How to frame this shot so it looks better?

[matt2k12]

I made this picture today, and I feel like the frame seems off.

Can anyone explain to me why it feels off, and what I could have done better ??

Also - it was very high key setting, I shot with a ND filter and AUTO settings on my sony a7iii with 150mm (telelens).

 

[wfooshee]

It might be an illusion from the far shoreline but it looks tilted. To my taste, a wider shot, giving more of the scene for both sky, foreground, and width, would be more meaningful. To me, there's a question of, "OK, but what is this a part of?" That might just be me, but that was my second thought, after seeing what looks like a tilt.

 

[SunriseAvenue]

I agree that the shoreline looks a bit tilted when in fact it probably isn't (though knowing myself I'd still tried to do a slight rotation to get rid of that feeling )
It's the tree tops for me, they look a bit awkwardly cut. You either needed to cut them away completely or to take more of those trees into the frame. Here are some photo cropping tips that might help a bit if you decide to do the cropping, but overall I'd just try to take more of the trees length into the picture next time. It's almost like you aren't cupposed to cut by the joints for people's photos and in this case it would be better if 1/3 of the whole tree length would make it into the picture. Right now the tops seem like 1/4 of the whole length and it looks kinda awkward.

 

[AlanKlein98 14]

Why do you feel it's "off"? What's bothering you?

 

[Zeno Evil90 17]

My first thought is that the image is too balanced. The natural "opening" in the mountains brings interest to what lies ahead but since it adds an element of mystery isn't strong enough an element on it's own to be front and center. If that element were shifted more to one side, the viewer would be taken on a visual trip to follow the path to the valley. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any elements in the foreground that would assist the viewer in following said path visually.

for example, changing the aspect ratio might just be enough

But, per my standard disclaimer, that's just my opinion. The photographer's vision is never wrong. You are the one telling the story, not me.

 

[PJM]

My first thought is that the image is too balanced. The natural "opening" in the mountains brings interest to what lies ahead but since it adds an element of mystery isn't strong enough an element on it's own to be front and center. If that element were shifted more to one side, the viewer would be taken on a visual trip to follow the path to the valley. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any elements in the foreground that would assist the viewer in following said path visually.

View attachment 295164
for example, changing the aspect ratio might just be enough
View attachment 295166
But, per my standard disclaimer, that's just my opinion. The photographer's vision is never wrong. You are the one telling the story, not me.

I agree. And you also reduced the haziness which I think makes a big difference also.

 

[Tartness909414 3]

Yes it's a bit tilted and very low contrast. I would have taken a wider shot to include a bit more foreground and given the mountains more contrast for depth. A beautiful location, so I hope you are able to go there again

 

[Mr. Wollensky]

I made this picture today, and I feel like the frame seems off.

Can anyone explain to me why it feels off, and what I could have done better ??

Also - it was very high key setting, I shot with a ND filter and AUTO settings on my sony a7iii with 150mm (telelens).

View attachment 295118

From my point of view the main issue is that there is no a clear main subject. Overall it seems not a full photo but a crop and I feel it tilted counterclockwise and a bit overexposed.

Regarding the exposure I would try to calculate a correct exposure but not in AUTO mode. In your place I would try to calculate the correct exposure prior to putting the ND filter and once it is placed in your lens, make the calculations for adapting that exposure with the steps of your filter.

 

[KJ_North]

For me the slight tilt as mentioned and it is far to hazy enough so that the background is almost none existent and doesnt draw my attention enough.

 

[matt2k12]

It might be an illusion from the far shoreline but it looks tilted. To my taste, a wider shot, giving more of the scene for both sky, foreground, and width, would be more meaningful. To me, there's a question of, "OK, but what is this a part of?" That might just be me, but that was my second thought, after seeing what looks like a tilt.

thank you sir. the tilt is real, i didnt realize it. u hit the nail on the head - meaning, it is meaning what it lacks..
frankly, i was just outside wanting to capture the beautiful scenery though but feel like i didnt do it justice..

I agree that the shoreline looks a bit tilted when in fact it probably isn't (though knowing myself I'd still tried to do a slight rotation to get rid of that feeling )
It's the tree tops for me, they look a bit awkwardly cut. You either needed to cut them away completely or to take more of those trees into the frame. Here are some photo cropping tips that might help a bit if you decide to do the cropping, but overall I'd just try to take more of the trees length into the picture next time. It's almost like you aren't cupposed to cut by the joints for people's photos and in this case it would be better if 1/3 of the whole tree length would make it into the picture. Right now the tops seem like 1/4 of the whole length and it looks kinda awkward.

thank you for your comment and the resource u shared. i attached a wide photo of the same view below, would u still go for 1/3 of whole tree length?

for reference, here is a photo i shot from the same spot with my iphone (the red rectangle is the frame of my photo)

 

[matt2k12]

Why do you feel it's "off"? What's bothering you?

it just doesnt look like a good photo to me.
my motive was to capture the beauty of nature from this view, and i didnt do it justice. i feel like, from where i was standing, i couldnt go wider, because then i would have the meadow in frame - to prevent that, i would have to tilt the camera, but then i would have the sky, and i dont care about the sky..
does this make sense?

 

[greybeard50 22]

I'd leave it as is.

 

[AlanKlein98 14]

it just doesnt look like a good photo to me.
my motive was to capture the beauty of nature from this view, and i didnt do it justice. i feel like, from where i was standing, i couldnt go wider, because then i would have the meadow in frame - to prevent that, i would have to tilt the camera, but then i would have the sky, and i dont care about the sky..
does this make sense?

Sometimes, where we are standing doesn't allow good framing. Try moving next time. SHoot from a different angle. Zoom in to an isolated portion as the subject. You have to work with what you have. Good luck.

 

[Zeno Evil90 17]

Sometimes, where we are standing doesn't allow good framing. Try moving next time. SHoot from a different angle. Zoom in to an isolated portion as the subject. You have to work with what you have. Good luck.

Agreed. I'd add that framing in camera simply removes options from the creative process. The wider shot is a great starting point. But being able to explore different aspect ratios in post helps reduce the number times you get to say "I should've" after the fact.
As an example, I'd be inclined to crop in post to something like this:

 

[zombiesniper130 29]

Can anyone explain to me why it feels off, and what I could have done better ??

For me the framing isn't really an issue here.
My eye wants to go to the trees. The mountains almost get lost in the fog/haze and are not really registered as a focal point. They almost become a distraction.
Because of this the image seems to not have a solid subject. I want to look at the shoreline as a subject but it again is washed out.

With no real subject and 90% of the image being fogged out it would be an image I would have passed on.