Critique Please, Skateboarding Pic.

[BobSaget]

IMGP1644 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Does the kid lying in the background ruin this shot any? Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

This is my first picture post and I hope I've done it successfully.

 

[thetrue]

I think a crop is in order if the guy on the 1/4 pipe is your focus.

 

[BobSaget]

Crop out the right? I'm trying to show the atmosphere at the skate park. Maybe I'm trying to do too much?

 

[EIngerson]

This image is pretty busy. I'd get closer or use a longer lens to narrow down to the subject.

 

[fjrabon]

It seems like you sort of halfway did 2 things. You went for the atmosphere of the park, and the guy jumping, but ended up not really getting either.

The guy jumping is what pulls the attention, but we can't see him well enough. The viewer sort of strains to see his move in greater detail and just gets frustrated when he or she can't. Atmosphere wise, it just sorta looks like a skate park, it could be any skate park, there's nothing really defining about the way you laid it out. The most clearly exposed, and lit part of the whole photo is the blank expanse of concrete in the bottom center.

When taking a shot like this, know what your primary purpose is. 1) is it the guy jumping or 2) is it the atmosphere? You can then make the other thing your secondary purpose, but you need to compose to the strength of your primary purpose first, and then do the best you can with what you have left for your secondary purpose.

 

[BobSaget]

OK. I tried to do to much. I think my best excuse is "The fisheye made me do it." I think the skater is exposed well, but yes, so is the large mass of concrete. I took a lot of subject oriented photos that day, but this one also sparked my interest. Thanks for the replies.

 

[fjrabon]

yeah, it's not a bad picture per se, but the highly exposed, very in focus foreground concrete kills the atmosphere, IMHO. The elements that would have likely lent to the atmosphere are all almost completely blocked up in shadow and hard to discern on the right side.

 

[KmH]

In other words, your intended main subject lacks sufficient scale in the image to actually be the main subject of the image.

 

[BobSaget]

In other words, your intended main subject lacks sufficient scale in the image to actually be the main subject of the image.

I think the scale of the subject is fine. I see this as more of a lighting issue. If my flash was spotted on the subject a little better, I think I would have obtained a better result. regardless, I do appreciate you bringing up scale. That was one of my first pictures with a new 10-17 fish eye and I will keep this in mind while I continue to learn the best ways to use it.