Compostion Advice

[ahtchristina]

I'm looking for C&C on composition mostly on this one. I'm still weaning myself off the automatic setting on my camera, so please comment mainly on composition for this one.

It just seems very busy to me. With some situations you can manipulate the surroundings to focus in on the subject, but I can't very well uproot a tree because it's not quite where I wanted it...any thoughts?



This reminds me of the "becoming one" threads that I've seen on here lately, but cannot find through the search for some reason.

 

[tirediron]

You're right, it is busy. The tree is an easy matter to deal with; every photographer should have an Echo Tree Filter in their gadget bag! If that's not an option, then there is one thing you can always move: You!

Keep the camera to your eye and walk around the scene. Stand up, bend down, lay down... I'm thinking that there might have been a neat image here if you'd moved further camera left and shot about 15-20 degrees of of the end instead of almost 90. You could also have chosen a different time of day; remember, the eye is attracted to bright areas, and the hot leaves are really grabbing the viewer's eye. Try early morning/later evening and if necessary, throw a speedlight or two on the ground to provide some illumination of the scene.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

What he said. The biggest problem here is the lighting. It's harsh

 

[ahtchristina]

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of it in terms of lighting, I just knew that something was catching my eye, and that something wasn't the focus of the picture!