Noob C&C - graffiti

[dave421]

We finally had some decent weather yesterday (i.e. it quit snowing & raining but was still cloudy) and I got out a bit to get some practice in. Wanted to get some advice with some of what I shot.

 

[mrpink]

I am not seeing a focal point... the second shot might yield a good spot, but focusing more on a single piece of graffiti would add interest and give the eye something to gravitate toward.

p!nK

 

[transformed]

For pic 1- Similar comment to mrpink. What are you trying to show me? Are you trying to show me the graffiti? Or the torn up road/pothole? Or the river? Go back- decide what you want to show and really SHOW me.

 

[tailz03]

These seem to be photos with no reason behind them. Find a meaning and a subject

 

[Timothy]

i agree with the above guys, especially on the first image

if you can get back to the house, try a few more different angels

when you take pics don't really take them from the first place you go and stand, have a walk around, crouch down or try a higher vantage point and just look and see what looks good even before you take a pic

 

[AliasPros]

These seem to be photos with no reason behind them. Find a meaning and a subject

I agree but hey you found an awesome looking place to take some models to shoot, cool culture to it all...

 

[Noonz]

That looks like an amazing spot to shoot photographs! I think if you threw a model or two in there, it would look great and give the photos more emotion.

 

[dave421]

First shot is a frozen dam in the background which you can't really make out in the smaller photo size. I personally like the contrast of the vibrant graffiti against a cold, dull, dreary winter day.

The second one just popped to me. I took about 50 shots of this building and this one just really spoke to me the most. I purposely shot the whole building trying to show most of the graffiti with an emphasis on the newest (blue/yellow JC). I realize now that nobody here knows this but this is a "dead" area. The roads are all shut down, the buildings are all empty, and most of the homes are empty as well. This graffiti is the only life here. That is the purpose/meaning of the shot.


-tailz - I don't know where to go with that. To me, the reasoning behind any photo is that it strikes you or is interesting to you. Unless I quit my job and start shooting to make money, I don't see that changing. I'm afraid that I don't understand. What exactly does that mean? Hopefully I clarified the meaning above.

- Timothy - I plan to go back. This was actually one of the last shots that I took after walking around for a while. I was running really late so I definitely want to go back to get some more shots soon.

- AliasPros / Noonz - Thanks but I think I'm a ways off from getting models in any of my "shoots". I just picked up a XSi on Tuesday to get back into photography a bit. It's been 10+ years since I really did any creative photography.

 

[mrpink]

- AliasPros / Noonz - Thanks but I think I'm a ways off from getting models in any of my "shoots". I just picked up a XSi on Tuesday to get back into photography a bit. It's been 10+ years since I really did any creative photography.

Models are not always those that you see on TV... got a friend? a brother? sister? grandma? These are all very good models.:thumbup:

p!nK

 

[dave421]

Yeah but they're all ugly :lmao:


Actually, I just meant that I'm not even thinking about doing actual "shoots" or anything yet including people outside of candids. In several months when I've gathered some more skills and stuff, I'll be looking at adding stuff like that to my list of challenges.

 

[camz]

I think it's not the story that lacks. There's just too much going on regarding subjects or themes therefore it creates clutter in your framing. You have to simplify what's within the boundaries of the shots you are capturing in order to tell a better story or feeling or theme or message...etc.

For example on #2 I would've shot the brick wall covered in graf perpendicular in relative to the camera. Not only will it show the conditions of the structure but will give more detailed profiles of the individual elements of the stairs, patio, windows, graffiti etc.

Once you have a better angled shot you can easily disect and specialize by cropping certain ways or ratios. You can concentrate on the patio, or on the windows. Having a shot angled from how you took it gives you less felxibility in cropping IMHO when usually if this is so I can almost guarantee you that you took it from the wrong angle.

Happy shooting!

 

[dave421]

Camz, thanks. That makes a bit more sense to me now. I'll keep that in mind for next time.