Critique On Some of My Photos

[Gallon]

Just a few photos from my Flickr that I'd like some critique on.
Any type of feedback is welcome.





​

 

[Shipman]

I really like your style, the 2nd to last one is by far my favorite of the set.

 

[Tight Knot]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

Be interesting to see what everyone else feels.

 

[SCraig]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

For many of us it's because that's the direction in which we read, left to right, so our subconscious mind prefers seeing things in that orientation. I think there are some languages that read right to left so it would be interesting to know if they feel differently.

 

[Tight Knot]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

For many of us it's because that's the direction in which we read, left to right, so our subconscious mind prefers seeing things in that orientation. I think there are some languages that read right to left so it would be interesting to know if they feel differently.

Hi SCraig,

I was born in South Africa, and have lived all over the world. I currently live in Israel, where we write Hebrew and Arabic, which is right to left. I have been reading and writing in both directions since I was a kid, but still feel much more comfortable with leading lines going left to write.
It could be a native right-to-left reader/writer would feel differently though.

 

[SCraig]

Hi SCraig,

I was born in South Africa, and have lived all over the world. I currently live in Israel, where we write Hebrew and Arabic, which is right to left. I have been reading and writing in both directions since I was a kid, but still feel much more comfortable with leading lines going left to write.
It could be a native right-to-left reader/writer would feel differently though.

I've lived in the USA all my life so everything I've ever read was left-to-right making it easy to explain for me. I would have thought, given the circumstances that you would feel comfortable with either. You should show some photographs to some Israeli natives that have been there their entire lives and see what appears more comfortable to them.

 

[Tight Knot]

Hi SCraig,

I was born in South Africa, and have lived all over the world. I currently live in Israel, where we write Hebrew and Arabic, which is right to left. I have been reading and writing in both directions since I was a kid, but still feel much more comfortable with leading lines going left to write.
It could be a native right-to-left reader/writer would feel differently though.

I've lived in the USA all my life so everything I've ever read was left-to-right making it easy to explain for me. I would have thought, given the circumstances that you would feel comfortable with either. You should show some photographs to some Israeli natives that have been there their entire lives and see what appears more comfortable to them.

Good idea, I'll try that and let you know.

 

[Low_Sky]

After looking at the sunset both ways, I find that I prefer the boat on the right, as originally posted. I am a native left-to-right reader.

Sent from my phone with my giant, uncoordinated sausage thumbs.

 

[timor]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

Be interesting to see what everyone else feels.

View attachment 58268


View attachment 58269

Here is also psychological aspect for the viewer and it is up to an individual what feels better. Top picture may represent "the way we will go" the lower pic could read "the way we came from".

 

[limr36 5]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

Be interesting to see what everyone else feels.

View attachment 58268


View attachment 58269

Here is also psychological aspect for the viewer and it is up to an individual what feels better. Top picture may represent "the way we will go" the lower pic could read "the way we came from".

Interesting. The top (flipped) picture feels natural because the boat is on the left, but pointed to the right, so it feels like a natural line to follow. In the bottom one (original), the bright spot is on the left and my eye falls on it first, and then travels to the right. This also feels natural to me.

In both cases, I figure out how to make left-to-right the natural progression for my eyes. It feels more forced for the flipped version, however, because my eye still falls on the bright spot first, and so I'm going right-to-left and it feels a little unnatural. I have to wonder, however, how much that has to do with my natural reading inclination and how much of it is because it conflicts with the direction the boat is pointed in.

 

[Tight Knot]

Not sure why, but the 2nd to last one feels better flipped horizontally.
For some reason, I enjoy leading from the left into the right instead of the way around which leaves me feeling slightly uneasy (no clue why)

Be interesting to see what everyone else feels.

View attachment 58268


View attachment 58269

Here is also psychological aspect for the viewer and it is up to an individual what feels better. Top picture may represent "the way we will go" the lower pic could read "the way we came from".

Interesting. The top (flipped) picture feels natural because the boat is on the left, but pointed to the right, so it feels like a natural line to follow. In the bottom one (original), the bright spot is on the left and my eye falls on it first, and then travels to the right. This also feels natural to me.

In both cases, I figure out how to make left-to-right the natural progression for my eyes. It feels more forced for the flipped version, however, because my eye still falls on the bright spot first, and so I'm going right-to-left and it feels a little unnatural. I have to wonder, however, how much that has to do with my natural reading inclination and how much of it is because it conflicts with the direction the boat is pointed in.

Hi Limr,
I hear what you are saying and it makes sense, but if the photo was better exposed where the boat is, I'm not sure that you would feel that the eye lands on the bright spot first and then travels down to the dark area, but that it would be a natural progression from the boat towards the sun, because the boat aims into the scene, so it seems to point the way.

 

[Tight Knot]

Hi Gallon,

i am sorry. It appears that I inadvertently hijacked your thread with the flipped photo.
It would be really interesting to do a study through a poll, to see how most people feel about the the path of leading lines.
Up for the challenge?

 

[Gallon]

Hi Gallon, i am sorry. It appears that I inadvertently hijacked your thread with the flipped photo. It would be really interesting to do a study through a poll, to see how most people feel about the the path of leading lines. Up for the challenge?

All is good. It gave me something interesting to read. I am definitely up for the challenge. Seems like it would a good topic to bring up especially since it could possibly make or break a picture

 

[Tight Knot]

Hi Gallon, i am sorry. It appears that I inadvertently hijacked your thread with the flipped photo. It would be really interesting to do a study through a poll, to see how most people feel about the the path of leading lines. Up for the challenge?

All is good. It gave me something interesting to read. I am definitely up for the challenge. Seems like it would a good topic to bring up especially since it could possibly make or break a picture

Looking forward to seeing your study. Keep me updated.

 

[Gallon]

Hi Gallon, i am sorry. It appears that I inadvertently hijacked your thread with the flipped photo. It would be really interesting to do a study through a poll, to see how most people feel about the the path of leading lines. Up for the challenge?

All is good. It gave me something interesting to read. I am definitely up for the challenge. Seems like it would a good topic to bring up especially since it could possibly make or break a picture

Looking forward to seeing your study. Keep me updated.

Posted the thread/poll here: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/342182-leading-lines-direction-should-they-go.html
If you see anything I should change/edit, please let me know. I don't have as much experience with this community as you so any help is greatly appreciated.