My office

[ratsrcute]

I'm a beginner, but I liked the look of this corner of my office. Critique away...

 

[LaFoto]

Hi ratsrcute, and welcome to ThePhotoForum.
This photo of the corner of your office looks a bit random, but I think there is something in the overall composition that you can bring out with a different crop. I think you should let go of all the shelves and detail there, and much rather only go with what part of the blue screen will remain after the crop, the shadow of the vase and sticks, and the lamp. If you want to stay with the usual size of a print, you might have to crop in from above, too.

 

[Rob]

I like the way that three sides of the shot have cut something off, making it balanced and deliberate.

Rob

 

[ratsrcute]

I like the way that three sides of the shot have cut something off, making it balanced and deliberate.

Rob

Yes, actually that's what was on my mind. I have been looking at the photos of Bee Ottinger (a Pasadena, CA photographer) and I like how she uses the technique of cutting things off at the edges in a lot of her photos.

As a beginner, I've noticed that photos that just show everything neatly centered and in full view seem pat. Like the borders are being too polite.

I've also noticed that a lot of good people photography cuts off the top of the head. (And cinematography too.) Typically the nose is close to the center (top/bottom wise) and you can see part of the shoulders, but the head is cut off at the top.

Mike