Is this any good? - safest place on earth

[Raj_55555]

When I look at a picture I try to figure out why the photographer included everything that he/she did.
In a good picture, all of the included things are coherent, fit into the same story.
With this picture as is, there are three things that attract my eye - the three groups of people - and there is no simple easy way to relate them. Even small and dark, the two on either side are interesting so my eye goes from one to the other. and they don't seem to relate in any way to make a 'story' that you are telling.
In the center, that bright checked shirt pulls my eye and competes with the intended center of interest, that little girl.

If the picture is cropped to just the guy and little girl, it loses context, the child's face is small and not exceptional and the shirt is even more overpowering.
Perhaps a crop like this, removing the group on the right, the extra leg and a lot of extra stuff that doesn't add.
Then we have a story - the traditional group in the back on the left, woman cuddling child, a modern guy in the front - modern shirt, holding child.
Then it becomes a statement about culture. and the bright shirt becomes symbolic rather than a distraction.

Thank you so much Lew. I remember I tried to use photoshop and remove everyone from the right side of the picture, my approach was wrong though. I thought the crop would be too tight, but as I can see now, I was wrong.
Also I never considered cropping from the top as I thought it would be "WRONG" to have the father's head cropped out. But now that I see it, it does look a lot better. What did you do to the people on the left side other than trying to recover some shadow details (I think)? I'll take some time with this one too, and edit out the hands, legs and other extra stuff..

Thank you so much for taking the time to edit, and explain your thought process to me. These interactions help a lot.

 

[Raj_55555]

It's fine I think just for practice to have gotten a proper exposure. I think what takes a lot of practice and learning with photography is being able to get a proper exposure, and get it in focus, and notice the background, and if everything in the frame is where you want it to be. Sometimes I just look thru the viewfinder but don't necessarily take the picture.

And what is it that you want the viewer to see? For me the left side seems rather busy and dark, I might like to see the dad and child and the view off to the right, to see what they're walking towards. What do you want the photo to be about?

Thank you so much Sharon. TBH I never really thought about what I want this to be about, it was very much an instinctive shot. I looked at it, and I took it.

so... Raj... you should be satisfied with the picture... you've got so many different opinions and interpretations, you succeeded to create something worthy of attention

(other words... don't listen to me, like ever again ;-))

Don't say that, your opinion always matters to me. Everyone has there opinions, and I'd like to learn from them all. If everyone had the same opinion about everything, we would all be creating the same boring photos

It is definitely a great start, good job!

Thank you so much Gallagher

 

[The_Traveler]

Also I never considered cropping from the top as I thought it would be "WRONG" to have the father's head cropped out. But now that I see it, it does look a lot better. What did you do to the people on the left side other than trying to recover some shadow details (I think)? I'll take some time with this one too, and edit out the hands, legs and other extra stuff..

Thank you so much for taking the time to edit, and explain your thought process to me. These interactions help a lot.

Didn't do much except lighten them a bit.
People get unconscious hints from where things are in the frame and how they are treated.
In this situation I think that a figure that takes up so much of the foreground but that is truncated by the edge gives people the feeling that the person may be important but one should look past them to see what they are seeing to understand the image. There is a classic photo (that I can't find now) that shows an ominous figure in the foreground and a fleeing young boy in the background.

 

[Raj_55555]

In this situation I think that a figure that takes up so much of the foreground but that is truncated by the edge gives people the feeling that the person may be important but one should look past them to see what they are seeing to understand the image. There is a classic photo (that I can't find now) that shows an ominous figure in the foreground and a fleeing young boy in the background.

I think I understood what you meant, specially after looking at my initial and the updated crop. Thanks for the insights Lew.

 

[mmaria]

...(other words... don't listen to me, like ever again ;-))

Don't say that, your opinion always matters to me.

oh God! you're the only person I like to hear sugar coating from

 

[sashbar]

You need to click on it to see the full pic .

 

[DarkShadow]

Nice shot Raj.I agree on the crop from Traveler.Not only do you have the man and child but to the left of the frame there is a women holding a child as well.Fits together nicely.

 

[Raj_55555]

oh God! you're the only person I like to hear sugar coating from

And that is because I mean every word of it! :sillysmi: :mrgreen:

Nice shot Raj.I agree on the crop from Traveler.Not only do you have the man and child but to the left of the frame there is a women holding a child as well.Fits together nicely.

Thanks David, I too love Lews crop.. I am trying out something on that one and will post it if it works out well

You need to click on it to see the full pic .

Thanks sashbar