PP (post process) on your shots. Frankly speaking, you can safely say 9.5 (or more) out of 10 photographers apply PP to their shots. Don't get me wrong, PP should be used to enhance a shot, not create one. And do crop your shots when necessary. For example, for #5, do you think all that blank space and trees around the monkey are necessary? If not, chop them off!
Lastly, do shoot more and post more. Do keep in mind the guidelines of the respective forums, especially that of Critique Corner, if you really want people to critique your works.
The BAD:
Frist I think the photo is underexposed do photoshop it. (easily fixed)
Second it looks more like a snapshot rather than composed but reading on how you tried different angles, I guess you just didn't hit the lucky spot, maybe you wanna take a re look at the other angles.
The background is distracting, especially the letch with the plants, maybe you could have pointed another way or gave i a higher angle to give it a less colorful distracting background.
The subject is not within the thirds law so it might not bring out as much impact as you wanted it to. (If you don't know what it is, seach wiki, it might or might not improve the shot, so you should take many and see for yourself)
Your horizon was tilted we can see from the letch, try to have a straight horizon, a tripod might help but you do have to set it up fast!
The picture is not as sharp as expected, maybe after you focus locked the boy or you shifted so if im not wrong, the focus seems kinda out (should use continuous autofocus when shootin moving objects) A little sharpening in photoshop might help, but don't go too overboard.
Colours ain't bright enough, a more saturated and brighter color might help. (don't worry photoshopable)
The GOOD:
You got the speed right to freeze the water is just nice, i can see small droplets floatin around him.
The aperture was appropriate as it gave an appropriate depth to the photo.
I think people who like to say the composition ain't interesting in the critique is just taking a vague shortcut to dampening someones hard work which can kill the pride of the beginner photographer no offense maybe you should explain why it doesn't impress you (on the photographers part, do ask yourself that question too). Critique for yourself if very important when taking the shot, do take in these factors the next time you post.
Frist I think the photo is underexposed do photoshop it. (easily fixed)
Second it looks more like a snapshot rather than composed but reading on how you tried different angles, I guess you just didn't hit the lucky spot, maybe you wanna take a re look at the other angles.
The background is distracting, especially the letch with the plants, maybe you could have pointed another way or gave i a higher angle to give it a less colorful distracting background.
The subject is not within the thirds law so it might not bring out as much impact as you wanted it to. (If you don't know what it is, seach wiki, it might or might not improve the shot, so you should take many and see for yourself)
Your horizon was tilted we can see from the letch, try to have a straight horizon, a tripod might help but you do have to set it up fast!
The picture is not as sharp as expected, maybe after you focus locked the boy or you shifted so if im not wrong, the focus seems kinda out (should use continuous autofocus when shootin moving objects) A little sharpening in photoshop might help, but don't go too overboard.
Colours ain't bright enough, a more saturated and brighter color might help. (don't worry photoshopable)
The GOOD:
You got the speed right to freeze the water is just nice, i can see small droplets floatin around him.
The aperture was appropriate as it gave an appropriate depth to the photo.
I think people who like to say the composition ain't interesting in the critique is just taking a vague shortcut to dampening someones hard work which can kill the pride of the beginner photographer no offense maybe you should explain why it doesn't impress you (on the photographers part, do ask yourself that question too). Critique for yourself if very important when taking the shot, do take in these factors the next time you post.
I did notice that the picture didn't turned out to be on a horizontal plane despite that i did tried to ensure my hands were locked.
Guess i was greedy to want to take the expression of the kid while playing that i rushed too much.
WHat do u mean auto locked?
I was on manual while shooting..or were you refering to the multi focus,spot focus settings etc?
I tried to google but i couldn't find any links.
Somehow i think you meant by layout?
You mean focus lock? I think I wasn't clear, my bad. I was talking about the camera focusing on the boy and when it finds the focus, it stops focusing so when you shift or when the boy shifts, the focus is out as you didn't refocus, happens all the time :bsmilie:
But you said something about manual, are you using manual focus? If so maybe you didn't catch the focus point correctly.
But you said something about manual, are you using manual focus? If so maybe you didn't catch the focus point correctly.
then its not, ur focus is still autofocus although u capture the exposure manually. Most probably is out of focus then.
Critics please
Walkabout shots in sentosa.
No ps done.
Suggestions to improve picture is welcome.
(Learn Photoshop. Shooting is only 50% of the job done. The other half of spending time to tweak the image in Photoshop). Personally I find the image flat in terms of lighting. What I like is the composition and timing of the shot and how you freezed the action with a fast shutter speed... but you really need to do some post work on the image to give it more impact.
Walkabout shots in sentosa.
No ps done.
Suggestions to improve picture is welcome.
(Learn Photoshop. Shooting is only 50% of the job done. The other half of spending time to tweak the image in Photoshop). Personally I find the image flat in terms of lighting. What I like is the composition and timing of the shot and how you freezed the action with a fast shutter speed... but you really need to do some post work on the image to give it more impact.
exposure as others have mentioned, is off, the picture is too dark, unless you intended it as such. the photoshop histogram, which i have included just below this paragraph will tell you this too. do note that you cannot base everything purely on histogram, the scene also matters. however in this scene the range of tonality is rather mixed, so you should expect an even distribution throughout the entire histogram. yet everything is bunched to the left.
composition wise, what has already been mentioned, it isn't a horrible composition, it isn't a bad moment, but it isn't exactly wonderful or noteworthy either. that doesn't mean it is a bad picture. it's just not an exceptional one, and fair enough, not every photo has to be exceptional, i hope everyone acknowledges that sooner or later.
keeping that in mind, i do find the streak of green across the top a little distracting. a trying of different angles, like one where you could try to capture the boy's expression (and joy) would definitely improve the picture and make it more interesting somewhat. i would also think that pp would make the picture a better one, something like black and white should work fine here. cheers.
composition wise, what has already been mentioned, it isn't a horrible composition, it isn't a bad moment, but it isn't exactly wonderful or noteworthy either. that doesn't mean it is a bad picture. it's just not an exceptional one, and fair enough, not every photo has to be exceptional, i hope everyone acknowledges that sooner or later.
keeping that in mind, i do find the streak of green across the top a little distracting. a trying of different angles, like one where you could try to capture the boy's expression (and joy) would definitely improve the picture and make it more interesting somewhat. i would also think that pp would make the picture a better one, something like black and white should work fine here. cheers.
Critics please
Walkabout shots in sentosa.
No ps done.
Suggestions to improve picture is welcome.
(Learn Photoshop. Shooting is only 50% of the job done. The other half of spending time to tweak the image in Photoshop). Personally I find the image flat in terms of lighting. What I like is the composition and timing of the shot and how you freezed the action with a fast shutter speed... but you really need to do some post work on the image to give it more impact.
Agree with microcosm. Photoshop is generally essential for digital images taken from camera. Had taught quite a number of photographers on using Ps and they had shared the same view that whatever best settings for a shot, it could further be enhanced in Photoshop. Sometimes, the image on the camera's LCD can be deceiving. So do take note. Composition and exposure issue had already been discussed above by the rest but if you claimed that this was the best you took for that day, then I would say that you could still tweak it in Ps. Things like cropping away distracting elements like the foliage above the image and try some basic auto command for level and color. Anyway, practising make prefect. Keep trying.
chvictor (Adobe Certified Expert) | Photoshop Instructor | 98162062
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