Untitled B&W Boat Photo - Critique Please!

Sam Price · Feb 15, 2015

Anyone want to help me come up with a good title for this photo or tell me what you think about it? I took it two summers ago on my iPhone and really liked how it looked in black and white. Any critiques would be much appreciated. Basic black and white edit in Lightroom.

Thanks a lot!

-Sam

Benjo255 · Feb 15, 2015

May be a little more contrast, but I'm not even sure. I like the general softness of the tones.
I don't like to title photos. I titles the posts but just in order not to create confusion. I would set only "The Boat".

endurodog · Feb 16, 2015

Man that is a tough one. It seems kind of static, not sure if I'm describing it correctly. Not a lot of pop to it. Thinking about the rule of 3rds maybe take some sky out. Might also try cropping some of the right side to give the impression the boat may move to the left. Its a tough one and in the end it's your message and vision your trying to convey.

Designer · Feb 16, 2015

Sam Price said:
Anyone want to help me come up with a good title for this photo or tell me what you think about it? I took it two summers ago on my iPhone and really liked how it looked in black and white. Any critiques would be much appreciated. Basic black and white edit in Lightroom.

Thanks a lot!

-Sam

How about: "Here I am, waiting right here dead centered in this photograph".

Braineack · Feb 16, 2015

Designer said:
How about: "Here I am, waiting right here dead centered in this photograph".

where it shall stay--or else.

waday · Feb 16, 2015

IMO, would like to see more crop.. and it seems a little underexposed.

Quick edit:

Sam Price · Feb 16, 2015

Thanks guys! I honestly wasn't really trying to get it to "pop". And I kind of purposely put the boat in the center of the frame with the buoy to the left; not exactly sure why, just liked the way it looked. I took it during the summer when the forest fires were burning in Yosemite, that's why it sort of looks like the ocean. Couldn't see more than a few hundred feet out into the lake.

Sam Price · Feb 16, 2015

Designer said:
Sam Price said:

Anyone want to help me come up with a good title for this photo or tell me what you think about it? I took it two summers ago on my iPhone and really liked how it looked in black and white. Any critiques would be much appreciated. Basic black and white edit in Lightroom.

Thanks a lot!

-Sam

Click to expand...

How about: "Here I am, waiting right here dead centered in this photograph".

I'm going to assume this is you trying to be funny / sarcastic and that you don't like how centered the boat is in the photograph.

Designer · Feb 17, 2015

Sam Price said:
I'm going to assume this is you trying to be funny / sarcastic and that you don't like how centered the boat is in the photograph.

Right, but not just centered, but underexposed as well.

See how waday treated it?

Much better IMO.

Sam Price · Feb 17, 2015

Designer said:
Sam Price said:

I'm going to assume this is you trying to be funny / sarcastic and that you don't like how centered the boat is in the photograph.

Click to expand...

Right, but not just centered, but underexposed as well.

See how waday treated it?

Much better IMO.

Right, thanks.

kdthomas · Feb 18, 2015

Well, I'll just be the odd one out

Something about about it makes it fine just like it is to me ... I like the lines & dark of the water in the lower right ... the light in the sky has almost a "stadium" quality to me, with the faint clouds. The only thing I might suggest is to blur out any trace of horizon line. Then put the thing up on the wall. Agree, re: no title.

Sam Price · Feb 18, 2015

kdthomas said:
Well, I'll just be the odd one out

Something about about it makes it fine just like it is to me ... I like the lines & dark of the water in the lower right ... the light in the sky has almost a "stadium" quality to me, with the faint clouds. The only thing I might suggest is to blur out any trace of horizon line. Then put the thing up on the wall. Agree, re: no title.

Thanks kdthomas! Appreciate the positivity and constructive criticism.

-Sam

Kev Richards · Feb 19, 2015

I tend to agree with kdthomas, I like it as it is and as for a title... 'More haste less speed'

cdryden · Feb 25, 2015

Title- "FOR SALE" j/k, I'm a jaded boat owner!

The picture is well done. But for me I guess the subject doesn't fit the style of the picture. For some reason I keep thinking this pic would have been a lot more desirable to me if it was a old row boat or something like that. But, I'm just a rank amateur so don't read too much into my opinions! ( nice shot for a iphone though!)

W.Y.Photo · Feb 25, 2015

I want to start by saying that this is a prime example of why rules in photography aren't really rules.. they are more like guidelines that shouldn't always be followed.

I love this photo. It's perfect in the OP. I'd pay a lot to hang that on my wall. :icon_thumright:

As for a name.. I'd say this sort of photo could have a lot of different names; It could be simple like "Boat", or used to reference something outside the main subject like "Sea of Tranquility", or something really out there that relates to the time you took the photo like "I lost my Hat." or "Fire Season".

Or you could just steal a name and call it "Smoke on the Water" :icon_compress: