Critique - which of the three compositions is better and why? (Page 3): This bloke cannot refrain from making this type of comment!

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

roxiemarty wrote:

You could be nicer to newcomers. Don't scare them off!

This bloke cannot refrain from making this type of comment!

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

johneccles wrote:

This bloke cannot refrain from making this type of comment!

Always. Just be nice, it won't kill anyone.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Base_fiddle wrote:

I'm trying to learn how to take better pics. I've been learning to use A mode and had some success. I would appreciate some critique of compositions - there are three pictures below taken at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The subject is the same. I know that my LR editing differs...I can work on that. For now, I'd appreciate understanding which composition is better and why.

Is the subject the cove or the boats? I like #1; its a balance between both showing the best detail of either.

Pixelmaster Loc: New England

There seems to be an unwritten rule that what you see in the original composition is what you must print. In this case the architecture is important (i.e. the buildings) because it shows
Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia and not some place else. Yes the horizon needs a bit of attention to straighten it out but most of all you don't need all that sky so cropping out all that blue
helps the eye to see what is important. All of us keep on learning no matter how good we get.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I'm with joer, I prefer no.1. And for pretty much the same reasons. But it all depends on what YOU want. A judge once told me after my first competition 'if you like it that's all that matters'.
However, if you are looking to put it into a completion then maybe you'd want to consider some of the comments made more seriously.

I would recommend our FYC (for your consideration) for further requests of this type. They have helped me quite a bit.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Base_fiddle wrote:

I'm trying to learn how to take better pics. I've been learning to use A mode and had some success. I would appreciate some critique of compositions - there are three pictures below taken at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The subject is the same. I know that my LR editing differs...I can work on that. For now, I'd appreciate understanding which composition is better and why.

You should concentrate on the boats, buildings and reflections. A few clouds in the bald sky would be nice but not necessarily mandatory.

#3 is my pick - but moving more to the right to include more of the buildings on the right and less on the left but including the boats. Boats, buildings, water, reflections - that is the subject here IMO. Clouds in the sky is icing on the cake.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I prefer the third one because of the better detail of the boats and a more prominent center of interest. And, as has been said, straighten your horizons.

satguy01

Well imho I would say #3 if your taking pics of the boats in the harbor, but if your taking a pic of the whole harbor I would use either 1 or 2, but crop the sky down some to focus more attention on the harbor. It just depends on what "story" you're trying to tell. IMHO.

shieldsadvert

#3. tighter crops are usually more interesting but I would have picked #1 if the horizon was horizontal because it shows the lobster traps identifying the shot location area.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

#3, the dock/patio on the left adds nothing in interest to the photo, the photo starts at the boat with it's color. The dock/patio keeps the eye from entering the picture. As for the other two, the one that shows more of the lighter, rocky shore on the other side and less of the dock/patio is my second favorite.

repleo Loc: Boston

Base_fiddle wrote:

I'm trying to learn how to take better pics. I've been learning to use A mode and had some success. I would appreciate some critique of compositions - there are three pictures below taken at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The subject is the same. I know that my LR editing differs...I can work on that. For now, I'd appreciate understanding which composition is better and why.

I think #2 has the most potential. However I would crop out most of the uninteresting dock on the left and crop out a some of the uninteresting sky to move the horizon off center. The boats, the sheds on the right and the reflections on the water are the interesting parts. Also, I would have tried to shoot from a point a little more to the left in order to show a bit more of the opening to the water beyond the harbor which would help to lead you more into the picture.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Considering the boats seem to be the subject, I'd vote 3. I'd also suggest that you pay attention to keeping the horizon line level.
--Bob

Base_fiddle wrote:

I'm trying to learn how to take better pics. I've been learning to use A mode and had some success. I would appreciate some critique of compositions - there are three pictures below taken at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The subject is the same. I know that my LR editing differs...I can work on that. For now, I'd appreciate understanding which composition is better and why.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Base_fiddle wrote:

I'm trying to learn how to take better pics. I've been learning to use A mode and had some success. I would appreciate some critique of compositions - there are three pictures below taken at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The subject is the same. I know that my LR editing differs...I can work on that. For now, I'd appreciate understanding which composition is better and why.

It depends on what you want to do with the composition. If I'm going to prepare a video show with Pro Show I will compose a little wide and use the program's zoom and pan features to draw the viewer's eye in to the scene. You're #3 has the better potential for a print.

SteveLew Loc: Sugar Land, TX

I like photo number 2 the most since it shows the whole scene while photo number 3 is too compressed. Often times the best way to in large the subject is to zoom with your feet, if possible.

Stash Loc: South Central Massachusetts

Personally I like #2 for the lighting and perspective.