Where has the music gone? And the 'punch' too, for that matter.

[JDP]

Ok, please critique the below photo. It's been cropped some, to match the fence line. And I've been playing with levels/curves/etc for awhile, but it just hasn't popped yet for me. I also converted it to B&W, but it looked to washed out for my liking.

Any thoughts? Should I crop it more, focusing solely on the guitar case? I've done that, and like that as well, the lines are really nice but it seems unbalanced - it's the color that seems off though... almost as if it's washed out.

Just not sure what I should try

 

[JDP]

No ideas?

 

[Silthès]

Your actual pictures doesn't do anything to me. I feel like a lack of subject on this image. There are too much distracting elements for my eye to stop it on the guitar case. I think this shot is a bit too centered too. You could maybe try this shot in sepia or B&W, since the colors aren't so beautiful.

Were you standing when you took this shot ? I find that this angle gives a "snapshot" feeling...

I could understand that this empty guitar case in such a location could be a good subject, but my eye doesn't stop on it. If you can go back to this location, try a different angle, remembering which message you want to share.

Using a wider aperture could blur the background and emphasize the subject.
Remember that almost anything can do a nice shot, but it's your task to find the good angle...

That was my 2 cents (like you say in english^^)

 

[D-50]

I would say move on from this photo. It lacks a clear focus and nothing really pops out at me.

 

[Jeff Canes]

IMO Crop it to 4x5, by cutting the left off, and maybe play with adding some blur to the background to simulated DOF, you may also what to try a b&w version with a fair amount of grain added

 

[JDP]

Alright, thanks guys - this is over at my girlfriends place, so if it's still there like this this weekend I'm going to stalk it until I get it setup the way I need to.

And yes, this particular shot was taken standing up, though I have 6 more or so shots where I was in different positions.

I'll throw on my 1.8 and try a few different DoF shots as well.

 

[meotter]

i'd think about repositioning the guitar case or reshooting it, so that the deeper part of the case is more foreground then the lid. i agree with B&W for this shot too, as there isn't much color otherwise.

also, i might fill more of the frame with the guitar case, the fact that there is a lot of garbage around doesn't add to the broken empty case.

 

[JonnyVPA]

ya... im not particularly a fan of the angle..... the shot is way too busy

 

[JamesD]

I'd say get closer to the case and perhaps a lower angle. Definately get the guitar case to stretch from top to bottom border, or very nearly so. Open the aperture to blur the background more if you can (focusing closer will help blur things in the background, even if you can't open up more). The background refuse is distracting, but it's integral to your idea; blurring it will leave enough to know what it is, but reduce its prominence.

Particularly if you convert to BW, I'd suggest darkening the background where light is showing through the fence. It grabs my attention now that I examine it again more closely, because the light behind the fence is so much brighter than the light in the scene.

I do like the idea, good thinking!

 

[JDP]

Argh, I went back today with tripod, filters, and a pad to lay on in hand and... the case is gone. I missed that shot... maybe. But, on the upside, I may have a different shot - a PC inside opf a tire, both trash hehe.

 

[chroix]

That's a lot of time to take to shoot garbage. Try the dump. Days and days of shots to be had.

 

[Torus34]

Title it 'Before'.