The Witching Hour - c&c please

[CorrieMichael]

 

[tirediron]

Nicely done; I think though I'd prefer if it weren't quite so centered in so much empty space.

 

[Forkie]

LIKE! Great make up!!

Agree with TiredIron about it being centred though. I reckon knocking off some of that headroom would sort that out.

 

[Designer]

Three issues;

Having the model centered in the frame is bad enough, having her partially hidden behind the cauldron only makes it worse.

Your watermark.

Horizontal frame for a vertical composition.

 

[JustJazzie]

Creepy! Well done!

 

[Forkie]

Three issues;

Having the model centered in the frame is bad enough, having her partially hidden behind the cauldron only makes it worse.

Your watermark.

Horizontal frame for a vertical composition.

What makes it a vertical composition, Designer? I think horizontal is perfectly valid for this image. In fact (if the OP doesn't mind), I'd even opt for a 16:9 aspect ratio:

Also, how do you sit someone behind a cauldron without it obscuring at least part of them?!

 

[shmne]

I'm going to echo an earlier sentiment: horizontal on a portrait when it wasn't needed and subtracts from the subject instead of adding.

Sometimes a horizontal crop is used artistically to add breathing room for a subject, but generally this is because there is movement or implied movement giving breathing space. In this case giving more visual space is in fact adding nothing and therefore is detracting a lot.

Then again this changes if you want to start considering how the image is being displayed, considering the majority of monitors are displaying 16:9 a portrait image would waste the majority of the viewing screen, also people generally prefer horizontal images as that is a natural viewing pattern.

Either way, I think the crop needs to be tighter regardless of orientation.

Mind you this is being nitpicky, it is a very solid image overall!

 

[Derrel]

Posts 4 and 7 pretty much sum up the problem issues here.

For those unaware of it, the centuries-old compositional idea is that with a subject that is taller than it is wide, the natural framing is vertical. The original shot's use of a landscape camera orientation makes the subject SMALLER than it ought to be within the frame. The landscape orientation makes the subject about 30% of the total frame area, and dead, empty space is the other 70% of the frame. This is a fundamentals issue. Throw in a huge, garish watermark and the damage is pretty well done.

 

[Designer]

I guess just because everything is quite close in, it just looks mainly vertical to me. That and CM's watermark crowded so close in, I just think it is inherently a vertical composition.

Now if the witch was standing BESIDE the cauldron, she would be better seen and it would probably work better framed horizontally.

 

[CorrieMichael]

Thanks everyone! Cropping maybe could be changed....however I did do this for a reason to add to the story but if it isn't working then something to consider. She definitely needs to be sitting behind the cauldron for the story that is being told here specifically. There are many other images in this series where she is standing and the orientation is portrait, and where she isn't in front of a cauldron, however felt this particular story needed to be told this way. The watermark is there for the sole purpose that this forum is for C&C and it is not in a viewing gallery for a client or up on 500px for high res viewing, so didn't feel it necessary to leave it out. Again I appreciate all of the input definitely some things to think about. thanks

 

[Gary A.]

I like the image, I don't mind the horizontal layout. But, I think a square format would just about be perfect. To me the watermark is very distracting both in size and with positioning.

 

[LCLimages]

#1. Move your watermark to a corner and reduce the opacity a bit so nobody b*tches about its location. I understand why it's there. But it is annoying where you've got it.

#2. Straighten the darn thing up. Whatever she's sitting on is leaning and it's driving me batty. And I would have liked to see the bottom of whatever it is (i.e. back away from her a bit) but that doesn't ruin this shot for me.

#3 - Straightened, and crops I feel improve the shot.

Off center:


Square:


As vertical as I could get it:


I like it, I like the concept a lot. The only thing I mentioned above that I *have to have* to call it a winner is straightening it, and maybe that's just me since nobody else mentioned it.

 

[D-B-J]

#1. Move your watermark to a corner and reduce the opacity a bit so nobody b*tches about its location. I understand why it's there. But it is annoying where you've got it.

#2. Straighten the darn thing up. Whatever she's sitting on is leaning and it's driving me batty. And I would have liked to see the bottom of whatever it is (i.e. back away from her a bit) but that doesn't ruin this shot for me.

#3 - Straightened, and crops I feel improve the shot.

Off center:


Square:


As vertical as I could get it:


I like it, I like the concept a lot. The only thing I mentioned above that I *have to have* to call it a winner is straightening it, and maybe that's just me since nobody else mentioned it.

Ooooooooohhh ooooooh I like that square crop! And yeah, the watermark is a bit obnoxious. I KNOW you didn't intend it to come off this way, but it's placement really makes it seem like a noob-ish or pompous move, at least to me. And it distracts from an excellent image. Throw it down in a corner and then we'll all be happy [emoji106]

And to note, I absolutely love the lighting. So... Crisp. Was this artificial? Or just really really nice natural light?

Jake


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[DanOstergren]

Lovely use of natural lighting, and the processing looks really well done! I agree that the crop could be tighter and it needs straightening, but otherwise I think you did a really great job. I'm all for using unconventional crops, and i don't think centering her detracts from the shot.

Also, I put my very small, opaque name as a watermark out of the way in one of the upper corners of each of my images so it isn't obtrusive, yet there is always that person who wil ***** simply because it is there. The purpose of a watermark is to protect your image (which IS necessary in this forum). This forum is not a viewing gallery like you said, and in my opinion there is no merit in complaining about the watermark size or placement in this forum; it's easy to look past. My point is that someone will complain no matter where or how big your watermark is, so put the darn thing exactly where you want it to be.

 

[CorrieMichael]

#1. Move your watermark to a corner and reduce the opacity a bit so nobody b*tches about its location. I understand why it's there. But it is annoying where you've got it.

#2. Straighten the darn thing up. Whatever she's sitting on is leaning and it's driving me batty. And I would have liked to see the bottom of whatever it is (i.e. back away from her a bit) but that doesn't ruin this shot for me.

#3 - Straightened, and crops I feel improve the shot.

Off center:


Square:


As vertical as I could get it:


I like it, I like the concept a lot. The only thing I mentioned above that I *have to have* to call it a winner is straightening it, and maybe that's just me since nobody else mentioned it.

Ooooooooohhh ooooooh I like that square crop! And yeah, the watermark is a bit obnoxious. I KNOW you didn't intend it to come off this way, but it's placement really makes it seem like a noob-ish or pompous move, at least to me. And it distracts from an excellent image. Throw it down in a corner and then we'll all be happy [emoji106]

And to note, I absolutely love the lighting. So... Crisp. Was this artificial? Or just really really nice natural light?

Jake


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

all natural