Alex - photo critique wanted!

Alex8Ball · Jan 12, 2018

1)

all aboard by Alexandru Mihai Popescu, on Flickr

2)

old age by Alexandru Mihai Popescu, on Flickr

1) Shot with Olympus VG-110 on auto mode, in a sunny winter day - late morning.

I wanted to capture the moment when the railroad worker gives the "ok" for the train to leave the station. I was a little excited and anxious waiting to capture the moment because I was not sure how the worker will react. He saw me and knew I was going to take a photo but in the end I think he didn't care too much about that. I didn't frame the whole train wagon because I wanted the train schedule written on it, to be easy readable.

Overall, I like the photo. If I would take the shot again, I would try losing the shadow from the left side. It is coming from the train station building. I would do that by taking the picture from a different angle or at a different time of the day.

2) Shot with the same camera, again on auto mode a little bit later that day.

I'm not really sure what this old man was doing on the bench. Maybe eating, maybe reading the newspaper, maybe just trying to catch some sun and enjoy nature. I thought it's nice and tried to capture the moment. I didn't think too much about the composition. Once I looked at the image on my computer, I saw that I could improve it with a little crop. I like how the picture is divided into three parts(trees/grass/leafs) all having different colors.

If I would take the picture again, I would try to frame it better in the first place to avoid loosing time to crop. Also, I think it would look better if it would be taken during morning with less light coming through.

Any honest critique is welcome! thnx

SquarePeg · Jan 12, 2018

I’m moving this to the General Galleries since you are looking for critique.

ceemac · Jan 13, 2018

It might be my eyes, but #1 doesn't seem quite in focus. In #2, I'd crop differently. The foreground is too much , taking up half the frame. Maybe I'm just a tree guy. I would position the man 1/3 from the bottom and 1/3 from the left side so he has somewhere to go when he gets up. Just a thought.

jcdeboever · Jan 13, 2018

I see the composition as good in #1. I think you accomplished your objective, even though you got a excited. This is an important thing, more so then the technical quality of the photograph. You quickly pre visioned what you wanted, got nervous, but still pulled it off. I don't care if it's in focus, the image works. I applaud you for your direct post and attitude. Well done.

#2 is a very strong image. You could probably frame a little better by published standards but it works. IMO, rather than focusing on what you did technically right or wrong in your opinion, I would encourage you to try and talk to the people you shoot. Try a before and after. You didn't know what he was doing, which is fine but I trust you will be able to capture what your not seeing if your in tune to what what is seen and not seen. Often times, taking the time to say a simple hello, or how are you? What are you finding interesting in that paper today? You will more than likely add something to someone's life and probably receive an equal or greater return. Work to become one with your environment. You have a keen eye and camera skill.

Both images would be great in monochrome.

Alex8Ball · Jan 13, 2018

ceemac said:
It might be my eyes, but #1 doesn't seem quite in focus. In #2, I'd crop differently. The foreground is too much , taking up half the frame. Maybe I'm just a tree guy. I would position the man 1/3 from the bottom and 1/3 from the left side so he has somewhere to go when he gets up. Just a thought.

Thank you ceemac!
#1 Now that you say, I agree that the focus is not perfect. I think using manual controls would fix this issue. For now, I will continue using auto. My main objective is to keep shooting and capture interesting moments no matter the hardware I use.
#2

old age_crop by Alexandru Mihai Popescu, on Flickr
Do you like it more now? Mental-note taken anyway and next time I will try to frame as you say.

jcdeboever thank you very for all your kind words! Talking to people will be one of my goals sooner or later. For now, I am a recovering computer addict and talking to people is not really an easy task for me.

old by Alexandru Mihai Popescu, on Flickr

all aboard by Alexandru Mihai Popescu, on Flickr

smoke665 · Jan 13, 2018

I prefer the b&w conversion both, I would still crop in tiighter on the train/ person as the image didn't give enough clues that the average person would suspect where he was stepping out of. On the park bench what part of the image suggests the person is old? Am I missing something? Shooting from the back, the heavy coat and cap, to me this could be an adult of any age. Personally I would have used the hint of fog in the background, shorten the DOF to, decreased the foreground, and exposed to make the bench and man a silloute fading into the indistinguishable background. Then leave it to the viewer to decide on the person.