People-in-Environment - The Lobsterman & His Wife: I'm mainly a landscape shooter who sometimes includes people or animals, but I'm still trying to find a good proportion/distance to...

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I'm mainly a landscape shooter who sometimes includes people or animals, but I'm still trying to find a good proportion/distance to get as much environment as possible without turning the people to ants. These are both a little close for me, trying something new.

These shots are of the lobsterman's wife operating the lift to bring the baitboxes up out of the boat, and then him climbing the dock after they got done. Setting is a rocky island off the coast of Maine the day before lobster season starts. Do either of them work? Advice? I have others to pick from, and "real" processing to be done later. And one more afternoon to shoot here at least (more if marooned another day).

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Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Fabulous compositions, mood and setting, Minnie! And you stuck on an island off the coast of Maine...you do enjoy your adventures!

I like #1 best with regards to the people: I like her leaning way over, hair blowing, and for me it appears she looks to be shouting at someone below, or something has caught her interest and she's looking more closely at it.

I would like #2 much better if the woman wasn't in the shot. Then my attention would be directed to the man climbing, a precarious action in itself, and I like the mood of his being alone, and the idea of his having to do all that daunting and dangerous work by himself, on a cold gray day.

ExTech2

minniev wrote:

I'm mainly a landscape shooter who sometimes inclu... (show quote)

WOW! What a strong picture #1 is. Absolutely perfect!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Linda From Maine wrote:

Fabulous compositions, mood and setting, Minnie! A... (show quote)

Thanks for this detailed review Linda, more important because you likely know this subject matter. I liked the one of her leaning over too, with her hair in the wind. She was watching for him to come in and they began executing their plan as soon as he tied the boat up, working very quickly. I could always take her out of the second shot, I think the images might work better together if only one person was in each one. I am amazed watching these people work.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

minniev wrote:

Do either of them work? Advice?

They both do. Put your minniev touch to em when you get back.

With the swirl of the water behind the boat and the bow out, number 1 seems as if she could be saying farewell with him casting off for the day. I like your perspective lined up with the seawall. The angled foreground rock for me seems to anchor the shot. Number 2 tells the story of a finished day with Chris tied up, its skipper climbing to land, and the first mate putting up the last trap. Number 2 needs much more work when you get home and Im sure youre well aware, Its tilted the lift is cut off, ect. Looking forward to more when youve had time to work them.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

ExTech2 wrote:

WOW! What a strong picture #1 is. Absolutely perfect!

Thank you so much, glad you liked it.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Frank2013 wrote:

They both do. Put your minniev touch to em when yo... (show quote)

Thanks for the detailed comments Frank. Yeah, that second one will need help, it was a SNAPSHOT, I thought I was done then spotted him scaling that post and did what I could. Will be able to clean up some when I get it home I think. It was a struggle to level either one, since the rock island across the water is so angled, it looks off whatever I do. Will have to go with the lift for straightening I think.

It seemed like a modern day captain's homecoming shot. But all of Monhegan seems a little like a fairy tale.

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

minniev wrote:

I'm mainly a landscape shooter who sometimes inclu... (show quote)

Hi Min.

I am horrible at mixing people with landscape so I won't be of much help in that regard. If you ask me the relationship between the person and the scene would probably best be viewed in a large print.

Must be quite a difference from you usual climes of the deep south. How did you end up in this part of the country. You know there is big weather coming.

I like the top one best of the two. It seems to require nothing else other than a little work. Like you say, it can definitely use a dose of PP.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

jim hill wrote:

Hi Min. br br I am horrible at mixing people with... (show quote)

Thanks Jim, and if you have any specific ideas about processing that top one, which I agree has more potential, please do share, this has been a bit of an experiment in a land that is strange to me. Yes, the weather is upon us and may be worse upon us before we get home. Will take boat to mainland tomorrow if it is running, and it will be a rough ride. I do love this island, it is a treasure. It's where a lot of the Wyeth paintings were done.

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

minniev wrote:

Thanks Jim, and if you have any specific ideas about processing that top one, which I agree has more potential, please do share, this has been a bit of an experiment in a land that is strange to me. Yes, the weather is upon us and may be worse upon us before we get home. Will take boat to mainland tomorrow if it is running, and it will be a rough ride. I do love this island, it is a treasure. It's where a lot of the Wyeth paintings were done.

I did not know that. Wyeth's one of my favorite artists - along with Edward Hopper and a couple others.

Love the sky and sense of ambient light around the main attraction.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Both great shots min. Its number2 for me if you get rid of the wife. A cut and paste of the bit of the dock without her from the first shot may work.
Number 1 she is a distraction number 2 with just him climbing is how it should be.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

jim hill wrote:

I did not know that. Wyeth's one of my favorite artists - along with Edward Hopper and a couple others.

Love the sky and sense of ambient light around the main attraction.

One of my favorites too. Jamie Wyeth still maintains a home here. I got into a fascinating discussion with a most interesting local artist today about the whole Wyeth clan, the Monhegan obsession, and art in general. I thought about you, as it was a conversation you'd have absolutely loved. I would still be up on the hill talking to him if he hadn't had to go to the lobstering meeting to decide about the fleet going out tomorrow. He is a sternman for one of the boats to supplement his income because unless you are a Wyeth, you gotta.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Billyspad wrote:

Both great shots min. Its number2 for me if you get rid of the wife. A cut and paste of the bit of the dock without her from the first shot may work.
Number 1 she is a distraction number 2 with just him climbing is how it should be.

I agree with you about the wife leaving us on #2. The climb was what got my attention. I was assuming he'd take the boat around to the harbor and paddle in like the others, but when he started climbing that pier, out came the camera again:)