Sunset photos... please critique!

Fizzy · Mar 30, 2007

Here are two of my photos taken in Cornwall, England...

I would love some criticism about the composition, mood and colours...

Edit: sorry if these pictures are too big...I couldnt find a rules page

Hertz van Rental · Mar 30, 2007

I have to ask a question first: what was it you were trying to achieve?

Fizzy · Mar 30, 2007

This is the beach near where I grew up. It holds a lot of memories for me, especially as I now no longer live in the area.

I come from a very beautiful place which is famous within England - a region English people frequently head to on holiday, and I wanted to capture that.

In the second photo I particularly like the colours and look of the water- the sleekness... although emotionally I am unsure if I am trying to portray lots of emotion through this one.

Thor06 · Mar 30, 2007

They look good except the ginormous rock in the way in the first pic, I woulda framed that a bit different. The colors look pretty good, but I would enhance them in PS if I were you. The second one looks good, I wouldnt alter that one much.

Fizzy · Mar 30, 2007

What framing would you recommend?

As for the editing in photoshop: which area needs work? More saturdation? Less contrast?

Alpha · Mar 30, 2007

To be honest, I think that they're totally average looking sunset photos, and the lack of detail in the foreground is bothersome.

Hertz van Rental · Mar 31, 2007

Fizzy said:
This is the beach near where I grew up. It holds a lot of memories for me, especially as I now no longer live in the area.
.....
In the second photo I particularly like the colours and look of the water- the sleekness... although emotionally I am unsure if I am trying to portray lots of emotion through this one.

You are actually trying to capture your memories so only you can say if they work or not.
Others looking at them will just see a sunset picture (as you can see from the comments) but you will see a lot more.
It's not so much the amount of emotion you are trying to encapsulate but a whole range of memories, moods and associated ideas. Virtually impossible in one or two shots.
You need to think more about specifics. What memories and emotions stand out most? Then concentrate on them.
You often find that it is the small details that capture best what you want. I think the pictures as they stand are too big and open - far too impersonal a treatment of the subject matter. You need something more intimate and personal.
If you are unsure as to whether an image captures what you want or not then in all probability it doesn't.

Fizzy · Mar 31, 2007

Thanks for your advice

Funky · Mar 31, 2007

well, by framed thor06 meant that number one was set up fairly awkwardly, the composition is fairly off. you could crop it to the rock on the right and it would look better, but then again it sounds like your remembering good times, these wouldnt win a contest but to you they are in thier essance perfect. and number 2, your camera is focused on the sand on the beach so everything else is out of focus, kinda distracting.