The ever-present sea: This is a step away from the norm for me, so I thought I'd get some third party perspectives. The harbour part of Portsoy is mostly narrow , twisty lanes, but...

R.G. Loc: Scotland

This is a step away from the norm for me, so I thought I'd get some third party perspectives.

The harbour part of Portsoy is mostly narrow , twisty lanes, but rather than just get a street shot of it, I shot this one which includes a glimpse of the harbour. The sea was central to how these people lived their lives.

To photograph this I had to shelve my usual habit of prioritising for balance. I like it, but my main concern is that it doesn't look like something a professional would do.

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Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

R.G. wrote:

This is a step away from the norm for me, so I tho... (show quote)

Strikes me as a reminder (as a too-infrequent visitor) that in many villages hard by the sea it's hard to take a walk "in town" and cross more than two or three intersections without, in some direction, getting some glimpse, narrow or broad ("braid"?) of the water.
I like the depth perspective ( as well as the slope's perverse incongruity with the distantly converging lines of perspective). Exposure, DOF, n'a' are fine.
And I like it...and do have to ask...how, specifically, does it differ from what "...a professional would do"?.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Uuglypher wrote:

......And I like it...and do have to ask...how, specifically, does it differ from what "...a professional would do"?.

Perhaps I should have said that it comes a bit too close to looking like a snapshot. The perspective that I was forced to use excludes the possibility of achieving a balanced look. I think it's the sort of shot that a photographer would appreciate, whereas a non-photographer would look at it and go "Meh - it's just a shot of a street".

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I tried cropping out the steps (not from the left, just the bottom), which also removes the bit of green and black patch. Now I feel that I'm more in the scene and closer to the water, and the composition retains the beautiful lines and sense of place.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

What I like about this image is that the composition communicates so much about this part of town, and the experience of visiting it. From the foot steps in the left corner, to the sea at horizon, and everything in between.

On the question if it looks like something a professional photographer would do - well, I guess so. If I saw this photo illustrated in a travel brochure, I would think it was well done. Actually, I've seen plenty of less-inspiring images in travel brochures and travel magazines compared to this. Perhaps most professional photographers would have waited for a sunny day rather than overcast, to make the scene look more enticing for their intended viewers - people trying to decide on vacation destinations. But I assume you did not take this shot specifically for the tourists anyhow.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Linda From Maine wrote:

I tried cropping out the steps (not from the left, just the bottom), which also removes the bit of green and black patch. Now I feel that I'm more in the scene and closer to the water, and the composition retains the beautiful lines and sense of place.

I just tried that using Photo Viewer and I'm inclined to agree with you. I didn't want to lose the steps but the crop does bring the view of the harbour a bit closer. I had to correct for perspective quite a lot (you can probably tell that the camera was significantly tilted down) and in the process had to crop down significantly. In the original the steps were more of a feature in their own right, but as posted they seem a lot more expendable. Thanks for commenting.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

rook2c4 wrote:

......I assume you did not take this shot specifically for the tourists anyhow.

Thanks for commenting, Rook2c4. My main concern was that it might be dismissed by the casual viewer as being just a snapshot, as opposed to being the sort of attention-grabber that even casual viewers are going to be engaged by.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

R.G. wrote:

...it might be dismissed by the casual viewer as being just a snapshot, as opposed to being the sort of attention-grabber that even casual viewers are going to be engaged by.

Your comment above brings up a whole different topic for a different discussion: how access to gazillions of online photos have caused the casual viewer to want immediate WOWSA with every single one :)

Curious about your wanting to retain the steps. Can you explain? For me, they distracted and blocked my view, so to speak.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Linda From Maine wrote:

Your comment above brings up a whole different topic for a different discussion: how access to gazillions of online photos have caused the casual viewer to want immediate WOWSA with every single one :)

Curious about your wanting to retain the steps. Can you explain? For me, they distracted and blocked my view, so to speak.

Maybe we shouldn't be too concerned about the possible reactions (or lack thereof) of the instant wowsa seekers. It could lead to nightmare scenarios where we all think that super-saturated, high contrast shots are the only way to go :? .

When the steps are more prominent they indicate that there is a thoroughfare at the side of the house (they lead to a path, not the house). Perhaps that is more significant for me than for the viewer, because I know where the path leads. The steps indicate the presence of a feature of this type of village - a network of narrow twisting lanes and footpaths.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Thanks, R.G. And I agree with your suggestion we not think about that particular nightmare :)

R.G. wrote:

Maybe we shouldn't be too concerned about the poss... (show quote)

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Linda From Maine wrote:

Thanks, R.G. And I agree with your suggestion we not think about that particular nightmare :)

I think what I was really trying to say earlier is that there's a part of me that thinks the best shots are those that have universal appeal. But I think it would be a bit dis-spiriting if we were to use that yardstick to gauge all of our shots.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

R.G. wrote:

I think what I was really trying to say earlier is that there's a part of me that thinks the best shots are those that have universal appeal. But I think it would be a bit dis-spiriting if we were to use that yardstick to gauge all of our shots.

A fascinating subject for discussion, for sure.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

R.G. wrote:

When the steps are more prominent they indicate that there is a thoroughfare at the side of the house (they lead to a path, not the house). Perhaps that is more significant for me than for the viewer, because I know where the path leads. The steps indicate the presence of a feature of this type of village - a network of narrow twisting lanes and footpaths.

My thoughts exactly why I think the steps are indeed an important feature in the composition. They say something about the character of the street, and are part of the experience. And I feel you chose a good balance between including enough of the steps to make them recognizable as such to the viewer, yet not too much to become an unnecessarily dominating feature within the composition. If I had been there with my camera, I hope I would have done the same.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Pro covers a multitude of sins R G. I have seen some wedding photos done by a "Pro" that made me weep laughing. So this is good enough to compete if it had too.
I have to disagree with some in that I would have cropped out the steps but I think its a personal choice thing. To me they stop the eye moving down the road to the sea. lol
Nice shot technically sound crop is your shout fella.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

rook2c4 wrote:

My thoughts exactly why I think the steps are indeed an important feature in the composition. They say something about the character of the street, and are part of the experience.

The original showed the corner of the house, so it was more obvious that the steps didn't go to the house. Unfortunately, if I'd stepped back to include more of the path, the shot would include huge swathes of gable end, with the harbour disappearing into the distance :? .