To The Point (C&C)

Bitter Jeweler · May 26, 2009

1). Obligatory Sunset.
Shutter: 1/100, Aperture: F/11, ISO: 100, Lens: EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS (Handheld)

2). Here is the Steeple.
I love church steeples. I have taken a lot of pictures of them, and it is very hard to keep them interesting if you are looking at them as a series. I wanted the focal point to be the little "birdhouse" like thing in the middle, and I hope the crop keeps the viewer curious about the rest steeple/church. Success?

3). Water Tower.
Here is another subject matter that I find interesting, but am having a hard time with interesting composition. I fear, like the steeples, all my pictures of water towers will just look the same. Are you bothered by the building being on a slant?

Thanks for looking, and for your comments.
David

Skedaddle · May 27, 2009

I like the 1st one alot. The colors are beautiful. I think it would look better though if the two white streaks were removed from the sky and if more sun was showing. The second photo is ok. The sky is nice, however, for me I would have liked to see the the top of the steeple. The colors are nice on the third but it doesn't do much for me.

haggis · May 27, 2009

Like the first shot but the first thing I noticed was that the horizon isn't straight and that distracts (for me at least). I guess I noticed as it's a bad habit of mine!
I agree with Skedaddle on the second and for the third the fence is too prominent for my liking

alarionov · May 27, 2009

Nice shots all of them.

overthinking · May 27, 2009

I really like the first one, but I think the contrast is a bit too heavy on the eye especially when you look at the horizon. It looks very sharp, but other than that, I really like it.

Dagwood56 · May 27, 2009

I like the peacefulness of your sunset. As someone mentioned, I also noticed a tip in the photo, but I don't think it's the horizon, I think its an optical illusion created by a slight slant the pier...just a thought.

#2 - I'm on the fence on this one, I know how difficult it is to make a steeple interesting [I like to shoot churches\steeples too] Perhaps if you had shot it showing the "birdhouse" vent at the very bottom of the frame and included the very top of the steeple it might have been more intersting.

#3 - This would be great -- without the fence.

ericmo · May 27, 2009

Great job.

Ihasacamera · May 27, 2009

I love them all!
I love silhouettes
+1 without the fence. I'm a noob, but I think it would have been nice to see more of the brick wall below the water tower.

Sherman Banks · May 27, 2009

Great shots David! I agree with pretty much all that's been said so far, but I think the steeple shot just looks like a crop. I know you've framed/cropped it that way in order to create curiosity from the viewer, but I think it could be stronger with the top, whether interesting or not. Still a great shot though, and a good set!

bigboi3 · May 27, 2009

nice shots!

linpelk · May 27, 2009

I love the first one. Nice colors, crisp focus, your silhouette looks great. I can't see that your horizon looks tilted. It looks fantastic. Nice shot.

#2, I agree about feeling like I need to see the tip of the steeple. I think you did a marvelous job capturing the colors of the sky and the building. I like your idea of changing it up a bit by making the birdhouse window the subject, but it leaves you hanging a bit without the tippy top.

#3 I also agree about the fence being a distraction. I love the colors on the water tower and the brick building. The sky is a beautiful blue and they all work well together. If only there wasn't that darn fence! Can you climb the fence and shoot above it??

Nice work. I love your pictures. Keep them coming!

Bitter Jeweler · May 27, 2009

Wow! You folks are rough!
Just kidding. It's exactly what I am looking for.:thumbup:

*gah* the horizon. I thought I had nailed it. Yes it is actually off by a few pixels. Yes the the pier has a slant too, which doesn't help. What are the tolerances for Photoshops "rotate canvas"? I kept trying and checking with a bounding box. I really thought I had it. As for the contrails, I debated on removing those. Whats off limits as far as editing? I mean, when are you going too far in post to make a photo better? I already removed a light pole, a boat, a concrete pylon, and two stray weeds that were distracting. As far as the horizon line being too sharp...I only upped the contrast 1 notch, and upped the blue saturation a couple notches. I went back and looked at all my RAWs and they are pretty much all like that, untouched. *shrugs*

On this, I am a little confused. My intent with the crop was to make you want to see more, yet that makes the image weak. But I left all of you wanting to see more. So here is the whole thing. You can now leave happy. I don't see this to be very much stronger than the first, (but that's why I am here :thumbup

, which is why I cropped it, with specific intent. For years I have wanted to make a book of Steeples. There hundreds of them here in Cleveland. So to assemble a whole series of steeples, I am trying to find different and unique ways of presenting them. I have found with a lot of them, there is nothing to frame them with (trees). THIS is one I felt is strong. I thank you you all for your reactions to the first crop. Me has some thinkings to do.

On to the Water Tower.
See now, this why I become so frustrated with composition. I thought this (with the fence) was awesome. I thought it added some depth, to what can quickly become a boring subject. I didn't feel the strong angle lead me away. I kept coming back to the highlight on the barrel of the tower. I have sooo much to learn

.

I felt this was decently composed, but somewhat boring.

And this, which is what most of you want, I think is totally boring.

(click them for larger)

I hope I am not sounding too defensive. I am just frustrated. I felt like I was really getting somewhere, really thinking about how to compose shots...But you folks keep me thinking, which is good. That's also why I posted these, rather than some more "safe" flower shots.

Keep it comin' because thats why I am here. :thumbup:

linpelk · May 27, 2009

I like the steeple more now that I can see the beautiful cross on the top. WOW! I would like to see how this looks cropped closer to THAT part of the steeple. Also feels a little slanted. I hear what you are saying about removing that fence from the water tower...it does seem kind of boring now. Hmmm... Sorry....

I think you are doing an amazing job.

chrszie · May 27, 2009

I am in love with the first one. Great Job.

LaFoto · May 27, 2009

Don't become bitter as yet, Jeweller

--- for I was the one to come and say I don't agree with anyone who says the fence is in the way.
At a first glance even, I liked the last photo best of all BECAUSE of the fence, because of the diagonal line it offers to an otherwise only very straight structure, because of the way it leads our eyes towards the water tower. So don't fret: I myself say that you are on the right track with that one!