The Last Piece: Sadly, the tree had to go. Photo was taken with my phone.

Erdos2 Loc: Vancouver, WA

Sadly, the tree had to go. Photo was taken with my phone.

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winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

It's a snapshot taken with a telephone of some guys pulling a tree down.

allanj Loc: New York City

I like it. Can feel the effort of the person pulling on the rope.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

I have to agree with Winterrose: too many distractions in the foreground and background, no clear subject (the guy with the rope? the tree?), the green sleeves detract from it, etc.

Nightski

A different perspective could have made this a much more compelling photograph. It is rare that you can cut people off with the frame successfully. Those are my two observations.

dat2ra Loc: Sacramento

Yes, there was an opportunity to take a photograph but this is really a phone snap shot.

Erdos2 Loc: Vancouver, WA

Nightski wrote:

A different perspective could have made this a much more compelling photograph. It is rare that you can cut people off with the frame successfully. Those are my two observations.

Thank you for your observations.

The process of taking the 100 foot douglas fir tree down in extremely tight quarters was fascinating, and those guys earned every penny they were paid. I had my dslr camera out earlier in the process, but those photos lacked a lot because aiming higher toward the sky was not very interesting with both lighting or composition, so I had put it away. The limited angles were all wrong for good photos. While none of the photos taken that day were anything great, they satisfied their purpose. This photo, and a few others were a last second consideration taken to send to my wife who was out of town that week. I wanted to show her the progress and the struggle.

I finally decide to post this one because I was interested in critiques on a couple things. One was if the people-rope-tree line was enough to make it interesting. Another, other was if the person with green sleeves being so cut-off was distraction or ok. I wish I had an angle that included that person, but there was no way that was possible, even in hindsight. I choose to not clone out that person so that there could be feedback on him. I suppose a third question is the problem of the two guys pushing and prying the tree being in the dark. Maybe they don't matter, or perhaps the other comments about too much in the background might be part of that issue.

As for the angle/perspective, I was standing between two other large trees. Photos taken further back blocked too much, and they forced only a couple angles. It was difficult to get the action so close up, so it was what it was. I am curious, if I was not limited by other trees, then what angle of the action might be a better perspective. I think it still needs to show the rope and what is on each end of it.

All critiques with suggestions for improvement are very much appreciated. In about 7 or 8 years , one of those other trees will need to come down. (based on ring spacing on the tree that was just removed and how close another tree is to the house) Perhaps I can plan something better for photos, given these learnings.

Jerry

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Erdos2 wrote:

Thank you for your observations.

The process of taking the 100 foot douglas fir tree down in extremely tight quarters was fascinating, and those guys earned every penny they were paid. I had my dslr camera out earlier in the process, but those photos lacked a lot because aiming higher toward the sky was not very interesting with both lighting or composition, so I had put it away. The limited angles were all wrong for good photos. While none of the photos taken that day were anything great, they satisfied their purpose. This photo, and a few others were a last second consideration taken to send to my wife who was out of town that week. I wanted to show her the progress and the struggle.

I finally decide to post this one because I was interested in critiques on a couple things. One was if the people-rope-tree line was enough to make it interesting. Another, other was if the person with green sleeves being so cut-off was distraction or ok. I wish I had an angle that included that person, but there was no way that was possible, even in hindsight. I choose to not clone out that person so that there could be feedback on him. I suppose a third question is the problem of the two guys pushing and prying the tree being in the dark. Maybe they don't matter, or perhaps the other comments about too much in the background might be part of that issue.

As for the angle/perspective, I was standing between two other large trees. Photos taken further back blocked too much, and they forced only a couple angles. It was difficult to get the action so close up, so it was what it was. I am curious, if I was not limited by other trees, then what angle of the action might be a better perspective. I think it still needs to show the rope and what is on each end of it.

All critiques with suggestions for improvement are very much appreciated. In about 7 or 8 years , one of those other trees will need to come down. (based on ring spacing on the tree that was just removed and how close another tree is to the house) Perhaps I can plan something better for photos, given these learnings.

Jerry

Thank you for your observations. br br The proc... (show quote)

It is virtually impossible for us at our screens to visualize the layout but it comes to mind that were you to have posed the shot to really capture the moment for prosperity, you might have put yourself with a suitable camera/lens combination so as to compose looking down the rope at the two men putting strain with a closeup of the tools and hands prying in the foreground. Lighting the shot would have required a degree of thought and setup but that is often what it takes to make such a shot more than just a snapshot.