Please choose and critique!

[realitycheck3907]

Hey guys me and my wife shot this small waterfall at a local park. I would appreciate it if you would please pick which is your favorite and also critique the photos. Thanks for your help.
1.

2.

3.

 

[Resin42]

I can think of a number of ways this could go horribly pear-shaped for you, I'll gladly play along.

1 is slightly bright and the greens look kinda washed. The inclusion of the patch of mown grass top-right removes any feel of this being a "wild place".

2 is composed better the line of the fall leads the eye more, the exposure also looks better. I can still see lawn though.

3 gets the most detail of the fall although I'd liked to have seen a lower angle and more round to the left, shooting more across the fall, bringing back the foreground rocks and the still pool to the right while cutting out some of that background which doesn't work for me.

All three need that piece of wire or whatever it is cloned out

A favourite? Probably 3

Let me know if you dinner's in the dog.

 

[realitycheck3907]

Resin I actually cropped that out in Picasa and forgot to save the changes. I'll change them to the right ones.

 

[Resin42]

Resin I actually cropped that out in Picasa and forgot to save the changes. I'll change them to the right ones.

I may have to change my answer in that case, I think 2 works better now.

 

[realitycheck3907]

Anyone else?

 

[Ron Evers]

#3 for me. However, I think a lower view from the camera would be better, as it is,it's is a tourists snapshot.

 

[realitycheck3907]

Ron what does a tourist snapshot mean? No offense, just dont understand completely what you mean. Also I couldnt get it any lower actually. If you mean the height of the camera, because the tripod was as low as it could go, I was on a small sand bar as close to the creek as I could get.

 

[BTilson]

My favorite is #2 out of this series. What makes it for me is a nicer view of the pattern where the fall is hitting the lower water area. I think that is very visually interesting.

Also, the rest are right about that one wire or whatever it is being a distraction. Still all very nice in my opinion.

 

[Ron Evers]

Ron what does a tourist snapshot mean? No offense, just don't understand completely what you mean. Also I couldn't get it any lower actually. If you mean the height of the camera, because the tripod was as low as it could go, I was on a small sand bar as close to the creek as I could get.

Something strange here, your post ended with "just don't understand completely what you mean." yet when I quoted you there is more text. ???

What I was suggesting is that that the camera angle was that of a passer-by, a snap-shot. I think (my opinion) a lower camera angle would have more impact.

 

[realitycheck3907]

Well per you guys advice no more pole for number 2 and 3

 

[Draken]

nice shots! looks like a cool place to shoot, i like the effect of long exposures on waterfalls e.t.c, try finding a more appealing foreground (the bottom of your shot) perhaps a close up of those rocks in the middle left there use an aperture of f/22 and a wee bit of PP and im sure these shots will be stunners

keep up the good work

Mike.

 

[maulrat]

Hehe. That tree branch, stick or whatever it is that is sticking out in the left of the photo is really bothering me. I would probably walk over there and break that thing, hehe. In any case, perhaps you can try retaking them by eliminating that stick and pushing the falls to the left, then making the pool below open up.

I personally like the angle of #1. A little minor tweaking of saturation and color balance to liven up the colors wouldn't hurt.

My 2bit suggestions. I have to admit, I really enjoy photos of flowing water.

 

[realitycheck3907]

Yeah, I hate that i didn't pay enough attention to see that. Honestly zooming in on the photo, i believe it's a metal rod. I'm such a newb though I didn't take the time to even see what was in the photo and what wasn't. I was just locked in on the waterfall.

 

[maulrat]

I'm such a newb though I didn't take the time to even see what was in the photo and what wasn't. I was just locked in on the waterfall.

Don't stress it. I do this all the time. When I took some waterfall shots at Yosemite, I was like... "Oooo, ahhh". Googoo, gaga and mesmerized by the water like a moth to a flame. At least your waterfall is local and it won't take you 8 hours of driving to go get more shots It almost never rains here in San Diego so flowing water is not easy to come by... unless you head to the beach.

 

[Redxibi]

No.1 for me is the best. Some more saturation in all would do them well. The reason why I like 1 most is because there is a nice balance between the water and the background and water doesn't look like it wants to come out of the picture. (like in shot 3)

Overall good shots though. Good work.