Cycling in Cambodia

[Aljazz]

Had this picture taken from a bus with my Fuji S6500fd while travelling through Cambodia. Did a little cropping to remove parts of the bus and converted to black and white as I found the colours rather dull. Did this also to place more prominence to the shadows of the cyclist.

My thoughts was that I had the elements of a good composition (which I am trying to improve) but may not be actually so. Therefore, hope to be able to receive comments on the composition and perhaps the tone of the black and white photo. Thnx a lot.

 

[eddymerckx]

Hi

I think a portrait orientation, where the left half of the road is cropped away, will work better. That way you get a strong diagonal (the roadside) and the 2 halves are balanced by the cyclist on one side and the shadows on the other.

 

[Raied]

personally i like this framing. it uses the thrids very effectively for both the bikes and the roads (and there are 3 cyclists)

the only gripe is i wish that it was a tad wider so that the rear wheel is not cut off and the trees also and the shadow.

the black and white conversion works as well, could push up contrast a little more

 

[Aljazz]

eddymerckx and Raied,

Really appreciate your comments. Thank you.

It never occurred to me to shoot it in portrait format at that time which I had known only in theory. Just to used to the landscape format. Nevertheless, I tried to recrop the photo in portrait to see how it goes. This format appears to make the picture much tighter and places more emphasis on the subject matter.

As for cutting off the bicycle wheel, trees and shadow. Actually shot this from a moving bus and I was rather slow in deciding and adjusting the camera settings and by then the bus was practically behind the cyclists.

I guess these are all part of the learning process which probably will improve as we take more pictures, exposure to different situations and the feedback received as well

 

[David Kwok]

eddymerckx and Raied,

Really appreciate your comments. Thank you.

It never occurred to me to shoot it in portrait format at that time which I had known only in theory. Just to used to the landscape format. Nevertheless, I tried to recrop the photo in portrait to see how it goes. This format appears to make the picture much tighter and places more emphasis on the subject matter.

As for cutting off the bicycle wheel, trees and shadow. Actually shot this from a moving bus and I was rather slow in deciding and adjusting the camera settings and by then the bus was practically behind the cyclists.

I guess these are all part of the learning process which probably will improve as we take more pictures, exposure to different situations and the feedback received as well

Indeed the portrait crop gives a tighter framing and makes better composition. You should have asked the bus driver to drive slower! :bsmilie: (kidding)

If you could capture all the 3 shadows, I think the composition will be more interesting, with a lower angle capture. Well I know it's just talking, and action will be rather impossible, but well, just food for thought

 

[Aljazz]

Indeed the portrait crop gives a tighter framing and makes better composition. You should have asked the bus driver to drive slower! :bsmilie: (kidding)

If you could capture all the 3 shadows, I think the composition will be more interesting, with a lower angle capture. Well I know it's just talking, and action will be rather impossible, but well, just food for thought

Thanks David. Will get the driver to slow down next time ... and at the same time probably I need to learn to be more composed and less "kan cheong". We may wait long for a good photo opportunity but it could just take seconds for it to disappear.

 

[hope107fm]

The portrait crop is much better as the focus is now shifted to the three cyclists who are the main subject in the photo. Also, with is composition the eye is led towards the far end of the road. The picture would have been perfect if you had managed to show more of the last cyclist. Alas, sometimes we are a little slow on the draw.