Newbie shot at Changi Boardwalk

[wyl]

1. In what area is critique to be sought?
Composition and what techniques to possibly improve the colors, exposure etc

2. What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Sense of pondering at the end of a long day.

3. Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Sunset at the Changi Boardwalk

4. What the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I think it is quite ordinary and so was wondering if there is anything I could have done to make it more "special".

 

[daredevil123]

Should have shot in landscape orientation here... why? the person is too close to the right side of the frame.

The interesting tree is cut off halfway by the left side of the frame. The water at the bottom of the frame is not too interesting... And please make sure the horizon is level and not tilted.

Once you fix the basic problems I mentioned above, then you can start thinking of how to make the picture more "special".

 

[ahming111]

i felt the exposure was gd, gd job.

should have moved the subject (rocks, trees etc...) lower into the picture

 

[watsup]

What i think:
Include the whole tree. Too much water, crop off.
Underexpose abit more (still can see the face and shirt of the guy) to show the silhouette.

 

[monkeyphotographer]

I think should have crop off the lower part of the sea, its showing too much of the sea. if the person in the photo is your friend, you should ask him sitting back face you on the rock instead of standing facing you. it might be more pleasent.

 

[GSiGuy]

I think should have crop off the lower part of the sea, its showing too much of the sea. if the person in the photo is your friend, you should ask him sitting back face you on the rock instead of standing facing you. it might be more pleasent.

actually i like the pose. might be better if he faced outwards (back to camera) to make it look more contemplative...

 

[anumericalevil]

Oooh, Changi Boardwalk is a popular haunt for photographers. Good location choice, though a tad cliched. (or maybe I've seen one too many CBW pix... haha)

I find a portrait shot to be an interesting idea- there is no rule dictating that beach-y photos HAVE to be landscape-oriented. This is refreshing and different. I like! (Also, I know you have a reason for taking it in a portrait-orientation- the focus is on the man and the tree, not the rest of the ocean, right?)

What I think can be improved on, though, is the composition. What you have here looks like a hamburger- the top bun, the patty and the bottom bun. Hamburger pictures are not really aesthetically pleasing (at least to me), because there are too many areas of focus. What would make the picture great, imo, is if you have a higher back/top ground and little or no foreground (crop out the bottom). I've cropped the bottom out here, so you can get a general idea of what it can be like. This crop is by no means an alternative, because it's too compact as it lacks a good top/exposure of the sky/sunset/whatever.




This way, you can have a long photograph that is somewhat emotive with the man in the foreground by the silhouette of the tree. I can imagine it being a great picture like that. (I also like the idea of making him face his back towards you- it would make him appear more contemplative, like others have suggested)

Oh oh!! One more thing. A longer exposure time will make the water less crinkly, and more smooth, giving it an ethereal effect. That will greatly improve the aesthetic quality of your photo, methinks.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Oooh, Changi Boardwalk is a popular haunt for photographers. Good location choice, though a tad cliched. (or maybe I've seen one too many CBW pix... haha)

I find a portrait shot to be an interesting idea- there is no rule dictating that beach-y photos HAVE to be landscape-oriented. This is refreshing and different. I like! (Also, I know you have a reason for taking it in a portrait-orientation- the focus is on the man and the tree, not the rest of the ocean, right?)

What I think can be improved on, though, is the composition. What you have here looks like a hamburger- the top bun, the patty and the bottom bun. Hamburger pictures are not really aesthetically pleasing (at least to me), because there are too many areas of focus. What would make the picture great, imo, is if you have a higher back/top ground and little or no foreground (crop out the bottom). I've cropped the bottom out here, so you can get a general idea of what it can be like. This crop is by no means an alternative, because it's too compact as it lacks a good top/exposure of the sky/sunset/whatever.




This way, you can have a long photograph that is somewhat emotive with the man in the foreground by the silhouette of the tree. I can imagine it being a great picture like that. (I also like the idea of making him face his back towards you- it would make him appear more contemplative, like others have suggested)

Oh oh!! One more thing. A longer exposure time will make the water less crinkly, and more smooth, giving it an ethereal effect. That will greatly improve the aesthetic quality of your photo, methinks.

A longer exposure time would also increase the likelihood that the subject moves during the exposure (you don't expect someone to keep still for 10 seconds, do you?). I would rather the subject be sharp.
Anyway the idea is to show the subject in contemplation. Being able to see the 'choppy' surface of the sea doesn't detract in any way, I feel.

My main crituque is that the 'intention' of the photo (as described by the TS) was not really conveyed. Photo has too many elements.

 

[night86mare]

agree with DD123 on landscape orientation.

don't think a long exposure would have the person still - but if he's in cahoots with you, you can always do a double exposure and layer.

 

[EADGBe]

This is just me - I get annoyed immediately whenever I see a horizon line that is not truly flat.

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