Question concerning the frame

LaFoto · May 16, 2005

You will hardly ever find me brave enough to present any of my pics here in the Critique section, but I would like to know whether you consider the leaves framing the countryside as ok or as "kitsch"?

dalebe · May 16, 2005

IMO i think it works very well! it acts as a sort of gateway or entrance to the countryside if you know what i mean! nice work.

Raymond J Barlow · May 16, 2005

I like the leaves, its simple, yet effective.. give the viewer a sense of protection from the elements.. very pretty landscape too!

LaFoto · May 17, 2005

Thanks to you, you two, for looking and commenting. I am very unsure about this one and tend to find it a bit much of a foreground... maybe some more people will look and say something. I took another photo of the same field and sky after I had stepped two steps to the left, no more overhanging twigs... all different!

Rob · May 17, 2005

A smidgen too much hanging leaf I think, but it makes the shot more interesting.

Rob

LRJ · May 17, 2005

if it were my shot i would crop a little more off the top - but i really like the colors and the simplicity and feeling of tranquility...

Hertz van Rental · May 18, 2005

Hmm! Should have lost that teeny twig coming in bottom left hand side.
A little more (or less) leaf down the right side would be an improvement too. Where you have cut them, it leaves you wondering wether they are moving into, or out of, frame. Be a bit more positive on this.
The over-all feeling is one of tranquility so you do not want things happening around the edge of frame that disturbs this. Things coming into, or moving out of, frame give a sense of movement and so work against it.
Also a little more of the land - nudging the horizon up a bit - would move it more onto the thirds line. Would enhance the feeling of repose.

Nice shot, though.

Paparazzi Paul · May 18, 2005

If there is nothing interesting about the sky like it is just a blue cloudless sky or that dull grey overcast weather you usually get during drizzly weather a little bit of framing with folage can work. But you do need a good depth of field to get both landscape folage in sharp focus and that may mean a slow shutter speed so you will need a tripod.
But windy weather may cause motion blur in the folage.
:cheers:

LaFoto · May 18, 2005

Hertz van Rental said:
...The over-all feeling is one of tranquility so you do not want things happening around the edge of frame that disturbs this. Things coming into, or moving out of, frame give a sense of movement and so work against it...

Ah, that's an interesting remark! I have never thought about photos in this way. But I guess you are right!
I was more wondering if the frame made from leaves would overdo things, make the photo cluttered? I still can't quite shake the feeling that it does here. Do you want to see the other photo, the one that I took by stepping a little further on where there were no more overhanging leaves?

Hertz van Rental · May 18, 2005

The frame of leaves works fine. It gives one the feeling that one is under the tree, sitting against the trunk and enjoying the view after a pleasant walk. The leaves (working with the f/g shadow) give a cool, enclosed feel which contrasts nicely with the bright, warm exterior.
You can post it for the others if you like but I am capable, believe it or not, of editing out the leaves in my head. The picture is pretty boring. The leaves make it ;-)