My first post here!

[Neurospark]

Hi all,

I took this shot at Lower seletar reservoir. I've done some work on the pic in Lightroom. Not sure if the result is anything creative but I sorta like it. Would love to hear your comments!


1. in what area is critique to be sought?
Composition as well as colour, contrast & saturation adjustments done

2. what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
Learn better photographic techniques, improve editing skills

3. under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
Nikon D5000, at about 4pm. Wanted to capture the beauty of the metallic structure

4. what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I like it for its perspective of the structure and the way it looks like planes' wings' in the clouds.


Your positive criticism is very much appreciated. Thank you frens!

 

[Eworms]

Hi, what is the focus?
If it's the metallic structure, it may be better to have a less distracting background eg clear blue sky.

 

[Neurospark]

Yup the focus is the metallic structure. Good point you made there. Will work on minimizing distractions next time round. Thanks so much!

 

[xtunbox]

I find that some of the trees are in green/yellow color and those further in the background of in shades of black & white.

 

[pegasus7777777]

The PP works for me, looks like you tried a fair bit of it?
Tone-wise I quite like it, but pp is really to taste and not for everyone...

If you really want to ask me about composition, I would suggest you go back and reshoot this. This time, cut less sky and shift to have more of the structure. Now it looks like neither here not there...i.e. you want to show the structure more? or you want the sky more? or the trees at the back more (by the way, they are distracting as a result of the black tone increase, but that can't be helped unless u wanna spend a few hours pp them a bit lighter...).

Reshooting stuff you shoot before helps, you can see progress of your growth over the years. Remember that it is the hardworking photographer that progresses the fastest, not the one with the camera and "years of experience". I have seen people with so called "30 years of bird photography" but still having -.- pictures.

Keep shooting and enjoy yourself!

 

[Neurospark]

Thank you so much for your valuable feedback pegasus. I'll definitely reshoot it when i find time. I guess i've got a long way to go but like you said, its the effort to learn that really matters. I've got lots of that. So yup, i'll keep trying, learning. Many thanks again. Cheers!

 

[tednbaby]

Perphaps a lower perspective? it looks very much a stand straight and shoot. am i right?

hmm maybe i **** eye ba.. but i feel standing closer a bit and lower perspective would push the metallic wings more strong feel.

just my 2 cents from a noob man, lousy skills. No hard feelings k.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

looks like you need to go closer, with a wider lens :devil:, to really bring out the structure more...
In this case, I believe less is more.
Should heed pegasus7777777's advice and focus on one thing, otherwise it looks lost with so many other elements.

 

[allenleonhart]

my honest take?

i like the patterns. but thats all. composition wise, a little too cluttered on right half.

what i dun like
the editing. i think you over edited the photo. for one: the clouds have weird grey color in it, whole photo looks grainy. i'm fine with editing, but once it goes overboard it just looks not real. perhaps could you show the original raw photo? it would do a fair good bit of comparision

 

[candycaine]

Composition-wise, your focus should be on the structure. That's what you stated as your intention of this photo. There is some semblance of a leading line, in the form of the railing. However, the railing leads the viewers' eyes in and then straight out of the photo.

I have not been to this structure even though I did shoot at LSR before, so I don't know what the place is like exactly. From what I see, the structure has a very interesting, regular pattern that can take up the entire frame and work decently well as a photo, as opposed to what you're doing here, which is trying to shoot it landscape style). There are other instances of other photographers shooting this structure from the outside rather than from the inside. Go check it out.

In terms of processing, the trees are un-evenly coloured. Some are light green, some are almost desaturated to the point of being grey. Selective desaturation (of some trees) does not work at all here. A simple desaturation of all the trees would be fine if you want the trees in a slightly grey-green shade. Otherwise, don't desat at all.


Hope this helps.
AC

 

[Neurospark]

Thank you so much for all your comments and constructive feedback. I'm new to this but I hope to learn as I go along. And you guys are definitely helping me learn. Truly grateful. I'll try reshooting this and PP it differently, minimally. Thanks again guys!

 

[derrickder]

Perhaps shift the focus of the structure more to the left (cover more of the photo) Framing wise not bad ^^