South Carolina Skies

greenjackson16 · Jan 1, 2013

Got some feedback over flickr but wanted to hear what you guys thought. People have been saying that it seems to lack a definitive subject; I always thought that the sky and blue shed were accented well as the subject. Please let me know what you think, and of course any general C&C is welcome!
Thankyou
~ Jackson

****Best viewed in large on flickr****

South Carolina Skies by greenjackson16, on Flickr

greenjackson16 · Jan 2, 2013

nycphotography · Jan 2, 2013

I agree on the lack of a subject, mostly because the grass fills up the foreground but isn't beautiful to complement the sky.

Seems a composition more focused on the the house might have worked better. Also, there's standing water in the grass, looking swampy w/o being an actual swamp, plus the boats on the right.

A shot of ONE winterized boat against the strong sky might have told a story?

greenjackson16 · Jan 2, 2013

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of a boat against the sky (I wish I did), I do have some photos more focused on the house and some of different subjects on the same lot.

Heres the one more focused on the house. For whatever reason I don't find this one as interesting.

South Carolina Skies II by greenjackson16, on Flickr

Heres a different subject I started playing around with when I went back to look at the house photos

Spool by greenjackson16, on Flickr

Spool B&W by greenjackson16, on Flickr

Thoughts?

JTPhotography · Jan 3, 2013

I agree the above photos lack interested and depth. The spool photo is better. A graduated ND filter would have helped tremendously here.

LaFoto · Jan 3, 2013

Second photo is definitely better than the first. Those who said it lacks a subject (first) are right. Too much grass, too little story.
To me, both are less about the sky, more about something else. Like I was saying, what the "something else" is in the first is not quite clear, and it is the spool in the second, no doubt. But not so much the sky... :scratch:

greenjackson16 · Jan 3, 2013

I agree the above photos lack interested and depth. The spool photo is better. A graduated ND filter would have helped tremendously here.

I actually think there was one in my car at the time, but in trying to be quick and snap a few photos while we stopped to pick up some food It slipped my mind to check for one.

Second photo is definitely better than the first. Those who said it lacks a subject (first) are right. Too much grass, too little story.
To me, both are less about the sky, more about something else. Like I was saying, what the "something else" is in the first is not quite clear, and it is the spool in the second, no doubt. But not so much the sky... :scratch:

I suppose I chose the first one because I liked the dramatic sky and the detail in the dead grass and ignored the fact that it didn't focus on either very much. After going back to those photos I see they're were a few that were alot better. In fact as I look at them now I might even see another photo that I would like to edit&post. :lol:

thereyougo! · Jan 3, 2013

what isn't helping is that there is a line and it's leading away from your subject. In fact it is dividing your photo in two. Also your subject doesn't contrast enough from the sky.

cwcaesar · Jan 3, 2013

I assume that by the title of the threat, you were wanting to show off the sky, but your first image is aimed more at the ground. Second one is better, as it does show more of the sky, and the building as a subject is more clearly defined, but it is too centered for my taste. I like the spool in the third one. It gives the foreground some interest. As already stated, an ND filter would be perfect here.

greenjackson16 · Jan 3, 2013

Thank you all for the input. I will always make sure to have my ND filter on me in the future.

cwcaesar · Jan 3, 2013

greenjackson16 said:
Thank you all for the input. I will always make sure to have my ND filter on me in the future.

I am looking to pick one up soon. Just got a new D600. I now want a quality tripod and then some Lee ND Grads, as soon as the funds allow.

Ray12 · Jan 3, 2013

Hi greenjackson16,

The sky in the first shot is gorgeous!!! I Love the detail... and especially the Rays!!

But there were 3 things that minimized the focus of the image...at least for me...

1. There are 2 unfortunate pieces of "something white" in the foreground that "steals my gaze away" at your great sky. I found my attention diverted away from your sky...and my eye/brain got caught on what those white distractions were. My eye it seems...is always drawn to bright things in the image. One white patch is quite dominant and draws my gaze away from your sky quite quickly and early. What am I doing concentrating in the field???

2. There is a road that cuts across your image and bisects it into two parts...and I found my eye looking at the road and following it... instead of looking at your sky again. The road then led me across the image to the right... where I began to focus on those boats and maybe an old oil truck possibly. Again...another distraction. My eyes seem to be missing the main point of your image because they are being drawn to so many other elements first.

3. When I came back to the horizon...I got stuck on that too. Because the details were so physically small relative to the whole image...I had to really dig into the image and try to figure out what was going on in there. Im still not looking at your sky again! There were boats pointing in all confusing directions, there was a barn that I didnt know the significance of, and there were things that looked like old oil trucks I couldnt figure out. My brain asked me...did any of this have something relevant to do with the reason the image was shot? Was there anything in the horizon part of the image that was important or meaningful to the story the photographer was telling?? I couldnt say Yes. My mind and eye were trying to piece together the story being told in this image...and it was having a hard time being distracted and figuring out what the main points were. (Looking for the point or focus)

When I finally got back to the sky...after my eye and brain was scanning everything else for supporting story detail...I said to myself...NICE SKY!! Nice Rays! Then it dawned on me...was THIS the photographers story he wanted to tell me? The SKY? YES! Maybe that was it!

So... your sky was really great...but my silly eyes were being driven all around the image looking at other places first: like the bright white patches, the decayed grasses, the bisecting road, the crooked boats, the oil looking trucks, and the small barn. I had to solve all this other competing information to be able to finally come back and concentrate on the sky again.

I would have loved for you to crop the shot to exclude the grasses, the road, and the boats...and concentrated on those RAYS...that would have been a story I would have fallen quickly and powerfully in love with.

Thanks for sharing. I dont mean to be judgmental of YOU at all...or your skills. This is just what I found my crazy eyes doing... looking at just this one single image. Have a great 2013!!