Hi! I have been taking travel photos for almost 20 years, using them to create web-based travelogues I can send to friends and relatives instead of boring them with slide shows. After noticing there didn't seem to be much improvement in my photos, I thought it time to do something about it. I'm taking a composition class, and someone in the class recommended UHH as a place where I could get useful feedback. So here I am, an octogenarian ready to learn.
I hope to post one or two of my travel photos on the Photo Critique section to get some serious reality checks. Meantime, here's one that I like a lot and intrigues me - mostly because I think it raises questions that go beyond the usual principles of composition. It was taken in the town of Pernes les Fontaines in Provence. Every four years they hold a "Fete du Patrimoine", a celebration of their history, where everyone in the town dresses in turn-of-the-century outfits and wanders around with old automobiles, bicycles, and other artifacts. The whole town, even the children, seem to get into the spirit of the reenactment.
Here's one photo I took in 2012 (the boy in the background is a tourist; the others are locals). Please, let me know what you think, and add any thoughts you have for how I could have done better. [Nikon D50, f5.6, 1/250]
I'm no professional, but my 'eye' likes it. Love the bicycle and boys....not a fan of that back wall though.
Too bad the tourist is in the picture. Remove him and it would be much better.
Rolk
Loc: South Central PA
Bayes Rule wrote:
Hi! I have been taking travel photos for almost 20 years, using them to create web-based travelogues I can send to friends and relatives instead of boring them with slide shows. After noticing there didn't seem to be much improvement in my photos, I thought it time to do something about it. I'm taking a composition class, and someone in the class recommended UHH as a place where I could get useful feedback. So here I am, an octogenarian ready to learn.
I hope to post one or two of my travel photos on the Photo Critique section to get some serious reality checks. Meantime, here's one that I like a lot and intrigues me - mostly because I think it raises questions that go beyond the usual principles of composition. It was taken in the town of Pernes les Fontaines in Provence. Every four years they hold a "Fete du Patrimoine", a celebration of their history, where everyone in the town dresses in turn-of-the-century outfits and wanders around with old automobiles, bicycles, and other artifacts. The whole town, even the children, seem to get into the spirit of the reenactment.
Here's one photo I took in 2012 (the boy in the background is a tourist; the others are locals). Please, let me know what you think, and add any thoughts you have for how I could have done better. [Nikon D50, f5.6, 1/250]
Hi! I have been taking travel photos for almost 2... (
show quote)
I like the photo, but I probably would have left a "smidgen" of space above their heads.
Welcome to the HOG.
You are always learning something new in photography, whatever age.
I like your composition in this photograph, it's telling a story of enjoyment.
Enjoy the forum and your photography.
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for sharing a photo.
Welcome to the forum.
(I agree with more space above their heads.)
Jay Pat
Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
Cool looking bike!
Never seen one like it.
Welcome to the forum!!
Pat
Thanks everyone for the comments. I agree that the wall in the background and the tourist are unfortunate. My PS skills are not up to removing them after the fact (ha!), so I'm afraid the only other solution would have been to exercise more patience than I had then. I have learned that travel photography is a lot like wildlife photography.
The tight vertical cropping is an interesting point. I had cropped left and right to avoid a doorway and a second tourist, both of which seemed to detract, and I have an aversion to frames that are too square - hence the lack of vertical space. It's easy to fix.
Welcome to the UHH, very good post.
The look of gleeful enthusiasm in the tourist's face does it for me, even though he isn't in turn of the century clothes, nether is the boy on the right. It's still a good photograph.
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.